Nicola Waller, Membership Director at TrustMark
TrustMark is the UK’s only government-endorsed quality scheme for work carried out in or around the home, whether that’s tree surgery, repairing a roof or installing solar panels. We are passionate about quality, raising standards and ensuring consumers have appropriate protection in place when having work done. In this article Nicola Waller, Membership Director at TrustMark, explains the benefits of joining TrustMark and why the quality mark should be part of every ARB Approved Contractor’s toolkit to create new work opportunities and assure clients of good-quality tree care that has been undertaken safely and efficiently.
Since we started in 2005, we have been working to help drive up standards across the industry and improve the protection offered to homeowners when they are having work done. As a longstanding Scheme Provider of TrustMark, the Arboricultural Association continues to be a great supporter and has a growing membership of contractors who are TrustMark registered.
What is TrustMark?
TrustMark is an independent, not-for-profit quality assurance body that oversees home improvement work in and around people’s homes. We are licensed and endorsed by the government’s Department of Business & Trade and operate under a Master Licence Agreement, which sets out what we do and how we do it.
We help homeowners find tradespeople, including tree surgeons, who are skilled, trained and competent to carry out the work they need through our online search facility, www.trustmark.org.uk/homeowner
When a consumer chooses a TrustMark Registered Business, they are engaging with an organisation that has been thoroughly vetted to meet required standards and has made a commitment to good customer service.
If you’re an ARB Approved Contractor looking to demonstrate your commitment to doing a great job with high levels of customer service, you can apply to join our other 18,000+ Registered Businesses. Our ever-expanding online directory helps homeowners to find reliable, quality businesses who are all working to the highest professional standard in their local areas.
Licence to operate
We licence and work with a network of 40 Scheme Providers – of which the Arboricultural Association is one – and they are all committed to meeting the requirements of our Quality Scheme. In turn, our Scheme Providers licence and work with their TrustMark Registered Businesses to ensure they commit to and maintain the required standards of technical competence, trading practices and customer service. These businesses encompass over 115 different service types from plumbers, electricians and builders to carpet cleaners and arborists!
Why join TrustMark?
By adding TrustMark to your Approved Contractor membership, you will have access to a number of benefits to help promote your business, including: Commitment to quality
- Demonstrates your professionalism and expert knowledge in tree care.
- Highlights your commitment to excellence, raising your profile in the industry.
- Provides high standards of competence, customer service and trading practices.
- Helps drive up standards across your trade.
Increased visibility
- Promote your business through the Business Portal, a 24/7 free resource to promote your business with a personalised profile page to showcase your work, collect reviews and build your reputation.
- Customers can easily find you using TrustMark’s ‘Find a Trader’ online directory.
- Gain exposure from joint marketing campaigns and co-branded literature to elevate your business to customers and drive traffic to your website.
- Displaying the TrustMark logo on your letterheads, marketing material, website and vehicles will provide additional assurance to potential customers that you are a quality business.
- Your unique TrustMark profile, which you can link to your website, will let you manage customer enquiries, track progress, manage your business presence and build positive feedback.
Protecting you and your customers
- We give your customers confidence that they are protected when using a TrustMark Registered Business.
- We provide guidance, support and training on managing and resolving customer complaints, including access to the independent Dispute Resolution Ombudsman (DRO) service, giving businesses and customers the tools to help resolve difficult complaints in a smooth and professional manner.
- TrustMark’s low-cost payment protection (Escrow) service provides both Registered Businesses and your customers with a protective financial arrangement when entering into a contract.
- You are eligible for our national Trading Standards Approved scheme, providing your customers with another layer of assurance. (£90+VAT)
Working with key partners
At TrustMark, we work closely with a number of different partner organisations who share our mission to raise trading standards and improve consumer protection. By working together, we can enhance the work our Registered Businesses carry out at their customer’s home and offer advice and support, ranging from safety online to energy advice.
Our partners span many sectors and range from finance, government, accommodation and charities to consumer protection professionals and energy efficiency organisations, such as Age UK, Airbnb, Citizens Advice Bureau, Energy Saving Trust and Grand Designs.
We have also teamed up with industry-leading organisations to offer a whole range of exclusive offers and discounts tailored to our Registered Businesses, enabling you to benefit from them in your working and personal life. They include savings on tools, products and training to help you run your business more efficiently and effectively:
- AA - Saves up to 56% on your business breakdown cover
- ARMD - Protect your tools, save over £77 a year
- Europcar - Up to 15% off car and van hire
- Fergus - 15% off job management software
- Fuel Card Services - Save up to 10p per litre on fuel
- Mellor Financial Training – 75% off finance training
- My Staff Shop - Savings on food, holidays, dining and much more
- Octopus Electric Vehicles - Cost-effective vehicle leasing
- Smartcomms - 25% off websites and 20% off digital advertising
- Wickes TradePro - Save 10%every time you shop
We really value Approved Contractors who are TrustMark Registered Businesses because they have demonstrated a strong commitment to quality, assurance and peace of mind for customers. TrustMark can also provide support to businesses and a range of benefits on top of the excellent offers provided by the Association to give customers that extra peace of mind.
Further information For further information about TrustMark and what the quality mark can provide for your business, visit www.trustmark.org.uk or email arbac@trees.org.uk. TrustMark is open to all ARB Approved Contractors and costs only £65+VAT.
This article was taken from Issue 208 Spring 2025 of the ARB Magazine, which is available to view free to members by simply logging in to the website and viewing your profile area.