not gone yet

[brian]

another jokes, just got back from a sale, part time guy went a few weeks ago he's new bless him, 2 verts for £380 unless you have our nice black/navy/orange/green 60% offers. ere no thanks says cust. so's for some reason I'm sent this time on a sillarys lead cust after the same. so peeps I did what all yous double diamonds would do and sold her 2 verts in a very nice jaquard cream for £125 thats £60 profo for me and one happy cust. it just means my eve appoint has to go there way to keep the stats looking good if you know what i mean, well of course you do.
get some cards made with your own number on them and write your number all over invoice and order, then watch the repeat biz come in on your own money making machine biz, get the drift, course you do ;D
I love this job like a fat kid loves trifle.

sorry to hear about woolies and mfi, the only good thing that may comes out of it is sillybilly can't be far behind on there management exp i hope yous guys got back up,if you know what I mean, cors you does

[brian]

brians blog

its me again peeps, as you know i'm advertising in my neighbors area, they don't know so don't tell them went in first the other day, sillarys coming in at 7.30, who the hell wants to work that late i told her not to bother as they would be way more for less choice, ie my 6 roller books against one, but you know how they insist, i had to keep my id under wraps, she calls me up and wants to go ahead, of course she did, i never doubted it and lets face it peeps nor did yous 2 verts 2 rollers 230 quid thats 100 clear for me, even if she had wanted to pay twice as much the adviser guy would of earnt 1/2 of what i got. jokes
altogether now
I love this job like a fat kid loves cake/////////only join in if your double deals or you ain't gunna be loving it are yous, i tink yous be hurting a littles.
but alls not lost follow mys examp and u2 could be £££ss better of. get some profile in the next town over they wont have a clue and the travel is worth it as you make ££££ss mors than sillarys. with mors choice conversion is 99%. ;D i got 2 either side and hillburys in the middle it works a treat.

pm me if yous want any info, or want some sillburys inside info
i,m all set for crimbo now i got m8 whos going to join siilaryts in this area and were going to team up sharing leads etc, a yeasr of that and I can retire ;D ;D ;D
althoughs sadly me leads have dropped off a bit now, i know what your thinking but i,s think you be wrong sunshines, but me dfs m says i,m where i need to be on stats cors i already knew that work it baby
everyday is crimbo for me

[blindmansam]

Help !

[the helper]

here to help!

The helper.

[Ghost from Christmas past]

I was an agent for quite a few years, slowly becoming more and more
disillusioned with Hillary's service, production values, pricing
policy (based on remakes, not quality) and attitude to me and my
agency.

Having seen other agents leave Hillary's and set up with other blind
manufacturers. Companies that have in my opinion stolen the
initiative from Hillary's, and are now imitating them, vastly
improving on the package offered to the agents. I decided to do
something about my frustrations.

Having gone to area meetings and been told from surveys that
customers rated their experience with agents very highly, in fact
above all other criteria. I found this to be at odds with my own
dealings with Hillary's. In other words we the agents made Hillary's
look good!

It finally dawned on me that Hillary's do 2 things. They generate
leads and provide a product, that is basically it. Its relatively
easy to generate leads and companies are falling over themselves
trying to offer product.

The problems I had in running my agency were not with the customer or
my lack of skill, but with Hillary's. The fact that they were
complacent to what I did, is a testament to their naivety, and lack
of concern for agents. Hillary's were holding me back! They don't
like it when you get to big an agency (hence weakening you with new
recruits in your area) or too knowledgeable about blinds outside the
world of Hillary's. I was losing confidence in them fast.

I found another supplier of blinds, bought some sample books and was
selling my own blinds along side Hillary's before I left.

Contrary to belief, Hillary's do not have the largest choice or best
quality of product. What they are good at is mass marketing. Then
letting the agent weed out the chaff, at no expense to them. From
what I can see, current marketing is poor and targets more chaff than
wheat, lowering the customers expectations of Hillary's standards. If
their product, and service to agents lived up to their glossy
brochure we all might of been happier!

I found myself going into houses with Hillary's products, knowing I
had a better product (in most cases), more choice, and better value
to myself and the customer in my vehicle. If the customer struggled
or wanted a better deal I offered my blinds. I very rarely lost an
order.

Hillary's seem to think if a customer wants a blue blind, that is not
in the sale they will buy a green one that is! This does not work. So
it was walk away or discount the green one and get a sale. Then get
an ear bashing from manager for discounting! Now everyone was happy.
My manager because I was not discounting, the customer because they
got the blind they wanted, and me because I made a sale with my
product that would of otherwise gone to a competitor. I also made
more money.

I feel sorry for you lot and the 2 for £99. The very last customer I
went to with Hillary's was torn between a roller blind for £110. One
from Hillary's range and one from mine, that I decided to sell at the
same price. She choose mine and I made £65. That did the trick for me.

I actually look forward to selling roman or wooden blinds now. The
quality I get is far superior to Hillary's, right down to the care
taken in packing it. I used to feel I was deceiving the customer when
selling them a wooden venetian or roman. Premium price for a below
average product. As soon as I took it out of the box I could see
faults, so was the person who put it in the box blind! The wooden
venetian and romans, I get now are far superior to yours in every
way. It annoys me to think of all those years wasted when I wrongly
believed Hillary's product was the best.

My romans do not have visible stitching (that is never straight),
they do not have creasing all over them, and they go up and down
straight. I can also offer blackout lining and make from customers
own fabric, the amount of times I was asked for that at Hillary's and
lost out. I will not even start on other products, you all know the
problems, they are the same they have always been. They never listen
and improve, there seems to be a barrier between area management and
production, thus anything said by agents of constructive importance,
does not get through. The managers have their own agenda and fail to
see the bigger picture and pull it into focus, which would benefit
all. When I was there I had a list of about 20 things that could of
easily been put right at production, but no matter how many times I
told my manager or service support it did not happen. The reason.
Well agents put it right on sight for free, so why put the effort in
at production!

All the extra call outs and repairs, etc. that I did for them went
largely un-rewarded. Again my diligence made them look good. They
just assumed it was my duty to do it. The only reward I would get is
them giving one of my customers to an inferior new agent, who would
then mess things up and ruin any repeat business I had worked hard to
seed. As you know on trying to sort these problems out Hillary's
consistently fail to get a grip and things usually go from bad to
worse!

I am now treated by my present suppliers like someone who brings in
business for them. By that I mean they answer the phone promptly, and
solve problems quickly with competence. They also provide a product
worthy of the price I ask. In fact the complete opposite from my time
at Hillary's.

I have not seen your sam so I cannot comment. It seems like the same
blind intolerance to agents feelings and frustrations. When will
Hillary's realise that you are their best asset? Stop giving one way
traffic and start listening and learning. They never listened or
learnt so I went!

Wake up people, sometimes the grass is greener!

One last point, I have a Hillary's agent in my area that drives a
wreck of a car, with a Hillary's magnetic sign on it. It makes me
laugh, what a great advert for quality blinds! Sure to create the
right impression and bring business in, TO ME! Anyway its the free-
phone number so the leads will not be going to him anyway!

Good luck, but if you have an inkling of professionalism and get up
and go in you, then get up and go! Do not let Hillary's hold you back.