Beware Of Trojan Horses

Re: Beware Of Trojan Horses

And as if by magic, just prove that my suspicions were not without merit…

> Dear Colleagues
>
> I would like to update everyone on activities over the past three or four
> weeks. My apologies that this update was held back for a couple of days,
> because of computer problems due to a virus. However, before I begin I
> would like to say a few words of thanks.
>
> The past couple of months have been massive in terms of the management
> changes within NESN. First of all, we would not be in the position we are
> now if Ralph Ross and Paul Swift had not had the courage, tenacity and deep
> belief in the Network to initiate the actions needed to change the previous
> regime. With the support of David Henry, who also had to withstand a
> torrent of personal attacks, and Geoff Devlin’s influence as an independent
> contributor with no proverbial axe to grind, this group of individuals has
> ensured that the future of the NESN Network is secured. They will probably
> be embarrassed by this being made public, but I do believe that everyone
> needs to be aware of how critical these guys have been. In addition to
> this, it is a fantastic measure of the power of the Network that the
> shareholders and members backed Paul, Ralph, Geoff and David when the chips
> were down.
>
> MANAGEMENT
>
> Following my appointment a number of management changes were made which you
> are aware of. However, during that period it was critical to ensure the
> stability to the organisation as quickly as possible and I asked the new
> management team of Richard Crick, Bev Steele, Jan Salih, Louise Griffiths,
> Clare Piercy, Carla Poppitt and Joanne Loach and Linda Eaton to take on new
> responsibilities and keep the business running whilst the Board and myself
> sorted out some of the more sticky issues. To be honest I have been around
> business for some time in similar circumstances and I have been surprised
> and really chuffed at the degree of enthusiasm, commitment, desire to take
> decisions and offer suggestions that the team and their people have and are
> doing.
>
> It is with pleasure that I can confirm that the team is now complete, as
> Karen Halsman joined us on the 16th August as Director of Sales and
> Operations. Karen’s experience and approach to business will strengthen the
> business and I am sure that you will join me in welcoming her and wishing
> her all the best. At the meeting in October we will give you a complete
> update on the sales activities already underway. We do know the urgency for
> new sales and you are already starting to see some results with the new
> Littlewoods and JD Williams contracts. New business has also been secured
> through our affiliation with Elesco Europe and we will let you know more
> when we work through the details.
>
> Following the investigation into some questions and resulting in the
> suspension of Jonathan Trubshaw, I have reached the point of asking Jonathan
> to attend a disciplinary hearing. This was scheduled to take place a couple
> of weeks ago but we agreed to postpone due to Jonathan’s current trouble
> with his diabetes. We, myself and the respective solicitors, are attempting
> to arrange the hearing as soon as possible whilst taking into account
> Jonathan’s health issues.
>
> ELESCO
>
> The board and I had a very good meeting with the Elesco management executive
> a couple of weeks ago to clear the air regarding the new relationship we
> need to build together following Dave Ince’s resignation from the NESN
> board: Dave has been working with Elesco for several years. As I said at the
> last members’ meeting we had several serious concerns about what our
> position actually is with Elesco. There are still some issues to resolve,
> such as:
>
> * Why was no one aware that a new company called Elesco UK
> LTD. had been formed on the 6th June 2004?
> * Why was no one aware that a job had been advertised in Jan
> 2004 for a National Sales Manager of Elesco UK?
>
> These are some of the questions, as well as others, which I will try and get
> answers to prior to the members’ meeting in October. In addition, I will
> give a presentation on Elesco Europe as a whole to ensure that you all have
> the most up-to-date understanding of the opportunities as well as the
> practical issues we need to resolve.
>
> NEDIS & SEME
>
> As part of the Elesco Europe connection, I am delighted to announce that we
> have agreed a sensible new spares deal with NEDIS and their associated
> company SEME. We will be launching this by 1st September and will give you
> much more information over the next week or so. However, it is vital that
> we act as a network and source all spares from SEME/NEDIS. There will
> inevitably be items, in the early days of the contract, which can be sourced
> by individual members at a cheaper rate but we have assurance that if we
> make SEME/NEDIS aware of our needs they can supply at the best rates. The
> original deal with NEDIS was based upon forcing members to purchase through
> NEDIS with sanctions enforced on those who did not comply. My view is very
> simple: we will not operate a network under those conditions and we need to
> have a commercial deal which stacks up against the competition. However,
> our spares volumes and value will be assessed after 6 months and if we do
> not as a network produce the demand SEME and NEDIS need to support the
> special prices the deal will have to be changed. I ask you to please take
> this very seriously, work with us to build the volumes and we can only
> improve the spares prices as demand increases. We must operate as a strong
> network and prove that coercion does not need to be applied to get good
> deals.
>
> WASTE DISPOSAL OF CRT’S AND TELEVISIONS
>
> To recap on the information DBS has already sent to the members:
>
> With the introduction of the Hazardous Waste Regulations on 17th July, the
> disposal of televisions and CRT’s has been limited.
>
> What this means in real terms is that service companies, retailers and any
> other commercial outlet disposing of CRT’s and TV’s will have to send them
> to a hazardous waste landfill site or have them treated by a specialist.
> This means a large disposal cost will be incurred. Discussions are
> advancing between NESN and DBS to solve this problem for both our members
> and customers.
>
> There will be a presentation on this subject at the next members’ meeting
> but the broad proposal will deal with the financial and logistical problems
> of moving waste CRT’s and televisions from Service Providers and retailers
> to the disposal facility.
>
> NESN BUILDING
>
> We will be completing this week and have already started to get the place
> into the shape where we can be proud of it and feel confident about inviting
> customers to visit.
>
> FINANCES
>
> Our cash flows are still a bit tight but we are on track to deliver our
> promise on member payments.
>
> We will make a loss in the 2003/4 year but the savings we have already
> actioned should start to come through in the next couple of months. Full
> details will be given at the October meeting.
>
> MEMBERS
>
> Member 331, Service Group – (John Fitzgerald)
> This Member ceased as an NESN agent on 31 April 04 due to contract issues.
> They have since appealed against the unwarranted termination of the
> relationship between themselves and NESN, and the decision has been reached
> to allow this Service Provider to rejoin the NESN Network. The
> re-integration of this Service Provider has taken place in 3 stages which
> were completed on Monday 23rd August 2004.
>
> Member 358, Haworth Appliance Repairs – (Philip Kendal)
> This Member ceased as an NESN agent on 11 May 04 as he was unhappy with the
> way the CDSL demise was handled. Since the changes within Head Office, this
> Service Provider has approached NESN to rejoin the Network. This Member has
> been re-integrated to the Network and a small postcode area has been
> allocated. Further possible area allocation is currently being explored.
>
> Member 261, CES – (Dave Conway)
> This Member ceased as an NESN agent on 8 October 03 due to payment issues
> and NESN reallocating 50{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} of the postcode areas allocated to 261, CES, to an
> NESN Franchise engineer without any notice or explanation being offered.
> Since the change in Management structure at NESN this agent has been
> approached with a view of re introducing them to the NESN Network. This
> communication has been extremely positive and they have decided to rejoin
> the NESN Network. We are now taking the required steps to re-integrate this
> Service Provider to the NESN Network on 23rd August 2004.
>
> Member 204, Huby Domestics – (Jason Huby)
> This Member ceased as an NESN agent 10 May 04, again due to contract issues.
> Since the changes within Head Office this Service Provider has approached
> NESN to rejoin the Network.
>
> Member 311, Service Force – (Mark Scoggins)
> This Member ceased as an NESN agent 31 January 04 as they were given an
> ultimatum in relation to the MFI work previously undertaken by NESN.
> Following the changes, this Service Provider has shown a great interest in
> rejoining the NESN Network and we would expect to start processing this
> re-integration 8th September 2004.
>
> VNC Installation – Success story! Further to the decision to change the
> method of support previously offered to Service Providers via an NESN Field
> Support Officer, we have now completed our first VNC Installation.
>
> Member 338, SB Services, recently opened a Sales Centre and to facilitate
> this, the decision was made to incorporate a new company. As the new
> company has a new name and a new VAT number, a new NESN Member number also
> had to be created, therefore a new system was required to be installed.
> Normal NESN procedure, in the past would be to send an NESN representative
> to complete this installation, which carries a huge cost implication in all
> areas which are not local to NESN.
>
> E.g. approximate cost to install new NESN system in Member 338, SB
> Services, business premises:
> Fuel Cost – Stoke on Trent to Cornwall and back (approximately 600
> miles) £150.00
> Hotel Cost – 1 night, plus 2 evening meals £100.00
> Cost of NESN Representative’s time – 2 days £150.00
> Total approximate cost – £400.00
>
> The NESN IT Department discussed with the Service Provider the possibility
> of sending the Call Manager Installation CD directly to him by post and
> completing the installation via VNC (Virtual Network Computing), this allows
> NESN to ‘dial into’ a Service Provider system and carry out functions
> remotely. The Service Provider was agreeable to do this as this means the
> function can be completed at a convenient time to himself as appose to the
> time restrictions imposed by the NESN Representative visit. The disc was
> posted on Tuesday 3rd August 2004 and the new Call Manager system was
> installed, desktop links and Webcomms to both system created, new email
> address accepted and postcodes reallocated to the new Member number by 11am
> on Wednesday 4th August 2004.
>
> By taking a different approach we can deliver a great service to the members
> at marginal cost to NESN.
>
> Members support:
>
> The new system of asking the members to support other members is under way
> with some success. Details will be provided at the October meeting.
>
> DASA Corgi Gas Auditing:
>
> Since the changes within NESN Head Office have taken place, the foundations
> of a strong relationship have been built between the DASA organisation and
> ourselves. NESN are currently in discussions with DASA regarding the
> possibility of this organisation undertaking all of the required gas
> auditing of jobs completed by NESN Service Providers. This is a vital
> function and will stand NESN in very good stead when securing potential gas
> work from new or existing clients. DASA are currently drawing up a proposal
> in relation to this work and I expect to receive this within the next 2 – 3
> weeks.
>
> MEMBERS’ MEETINGS
>
> Please find below the latest details but if there is any topic you would
> like to have covered please let either Linda or myself know.
>
> Confirmation of Quarterly General Meeting Dates:
>
> Many thanks to everyone who responded to our provisional schedule of member
> meeting dates for 2004/05. However, the best-laid plans go astray, and
> having selected a date that suited most people, we have unfortunately found
> that we are unable to find a suitable venue locally for Thursday 14 October!
>
> We would therefore like to change the first meeting to Wednesday 13 October.
> I am sorry that we are having to change the date for the first one but hope
> you still find it useful to have plenty of notice of these meetings (I
> understand that in most areas School half term holidays are 25-29 October,
> so hopefully there won’t be too many clashes).
>
> Wednesday 13 October 04 – General Members’ Meeting:
> Venue: Port Vale Football Club, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent
> Time: 10.30am
>
> The dates for all the other meetings are confirmed as follows:
>
> Thursday 17 February 05 – AGM followed by General Members’ Meeting:
> Thursday 16 June 05 – General Members’ Meeting
> Thursday 13 October 05 – General Members’ Meeting
> All meetings will take place from 10.30am at Port Vale Football Club, as
> above.
>
> For the meeting on 17 February, we intend to have the Company AGM first,
> followed immediately by the Members’ General Meeting, so please arrive at
> the usual time if you could. Please note that the date for the AGM will be
> notified formally to shareholders separately nearer the date.
>
> Last but not least can I thank those who responded to my request for new
> ideas; we are looking into them and will feedback at the next meeting. Any
> more will be welcomed.
>
> Many thanks for your support and I look forward to seeing you again in
> October.
>
> Kind regards
>
> Carole Madden

So there you have it from the horse’s mouth, you have all agreed or re-approached NESN of your on volition according to Ms Madden and she has just used YOUR names to drive home the point to the entire network whether true or not. But in most cases I absolutely, positively know that this is not the case.

Have a nice day.

K.

Well….

What you do is this, first off pass the information to Rudolph to open the door as that way they won’t know where they’re being blind-sided from….

Oops! I already did that! :rotfl:

Then you let us at the bastards!

Oh, that’s what I’m already planning. 😉

If they want back in the game then as far as I am concerned they have to make ammends to those that they fucked over and, at this point, I strongly believe that we have to make an example of them and show that we will not be fucked about in the way that NESN did.

K.

Ha, Rudolph is on the case, watch this space. 😉

Ms Madden made a grevious error in the quote made on her website, apart from the fact that some of the writings point in the wrong direction by quoting the following:

“There is nothing more difficult to plan, more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to manage, than a creation of a new order of things”
Machiavelli’s “The Prince” 1469-1527

That rang alarm bells with me.

To quote Machiavelli and then take control of an endevour like NESN is a grevious error in “showing your hand”, i.e. she feels that she can control the situation. If you read the rest of her website at http://www.cmassociates.co.uk/ you will note a similar trend of control through manipulation. So, my assumption is that she feels that she can steer the situation through a control method, in this case, the control method is the flow and content of the information on offer, using molehills to create mountains and generate press. This is a well known corporate and political technique employed by many large organisations and political parties alike. Now look at Ms Madden’s history and her client list. Does it all start to become clear?

My thought, fight fire with fire. 😉

You have raised some very valid points there Del and ones that should and will be addressed in a more public place.

K.

Yeah, I know Machiavelli and some of his works and I do not agree with the level or means of control employed.

She should have read Plato. 😉

K.