[speaker001:] Okay Ron there are, thanks for coming over for a start, there are you've got all the er the brochure and the er obviously the application form. The first time I've had a chance to have a look through this so could I erm
[Ron:] Yes by all
[Rod:] ask you to while I read this the the six companies where we market our brochures or product
[Ron:] Okay
[Rod:] are represented there. Er for your background there's a there's obviously a a ha an obvious group but er those are the six companies. If I can just er read through this.... That company we bought erm in June last year so it's er a fairly newish launch for us but they're
[Ron:] I've an idea myself for the golf er
[Rod:] Mhm.
[Ron:] and that was erm supplying them with a complete mar tee marker board with a plan of the hole and an advert on that particular hole.
[Rod:] Oh you oh you mean up on the board or
[Ron:] On the board.
[Rod:] Yes okay.
[Ron:] Advertise sell that hole and er just basically supply the tee markers free of charge.
[Rod:] Yes all the er tees on our my own my own course are er sponsored by local businesses.
[Ron:] Well that's what I was going to personally
[Rod:] that's individual eighteen holes mind you know.
[Ron:] Yeah. What I was going to do was erm just get a good quality joiner have he gives me a price for doing that and then I basically sell the advertising.
[Rod:] Okay. Yeah that he we've just completed up here and one or two others er so we're we're getting some big boys in now.
[Ron:] But you've not you've not done that particular idea, tees?
[Rod:] No no we've we're we are er publishers printers that's where our background is. That's where we've been for the last twenty years so erm this company er that was already doing it and we bought it into the er into the fold.... Okay. Er can I just pick up on one or two points er Ron. Erm at present you are employed by and you you've got own you've got a company car. Have you got your own car?
[Ron:] Er no but that's no problem to buy a car.
[Rod:] Well if you think it's no [LAUGHTER] problem fine [].
[Ron:] So rather than have er two cars plus a company car I just sold my car.
[Rod:] Well I understand that I mean a lot of people do that. Erm however erm a company er a car is needed to do this job so I I home in on that. Er when we have erm when you come down for, you know if if if we decide that this is for you, er when you come down for a training course they expect to see a car. You know in other words
[Ron:] will help me driving.
[Rod:] In other words erm they won't allocate an assignment unless you have er have a car. It's as simple as that cos we could send you off to St Andrews or something like that to er to well I'm just I'm homing in on the erm on the golf on the basis that I you you're er you're representative for a a company that does is involved with golf equipment. Yep?
[Ron:] Erm sports or just golf industry.
[Rod:] Mhm. Oh I've seen there in fact my wife's got a set of Howsons so
[Ron:] Has she?
[Rod:] Is that the
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] Yeah. Erm you've been with them since August. Er what why are you er?
[Ron:] Well quite simply er my reason is that erm I'll read the letter to you that I dictated to the Sales Manager a week ago.
[Rod:] Right.
[Ron:] It says, [reading] To Mr Sales and Marketing Direct. Dear Graham, Further to our recent conversation by telephone I now wish to put on paper my complaints regarding you and the company. You employed me in August nineteen ninety three at to join Sports U K on their behalf. Your offer of employment was accepted on the terms of the contract agreed that if my figures attained would reach your targets I could earn twenty five thousand per annum minimum. The salary would base as my basic salary plus commission plus bonuses on a monthly basis and most importantly the promise that because the basic wage was so low, the lowest in the golf industry by your own words, er that there was to be a rise of approximately four thousand in January nineteen ninety four. Which you repeated many times to the sales reps and that you also would be have er would get us new cars. The cars were honoured as agreed. I also took on the position knowingly of the bad reputation in Scotland of Sports to the trade regarding hotel sales of your equipment, but was promised that this practice would be cut out. It never did and you continued to supply a person who to this date continues to do these hotel sales. I have also complained to you continually about the loss of orders I have taken from my customers, ie back orders which get lost on the computer or they are not delivered due to the lack of stock. The customer gives up after a few months waiting. In the past few months the complaints from my area from my customers that they are disgusted with the service they have received from Sports. Er at least thirty percent of my business erm have either stopped their accounts or reached the limit of their patience. With regards to my salary increase of January ninety four, recently you have now stated my increase with be take place in April ninety four. Another promise broken. Even though I have reached my monthly target I still receive no bonuses but you tell me I am on target for the large bonus in April. [] Er and I have put in brackets, What a month this could be. [reading] I have also found that rep the reps are all on different basic wages. When challenged about this you replied, Yes, but you have the least experience in the golf industry. And I have replied er, Who in the past six months has reached their targets percentage targets above mine in the last six months? []
[Rod:] Yeah okay. I think I've got your drift.
[Ron:] Basically what I'm doing is
[Rod:] Can I can I just go back hotel sales, is that where they supply er
[Ron:] They are they er are doing a practice which is the only golf company in industry who are supplying a friend of a friend who is going round Scotland doing hotel sales cheap.
[Rod:] Oh yeah all right.
[Ron:] There are so many clubs they should
[Rod:] I think I think I've been to one or two in York.
[Ron:] Well they're selling them cheaper than I can supply my customers.
[Rod:] Are your customers mainly
[Ron:] Pro professionals.
[Rod:] On clubs or
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] And shops golf shops?
[Ron:] Yes. So basically they've broken their contract with me and he's not even responded to that letter. So
[Rod:] But his response is likely to be well part company, is that it?
[Ron:] I anticipating that is what response will be because I have er basically called him and er
[Rod:] Okay.
[Ron:] If that's his case then I'll take him for breach of contract.
[Rod:] Okay. On the basis of that you're actively looking around?
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] Okay. Now my colleague John spoke with you and he he outlined as much as he possibly can on the on the space on the telephone. Erm and his interests in you was twofold. First of all he heard the voice was [LAUGHTER] okay [].
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] Because he would have told you I hope that er we sell advertising space into, well you've seen some samples over there. Er I'm going to step, sorry before I go into a bit more detail in your C on your er application form, three things will be decided here today Ron and that's first of all whether you and I think that er is a lau a launch pad for you to earn erm er some good money
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] and er I'm sure John will have told you how good the money can be if if we
[Ron:] We didn't get to depth and and
[Rod:] All right. I I we're only talking ever averages and on target earnings. We don't promise or guarantee anything. What we do say is that we will give you an opportunity erm er if you like a platform for er for earning good money
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] and er it is all down to the graft er an individual puts into it. The only reason er top earners are top earners in our company is they don't sit back and take one deal a day
[Ron:] That's right
[Rod:] they feel comfortable
[Ron:] Er er if there if there's a part there I've dis I think I've answered that question in er personal at the end
[Rod:] Over over here? Yep.
[Ron:] Erm I think just I've answered that just probably the way you put it.
[Rod:] Yep. I er in fact you've wrapped it up in one sentence. That's the only way that any I believe anybody even when they're on a salary. Because salary company car BUPA and all that is only commission in another form and they can take it away and and not give it to you just the same as any other company. Erm well okay so we'll decide today er you and me whether we feel 's the right er er space for you to be. Erm and you realize of course that it's self employed commission only hence the need for the car. Er secondly if we get a if we if we get round that that er corner then the other two are fairly easily decidable and that is er where you and I also think erm your talents and your even your desire to be environmentally, that's the environment you work in erm most er suitable. There are six companies there er five of which erm I can recruit for. I'm in the luxurious position of not just saying that one person comes in here for one job.
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] Erm I have four or five people I can take on for any one of those companies so nobody's in competition with
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] each other today. And secondly erm because we're rather keen for people to er carry on the momentum we actually say to you when can you start and if it's next week wonderful. If it's the week after fine. The further out of course it's a bit a bit messy. And so we are we look for that sort of commitment before people leave er the room today. And I would tell you ninety nine percent of the time we get it and you know we s we s we do agree a date. Er that depends entirely on which company you go in because erm er some of the courses start at different er times. If we've agreed all those three things er we also erm er recognize the need to to erm advise people or guide people on how advertising's sold. I see from your application form that you've sold space er for three or four years which
[Ron:] Well I have been er involved in various projects. Erm I had a company called and Advertising erm where I went along to a company and would conceive promotion for them.
[Rod:] Was that your own company?
[Ron:] Yes. Yes. And I would build a package to suit their company. Er if it was a double glazing company or a kitchen company I would conceive a promotion. Er there's one thing I was involved which er unfortunately turned out er was quite national, it was a promotion
[Rod:] What the the disastrous one?
[Ron:] Yes. Er well the one I got involved with er was the free flights to er Europe
[Rod:] All right.
[Ron:] which was very successful and er I was one of the instigators of that promotion. Er but
[Rod:] So everybody else can blame you for this
[Ron:] Well not really. The the pen to paper I put the con er the package basically together with another two or three people
[Rod:] Aha.
[Ron:] and erm it was then up to to decide what company was going to handle the promotion. Er their mistake was that they chose a company which was down market and basically didn't go into er depth of that company. Well that was their fault. The the concept of the promotion was absolutely brilliant and it could be handled from Europe
[Rod:] Mm.
[Ron:] erm and it was so successful that they asked us again to do one from the United States
[Rod:] Right.
[Ron:] which we says no because it couldn't be possibly done. We believed. Becau we thought that the should may be too high.
[Rod:] What are you saying that you were the ori the company who were originally asked to do the
[Ron:] My company was involved with er the people who put the promotion together.
[Rod:] Right.
[Ron:] And er quite simply that if they'd left it alone on a European side because obviously you can get flight from London Gatwick for approximately forty nine pounds
[Rod:] Yeah right.
[Ron:] and we presumed that the redemption would be no more than twenty percent which was pretty high for a promotion.
[Rod:] Right.
[Ron:] Erm as long as as long as the customer went through the channels and the procedures there'd no more than twenty percent. So much so that we took out insurance er if it went over twenty percent we were covered. But then what happened it was so successful for and I think got so greedy on it they decided to go an American
[Rod:] Mm.
[Ron:] er promotion. But there were two separate companies who set up the the both promotions. So as you know the American one collapsed and of course were thirty million pounds.
[Rod:] Yeah and there are some people are still fighting to get their er flights right
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] now aren't they?
[Ron:] And I erm I had various er promotions. I had er put a promotion together with a few travel agents in Scotland where I gave out holiday spending money. It was quite simply we we were taking the business away from the high street erm glossy type travel agents and giving it to the back street travel agents. And as long as he was prepared to give the spending money, ie in the form of a voucher, er we were taking away the market share away from etcetera of this world.
[Rod:] Right.
[Ron:] And that worked very successfully.
[Rod:] Okay this is all part of the promotion and advertising
[Ron:] Yes
[Rod:] time?
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] Okay. Because the rest of your er er your application form I mean er gives us a span of er twelve thirteen years in sales particularly in direct sales. Vacuums is that vacuum
[Ron:] Yes
[Rod:] cleaners?
[Ron:] Yes. cleaning machine was an American machine.
[Rod:] Right, yes I think I've heard of them. Yes.
[Ron:] Erm very successful priced basically out of the price the market eventually. Erm they're still in the market today but er you're talking about
[Rod:] Are we talking VAX type things or
[Ron:] No no. You're talking about a home care system. That is a vacuum cleaner, that's one of the functions it does
[Rod:] Yeah.
[Ron:] but it done approximately thirty odd diff different
[Rod:] Oh well shampoo carpets okay and I suppose er er suites of furniture and things
[Ron:] I had the sales force who called in and done a demonstration in a person's home.
[Rod:] All right.
[Ron:] So I had to take it from the telesales side to get the appointment to get in the door to do a demonstration and then to do the after sales.
[Rod:] Right okay.
[Ron:] Erm
[Rod:] You cut your teeth there didn't you? [LAUGHTER]
[Ron:] I erm I was
[Rod:] If not before.
[Ron:] I was a European top salesman with er that company and then moved on as a franchise.
[Rod:] Right. You seem to erm er you you leapfrog into erm after into electrical appliances again?
[Ron:] Er yes because obviously I was in that type of field. Er I was in the market and we came out with a machine that produced lager from top tap worker.
[Rod:] That's still going isn't it?
[Ron:] Yes. And you just poured the water in top press a button and you get draught lager and they have now produced I believe, er it was network marketing, and I wasn't involved I didn't want involved in network marketing and it now produces gin and tonic vodka lemonade.
[Rod:] Well it's been on er consumer selling
[Ron:] Yes. Very good product. Excellent product but er the f the network marketing is not my side and you could not direct selling.
[Rod:] All right. It's all done okay.
[Ron:] You had to bring someone into the business and they brought someone into the business and that was their form of selling.
[Rod:] Well that's that's big business nowadays.
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] In fact in the State I think twenty percent of er all products are sold through network marketing now
[Ron:] That's right
[Rod:] In fact the Institute of Directors of which I'm a member er said er that network marketing's a thing of the future.
[Ron:] Yes definitely. I mean it started
[Rod:] Yeah if if you're if you're happy to get into that. Can cost you some money but it's er it's it's it's prefer it's preferable to er pyramid selling which of course is outlawed now.
[Ron:] The reason I went to erm Sports
[Rod:] Mhm?
[Ron:] erm which quite simply I had some money of my own and I wasn't that hungry er to jump in to any job at all. So I wanted to get into something I enjoyed doing. And I'm a very keen golfer and I had built up a reputation erm by playing in open tour open tournaments and meeting professionals and
[Rod:] Yea.
[Ron:] so I had a lot of contacts and I enjoyed it. Erm but it unfortunately things have not worked out with er this particular company.
[Rod:] Well no it doesn't sound by that er letter you wrote. I think you f you felt
[Ron:] I I have done my job. My targets er have been broken every month. I had a hundred and twenty seven percent er sorry twenty seven percent above target er for the quarter and most of my other com my sales reps er the other sales reps in the business didn't even reach a hundred percent.
[Rod:] Well how do you feel I mean a lot of a lot if not all of your work here has been done face to face. Now
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] John will have told you the way we operate er we we we er we
[Ron:] Telephone
[Rod:] only sell on the telephone.
[Ron:] That's what people.
[Rod:] Well erm you know we've had a lot of people come to us and say we've qualified sales by telephone, I don't present that a problem with that, but we have discovered people have not listened to what we've been saying, even on the training course, when they go out there to sell the space they keep making appointments to go and see people to talk about advertising. That is not the game. And as long as somebody realizes that that's our top people erm do that. They don't make appointments to go and see people. What what I mean where do you see yourself fitting into that after
[Ron:] If I if it was sat trying to make an appointment with you for example er and I don't know too much about the product we're just getting
[Rod:] No fine. Well there I mean there's the product there's
[Ron:] Well give me I'll give you an example. If I was phoning you from Publishing and I phoned up G A
[Rod:] Aha.
[Ron:] and I says, Good afternoon could I speak to the person that does advertising etcetera, and I get through to that particular person, and I said, How would you like to save money by us printing all your portfolios free of charge high quality er portfolios it wouldn't cost you a penny.
[Rod:] Right let me stop you there because I think you've got maybe the wrong end of the stick.
[Ron:] All right.
[Rod:] We don't sell that product to anybody.
[Ron:] No no you give that product away free.
[Rod:] Okay but we don't your the responsibility of the sales consultant here is not to approach the estate agent or the golf to sell that, somebody else does that.
[Ron:] Oh I thought I had to get the estate agent first and then get the space.
[Rod:] No no no no we the the the assignments that are, that's why I stopped you there
[Ron:] Oh I see
[Rod:] just in case there's any confusion.
[Ron:] Right okay.
[Rod:] That product there already either exists or we're going to do it for the first time for an estate agent
[Ron:] Right okay.
[Rod:] and that has been done by a marketing exec who goes round the country contracting with those clients.
[Ron:] Oh right.
[Rod:] This is our client.
[Ron:] So that's the job there.
[Rod:] That's the job for our consultant
[Ron:] So okay. Now let's let's say Mr Mr Plumber
[Rod:] So you're you're talking to Mr Plumber and you don't even mention our company name
[Ron:] Okay.
[Rod:] you are representing G A
[Ron:] G A
[Rod:] at that er so and so
[Ron:] Okay. Er good afternoon Mr Smith I'm phoning er from G A General Property Services in such and such
[Rod:] Okay.
[Ron:] Now you you live in the catchment area of that particular company, how would you like to er, how would you like to participating in that particular company's brochure which is handed out to all the people in your catchment area? Whereas if a house is being sold your name is going to be seen on that particular product.
[Rod:] All right. Now I'll I'll stop you there Ron because you've got the you've got the drift of it because when we get down to deciding people come on a course then they have
[Ron:] Training.
[Rod:] we we we speak for two days at least in compiling a script. And that script has been built up over twenty years experience. But you've certainly the idea of what it is.
[Ron:] Telesales er telephone erm I have sold products obviously without the customer even seeing me, I've sold them over the phone. I am confident on the phone
[Rod:] Mhm.
[Ron:] and
[Rod:] I don't think you'd have any problem doing this job, I'll be quite frank with you.
[Ron:] Er I
[Rod:] Not with this background here. I mean it's such a variety and it's involved both face to face and direct sales that er er I know I stopped you right in the middle of your spiel there. Now what you would say to Mr Plumber, This is this is the whole deal this is what it would cost you. You see in traditional sales we don't tell people the price until the last minute.
[Ron:] At that particular time I wouldn't tell them anything, all my all at that particular time is waiting for an appointment to see them.
[Rod:] Now that's what we don't do Ron.
[Ron:] Oh you don't go out and see them.
[Rod:] Absolutely that's what exactly I'm asking you to listen about.
[Ron:] The reason I'm asking you about that is erm I had er I had when I had my own business I was approached and we've got an estate agent in the Hamilton called
[Rod:] Oh oh yes big one.
[Ron:] And I had a phone call
[Rod:] Big one in Paisley here too.
[Ron:] I had a phone call from somebody who was obviously be doing exactly the same thing, and he actually just was booking an appointment to come in and see me.
[Rod:] Yeah. Well in fact it I would be very surprised A if he was one of ours and B if he was successful. Because quite honestly we tell them absolutely everything on the phone before we we go. We don't make appointments and chase our tail.
[Ron:] Mhm.
[Rod:] And I'll tell you from experience. My first week our there I did that and I didn't earn anything.
[Ron:] Right.
[Rod:] I got to the appoint yes come round Rod I'd like to talk to about it have a cup of coffee. And I just spent three quarters of an hour to an hour with him and he said, Well I've had a look at this erm, no thanks not for me.
[Ron:] Mm.
[Rod:] I had wasted
[Ron:] So you phoned
[Rod:] my journey there. Oh yes all of those people would have committed on the phone to taking that advertising space.
[Ron:] Okay.
[Rod:] See why I want I wanted to be
[Ron:] Yes yes
[Rod:] absolutely certain. Because that's exactly what traditional sales people would do including
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] this boy who'd been doing it a few years.
[Ron:] Okay.
[Rod:] So and they will te they will tell you that. Now that's what the company preaches. There are going to be one or two occasions of course when it is likely come come round I want to I'll I want to see the product. In the main we tell them exactly
[Ron:] Okay.
[Rod:] what what's going on. But you you've got the drift and as long as I I persuade people to listen to the people who've been doing it for so long
[Ron:] Obviously.
[Rod:] They know it's successful. They know that you don't make appointments and chase your tail. Because one of the commitments I hope John er may have told you on the phone, one of the parts of the contract we have with G A is that they provide a list of businesses.
[Ron:] Yes. That's obviously that's I would
[Rod:] Yeah now that I'll come on to that in a minute. But er that is is half the battle. Okay. On the basis that I don't think you've got any problem doing this and nor do you, you're confident enough to do this job especially with your background. Erm if I was to give you an option a choice of which market area you think you would be most happy with, where do you think?
[Ron:] Where is the market areas, what is the choices?
[Rod:] Well the choices are estate agents and there are two companies there, that's one you're holding there and then the folders at the top. There's medical practice areas, that's working in medical centres and surgeries. Er schools universities and colleges. Area health authorities up here which we're not looking for at the moment and er because the Government is hashing them around and we're a bit uncertain in that area. And of course golf clubs.
[Ron:] Well golf clubs erm I mean it's a bit limited advertising in a in a market er on this particular thing to look at.
[Rod:] You've got five you've got probably somewhere in the region of four thousand pounds worth of advertising there.
[Ron:] What in this?
[Rod:] Mhm.
[Ron:] Okay so they're paying approximately what
[Rod:] Nine hundred pound for a nine hundred pound for a full page.
[Ron:] Per annum.
[Rod:] Per annum for two years.
[Ron:] Okay. Er and you're only needing approximately two or three, you only need two or three
[Rod:] Well the fact that we've got three there, there there that's how many we got on that card and we were quite happy about that. But the card and the planner's sold together.
[Ron:] Right can I ask you then. So you're s you're saying the plan of the course er when
[Rod:] We call it planners that the yardage chart in fact.
[Ron:] There's also another thing that a golf course has is a where you want a distance marker. If you go along to a good quality golf course they have the score card a planner but they also have a little script that tells you about the hole.
[Rod:] Well no we don't go into that. That's fi quite expensive to produce.
[Ron:] Right okay so
[Rod:] That's a stro that would be what you would call a stroke saver. We would call that, there's that and the ca and the score card.
[Ron:] So if I had if I had one course to go along and find approximately how many adverts for it?
[Rod:] Well we're talking about ten.
[Ron:] Ten adverts?
[Rod:] That's five five on each.
[Ron:] Er and of course nine hundred pounds to advertise.
[Rod:] Well that's if they che if they all took full pages. Because there're there are facilities to split the pages and there are small strips. If you where your hand is now if you look down the bottom, no no on the on the other side there, there are two strips.
[Ron:] Okay.
[Rod:] Two hundred and fifty pound each those are.
[Ron:] Now the question is how much can I earn for doing that
[Rod:] Right well I will go into that if if that
[Ron:] If I were to make my decision obviously
[Rod:] No
[Ron:] because
[Rod:] Well the the same earning ability is across all those products.
[Ron:] The same earning
[Rod:] Doesn't doesn't matter which company you go into you have the same er percentage, you have the same thirty percent or thirty five percent depending on how far away it is and you have the same bonus structures. They all come into being at the same time. So whichever company or environment we agree is suitable for you.
[Ron:] Well I mean
[Rod:] The natural place would be of course golf clubs. But you said you were a keen golfer. Where do you think I see the dangers in that? I'm captain of my club this year right? I wouldn't trust me on the golf club scene.
[Ron:] You wouldn't trust yourself?
[Rod:] Why why? I could kill the advertising simple.
[Ron:] Probably because you would want to go and play.
[Rod:] Aha.
[Ron:] Erm
[Rod:] So I'll tell you what, if we put a keen golfer out, and we have we've we've put one or two golfers,
[Ron:] If I
[Rod:] if we put a keen golfer on that it's even bigger er position of trust.
[Ron:] Well can I say something to you in that case then?
[Rod:] [LAUGHTER] Yes sure. []
[Ron:] I I I visit approximately about thirty golf clubs on a weekly basis
[Rod:] Yeah.
[Ron:] I have never played golf time.
[Rod:] You haven't got time have you. You haven't got time. Here we're talking about basing yourself for three weeks on that same golf course.
[Ron:] Aha.
[Rod:] Doing erm two or three dozen phone calls
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] and getting nowhere and you're saying I think I'm thor thoroughly annoyed about all this
[Ron:] And I'm going to get nowhere if I get on the golf course.
[Rod:] [LAUGHTER] Yeah that's right [].
[Ron:] No I don't think that worry would be there.
[Rod:] I I have to say that we we I I we just we just see that we point out to people it's an even bigger po position of trust. But it would be natural for me to put you in the golf club area.
[Ron:] Er well I don't think I'd be I don't think I'd be going out to play golf if I hadn't earned any money.
[Rod:] That's right.
[Ron:] Er
[Rod:] Well
[Ron:] I'd go hungrier.
[Rod:] So are we are we talking er do you see this as a as a as a launch pad?
[Ron:] How well have you done on the golf courses?
[Rod:] Well the one those since since June we're doing quite well.
[Ron:] Mhm.
[Rod:] We did we've just completed we've done three or four others. But I don't I have to keep in touch of course with all companies how we're doing. So I don't go specifically into that.
[Ron:] Yeah. Next question is
[Rod:] Aha?
[Ron:] The golf course is no problem because you're getting it done free of charge. That that's easy for you to get a golf course.
[Rod:] Yeah we we have no problem with that.
[Ron:] Is that an up market golf or is it just
[Rod:] No.
[Ron:] Any type of golf course
[Rod:] Any golf course that wants those providing they can tell us that there's erm there's going to be a useful amount of sponsorship you know er advertising available for us to approach.
[Ron:] Mhm.
[Rod:] But it would be no good to them and say well you know right in the middle of nowhere, cow er sheep or cow country, there are a number of courses we wouldn't touch because we wouldn't be able to get enough sus er you know even with five erm major businesses. There there I have to say there'd be very few.
[Ron:] Right. Can I approach my own golf clubs or is that going to be done through you?
[Rod:] No you must not do that yourself.
[Ron:] It's got to be done by you.
[Rod:] Yeah if if you know of one because we we have cir you know we have circulated and we have a sales exec that goes out
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] to the courses. Erm that doesn't mean to say that you can't mention it.
[Ron:] Mhm.
[Rod:] But you see you will be so busy
[Ron:] Just I know the topography probably better than erm
[Rod:] Oh sure.
[Ron:] the person that's doing it, just er no disrespect but he's probably coming from over the border
[Rod:] No no they're all Scots people up here.
[Ron:] Ah right. Okay.
[Rod:] We're only having two or three up here anyway for the for the.
[Ron:] And you're saying that one golf course I could be there for two or three weeks?
[Rod:] Two to three weeks. We have to get off after three weeks.
[Ron:] What is my earning potential in that golf course for that two or three weeks?
[Rod:] Right well I'll go through that in detail so we're talking about that. Okay I'll show you the details.
[Ron:] Well looking at that I wouldn't I'd like to leave it a wee while my options open because in the in the
[Rod:] Sorry how d'ya how d'ya mean?
[Ron:] Because I feel there's also a possibility that in erm private private er homes etcetera there's a big market erm for producing your private. And in Scotland just now there's an awful lot of erm private homes open now.
[Rod:] Private residential you mean nursing
[Ron:] Yes yes
[Rod:] Well that that comes under the medical side.
[Ron:] Yes well that again is a
[Rod:] But you cannot do one you only do one you can't do both.
[Ron:] Right okay. Erm so I think I would be between the golf and and erm the medical side.
[Rod:] Right the medical side erm we are producing medical practice booklets all right. The only the only approach to residential homes and nursing homes is as advertisers in those medical books.
[Ron:] Mhm. What do you think in your opinion or in your experience would the best avenue be for me to follow?
[Rod:] I I [clears throat] I think you have an option in both. I mean the advertising's more expensive in that but er erm it depends on how good you think you are.
[Ron:] Well it's
[Rod:] You you know the golf
[Ron:] Nine hundred pounds to me erm if it's an up market company anyway, erm nine hundred pounds for a year's advertising isn't that expensive.
[Rod:] Well it's not really. Not when you compare it with what they might advertise in Golf Monthly or something like that where
[Ron:] That's right.
[Rod:] where they will be seen once and it's dumped.
[Ron:] That's right I mean this card is carried with them and looked at all every every basically everybody will look at that erm because the good quality
[Rod:] If I was to tell you that given a perfect world that has the highest earning potential of all our companies
[Ron:] Well let's decide and look at that then.
[Rod:] Yeah. Because er there are two there are two products.
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] And remember we we resell every two years.
[Ron:] Okay. And I take it erm the commission structure is just the same if I am continuing a contract on for the following year.
[Rod:] Let me let me just let me get this pack out for you to take away. Is this is this an area where you think you might earn some money?
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] All right we can give you the we can give you the platform.
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] What we have to decide here is that you think is a is a
[Ron:] I think is a very blue chip company. I've look at er your own presentations.
[Rod:] It's a blue chip brochure that.
[Ron:] And it's a blue chip brochure and I think obviously what I needing now after by the experience I've had with is to get behind a company who will give me the backing.
[Rod:] Right. Well there's er one thing I can tell you right now that I would not personally be involved with a company that did not have erm a backing. There are
[Ron:] All right.
[Rod:] plenty of companies that er er this these er these can be printed by most printing companies what they don't have is the infrastructure and the backup er
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] back in head office to do that with.
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] And when we when we ask people to go out we it is er a total trust self employed but they are quote employed unquote. Because one things we one thing we don't have is people running other businesses alongside what we give them. So in other words if you're there for two to three weeks you're solidly for. There isn't er er there is no, people have gone because they've been doing other things other than er. But it's a full time commitment.
[Ron:] As long as the earning capacity's there then get a hundred percent.
[Rod:] Right. And that's all we ask because we'll give it a hundred percent. These are some samples for you to take away okay?... But let me show you exactly what we... I'll I'll bring in to being the list of businesses which we invite the golf club to forward to us. When the sales er marketing exec goes round to the golf club to sign them up in the contract with the contract we will print one or other or both. The contract will state whether they have both or not. All right? That means that if they only take the score card then you're in there fairly quickly do the advertising sales and come out and on to another site. So you don't expect there to be two to three weeks work there. If you're doing both then of course you're you're looking to offer the options to er
[Ron:] Yeah if you can do it in a week all the better.
[Rod:] Some advertisers go on both by the way. They want to be on both.
[Ron:] Rod can I ask you a question?
[Rod:] Yes sure.
[Ron:] How many contracts you're basing them on two to three weeks. Let's say that erm I was these contracts within the first ten days. How many contracts am I going to get in a year?
[Rod:] Well you work it out. It depends on how much time you want off.
[Ron:] No how many contracts can I physically get if I want?
[Rod:] You can have as many as you want. The the way the company operates is that we will assign you to a golf course.
[Ron:] Mhm.
[Rod:] We have in our contract that more or less we will get out after three weeks. You know what whatever the situation is we we done it by then, but er we we do they they are guaranteeing to supply us with an office and telephone facility for up to three weeks.
[Ron:] Okay maximum.
[Rod:] Maximum.
[Ron:] Right.
[Rod:] Erm or fifteen working days. I mean if there are two or three days off during that or one day off you take for instance, as long as it's fifteen working days. Erm and that is to do er one or the other or both. They might extend it if we have to do both.
[Ron:] So will you will you
[Rod:] So so you can if you took if you took one week off every three assignments
[Ron:] Aha.
[Rod:] all right? You can work out that over a period of time you would have somewhere in the region of fifteen assignments during the year guaranteed. We guarantee continuity of assignment.
[Ron:] How many erm are already signed up at this present day for someone to follow on to now?
[Rod:] I suppose I could only use the word tons.
[Ron:] Tons of them right. So there there are basically a waiting list?
[Rod:] Oh yes.
[Ron:] Okay.
[Rod:] On all of our products. We have six hundred assignments alone on the medical side. Because we're reselling. We haven't got to the reselling stage with these yet because we've been going about six months so the first resale is eighteen months away.
[Ron:] Okay.
[Rod:] But we've got so many new courses so worry about that er that doesn't present a problem.
[Ron:] Erm the timing for golf courses. Obviously these cards
[Rod:] Mhm.
[Ron:] have got to be ready for the season starting?
[Rod:] Not always. Er we we go in and sell the advertising if they er we'll take over as soon as the current supply runs out we we'll start offering er and supply it for them. That that doesn't present a problem to us.
[Ron:] Okay.
[Rod:] More so on schools because they're closed for
[Ron:] Yeah that's right.
[Rod:] the summer holidays, sometimes. But even that we're we have special arrangements for. We don't worry about the seasonal er aspects.
[Ron:] Okay.
[Rod:] They ju er you know people hear er the sales consultants doing courses right now erm you know find that that we'll print them and we'll probably print them in in by May although they'll have needed some cards. So that
[Ron:] Do you give the customer unlimited supplies of these?
[Rod:] Er it's agreed by the er
[Ron:] Executive that's doing it.
[Rod:] by the by the er s the sa sales the marketing executive and the golf club agreed a number.
[Ron:] Okay.
[Rod:] All right? We will know somewhere how much we need definitely
[Ron:] To print
[Rod:] to make sure of the print.
[Ron:] Okay.
[Rod:] Because the second year where no costs come out of the second year's er payment that's our that's where we make our money.
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] The first year we
[Ron:] Because the plates have already been set up etcetera etcetera.
[Rod:] Absolutely yes. All the costs your commissions marketing executive's commission right. Now we ask er the club to supply er in between us signing them up for to to do the cards to them to the consultant erm er getting there getting there to do the assignment could be five or six months. We don't you know we've got clubs still waiting that we signed up last year.
[Ron:] Mhm.
[Rod:] Er we we make that quite plain to them all right that there might be a delay.
[Ron:] Okay.
[Rod:] All right until their number comes up as it were. Er in the meantime we we leave them erm er a list or a a sheet like or something similar to this, I haven't got one for at the moment, erm asking them to list out all those business with which they have some er may be some link up. You just have to look round a lot of trophy cabinets and you can see a lot of locally sponsored cups and trophies in there.
[Ron:] Plus a lot a members have their own business.
[Rod:] Plus plus yes and especially if if I went, we went to and I think it was er from the membership.
[Ron:] Yes. I would imagine a lot of it could be.
[Rod:] And these are very typical er advertisers and erm, whether you agree with it or not, these are. Whoever supplies the bar.
[Ron:] Mhm.
[Rod:] It may be this any of the suppliers. So there's a lot of scope a lot more scope on these to be more direct because they're quality ads and they're quality product.
[Ron:] My particular er my particular club has about approximately thirty businessmen in various varying from double glazing kitchens
[Rod:] Yes. What what a what prestige.
[Ron:] who would love to be involved in their own club.
[Rod:] Absolutely yes. Absolutely. So we've you know that's why I believe that this is this is gonna be our real launch pad for the future.
[Ron:] This will be easy for me.
[Rod:] Aha. Put that in quotes will you? [LAUGHTER].
[Ron:] I I mean
[Rod:] I well if you've got that confidence fine. And and when that when the when the assignment comes up when Ron is assigned to X club wherever that is erm that will be the sheet the sheet will be provided
[Ron:] For me?
[Rod:] for you to work on. Now one of the most important things that we've established erm is that er you need to sit down still with the secretary of the club and say right now you've got this list of businesses tell me more about them.
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] It's not simple You should not just say, oh there's good I'll phone him now because you need some valuable information. So we make, but all that is is tau is is is
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] directed on the course. So that's going to be very useful and you will get information about all these firms it could be that member has already been advised and he's willing. Could be little notes here already notified us that he's happy to go on
[Ron:] He wants to go ahead with it.
[Rod:] He wants to go ahead. Wonderful. That's how quickly you can you can speed up the operation. Erm now to to give you and there would be other details by the way er other er information concerning that assignment like how many cards we're printing like what the target is. The average target across all of our products is somewhere in the region of six thousand. But I'm going to show you a bit more detail for. First of all let's give you an idea of what the the prices are, we've talked about prices. Now we talk full pages most of the time. If we can get full pages fine but sometimes it's better for us to get these. It could be that there's more money avail
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] Okay. You can you can work that out for yourself. But erm a full cover is nine hundred pounds full front cover. Now what happens there some some, particularly motor companies, will ask permission if they can put some cars in front of the club house if there's a photograph of the clubhouse and have them photographed.
[Ron:] Mhm.
[Rod:] That's considered to be a full page.
[Ron:] Mhm.
[Rod:] Full front cover. Now some clubs are quite happy for an ad to be there and for the golf club name to be there. It
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] really depends on the choice of
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] the individual. That and then front cover strip down the bottom here that one there is six hundred pounds. So that you can you can see there's a a some options here. My mention on the planner that the strips oops those strips, all these prices are identified here and when you take this away you can have a look at it. Okay? Erm and er there you will see how the the volume is made up. If you have filled all the spaces available those are the two totals.
[Ron:] You're looking for five thousand three hundred and eighty
[Rod:] And four thousand seven hundred and sixty. Let's have a look which is more important to you. Let's have a look at how your money is made up.
[Ron:] Okay.
[Rod:] Score card has always a target of four thousand pound. Now that's an internal target for us to work on and for you to to have fixed in your mind because everything above four thousand pound you will get forty five percent commission instead of thirty.
[Ron:] Mhm. Yes.
[Rod:] And that's made up of thirty percent and tha that's the total revenue you can get on, sell all that card and that's the total revenue you can get. Thirty percent of that equals that
[Ron:] Mhm.
[Rod:] the bonuses will be or the bonus will be that and your total on the card therefore is eighteen twenty one.
[Ron:] Mhm.
[Rod:] If you're doing the planner at the same time thirty percent and that's the that's the total amount you can get on a planner, but the target there is thirty two hundred. That target is really star is for the the bonus purposes. In other words after that we start paying another fifteen percent.
[Ron:] What's the percentage for er both doing the score card and the course planner for a cou er a golf course?
[Rod:] Well you would treat them as a separate entity. You you mean in terms of bonus or?
[Ron:] No what is the percentage-wise of taking both er the the golf course when both done?
[Rod:] I I I can't answer that I really don't know.
[Ron:] Because it's there's if I'm there for three weeks and they only want a score card done then my potential earnings er total earnings are that but I'm there anyway so if I'm getting both of them done then I can earn a lot more money.
[Rod:] Oh you can earn a lot more money certainly. But you'll you'll if you're only doing the card you'll do that much quicker.
[Ron:] Yes and then
[Rod:] And then you're straight on to the next job.
[Ron:] I'd be out of the door quicker.
[Rod:] You'd be out of the door quicker. So it's it is swings and roundabouts there.
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] If you're doing both then that's your total income and if you did that in three weeks I would think you'd be very happy with that.
[Ron:] Oh yes. Er
[Rod:] That's a thousand pound or plus a week.
[Ron:] Yep. Erm...
[Rod:] And I believe that with with your background and knowledge then sure that that's achievable.
[Ron:] I wouldn't I would like to think I could.
[Rod:] Because if that if you had if you had a perfect year it is that.
[Ron:] Mhm.
[Rod:] Then of course if you want to take time off and things like that.
[Ron:] I'm being honest er Rod if I can earn myself twenty five thirty thousand I'm not I'm not looking for you know fortunes. I'm looking for a decent income with the right company.
[Rod:] Right well you twenty five thousand a year is about the minimum the company er you wouldn't be doing the job if you were below that.
[Ron:] I mean net I mean net. I tax
[Rod:] Okay right. In that case you're looking for thirty five thirty six thousand which would be mister average in our company.
[Ron:] Right okay. I don't want to be mister average so we'll go for the fifty five.
[Rod:] We'll go for the fifty five. Well if you have that attitude then you'll do it.
[Ron:] We'll go for it.
[Rod:] All right. Okay well that's erm every assignment to you you always have and this is being this had been updated we haven't got the new one yet but you will have what we call a blank. And you will go around er using this to show people well I've sold that and that's mister so and so or that's such and such business that's gone so that you can show people that you've actually sold these. In other words that's your work horse.
[Ron:] Can I can I honestly make a suggestion? I mean there's
[Rod:] Well if it's to do with anything you've seen here please make it in the right quarters not [LAUGHTER] at me [].
[Ron:] No the suggestion is we're in the golf club and we're doing a planner we're not doing a score card
[Rod:] Yes.
[Ron:] and I know it's not erm your business to be doing tee markers
[Rod:] Plea please can I ask you if you bring in any other ideas of business you'll be considered to be
[Ron:] No I'm talking about the company doing it.
[Rod:] Yeah yeah but forget it for now.
[Ron:] Right okay.
[Rod:] They are not of any interest to us. They are they do not they're not printed.
[Ron:] Mhm. But they would be printed.
[Rod:] Yeah but they're not they're not part of our range now. Because if you start getting if you get bogged down with discussing people about other products they'll think you're either gonna be doing them
[Ron:] Okay.
[Rod:] as a side
[Ron:] It's some once as a customer you can do it later stage.
[Rod:] All right. Because you start talking too many other businesses, and this is a bit of advice for you
[Ron:] Mhm.
[Rod:] if you start talking any other business about wha except what you're doing there then they'll think that you're doing that as an as a side. And they'll take they'll take everything away from you no messing around. are very strict on that.
[Ron:] Oh no no no no there are no intentions whatsoever the only thought was that er if you're into that type of advertising there's another eighteen spaces for the company.
[Rod:] Yeah. We're not into that advertising. There are plenty of other companies doing that.
[Ron:] Is there?
[Rod:] But we are only interested in this particular product.
[Ron:] Right okay.
[Rod:] Okay. This is this is fairly new to us we bought the company because it was doing exactly what we were doing on other products.
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] But we are not interested at this stage in tee markers and if you keep mentioning them Ron they'll think hello
[Ron:] Well could could you tell me er how many
[Rod:] Sorry that's just a bit of advice
[Ron:] That's that's no problem I thought it was just erm a thought for yourself maybe you could give out.
[Rod:] Oh oh they they will have in fact the guy who's who owned this company who's now general manager of the company within the group
[Ron:] Mhm.
[Rod:] erm has been has had his erm er his feelers out for all sorts of advertising. Because even tee markers is not the end of the story.
[Ron:] Where is the golf company based?
[Rod:] There're all based at head office.
[Ron:] Okay.
[Rod:] But you work from the clients premises at all at all times.
[Ron:] Will that be in Scotland?
[Rod:] Well it's in it it we have enough assignments up here to consider that that's probably right. But we've just had somebody from Glasgow go down to do my own course in Humberside.
[Ron:] Aha.
[Rod:] Now that was er er more or less a favour to me.
[Ron:] Aha.
[Rod:] But er what we say is that we will pay thirty percent up to a hundred miles away from home
[Ron:] Aha.
[Rod:] okay above that we will pay thirty five percent. And that's one way by the way not a fifty mile round trip and all we say to everybody whichever company they go into, we say to everybody who sits in your position there [tape change]
[Ron:] Can I refuse an assignment then?
[Rod:] You can discuss an assignment.
[Ron:] Okay.
[Rod:] But if that's your only opportunity to earn money that week
[Ron:] Obviously then I'm going to take that
[Rod:] or that time, you'll take it.
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] Erm the guy down who's just done my my club earned himself eighteen hundred pound in one week and he paid about a hundred a twenty quid out for bed and breakfast. And probably forty pounds worth of of petrol there and back.
[Ron:] So his expenses are his own.
[Rod:] Aha. Yes. But if we were to send people consistently Glasgow to Humberside I don't think we'd have them very long. And there are enough golf courses up in Scotland.
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] And that that guy has just been transferred to another group so you know we're now one short well in fact we're three or four short up in Scotland so.
[Ron:] How many people er in this particular erm assignment would you have in Scotland, just the one off?
[Rod:] Aha. At the moment. That's why I'm very keen about to get about four up here because that means at the moment we've got several several golf clubs waiting.
[Ron:] Okay.
[Rod:] Quite a number in fact.
[Ron:] Okay.
[Rod:] Because this is a the hive of the golf club industry. So those are the if you like the financial details and any any questions you have about that then er
[Ron:] No I'm I'm very happy with
[Rod:] In terms of paying commissions we pay them all the following week. I think John will have told you that. And certainly we have kept the amou the amount of administration down to a bear minimum if I can show you. We have the same contract for all of our products whichever company the only difference is that they're slightly colour coded. If you're colour blind tough.
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] All right they're colour coded. Er there's not a one there yet. And what we in fact the the reason we tell people everything on the phone Ron is that there are some things that... pen I did have one here,
[Ron:] Here you go.
[Rod:] that's all right no I've got one over here somewhere... [noise of wind]
[Ron:] It's some day it's turned out.
[Rod:] Wow I think we'll get that on the tape recorder. The things that we make sure people know before we get there is the price all right, I've already mentioned that. The fact that we need a thirty five percent deposit cheque. The fact that er we take the balance of the first year's payment through a banker's order.
[Ron:] Mhm.
[Rod:] If you don't tell them about the deposit cheque if you don't tell them about the banker's order they will say, Well just a minute Ron you didn't tell me that on the phone. I don't deal with
[Ron:] I like the idea of thirty five percent up front and
[Rod:] Well well that's the only way we can pay you your money then the following week.
[Ron:] Mhm.
[Rod:] Because in fact when you go to a client you're picking up your own deposit cheque. It will be made out to us and we pay you the following week.
[Ron:] Is this a two year contract?
[Rod:] It is and wherever you quote nine hundred pound you quote them nine hundred pound per year
[Ron:] Per annum.
[Rod:] for a minimum of two years.
[Ron:] Okay.
[Rod:] Even though the cards are reprinted every year it's it's still
[Ron:] So you really need some sound businesses you don't need your
[Rod:] You don't need your penny
[Ron:] No.
[Rod:] You will not get your local er plumber er on these. You're looking for high fliers and even car firms can go bust the second year.
[Ron:] track record [phone rings]
[Rod:] So you have to tell people all about. Hello... I wonder if you'd mind asking him to wait and I'll er be with him in about ten minutes. Oh can you offer him a coffee? Please thank you. Right. Yep you need some sound businesses
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] there's no doubt about it. Erm and they will want the prestige of being on the golf club and quite honestly, the golf club card, and quite honestly so does the golf club want
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] prestigious. That's why their list will be erm if you like pre-vetoed you know. They have they have the right of veto on whoever goes on there. However it's in their interests of course to allow you to get on and do your job.
[Ron:] Mhm.
[Rod:] But if you don't tell them about things like banker's order about the signature, particularly if two s two erm signatures are wanted on the cheque and the banker's order, if the other guy's not there you don't go round until he's available.
[Ron:] Of course.
[Rod:] If you've left that contract with them you'd never see it again. The other aspects of erm that's the contract you've already got the contract and the cheque. The other thing that we want from the client advertising client to make it a full deal so that we can pay you the thirty thirty percent commission is copy. Now this is the only product we have where it's full four colour.
[Ron:] Mhm.
[Rod:] So it's very important to know before you go round if if they've got copy. You say that I need to discuss copy when I've got there if you've got copy if they've had full colour before then they will have bromides and separations and things like
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] that. They will probably be using an agency.
[Ron:] Mhm.
[Rod:] And at the training school Ron they will tell you exactly how we deal with those.
[Ron:] Yes okay.
[Rod:] There is a form which once again will exp be explained at the er on the training course.
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] But that's the form. If they've never advertised before which is unlikely if we're going for high fli you know high flier
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] companies, that's the space down there. But I'm not going to er sit here teach you or show you how to do that because that's the training course responsibility. This is probably the most important form. And that is the commission form. All right. We c there once again all of these forms are colour coded, there's your one. All right so you can see that they're the same form. Advertising position the advertiser this will be the golf club that will be the town full and approved contract of what I've just described. There are a number of companies that we have across our erm all of our products which are what we call approved.
[Ron:] Mhm.
[Rod:] And in fact you will have seen on those cards over there a BUPA hospital.
[Ron:] Mhm.
[Rod:] Those are covered by a special arrangement where we don't have to collect a cheque we don't have a banker's order but it's done through a erm a company invoice
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] All right. The difference there is instead of the cheque and the banker's order you have to pick up an official order from the BUPA hospital.
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] And BUPA hospitals, although they're very common of course on the medical side are are going to be obviously popular on the golf club side.
[Ron:] Mm. They're going to be popular on the golf club?
[Rod:] Oh yes. There's one if you pick up one there I think one of those cards there has got one on the planner and one on the erm
[Ron:] Oh yes I see yes yes.
[Rod:] One thing about advertising Ron is er is the danger of prejudging who will and who will not come into our product. And we've we've proven that er some people have said, Oh well he won't come on he can't either afford it or he doesn't want to. And we've turned it round.
[Ron:] I've found that many times in [LAUGHTER] sales [].
[Rod:] Okay now erm the only question mark we have at the moment Ron is the car.
[Ron:] Question mark for me or the car?
[Rod:] Well if you can give me some reassurance
[Ron:] Oh no no problem.
[Rod:] Okay.
[Ron:] I mean
[Rod:] Right because I have to put that on my notes you see and I
[Ron:] I the car I had before I gave up the company car was a Mercedes Sports S L
[Rod:] Oh right.
[Ron:] But I'm not to obviously going to buy a Mercedes Sports S L necessarily at this stage.
[Rod:] Yes. All we all we say we need
[Ron:] Is a reasonable
[Rod:] I a bit worried about my pen. Okay yeah. Erm right well when you've got on your form here on your er you need to give a couple of week's notice.
[Ron:] Well what what I'm looking for there Rod obviously is a response to this letter I have sent to. If they don't respond to me in the next forty eight hours I'm going to send them a second letter er tel. Basically what I am doing is I want them to reply. I have only written the truth in my letter to them. They have got to respond to it.
[Rod:] All right.
[Ron:] Er and if
[Rod:] I mean what happens if they they give you everything you want and er
[Ron:] No. No I will not want for this company again.
[Rod:] All right.
[Ron:] I am out of. Doesn't matter what
[Rod:] Well the way you've approached it there I guess you're not going to be er sales director
[Ron:] It's not it's not the point of the money it's the fact is that they've lied to me erm and really I want em. What actually happened was my a friend of mine or really was a friend of mine for a short time, he he was in the company when I joined, and er after two months he told me he was leaving. And I said why are you leaving? Because I hadn't experienced all this
[Rod:] Mhm.
[Ron:] and he's Ron you're going to experience a lot of things that you're not going be happy about he says but I'll let you find out for yourself.
[Rod:] Well may be you shouldn't have done if he was a [LAUGHTER] friend [].
[Ron:] So he left. Suddenly he got another job in the golf industry and he left. And when he he was told to bring in his car the next day and his company stock. He says no problem. He went down to his car and down to his company stock and he says now what the money's due to me you'll get them in the post. And he says they told him to get out the building
[Rod:] Mhm.
[Ron:] and give him a rough time and he was the longest serving rep with.
[Rod:] Well of course I mean the the point there is you get you get your money first before you hand over your car and the stock.
[Ron:] Right. Now this is what happened. They sent him away and he's waited four months and he has not had a penny. He's written to them numerous times and they say what money.
[Rod:] All right.
[Ron:] So he is now in a position he can either take them to court or he's forgetting it. Because he's still in the golf industry he's forgetting it. Now it's something like eighteen hundred pounds. Now what I want to do is I want them to respond first. If they don't respond I will say the next letter will be, okay I am now resigning and your car and your stock won't be returned to you er but I'm holding them in lieu.
[Rod:] Yes okay
[Ron:] towards money due to me.
[Rod:] What but what what we're talking about timing here because we won't we won't er we won't for ever and ever you see.
[Ron:] Okay. Can I say definite I'd be quite happy to start within the next four weeks. Er four weeks from now. Or
[Rod:] Well
[Ron:] is that too far away?
[Rod:] Well let me just er just check on when the
[Ron:] the course is.
[Rod:] the course is....
[Ron:] Well let's say I'd be ready for your for your next course if it's not till.
[Rod:] Okay well there's a course running next week so we know that's out. The next one is the fourteenth of February.
[Ron:] Right. I'd be happy going the fourteenth of February.
[Rod:] Okay but that if you delay it's two weeks. Because they're held every two weeks here, whereas the rest of the companies are every week.
[Ron:] So you get the fourteenth and then the following one is the twenty eighth February?
[Rod:] Yes.
[Ron:] And this is now well. Well can I say can I say definitely Rod I will I will go on if accepted on the twenty eighth of February. Can I say that for definite?
[Rod:] All right. Now
[Ron:] Just in case they hold me to a four week
[Rod:] I can't see it.
[Ron:] I can't see it myself.
[Rod:] I would be happier to do twenty eighth and bring you back
[Ron:] Yes.
[Rod:] rather than the fourteenth.
[Ron:] Can I say
[Rod:] We'll give you the fourteenth and the twenty eighth the company would be concerned.
[Ron:] Well let's say the twenty eighth and if I can get into fourteenth
[Rod:] Now we provide all this information on trust. I can tell you right now that there are plenty of indi I I'm I'm going to say this up front, there are plenty of individuals who've taken the information away and tried to do it themselves. I I say it to all whoever comes in here and they're
[Ron:] Erm
[Rod:] there're in there're in there're in
[Ron:] Can I say something to that question. Er a person's always as good as the team behind him
[Rod:] Right.
[Ron:] and you need a team. To do this properly you need a team.
[Rod:] Oh absolutely.
[Ron:] And I'm quite happy to earn the money that you offered or which is
[Rod:] Okay
[Ron:] earnable.
[Rod:] Oh very earnable.
[Ron:] Yes. Well I'm I'm happy with that.
[Rod:] Right well let's er let me get this out of the way so I don't hand back, that's all yours to take away all right? Okay now there's some information for you to just er... I really do need a pen and I don't know where I've left it. Today's date is the
[Ron:] Twenty fifth.
[Rod:] twenty fifth.... Now the Monday the twenty eighth of February... now on Friday... Friday the twenty fifth you will need to phone in okay. If you read this end to end Ron I'd be very grateful but let me just point out to you we've agreed twenty eighth, if you bring it forward great.
[Ron:] Okay.
[Rod:] Erm if you you will not be able to put it back after that date. They they'll they'll er consider that you're not interested. On the twenty fifth please phone in just to firm up everything. Your training programme if you just er look at read this okay.
[Ron:] Okay.
[Rod:] Read right the way through all this and it will tell you exactly what will be needed. And er the Fern or the hotel is there.
[Ron:] Okay. I take it you book me into that hotel.
[Rod:] Well if you read that it'll tell you exactly what will happen. Erm we will pay we will pick up the tab for your hotel.
[Ron:] Okay.
[Rod:] All right? And we will pay all your travel costs there and back.
[Ron:] Okay.
[Rod:] I just need you to sign there's a copy here for your info just need you to sign to say that you understand that.... Want your pen back now don't you? [LAUGHTER] I'll have to go and get a pen [].
[Ron:] I'll leave you this one.
[Rod:] No no it's all right. I know now where I've got one....
[Ron:] Now I am my birth is Ronald but I am know
[Rod:] As Ron.
[Ron:] and always has been by Ron.
[Rod:] Okay. We've got Ron down here you see....
[Ron:] I don't like the name Ronald....
[Rod:] Okay that's your copy....
[Ron:] Right Rod thank you for the opportunity.
[Rod:] Okay well I've got one other thing to do... and that is to take a photograph. Okay you moved out of my I can only do four feet on this one so er
[Ron:] Right okay.
[Rod:] Right. You're allowed to smile. [noise of camera] Great thank you.
[Ron:] Can you send me a copy of that?
[Rod:] Er all this will be confirmed in writing. No you won't want a copy of that photograph let me tell you. Er it'll all be confirmed in writing and if come forward to the fourteenth they'll love that.
[Ron:] Erm right so what you're saying to me then basically is that er as long as my references are acceptable
[Rod:] Yep
[Ron:] and etcetera er I can be on that course?
[Rod:] Yes. We've we we put that in writing, subject to satisfactory references erm er we will look forward to seeing you on the twenty eighth.
[Ron:] What's your position Rod? What's your position in
[Rod:] I'm recruitment officer.
[Ron:] For the the group?
[Rod:] Yep.
[Ron:] Well it was a pleasure meeting you.
[Rod:] And you.
[Ron:] Okay.
[Rod:] Enjoyed er our discussions and er we'll take it from there.
[Ron:] Okay thanks Rod.
[Rod:] Thanks very much.
[Ron:] Okay good bye.
[Rod:] Ta sorry I had to drag you out here on this weather.