If you live in or plan on visiting Manchester any time soon, you may require the services of a number of different businesses. To help you find them, a Manchester Business Directory could be the answer. Here are 10 types of firms that you can find.

1. Manchester Plumbers – Pipe problems at the home or office can be disastrous if not dealt with quickly. Use a directory to find reliable local plumbers.

2. Manchester Electricians – It’s a similar story with electrical problems and it can be tricky knowing where to look for a trustworthy and inexpensive professional. A directory can help.

3. Manchester Florists – Sending flowers to your girlfriend, Mum or friend? Then you’re going to need to find a good florist near to where they live.

4. Manchester Hairdressers – Sometimes a change can do your style the world of good. Why not read reviews of the best salons near your home before booking an appointment?

5. Manchester Driving Schools – When you start learning to drive, you can’t wait to take and pass your test. A driving school can help you get there quicker.

6. Manchester Builders – If you have building or construction work, then you need a few local professionals in your area to get quotes from and compare testimonies.

7. Manchester Gardeners – If you struggle to keep your garden looking good or you want the whole thing re-landscaped, then you’re going to need to check out some local gardeners.

8. Manchester Train Stations – If you’re looking to travel into the city, then you might want to do some research into the different local stations and where they are.

9. Manchester Shopping Centres – From the Trafford Centre to the Arndale, there’s a lot of shopping to enjoy in Manchester.

10. Manchester Cinemas – And if you’re visiting a Manchester shopping centre, why not tie in a visit to a nearby cinema and see the latest movies?

So, if you’re looking for a Manchester builder, florist or electrician, a Manchester business directory could help you find the right companies.

By: Robert Berry-Smith

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It may be surprising to some, but quite a few of the plumbing contractors that advertise in the local phone directory are not really “local plumbers”. More and more of the premium ads (i.e. double page, color, front cover etc.) are companies that are out of the area. While there is nothing wrong with a company advertising in as many publications as they can afford, as well as in areas they think they can service properly. However, some of the advertisements can be misleading to the consumer.

One of the ways in which a plumbing service company can be misleading is to advertise in every directory in a metropolitan area, even if they themselves do not have the resources or reach to reasonably service the area. What the consumer ends up with is a plumbing dispatch service. You may call ABC Plumbing, but then XYZ Plumbing shows up at your door! Sometimes, ABC Plumbing doesn’t even have a single service vehicle of it’s own and will just have “independent servicemen” do all of the plumbing repairs.

There are some ways for the consumer to avoid these tactics and eliminate the confusion before the plumbing repairs are performed.

If you do call ABC Plumbing, and a truck with XYZ Plumbing printed on their truck shows up, you have the right to ask (any absolutely should ask) why.

Plumbing service contractors are usually required to publish their license numbers in their advertisements, if there is no license number in the ad, they are probably not licensed.

Which brings up a whole other problem for you, the consumer, to ponder. If the service contractor does publish their license number, but dispatches an “independent serviceman”, who has the license? The plumbing technician or the dispatcher? What about the workman’s compensation insurance? Who is guaranteeing the work and the product? Who is supervising the plumbing technician’s work and conduct?

Here are a few questions you can ask the person on the phone before they send out a service technician. If the company only shows a toll free number, ask if they have a physical location. If the company prints a license number, ask if all of their service technicians are licensed as well. If the company you call is in fact a dispatch type of service company, who carries the insurance? The ad may say that the company is licensed, bonded, and insured. But in fact their independent service technicians are the ones required to carry the insurance, workers comp, and general liability. No one wants the hassle of calling one company to perform service, get someone completely different on the job, and then have to worry about who is responsible for any problems that may arise.

So don’t forget to use your local plumbing companies that serve your areas. They add value to your local commerce as well as provide an essential service.

By: Sean Kavanaugh

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