How electrical contractors can win more work with Google reviews

Grant Matthews, founder of marketing specialist Biz Support Digital, draws on research into thousands of UK trade businesses to determine how electrical contractors can use Google reviews to strengthen their online reputation It is half past seven on a wet Tuesday. The trip switch keeps going and the kettle won't boil. The homeowner picks up their phone and types "electrician near me". Google shows them a map and three local firms. Next to each name sits a star rating, the number of reviews and, a tap away, how long ago the last one was written. They ring the one that looks busiest and most trusted, and that is usually the one with plenty of recent reviews. The firm that gets the call is not always the best electrician in town. Quite often it is simply the one whose customers wrote something down. The numbers We looked at the Google reviews of 3,576 UK electrical businesses as part of a wider study of 41,873 trade and service firms. The ones that do get reviewed average 4.8 stars out of 5, so customers are clearly happy with the work. Yet 49% had no Google reviews at all, and 84% had fewer than ten. The study covered firms without a website, so it leans towards sole traders and small outfits that live on word of mouth and their Google listing. Those are exactly the firms that lose out most when a customer compares three names on a screen. In most cases the electrician simply never asked. Why reviews matter to Google as well as customers Google says it ranks local businesses on three things: how well they match the search, how close they are, and how well known they are. It names the number of reviews and the star rating as part of that last one. You can't move your van closer to every customer, but you can make sure the work you already do shows up. Customers also read the dates. A firm with 40 reviews, the newest from 2023, looks quieter than a firm with 25 reviews where the last one came in last week. People want to know you are still trading and still turning up. Step 1: get your review link Sign in to Google with the account that manages your business listing. Then search Google for your business name, typed exactly as it appears on your listing. A panel called "Your business on Google" appears at the top of the results. It is only visible to you, and it has a row of buttons: Edit profile, Read reviews, Photos and so on. Click "Ask for reviews". Google shows you a short link that takes a customer straight to the box where they leave stars and a comment. Copy it and save it on your phone as a note or a text shortcut so it is always to hand. If the panel doesn't show up, the name you typed probably doesn't match your listing exactly. Search "my business" instead, scroll down to "You manage these profiles" and click "View profile" next to your business. If you have no Google Business Profile at all, set one up first. It is free, and it is the listing that appears on the map. Step 2: ask on the day, by text The best time to ask is when the job is signed off and the customer is pleased: the lights are back on, the new consumer unit is labelled up, the EICR is in their inbox. Wait a week and they have moved on. A short text works better than a card left on the side. Something like: Hi Sarah, thanks for having us in today. If you're happy with the new consumer unit, a quick Google review would really help a small firm like ours. Here's the link: [your link]. Thanks, Dave Keep it personal and mention the actual job. Most people are glad to help when it takes thirty seconds and the link is right there. Step 3: ask everyone, and keep it honest Ask every customer, not only the ones you think will leave five stars. Google's rules don't allow you to pick and choose who gets asked, and a profile with nothing but perfect scores can look less believable than one with the odd four. Never offer a discount, a free test or anything else in return for a review, and never buy reviews or write them for yourself. Fake reviews and hidden paid-for reviews have been illegal in the UK since April 2025 under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act, and Google removes them when it finds them. Step 4: reply to every review Replying shows the next customer that a real person runs the business and cares how jobs go. A line or two is plenty: Thanks, Mrs Davies. Glad the outside lights are working well, and thanks for the tea. The occasional poor review will happen. Reply calmly, keep it short and don't argue in public: Sorry the job ran into a second day, Mr Hughes. We found a fault in the old wiring that needed putting right before we could finish safely. Please ring me if anything isn't right. Step 5: keep the profile up to date Customers look at more than stars. Make sure your Google Business Profile says what you actually do, in the words customers use: EICRs, fuse box and consumer unit upgrades, EV charger installs, rewires, fault finding. Add the towns and villages you cover, your real opening hours and whether you take emergency call-outs. Add a few photos every month: tidy consumer units, finished jobs, your van with the name on it. If you are registered with a scheme such as NICEIC or NAPIT, say so in the description. All of it helps a nervous homeowner decide you are a safe pair of hands. Make it a habit The firms at the top of the map rarely got there with one big push. They ask after every job, so one or two reviews come in most weeks and the newest one is never old. Try it for three months. Save the link, send the text the day each job is signed off, and reply to whatever comes in. For most small electrical firms that is enough to move from "no reviews" to looking like the busy, trusted firm customers ring first. Grant Matthews is the founder of Biz Support Digital

NAPIT outlines training support amid BS 7671 Amendment 4 rollout

Certification body and training provider NAPIT has outlined the range of resources available to its members to help them understand Amendment 4 to BS 7671 The regulation change took full effect on October 15, following the withdrawal of the previous version. NAPIT is supporting its members with a range of resources to help them understand the changes and keep their knowledge up to date, including virtual, online and classroom-based learning at NAPIT training centres, with options of one-and three-day courses. Amendment 4 publications are available to buy, including the Wiring Regulations, On-Site Guide and Guidance Note 3, as well as All NAPIT publications. NAPIT members can also use the NAPIT Knowledge Hub, which is a free member benefit. The CPD platform has three Amendment 4 webinars and automatically logs completed CPD, while enabling members to upload live webinar certificates. Stephen Melton, NAPIT Managing Director, says: “It’s key that electricians can stay up to date and deliver the highest professional standards. Through publications, training and CPD resources, members can stay compliant, up to date and maintain their professional knowledge as Amendment 4 comes into full force.” For more from NAPIT, click here | For more on BS 7671 Amendment 4, click here

UK Power Networks reveals new-look Finsbury Market substation

Distribution network operator UK Power Networks has refurbished its Finsbury Market substation in central London with a near half-a-million-pound investment The upgrade to the electrical infrastructure near Liverpool Street saw a pair of transformers improved, as well as the perimeter of the compound becoming a canvas for street art by Global Street Art and artist Nelio Riga. The electricity firm invested £483,000 into the overhaul, with the upgrade set to improve reliability and strengthen power supplies for the area. UK Power Networks Project Manager, Chanelle Mistry, says: “This investment is giving vital infrastructure a new lease of life. By refurbishing and maintaining the two transformers, we are helping to strengthen the local electricity network and improve reliability for the many businesses and residents who depend on it every day and into the future. "While we've been upgrading the equipment behind the scenes, we're also pleased to see the outside of the site transformed through an exciting new piece of artwork that will help brighten the local area.” Dr Lee Bofkin, Co-Founder of Global Street Art, adds: "It has been a pleasure working with UK Power Networks and Broadgate Quarter on such an important and prominent site helps us move towards our ongoing mission to 'live in painted cities'. "We'd like to thank UK Power Networks and everyone else involved for their dedication to this ambitious project. I frequently walk past the walls, as do so many people, and it is great to see the project so well received." For more from UK Power Networks, click here.

BS 7671 Amendment 4: what changes on 15 October?

Amendment 4 to BS 7671 becomes the only current version of the Wiring Regulations today (15 October). Here's what that means for designs and contracts already under way The previous version of the 18th Edition IET Wiring Regulations, BS 7671:2018+A2:2022+A3:2024, has been withdrawn as a British Standard. Amendment 4:2026, published in April, is now the only current version. Here's what the withdrawal means – and doesn't mean – for electrical contractors, and what to do next. New installations A new installation from today must comply with the new regulations introduced by Amendment 4. Jobs already under way According to trade body SELECT, an installation under construction that was designed to the previous version may continue to be erected and can be verified to that standard, subject to the contractual arrangements agreed. So, whether you can finish a live job to the old version depends on what your contract says. If you're unsure where a project stands, check with your client, designer or trade body, and get any decision in writing. What it doesn't mean An installation built to an earlier version is unlikely to comply fully with the latest one, but that doesn't make it unsafe or mean it must be upgraded. What's new in Amendment 4 Batteries: a new Chapter 57 covers stationary secondary batteries, with more than 18 new regulations. Power over Ethernet (PoE): a new Section 716 limits SELV and PELV supplies to 60 V ripple-free DC in dry locations and 15 V elsewhere. ICT earthing: a new Section 545 covers functional earthing and bonding for ICT equipment. Medical locations: Section 710 has been significantly revised. EICRs: a new requirement means reports must be based on the revised model in Appendix 6. What to do now Check which version your live contracts and specifications refer to; Get a copy of Amendment 4, identifiable by its orange cover; Update designs, certificates and report templates. Appendix 6 has minor changes to the EIC and MEIWC forms and major changes to the EICR; and brief your team before the next job starts. ECN will be explaining the main changes over the coming weeks. Visit our Amendment 4 hub or send your questions to will@allthingsmedialtd.com.

Network Rail appoints Actemium UK to fleet electrification project

Actemium UK, a provider of engineered electrical, automation, and mechanical services, has been chosen by Network Rail as one of two suppliers to support its transition to a zero-emission road fleet The project involves a new £13 million EV charging framework covering operational sites across Wales and the west of England. As a framework delivery partner, Actemium will enable the rollout of charging infrastructure for passenger and commercial vehicles, helping Network Rail electrify its road fleet towards 2030. Up to 45 sites are expected to form part of the programme, including maintenance depots, offices and signalling locations. Charging requirements will be tailored to each site, vehicle profile and dwell time, with infrastructure ranging from 22 kW AC chargers to 150 kW DC rapid charging. The framework forms part of Network Rail’s wider decarbonisation plans, providing the capacity needed to reduce reliance on internal combustion engine vehicles and lower the environmental impact of its road fleet. Actemium UK will provide multidisciplinary engineering expertise across its allocated projects, from site assessment and feasibility through to design, construction, commissioning, handover and staff training. Acting as Principal Contractor, Actemium UK will manage delivery in line with Network Rail’s technical, health and safety, and environmental requirements, while minimising disruption across live operational sites. Building foundations Rafael Carrilho, Sector Manager at Actemium UK, says: “Network Rail operates a diverse road fleet across a large and operationally complex estate in Wales and the West of England, with each location having distinct power demands and operational constraints. "As a trusted UK e-mobility delivery partner, our role is to bring together the electrical, civil and charging infrastructure at each site to create a safe, reliable and future-ready solution. We're delighted to be delivering the EV charging solutions that meet Network Rail's operational needs today, while supporting its transition to an electric fleet.” Julie Woodward, Programme Director at Network Rail, adds: "Rail is already the greenest form of mass public transport, and decarbonising our road fleet is an important part of making it even more sustainable. "By investing in charging infrastructure across our sites, we're creating the foundations needed for a zero-emission road vehicle fleet, helping reduce carbon emissions while supporting the safe and reliable operation of the railway."  For more from Actemium UK, click here.

'Ask AI to change one thing – then check what else moved'

Graham Church, developer of SafetyStack, an online document toolkit for UK trades, explains why electrical contractors should check the wider impact of AI-generated document edits An AI document assistant can make a paragraph easier to read while quietly changing something you wanted to keep. For electrical contractors evaluating software, a simple, controlled editing exercise can reveal more than an impressive demonstration. Ask for one change, then check the whole result. Use a clearly fictional job and invented names. Do not enter a real customer’s information into a trial before understanding the product’s data arrangements. The exercise below tests document editing and review; it is not an electrical procedure, risk assessment or approval of work. Imagine a draft carrying these administrative details: job reference TEST-041, site Eastgate Workshop and document version 1. The particular names do not matter. What matters is that you have a short list of information that should remain unchanged while you test the assistant. Save a copy of the starting document using the product’s normal controls. Check that you can reopen it. A version label alone is not evidence that the earlier wording can be recovered; try the recovery route before making your test change. Now choose one ordinary administrative sentence, such as: “Please use the job reference when discussing this document.” Ask the assistant to rewrite it more concisely, while preserving the reference, site label and version elsewhere. Keep the instruction narrow enough that you can judge whether the result followed it. Compare the requested sentence before and after. A shorter version might read: “Quote the job reference in document queries.” That is a fictional wording example, not a required phrasing or evidence of what any particular product will generate. Then look beyond that sentence. Search for the job reference and site label, and inspect the document title, headings and other identifying fields. Check whether information moved, disappeared or acquired an unexpected replacement. A fluent paragraph does not tell you whether the rest of the document remained intact. Include a second identifying field in your notes, such as the fictional customer's label. This helps you spot a change that leaves the main job reference apparently untouched. If the software offers a change summary or comparison view, test it against what you can see in the document. Does it identify every alteration, or only the assistant’s intended change? If no comparison is available, decide whether reviewing the full result manually is workable for your business. Test rejection as well as acceptance. Can you decline the proposed wording without losing other edits? After accepting it, can you recover the earlier version through the documented route? Record what actually happened rather than assume that an undo icon covers every kind of change. Export the edited document and reopen the file outside the app. Check that the accepted wording appears, the identifying details remain clear and long answers are readable. The version sent to another person matters just as much as the version displayed inside the editor. Repeat the exercise with a second narrow request. This time, deliberately reject the suggestion. Keep notes on the instruction, visible changes, recovery steps and exported result. Those observations can help you compare tools; they do not establish long-term reliability or measured time savings. The boundary remains important. A starting template needs competent adaptation and review for the actual work and site. Neither readable prose nor a successful editing exercise demonstrates that risks have been adequately assessed, or that a customer will accept the document. Graham Church is the developer of SafetyStack

Octopus unveils new low-cost add-on to turn heat pumps into air cons

Octopus Energy, the UK’s largest energy supplier, has revealed a new gadget which can turn its range of Cosy heat pumps into air-conditioning systems Available in 2027, the Cosy Cooler will come in at £500-600 when added to an existing Cosy heat pump system – a fraction of the £2,000 to £6,000 that traditional air-conditioning systems can cost to install. The launch follows another summer of extreme conditions, with temperatures reaching 38.2C in August 2026. With the El Niño weather phenomenon expected to develop, attention is turning to how families can keep their homes cool next summer. The device is designed to connect to the pipework already in place, with installation expected to take around three hours. The portable Cosy Cooler is the size of a tall kitchen bin and plugs directly into radiator pipework to circulate chilled water through the home, with no need for an outdoor hose. The unit can cool single rooms or run up to two to three units at once across different rooms, depending on the Cosy heat pump model. The outdoor Cosy heat pump takes in warm air from outside, using it to chill water and pump it through the home's central heating pipes. The unit inside also draws in warm indoor air, cools it across a built-in heat exchanger, and circulates chilled air into the room. Greg Jackson, Octopus Energy Founder and CEO, says: “Sadly, British homes need to be ready for freezing winters and increasingly hot summers. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme has helped give the industry the confidence to invest, innovate and drive costs down – and Cosy Cooler is the latest result of Octopus ingenuity.” For more from Octopus Energy, click here

Four firms secure contracts across three multimillion-pound BESS schemes

Four engineering and building firms have been appointed to support the roll-out of three new multimillion-pound battery energy storage system (BESS) facilities being built in Scotland and Surrey The schemes, which total around £50m and will begin construction over the next 18 months, will be spearheaded by Root-Power, a developer of BESS facilities to help the UK transition to a cleaner energy system, as part of the government’s Clean Power 2030 reforms. The first of Root-Power’s three BESS schemes will be built at Dounreay near Thurso in Scotland and will generate a 34-megawatt (MW) capacity. The developer has appointed Steve Morgan Associates based in South Wales to provide civil and structural engineering consultancy to deliver the design foundations, layouts, drainage and other key aspects of the site infrastructure needed to assist the main building contractors. Birmingham-based civil engineering and building contractor, Hedigan Construction, has secured the contract to support the second Root-Power BESS project in Caterham near Surrey. It will have a 12MW capacity and is expected to supply power to around 24,000 homes once operational. The final BESS scheme will be located in the Broomloan area of Glasgow, which will deliver a 50-megawatt (MW) capacity once completed. Root-Power is currently in the process of procuring a UK-based civil engineering contractor to provide hands-on delivery of the project, including site preparation, trenching, ducting and enabling works. Teesside industrial electrical power solutions provider, Engineering Power Solutions (EPS) and London-based electrical engineering company, RJ Power, have been awarded contracts across all three schemes. EPS will provide the design and technical expertise, engineering consultancy and the critical safety support needed, whilst RJ Power, which is part of the Ipsum Group, will provide the electrical infrastructure by designing and building the connections required to link all three sites to the grid. Neil Brooks, managing director at Root-Power, says: “We awarded major BESS contracts to these four building and engineering firms because of their proven experience, expertise and practical approach to delivering grid connections across BESS facilities of this size. “Having the right partners in place to oversee the design, technical and site-specific requirements across each scheme is essential to allowing them to become fully operational on the grid.” “Projects such as this represent an important step forward for us as a business as we scale our BESS portfolio and contribute to strengthening the UK’s energy infrastructure. Battery storage systems play a critical role in enabling the successful transition to a more flexible, low-carbon grid whilst safeguarding energy supply to thousands of businesses and homes.”

Olympic medallist Colin Jackson opens new APP Electrical office in Cardiff

Local electricians APP Electrical has launched its new office on North Road in Cardiff by welcoming Welsh hurdling legend Colin Jackson CBE to cut the ribbon Since 2015, APP Electrical has operated from Church Village, and the business’s growing team of eight local electricians is now expanding its services to homeowners and businesses in Cardiff following a recent brand refresh. As well as offering office space for APP’s team, the North Road premises showcase the latest in smart home technologies installed by APP. Cardiff is now one of just a handful of places in the UK where homeowners can try out the Rako Smart Lighting system. Speaking at the office launch, Colin Jackson CBE said: "It’s great to be here and experience this. I’ve been really fortunate to use APP to rewire my whole house and add a little bit of magic, really bring things up to date. You get that great customer service which is really important, you get the job done on time, and they’re also nice and tidy. "Many people may not know that I started out as an electrician. I wasn’t very good! I stuck to running in the end, so now I just leave it to the pros!” APP Electrical’s Managing Director Andrew Pearce added: “It’s been great to get everyone together – the lads, the staff, our friends and family, and Colin! Opening this office gives us greater access to Cardiff, meaning we can deliver our electrical services to more homeowners and businesses locally. "The office features a leading Rako Smart Lighting Control System, where customers can experience what the product involves, and how it’s going to work in their life, their homes and their offices. We’re one of just a few places in the whole of the UK where you can try the system out in person – a fantastic way for homeowners and businesses in Cardiff to upgrade their lighting.”

'Fleet electrification depends on fixing the grid as well as building chargers'

Tom Rowlands, Managing Director of Global EV Solutions at Corpay, on why Great British Grid must continue to boost investment in its network to help support businesses planning to transition to an electric fleet You can order the vehicles, you can install the chargers, but if the grid connection isn't there, on time and at a price that works, none of it moves. That is one of the least visible but most important parts of the EV transition and it is encouraging to see Great British Grid focused on speeding up connections and increasing investment in the electricity network. A depot upgrade for a fleet of vans or HGVs can involve lengthy and unpredictable connection timelines before a single charger goes in the ground. If Great British Grid can genuinely make that process faster and more predictable, it would address a real commercial constraint. Fleets are making vehicle and infrastructure decisions years in advance through procurement cycles and long-term investment plans, so they need confidence that the power will be available when those vehicles arrive. The ambition is welcome, but this is also a complex area and we now need to see more detail on the practicalities and timelines for delivery. Businesses will want to understand how quickly these reforms can translate into faster connections, greater capacity and more certainty over costs. Grid reform and vehicle taxation are often treated as separate conversations. For any business trying to plan a fleet transition, they are part of the same investment decision. Tom Rowlands is Managing Director of Global EV Solutions at Corpay