“Back office outsourcing”, “STC admin”, “STC paperwork” and “STC compliance” are the same decision: how much of the certificate process should sit inside your business.
What the admin actually is
For each job someone has to collect the assignment form, check serial numbers against the approved lists, match photos to the CER rules, create the STCs in the REC Registry, respond to validation queries and reconcile the payment. At five jobs a week that is a part-time role. At twenty it is a full one, and a bad week of rejections hurts cash flow.
What to hand over
- Lodgement and registry work. This is what a registered agent or trader does by default. See what an STC agent does.
- Pre-checks. A second set of eyes on photos, forms and serials before lodgement. This is where outsourcing pays for itself.
- Chasing and reconciliation. Status updates and RCTI matching.
What to keep
The install quality, the photo capture on site, accurate customer details and the installer statement stay with you. The CER audits installers and holds them to account, so read who is responsible for a failed STC audit before assuming a provider carries your risk. How STC audits work explains the process.
A simple test
| Signal | Suggests |
|---|---|
| Office staff spend hours a week fixing claims | Outsource checking |
| Rejections above a few per cent of jobs | Add pre-checks first |
| Cash is tight waiting on payments | Change trader or terms |
| Growth is flat because admin is the bottleneck | Outsource lodgement |
Costs and traps
Ask whether fees come out of the rate, whether the rate is locked at lodgement, and how long clean claims take to settle. See why installers should compare more than the headline rate.
Setting up a hand-off that works
Write down the steps of your current claim process, mark which ones are done by whom, and agree with the provider exactly where responsibility passes over. A simple one-page checklist for the crew (photos, serials, signatures) and a named contact on the provider’s side prevent most disputes. Review the numbers monthly: claims lodged, claims rejected, days to cash. If those improve, the outsourcing is earning its place.
What this means for installers
Energy Merchants works as the outsourced lodgement and compliance layer: a named account manager, a compliance desk that pre-checks every claim, 24-hour settlement for established partners and a first claim in 48 to 72 hours. See how it works, the partner program and the installer business hub. To compare cash-flow options, read installer cash flow and STCs.