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Re: Merloni
There may be reason why it worked with MFI, being Tony Brown, and the fact he understands our needs as well as his own. They weren’t quite so desperate, therefore not seeking desperate measures. No matter how bold & powerful enough we as a group may appear on the surface, Merloni are big enough to wipe the floor with us.
Regretfully we as a group are a small minority, we have plenty of clout. I like to think we are respected as well as revered, but nevertheless we may not be able to call the tune and make the ground rules that all non-members would then enjoy.
The bigger boys are capable of fragmenting any service organisation, and then move the goal posts to the lowest level in line with some daft bugger who will work their ass off for little money.
I can see that Merloni are running out of options, and I’m not going to be one of them.
Alex
Re: Merloni
Yes Alex I do see where you’re coming from and appreciate the sentiment, but let’s consider the Merloni situation.
They cannot use many of the WPs
They cannot use another manufacturer
They may well not be able to use CDSL
They cannot go back to the agents they shit on, like yourself
They cannot get engineers to bolster their own workforce
So what options have they actually got? How many of us saying “no” would it actually take to turn the tide and make an independent network untenable?
To answer question one, not a lot.
To answer question two, ditto. It actually takes surprisingly few of us to actually pull a network to its knees these days, especially where they require multi-skillset and businesses that can cope and know how to cope with volume work such as this.
Look around, there’s probably quite a few single man operators out there, but companies with pukka insurance, multi-skilled engineers, manned offices and the IT etc to do this sort of work? In almost any given area you’ll be lucky if there’s a handful these days and that’s in high density population areas. Go outside the cities and the options whittle down even further.
There was once a plan hatched to get 12 NESN agents to go on “strike”, it didn’t happen, but when you looked at a map had they done so NESN had no choice but to capitulate as without just those 12, they were screwed with no cover from Bath to Glasgow just about.
Quite simply there aren’t enough of us out there to go around.
Now I do think that we have the power to set a standard, we won’t reach everyone, that’s a fact. But if we all agree on set of conditions the chances are that they would have to go some way to appeasing us in order to get a network of any real import setup.
I mean, just look at middle England, a high density area. Kevin, Phil, Phil K and Jason between them basically cover that area, yes there are some others but not with the skills and coverage. Devon there’s you, Dave and Dave Jones, pretty much that’s it! There’s just two huge holes in any network before you even go into the more public trade forums.
K.
Just one other thought that sprang to mind, even after all that how many of us actually have the capacity, right now, to take on any volume work at all? That is very important and I don’t think that many of us actually have guys sitting about waiting on the phone to ring. So, they either come up with a deal that makes you prepared to switch allegiences or valuable enough to actually go out and get badies to do the work, either way the deal has to be good.
K.
Hi Alex,
I am not working for Merloni or Nesn but I would never say never under the right circumstances should that day ever arrive.
The Merloni of old I had an excellent relationship with and also produced a very good profit margin from their work (I must have been one of the few), it was a stepping stone on the ladder. Problems didnt start to occur until GDA became involved and everything then got screwed up.
To take the work again I would need a number of guarantees as Ken so rightly points out above. We should at this time sit tight and recieve better rates and support for the industry.
Re: Merloni
Jason.
I too had a good relationship with Neil Taplin as well as the RSM Graham Cole. We did part on good terms, they took back all the stock and I was able to get credit on most after they finally found it. There was £9k worth of goods & I simply refused to pay for it. Things drifted on for 6 months and eventually the dust settled.
What happened in our case were swamped with work and I made the mistake of taking on more work. We lost £2.10 on every call as we had 2 engineers as well as 1 support staff dedicated to that work alone. The wages for those 3 failed to reach the income generated. I will reiterate that I terminated them, not the other way round. What gets me is the fact they fail to recognise that the fees were totally unrealistic and they think we still love them.
I ought to shut up really as I’m bloody busy.
Alex
Re: Merloni
Alex wrote:I ought to shut up really as I’m bloody busy.
And if you’re not busy you’re on holidayor a golf course! 😉
I’m still thinking about all this and stuck a little something in the subscriber forum to provoke some thought. Let’s see if any are sharp enough to pick up on it.
This needs a lot more thought and discussion methinks but it does seem eminently sensible to me to at least have a crack at it.
K.
Re: Merloni
kwatt wrote:This needs a lot more thought and discussion methinks but it does seem eminently sensible to me to at least have a crack at it.
Yep, I think so as well. Nothing ventured nothing gained as they say 😉
If nothing comes of it, at least we will have learned a few things along the way ready for the next time.
I think Merloni fully realise the volume of traffic and engineering capability that UKW has looking in every day, they did use the directories to contact independants direct after all.
IMHO, I would imagine that is the way they want to go anyway, but due to the crap package on offer at the time, most refused to take them up on it. So, at the same time CDSL knock them back due to no long term commitment (good for them), ISDAL offer a package, then NESN undercut them by £10 a call.
So, let’s open the door for communication again, the offer was there from the outset of the advertising campaign that started in Sheffield, as mentioned, they sort of took it by using the directories.
For a starter, has anyone got the email address of the guy that sent all the emails to the UKW members ?
Secondly, what do we want from them in the way of:
1/ Rates
2/ Commitment and volume guarantees
3/ Spares supply and mark up
4/ Technical back-up
5/ Contact info (email/fax/phone etc)
6/ Van stocks
7/ Notice period for termination
8/ Reports on BER/refused repairs etc
9/ Exchanges (Installations)Dave.
Re: Merloni
kwatt wrote:
Alex wrote:
I ought to shut up really as I’m bloody busy.And if you’re not busy you’re on holiday or a golf course! 😉
K.
I wish.
There is a lot going on at the moment up the motorway from me, which I’m sworn to secrecy on. It will all come out in the fulness of time & I cannot believe it hasn’t hit here.
Alex
Re: Merloni
Hi,
dave this is the guy….Andy Lane Field Operations Director (Service)
andy.lane@merloni.com is his email
kevin
Re: Merloni
There is a lot going on at the moment up the motorway from me, which I’m sworn to secrecy on. It will all come out in the fulness of time & I cannot believe it hasn’t hit here.
Alex
When are you taking Bristol over Alex ?
Del 😉
LOL, subtle Del, very subtle. 😉
Interesting stuff in the forums, very good posts but why-o-why is it always when I fook off that this sorta stuff starts? 😉
K.
Re: Merloni
tee hee, could not resit, knew you were engaged elsewhere. And you did need a push to move the post in the subs forum 😆
Re: Merloni
Del wrote:
When are you taking Bristol over Alex ?
Del 😉No bloody thanks. It is a poison challice.
They were booking 150 calls per day between 10 engineers. You do the sums.
When S/F set up Bristol as a direct centre they took a third off my area and gave me some sheep country instead. I’ve been fighting for that back ever since, and despite the fact they never could cope, I never got my old area back. I have now though, and I refused point blank to talk to them about anything else.
There is a hell of a story on this, which will come out in the fullness of time.
Alex
I am saying no more on the subject for now.
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