More South Africans are feeling the pinch of the rising cost of living, including the country’s small and medium-sized businesses. According to Business partners’ SME Index, unfavorable economic conditions, exacerbated by loadshedding, petrol price hikes, and COVID-19's lingering effects, contribute to low business confidence among the country’s SMEs.

To help address these challenges, Builders, the leading home improvement, DIY, and building materials retailer, has introduced the Builders PRO benefits programme to help tradespeople (plumbers, electricians, carpenters etc.) navigate the country’s increasingly challenging economic conditions.

The programme offers tradespeople savings-related benefits such as incredible deals, and personalized offers on DIY products and services, from construction to gardening and even maintenance projects, tailored to their businesses and, most importantly, their customers’ needs.

Builders PRO customers will be the first to know about new launches, have the option of a virtual or physical card and most importantly, get money back as a rebate on all cash purchases allowing them to save while getting more work done. The Builders Pro card entitles cash trade customers to a rebate after spending R50 000 or more in cash excluding VAT, within a specified 12-month period determined upon sign-up. For example, if the period is 26 December 2022 to 31 December 2023, the rebate will be paid into the customer’s Builders Pro profile from the end of February 2024.

Tradesmen who spend over R50 000 within 12 months through the Builders PRO programme will qualify to have their rebates aligned to the stock category they purchased during the period. Stock categories qualifying for the rebates include:

• Stock category 1: All stock purchases excluding category 2 purchases receive rebates from 3-5% based on the amount spent over 12 months.
• Stock category 2: Sand, stone, cement, concrete, steel and wooden trusses and truss covering, all non-stock buyouts, promotion, services and deliveries paid for. Category 2 rebates will be 2% against the amount spent over 12 months.

These benefits will help more of the country’s small and medium-sized businesses overcome challenges such as cash flow, access to quality building and DIY solutions, and help tradesmen establish sustainable small businesses that can weather economic storms.

Marketing Head at Builders Janet Booysen says, “We realize that loyalty programmes are more crucial than ever to South Africans, as many consumers turn to them when they need to stretch their pockets and make the most out of their everyday purchases. We want to ensure that our essential tradespeople also benefit from these rewards as small businesses are responsible for the country's economic growth by contributing to job creation that sustains many South African households."

The popularity of rewards programmes remains high among South Africans, who turn to them to help them navigate this challenging economic period and stretch their pockets. The 2022 Truth and BrandMapp Loyalty Whitepaper highlights this dependence, revealing that 73% of South Africans use loyalty programmes consistently.

Builders says its PRO programme will allow SMEs to also reap the rewards of a benefits programme that can alleviate some of the difficulties their businesses face.

“The country’s tradespeople have unlimited potential to alleviate South Africa’s challenges, including the job crisis, which is why we’re so invested in this sector’s survival and recovery following the impact of the pandemic. In addition to the benefits our programme will offer these customers, we also hope that finding new ways to support this sector will encourage more South Africans to pursue a career in this field and plug into the skills gap in the market,” adds Booysen.

According to South Africa’s Department of Higher Education and Training’s recently published list of high-demand occupations, the country continues to experience a scarcity of individuals trained and qualified to meet the demand for crucial artisanal jobs such as plumbers, electricians, and builders.

The list highlights how these artisan-based businesses, which serve homeowners, have different development needs to other industries and require increased focus to enable this segment’s growth.

Builders PRO customers can use their card at any store and link it to their online profile to track the rebate. For more information on the Builders PRO benefits programme, visit https://www.builders.co.za/builderspro