One of our biggest gripes as an industry is the amount of programmes on television that paint the various trades, including our own, in a bad way. Programmes like Rogue Traders, Don’t Get Done Get Dom and many others in the past always tend to make a very good job of showing that particular trade in a very bad light, spoiling it for the rest of us that try to conduct business in a very professional manner. In fact it these programmes which we all firmly blame as the reason why customers are becoming so unreasonable, demanding and down right rude towards us as companies.

So, I found the Twitter account for Dom Littlewood (@dominic107) and asked him this question: @dominic107 evening sir. Any chance you could host a series of telly shows dedicated to showing ONLY great trades? Like with most TV celebrity accounts, I didn’t expect to get a reply. But credit to Dom, he did reply, with this statement: @glazingblogger I hear that question on a daily basis but the answer to that is, who would watch it?

There we have it folks, pretty much an admission from the man himself that he and others would only make programmes that show trades in a bad light because it pulls in the viewers. Well that’s the way I see it anyway. Unless I’m wrong and he’s genuinely asking a question – but that’s not how I would read that statement.

I would argue that there is plenty of material out there to make a programme showcasing the positive companies that people would watch. Just look at Grand Designs for example. They showcase some of the most outstanding new build and renovation projects undertaken by members of the public. How about a new programme that goes one step further and create a show that not only showcases the project, but also goes in depth into the company that does the work. It could shed more light to the viewers on the hard work companies do to make these projects happen? I think a show like that would not only show our businesses in a better light, but also help to educate the consumer about the processes involved inn our line of work. Neither can be a bad thing.

Anyway, just a thought. Would be nice to get Dom’s view on it.