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Hello boys and girls. A little bit leftfield but...
What are your thoughts on giving candidates badges, pins or patches?
I follow a lot of the stuff that goes on in wilderness First Aid in the States and they are mad for their patches, their 'badges of honour'!
In our local Tesco's the First Aiders where their little green 'Pins'. But other the appointed FA'ers in the Service industry do you think customers would be interested in this?
At the end of the day, I don't really care if I hand out badges which don't get worn; it is not about advertising, it is about giving the customer something extra.
Do people think 'Why would I want this?' 'I'll never wear it!'
or do people think ' I'll never wear this, but isn't it nice!'
Buying in bulk you can probably get patches or badges made up for a couple of quid each, but still an initial cost up front.
Badges: Nice touch for the customer or a naff waste of money better spent elsewhere?
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered Users, Subscribers
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We give a pin badge to all successful (full) FAW delegates
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered Users, Subscribers
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Have they been mentioned in post-course feedback? Any Anecdotal comments on them?
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I dont run FAW courses, but have taught a few other basic (ish) courses for youth organisations and I gave a badge to each successful candidate to wear on their uniform, which they appreciated
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered Users, Subscribers
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Badges haven't been mentioned in feedback, but some of our clients always do full course renewals and there are several who wear their collection of badges with pride! One of our PCTs amended its uniform rules to permit the HCAs to wear their QFA badge. I occasionally get a call to say badges has been lost, or broken - usually by leaving it on something in the wash. So anecdotally, I guess they are popular with some of our clients.
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why waste money on it? how much is it costing each?
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered Users, Subscribers
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Well, this is the question; JonAcc clearly has repeat business which is the Holy Grail of business. Now it is not solely because he hands out badges but I am wondering if it is this (and other small 'perks') which help and how much?
Yes, it is an additional cost but so are replacing resus dolls lungs every course or replacing old equipment with new, having a 'uniform' or publishing your own handbooks etc...
The $million question is, is it 'worth' the extra cost. I reckon, depending on what type of badge and how many you buy you could get something for 50p each (or a whapping £6 a course!  ) RealFirstAid2011-05-15 21:03:43
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I know you can get them for 37p each when brought at trade if you are In the supplies side of business and I believe you can get them even cheaper if you buy them in cases.
I know must people charge £1.99 - £6.00 per badge.
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered Users, Subscribers
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I got a pin badge when I did my last FAW course, very rarely wear it. Don't see the need. Don't wear "first aider" badge on my helmet either, as different companies I visit have different rules for who wears what badge and what it means. So spending money on smething a lot of people can't or won't wear seems to me a waste of time. Some of those that will look a bit like a boy scout, with bdges for this that and the other. speckles2011-05-16 13:25:36
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I'll say this and then no more. In 2010 I was fortunate enough to attend my very first First Aid Forward Conference. At the stand opposite ours in the far corner there was a what I presumed to have been a chappie selling ruck sacks. Not any old ruck sack, oh no, these had whistles and flashing lights and more zips than you could poke a stick at. I use the phrase "presumed to have been a chappie" becasue I didn't actually see him, I only saw the hoards of people clamouring to get their hands on one of these spangly ruck sacks. Thank God he was at a First Aid convention... at least there were no shortage of people to treat any injuries casued by the rush. The point is this; people like something they can fiddle with and a badge gives a person a little bit of kudos "let me pass, I am a First Aider" (strewn rose petals optional)  . OK so a person might look like a shooting target gallery wearing 50 million different badges - that's up to them. If they don't wear the badge when they get back to thier desk they'll put it in their draw and when someone asks "where do I get great training from" the thought will go round in thier head, hang on... I'm sure I had a badge somewhere...... But if you miss the chance to get your company name out there; even if it is on a cheap little badge; are you really doing yourself justice in the marketing department? BTW - I still have my "I picked the oldies on Steve Wright in the Afternoon" badge - does that make me a bit sad on two counts? marmite2011-05-16 20:00:16
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Medluke Would be interested to hear where you can get them for 37p. That's significantly less than our Trade Supplier sells them, and the previous supplier put them up to over £2 each trade. We currently sell them at just over the £1 each (not sure exact at the moment as I am on holiday!) Also, can you just confirm to our e-mail about the HS charger unit please. Thanks
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered Users, Subscribers
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I worked in a very large dairy with around a thousand workers, being that it was a food industry everyone had to sport a blue hairnet, however all the first aid staff had to have red hairnet and we stood out like a sore thumb.
In a large industry staffs do need to stand out as a first aider, however they do it. I often see first aid badges when I shop in the large supermarkets, so I guess badges are a good thing it does identify you as a first aider.
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered Users, Subscribers
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I have an AoFA & a First Aider stickers in the windscreen of my car - they sent it to me so I stuck them in. Has anyone stopped me to ask for help because they've seen them...no. But there is always that chance that someone might and I really dont have a problem with that.
At work, all FAs wear their (FA labelled) HiVis vests during Fire Drills and when we have to cover events like Sports Days so that we stand out amongst the masses and yes we are kept busy during these events. The HiVis vest is useful because the staff/students can see where to "run" to for help.
My work ID badge is attached to a FA lanyard.
I have a small FA pin badge on my everyday coat along with my Kent Air Ambulance badge.
I dont see any issues with having some form of clear FA identification, especially in the workplace. You are there to provide FA and I feel that others should be able to quickly recognise you in the event of an emergency.
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Hi There guys.
The idea of giving out badges etc to those who have passed a course is a good one.
I run a UK based training company which is "AN ECSI APPROVED EDUCATIONAL CENTRE" with the Emergency Care and Safety Institute and I give out the relavent ECSI patches which go down a storm with everyone.
Sometimes giving them that little extra item can result in more business, especially when they tell other people that "Oh the training company I went to give out these nice cloth patches and you can get t-shirts and other stuff.
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Most of our Forst Aiders work in large open plan offices, when they have passed their FAW course we issue them with a flag (White cross green background) that sits on the desk devider, very usefull as when someone needs a First Aider they just have to look round and can immediatly see where one is sitting... (Yes they only put the flag up when they are at their desk.)
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