Alan Smith & Sons trusts Shine Forms for cost-effective electrical certificates

‘I pay a yearly fee and can do as many certificates as I want. I’ve done 200 in a year. It’s very cost-effective compared to paying per certificate.’

Alan Smith Founder, Alan Smith & Sons Electrical

In this story

• Long-term reliability
• Built-in regulation intelligence flags potential errors automatically
• Unlimited certificates for one annual cost
• Responsive technical support when needed
• Straightforward software for electricians, not computer experts

Customer summary

Alan Smith & Sons Electrical has served Coventry and the surrounding areas for decades, building a reputation through quality work and customer recommendations. What started as a sole-trader operation has grown into a family business, with Alan’s son, Neil, now running the company alongside two employed electricians.

They specialise in domestic electrical contracting alongside ongoing contracts with local housing associations and schools. Their work ranges from single domestic properties to managing multiple similar installations across large-scale projects.

Throughout all the changes in the electrical industry, one constant has remained - Shine Forms for their electrical certificates.

‘I’ve been with Shine Forms since the beginning,’ says Alan. ‘I’m quite happy with it. I can do it, and there are no issues.‘

Straightforward electrical certificates

Alan Smith & Sons needs software that handles different types of work without complications. From domestic rewires to multi-property contracts, the certificates need to be professional and meet regulation requirements.

‘I carried on with Shine Forms because I could manage it. I could do it,’ Alan explains. ‘I’m an electrician, not a computer expert. The software just works.’

The ability to copy and modify certificates for similar properties has proven particularly valuable when testing multiple properties with identical electrical layouts.

‘When you’re doing multiple similar installations, being able to copy certificates makes a big difference,’ says Alan. ‘You’re not starting from scratch every time. It saves hours of repetitive data entry.‘

Software flags regulation changes

Following a regulation update, Alan discovered one of the benefits of having regulation intelligence built in. Cable reference codes that had been standard for years had changed, and the software flagged this for his attention.

‘The software asks questions about what kind of cable you’re using and how it’s fixed,’ Alan explains. ‘When the regulations were updated, some of the reference letters changed. The software caught this straight away and flagged it for me to review.’

Rather than submitting a certificate without realising the references had changed, the built-in intelligence alerted him to check the issue. A quick message to the team confirmed what had changed in the updated regulations.

‘They explained what had changed and what needed selecting differently,’ says Alan. ‘Once I knew what the update had changed, I could fix it.’

Having regulations built into the software means it can flag potential issues when updates happen, helping engineers stay aware of changes across BS 7671 amendments.

‘The software picks up on regulation changes and flags them for you to review,’ says Alan. ‘Regulations keep updating, and having software that alerts you to those changes is helpful.‘

Support that responds

Over the years, Alan has built a working relationship with the Shine Forms team based on quick responses and practical solutions.

‘If I’ve got an issue - usually only when they update or regulations change - I email a message, and the team quickly sorts it out.’ Alan explains. 

For a busy electrical contractor, that responsiveness keeps projects on track. Issues get resolved quickly so work can continue without delays.

‘The support is excellent,’ Alan says.

Pricing that makes business sense

One aspect of Shine Forms that Alan particularly values is the pricing structure. The yearly licence means unlimited certificates without worrying about mounting costs during busy periods.

‘I pay a yearly fee, whereas some companies charge per certificate,’ Alan explains. ‘With those companies, if you’re doing 200 certificates a year, you’re paying 200 separate charges. With Shine Forms, I can do as many as I want for the same annual cost. It’s very cost-effective.’

The pricing model provides predictable costs regardless of workload for a business handling domestic work and larger commercial contracts. A busy month doesn’t mean an unexpectedly large software bill.

Software built for electricians

Alan Smith & Sons represents the type of electrical contractor Shine Forms was built for - businesses focused on electrical work, not wrestling with complicated software.

The software handles their work across domestic installations, social housing projects, and schools. Certificates are produced consistently across different project types.

‘I was chairman of the Leicestershire & Warwickshire branch of the ECA for nine years,’ Alan recalls. ‘I always told people, Shine Forms work well for me. Why would I want to change when I’ve no issues?‘

Reliable, professional output

For Alan Smith & Sons, Shine Forms delivers what electrical contractors need - certificates produced reliably, with support available when needed, at a price that makes business sense.

Whether it’s a single domestic rewire or 200 certificates across varied projects, the software handles it consistently.

‘I’ve been with Shine Forms since the beginning. I’m quite happy with it. I can do it, and there’s no issues.’

Neil Smith Managing Director Alan Smith & Sons Electrical