THE COLLEY'S GRAND DESIGN

At the end of 2011, Ian was invited to the home of Lynda and Rob Colley in Milton Keynes, who were exploring the possibility of having a kitchen refurbishment.  I now know I should have packed him off with sandwiches, as Lynda and Rob didn't just want a refurbishment - oh no - they wanted a Grand Design, and nothing less.



The kitchen is clearly Lynda's realm and domain and  Ian loved the level of creativity and involvement he shared with Lynda, as it gave him an insight into what was really wanted and needed from their space: we're all about asking what you'd like, rather than telling you what you can have.

Lynda and Rob's patio doors are directly opposite a doorway leading into their lounge, with the former dining room in between.  Lynda's vision was to widen both the patio and living room doors and install bi-fold doors that would open right back, to create one huge inside-to-outside space.

Lynda loves to cook and bake and create gorgeous little chocolately thingys that linger forever on the hips!  However Lynda is not the tallest chocolateer and finds working at conventional worktop height uncomfortable; so Ian designed this central seating and working area.

The Colley Grand Design took approximately eight weeks to complete, but the results were worth waiting for.  From widening the patio door and lounge door recesses, to replacing ceilings and plastering walls. There was miles of new electrical wiring and Building Control liaison/certification to ensure. Obviously there was the kitchen installation itself, complete with all the appliances, wirework, recycling and storage solutions, in addition to the plumbing and decoration work. Rob requested a bespoke Sky box housing, whilst Lynda requested a purpose built, fully co-ordinated dog bed for the VIP's (i.e.: her dogs!).  This was all done with the endless laughs, generous refreshments (and cake!) and tireless patience of Lynda and Rob Colley - we had a blast, thank you, and we're so glad you like it.

On Sunday 22 April 2012, Lynda posted the following on her Facebook wall:

Ian's dedication and pride in his work is second to none.  He was here until seven last night tinkering, just wanting to make sure every little detail was "just so".  It is.  It is GORGEOUS.  We both love it, it's a total joy just to stand in the kitchen/Deck Room and admire the completed project - which I have to say just grew and grew from a new kitchen to walls coming down, ceilings being skimmed, renovations moved to the lounge too.  So practically the whole of our downstairs has had the Ian Dennis touch.  Thank you Ian (and Karan for her patience and enthusiasm).

And finally there there was this, a beautiful hardbook photobook, stuffed full of gorgeous glossy photos of Lynda and Rob's kitchen and Deck Room, by way of thank you for our contribution.  This, quite simply, is the best testimonial we have ever received, and by far the most generous, by every definition of the word.

HOTPOINT CUSTOMER SERVICE

Well, who'd have thunk it?  Our (not cheap!) 24 month-old Hotpoint WDD960 washer dryer decided to die in its sleep the weekend before we were due to take a family holiday.  This is the stuff of nightmares; well, my nightmares at least.  We have an 8 year-old daughter who chooses to change her attire several times a day, and a 3 year-old son who has to change his attire several times a day!  How do little boys get that dirty so quickly?!  Answers on a postcard please.

You can now understand how I might be horrified at the prospect of lugging car fulls of laundry to friends, relatives and laundrettes all across Northamptonshire, or even worse....[dramatic pause]....hand washing it all.  Makes you shudder, doesn't it?  I need not have worried.  Whilst Ian activated and deployed his Mum in the first instance, I contacted the Hotpoint Customer Service team and reported the fault.  Whilst they couldn't get an engineer out to us before we went on holiday (because this isn't a fairy story!), they did bend over backwards to have an engineer attend the fault on the day after we got home. 

We were advised an engineer would visit between 12 noon and 6pm, but he would phone two hours prior to his estimated arrival, so we didn't have to sit at home contemplating the fluff in our navels for the entire time.  My inside voice said "...yeah, right!" at this point, as I continued to pile laundry bags into the fleet of waiting Stobart lorries; but I was pleasantly surprised.  Whilst on holiday I had a text to confirm the engineer's visit.  On the day of the scheduled repair we got another text to confirm the engineer's imminence and then we actually got the call.  The engineer phoned to confirm he'd be with us at 12 noon - and he was!

The rest all gets a bit technical for me, apparently we had a faulty PCB-mumble-mumble-whatsit-thingy, but it was all replaced, repaired and working within 20 minutes; now you can't say fairer than that can you?  It was one of the happiest days of my life.  I need to get out more.

So, it gives me enormous pleasure - and relief - to be able to personally recommend the excellent after sales customer service we received from Hotpoint, which is handy given that we sell a gazillion of their products every year.  It could so easily have got awkward, but it didn't.

There now follows a couple of bleeding obvious Handing Hints:

1) Fill in your warranty registration forms (either written or online) before you fully install your appliance, because you can bet - as sure as God made little green apples - that the serial number you're really, really going to need is right at the back and right at the bottom of your dead (built-in) appliance.  With a little forward planning you can save yourself the time, agony and expense of visiting the Chiropractor, straight after a fault report.

2) Kicking, praying, swearing at or pleading with a faulty washer dryer doesn't make it start working again.  This is true of dishwashers and most other essential electrical equipment in my experience.  Sad, but true. 

3) Always - ALWAYS - complete your warranty registration cards, and either post or submit them online immediately, else you'll forget - and you know you will.

RISE OF THE INDEPENDENT RETAILERS

Mary Portas - champion of the local independent retailer, broadcaster and general marketing guru - tweeted this this morning...

"To all Indie shops. The future has to be built on superb customer service, specialism and a great shopping experience. Embrace retail."

As usual, Mary's timing is perfect as Moben Kitchens, Kitchens Direct, Dolphin Bathrooms and Sharps Bedrooms are all reportedly going into administration.  This comes as no surprise to Ian and I, as we have had more than our fair share of experience with these companies, which contributed to how IKD came to be.  We believed - way back in 1992 - that there was a huge gap in the market for individual, personalised customer service built on trust, respect, honest pricing and a killer after sales service.  We were horrified with the glamorous sales promises, cheap over-priced products and dreadful, non-existent after sales care.

Of course the "sheds" (i.e.: B&Q, Wickes, Moben, Dolphin etc) left us standing in terms of showroom square footage, staffing and national advertising, but we continued to plug away, relentlessly building something solid on rock, rather than on the shifting sands of endless false promises. 

In our experience, and from the experiences of our many - many - disgruntled ex-shed conversions, the sheds threw money at advertising, but not on the customer's sales and service experience, or - unforgivably -  the end product.  This was never sustainable. 

We're also aware that high pressure sales were a common tactic, which again, offers only a short term gain at best.  With high pressure sales, you may hector the business from the customer this time, but follow that up with poor sales, service and products, and do you suppose they're ever going to come back to you?  Do you suppose they're ever going to recommend you you to anyone else?  No, in fact they're going to slowly destroy your reputation by telling their friends and family about their bad experiences and the poor value for money they received.  There's an old, old adage that says: a satisfied customer will tell 5 people that they're happy, but a dissatisfied customer will tell 15 that they're unhappy!

Repeat business and recommendations from elated customers has been a significant factor in how IKD has been able to thrive through the leaner times.  Don't get me wrong, we're still unable (and unwilling) to compete on the showroom square footage front, and we remain a small local independent retailer, but - dammit - you will receive no greater personalised service from anywhere else. 

We're small and mighty, like the atom! 

We fully support Mary Portas' campaign to help local independent firms thrive; after all, small businesses are the backbone of this country and the economy.  Personalised service, specialism and great customer experiences should always have been the way of the world, but now the sheds are dying one by one (and taking their automated service, manned by their cheap, inexperienced and disengaged workforce with them), I believe we have a great opportunity to see the rise - and rise - of the independents.

INTEGRATED DISHWASHER SALE!

We have a couple of amazing dishwashers on very special offer at the moment, but it's whilst stocks last, so if you want one, you best call Karan on (01536) 415280 to reserve yours now.  Ready?  Here goes...

This superb 60cm integrated dishwasher from Rangemaster offers 12 place settings and 7 wash programmes. It has an efficiency rating of AAA for energy, wash performance and drying and has a 52 decibel noise level. This unit is designed to be completely hidden behind a furniture door and will require a cold water feed and a waste outlet.

Here's the summary of goodies:

12 place settings, 7 programmes, Quick wash programme, Delicate programme, Pre-rinse, LED control panel, Time remaining indicator, Delay timer, Rinse aid indicator, Salt level indicator, Height adjustable top basket, Cutlery basket, Adjustable racking, Anti-food devices, Noise level 52 dB, Energy consumption 1.05 Kwh, Water consumption 15 litres, Energy rating A, Wash performance A, Drying performance A, Dimensions: H820 x W600 x D580mm

Normal RRP: £452, but your exclusive IKD Special Offer Price is just £225!

Or, if that's too big, how about this little beauty...

This super fantastic 45cm integrated dishwasher from Rangemaster offers 9 place settings and 6 wash programmes. It has an efficiency rating of AAA for energy, wash performance and drying and has a 54 decibel noise level. This unit is designed to be completely hidden behind a furniture door and will require a cold water feed and a waste outlet.

Here's a list of the goodies:

9 place settings, 6 programmes, Quick wash programme, Delicate programme, Pre-rinse, LED control panel, Time remaining indicator, Delay timer, Rinse aid indicator, Salt level indicator, Height adjustable top basket, Cutlery basket, Adjustable racking, Anti-food device, Noise level 54 dB, Energy consumption 0.8 Kwh, Water consumption 15 litres, Energy rating A, Wash performance A, Drying performance A, Dimensions: H820 x W450 x D580mm

Normal RRP: £401.52, but your exclusive IKD Special Offer Price is just £199!

All prices include VAT, but exclude delivery and installation.  All products subject to availability - stocks are limited, so get your socks on if you want one!

Call Karan on (01536) 415280 right now!

WHAT MAKES 100%?

My friend Jon, emailed this to me this morning and I thought it would make you smile too...

What makes 100%?  What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?  Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%?  Have you ever been asked to give more than 100%?  How about achieving 103%?  What makes up 100% in life?

Here's a little mathmathical formula that may help you answer these questions: If

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z is representated as

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 & 26, then...

H-A-R-D-W-O-R-K

8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E

11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E

1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T

2+21+12+12+19+8+9+20 = 103%

...and look how far ass kissing will take you...

A-S-S-K-I-S-S-I-N-G

1+19+19+11+9+19+19+9+14+7 = 118%

So we can conclude with mathematical certainty, that whilst HARDWORK and KNOWLEDGE will get you close, and ATTITUDE will get you there - it's BULLSHIT and ASS KISSING that'll take you over the top!

At least we now know why some people are where they are!

S-BOX: THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

The S-Box™ is a revolutionary new concept for the kitchen and the home.

Simple to operate and cleverly creating new space in the surface of any worktop or cabinet, the S-Box™ collection provides a range of useful items that can be hidden from view, and presented only when needed with the touch of a finger.

No electrics, no gas struts… no hassle!



S-Box: Key Box Top & Collar - Stainless Steel £280



 

S-Box: Knife Box Top & Collar (excl. knives) - Stainless Steel £304



S-Box: Power Box (3 Sockets) Top & Collar - Stainless Steel £265

 

 

S-Box: iPod Dock Box Top & Collar (excl. iPod) - Stainless Steel £345



S-Box: Power Box (2 Sockets + 2 USB) Top & Collar - Stainless Steel £305

S-Box: Spice Box Top & Collar (incls Jars) - Stainless Steel £280

  

This first S-Box™ range is a practical and stylish way to increase the storage space in your Kitchen and with a carefully selected range of products and contents to suit every taste, enables your kitchen to look clean, clutter-free and well presented.

Maximising otherwise wasted space towards the rear of the cabinet or within the voids in a kitchen island, S-Boxes™ can be easily installed and add value and innovation to any kitchen design.

Described as the most innovative development the kitchen market has seen since the soft-close drawer, the S-Box™ is set to become the next must-have accessory in every household and it's available with an IKD Kitchens' kitchen refurbishment - just ask during your free no obligation home design consultation with Ian.

Prices include VAT, but exclude delivery or installation.

IT COULDN'T BE DONE

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done,

But, he with a chuckle replied

That "maybe it couldn’t" but he would be one

Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.

So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin on his face.

If he worried he hid it.

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you’ll never do that;

At least no one has done it";

But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,

And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,

Without any doubting or quiddit,

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,

There are thousands to prophesy failure;

There are thousands to point out to you one by one,

The dangers that wait to assail you.

But just buckle it in with a bit of a grin,

Just take off your coat and go to it;

Just start to sing as you tackle the thing

That "couldn’t be done," and you’ll do it.

 

By Edgar Albert Guest

 

 

ROK TEX Contour Sink Collection



Astracast ROK TEX Contour Sink Collection
Volcanic Black Slate Effect



Introducing the outstanding new ROK TEX Contour Sink Collection by Astracast, for customers who expect more. 

ROK TEX is an industry first, pioneering new granite ROK material.  The surface is textured which gives the sink a beautiful contemporary slate effect.  In addition, metallic particles are added during the manufacturing process, giving the sink a glisten, which is intensified under light.

As well as its stunning good looks, ROK TEX sinks benefit from A LIFETIME GUARANTEE.

Features & Benefits:

> Spacious main bowl in 1.0 sink, which is ideal for washing large non-dishwasher items such as grill trays and woks.

> Recessed drainer, which is ideal for minimising spills.

> Complimentary range of accessories are available, which include a bowl grid, a colander (suitable for the 1.5 bowl only) and a chopping/drainer board.

> ROK Metallic Volcano Black finish

> Available in 1.0 or 1.5 bowl variants.

> 20 Year Guarantee. 

In addition to the impressive Features & Benefits, you will also be interested to learn that all ROK TEX sinks are resistant to the following:

Thermal Shock: Can withstand repeated cycles of hot and cold water without effect.

Scratches: Withstands everyday knocks and bumps without chipping or marking. The finish of the sink will remain for the lifetime of the product.

Chemicals: Due to its innovative molecular structure, ROK TEX is resistant to all commonly used household chemicals.

Stains: Even the worst stains, such as red wine and beetroot, can be wiped away easily with a cloth.

Water & Light:  ROK TEX sinks will not discolour in direct sunlight or water, or whiten over time.

The price for the Contour 1.0 bowl, including VAT: £490

The price for the Contour 1.5 bowl, including VAT: £540

We would be equally delighted to include this sink in your new kitchen design and refurbishment, or as a stand alone supply only product for our trade and DIY customers.  Call Karan now on (01536) 415280, or pop into our kitchen showroom to discuss this stunning new product in more detail.

GOD BLESS THE CARCASS!

Poor old kitchen carcasses, they don't get any of the glamour or the glory, but they are truly the keystone for any kitchen. 

Ask yourself this: if you go to the trouble of having your new kitchen designed and installed - perhaps with expensive granite worktops, a gorgeous new sink and lots of super whizzy gadgets - but you've scrimped on cheap and nasty carcasses: what happens when those cheap and nasty carcasses fall apart?  Which they will.  The worktop, sink and gadets have all got to be taken out, so that you can do it properly next time.  Hmmm, sounds fun.

We don't mess about with cheap and nasty.  Even our Rapide+ budget kitchens range has 15mm carcasses as standard, that come with a 5 year warranty, so you will always have peace of mind.  Ordinarily however, IKD only deal with 18mm+ carcasses, simply because we believe your house will fall down before they will - they are seriously that strong and robust.

For those of you interested enough in kitchen carcasses, we thought you might like to have a look at our standard carcass specification.  Bespoke carcasses (i.e.: solid oak etc) are available, but the majority of kitchen refurbishments for family homes enjoy these benefits...

> 18mm melamine face chipboard

> All visible edges lipped.

> 90° clip-on hinges on all units except 900 x 900 corner base which uses a 180° hinge and splay units, which are supplied with a special 30° hinge.

> 720mm & 900mm wall units supplied with 2 shelves, one only in 575mm wall units.

> Fastfit cam and pins and wooden dowels for easy assembly

> Centre rails in all double module units

> Available in drawer line or high line options

> Fully adjustable legs on all base units

> Fully adjustable all metal wall hanging brackets

>18mm backs on all base units and 8mm backs on wall units and tall units.

> Carcasses are fully colour co-ordinated

> Extensive range of sizes

> Special sizes available

> Metal shelf supports

> 42mm back recess on all base units and 34mm recess on tall units.

> All units can be supplied boxed in flat pack form or supplied rigid

> All products available on a 6 working day lead time

> Continuous plinths in 2940mm lengths available for all finishes

> 12 colours of carcass finish

> Available with metal sided or full extension soft close drawers

> Soft close hinge attachment available as accessory

> All base carcasses 720mm high plus 150mm legs

> Tall units available in 1825mm, 1970mm or 2150mm heights as standard

> Dressers available in 1065mm, 1210mm or 1390mm heights as standard

IKD also provide a full design and supply only service for trade and DIY, so please contact Karan on (01536) 415280 with your sales enquiry; we'd be delighted to help you.

REPAIRABLE WORKTOPS

Many people believe granite worktops are the ultimate kitchen worktop surface available, but they'd not necessarily be right.

Don't get me wrong, compared to laminate, it's as tough as old boots, but it's not entirely indestructible.  Wine, lemon, vinegar will all eat granite for breakfast.  Granite can also be chipped and scratched if you're determined or unlucky enough. 

Of course you can put a hot saucepan down on granite, whereas it would utterly destroy a laminate top.  So what can you do if you want a worktop more durable, but cheaper, than granite?  How would you like a repairable worktop?  I'm guessing a lot of people with children have just started paying a lot more attention to this article.

The answer is Apollo® Slab Tech worktop, and at IKD Kitchens we can supply and install all of the Apollo® Slab Tech 30mm Solid Surfaces, as they are simply a superior product with an exceptional after sales and care service.

Apollo® Slab Tech is a revolutionary new 30mm solid surface worktop, and is a unique product in today’s luxury worktop market, having all the attributes of solid surface along with the highly desirable appearance of quartz.

> Solid 30mm - no underframe

> Easy to install - no sealing required

> Seamless joints using revolutionary new glue

> Appearance of quartz

> Ideal for high traffic areas such as the kitchen

> Homogenous and non porous

> Mold & mildew resistant

> Tough stains can be buffed away

> Accidental damage can be repaired

> Ideal for worktops, vanity tops or cladding

> Option of integrated solid surface sinks

> FIRA approved, BS6222 Part 3 1999 for durability

> 10 year Manufacturer’s Limited Warranty

To view the entire range of Apollo Slab Tech surfaces, please come and visit our kitchen showroom, or call Karan on 01536 415280 to book your free no obligation home design consultation, and we'll bring the samples to you! 

Why pay for granite that will chip when you can spend less and have a repairable surface?  It's your call...

WALK AROUND WICKSTEAD



Ian with the Mayor, pledging our
support for the Make A Difference
Walk at Wickstead Park



The pocket dynamo that is our Mayor of Kettering, Councillor Shirley Lynch, is inviting us all to join her on the Make A Difference Walk on Sunday 6 March 2011, in aid of the Kettering & District Prostate Cancer Support Group and the Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance Service.

The Mayor is walking 26 miles around Wickstead Park (in high heel shoes no less), to raise funds for these two wonderful and deserving local charities, and would love to meet you during the adventure.

Wickstead Park, as always, has been magnificent by offering their grounds for the walk and will mark out the route, and I'm sure the Mayor has organised some truly spectacular weather for the event.  Well, she is a kind of get-things-done kinda woman, so I wouldn't doubt the spectacular weather prediction!

You are invited to assemble in the clearly marked area from 10am, whilst the walk itself commences at 11am; the entrance fee is £3 per person.  To register and/or purchase your tickets, please call (01536) 534272 - or just show up on the day.  It's just what you need before you tuck into your Sunday roast, and you'll be making a difference for the Kettering & District Prostate Cancer Support Group AND the Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance Service. 

Both charities truly deserve our support; a customer and great friend of IKD Kitchens had her life saved THREE times by the air ambulance, following a road traffic accident, as the medics on board just would not quit - they are exceptional people, doing an exceptional job and we need them.

If you're unable to make Sunday 6 March at Wickstead Park,  but would still like to make a donation to the charities, please make cheques payable to "The Mayor's Charity" and post them to The Mayor's Secretary, Bowling Green Road, Kettering, NN15 7QX, and know that every penny will make a difference.

Thank you

Ian & Karan xx

BECAUSE YOU'RE WORTH IT!

This is our Customer Care Policy  - we mean it and we mean business!

THE IKD MISSION STATEMENT...

IKD will endeavour to provide the highest standard of products and services to all of our Clients, from the initial point of contact through to the completion of the project, and beyond.

We will continue to recognise that every Client has their individual aspirations, and will listen to establish what it is they want, rather than tell them what they can have.

All Customers will be treated courteously with honesty and respect, with a view to establishing a close working relationship, based on trust.

IKD will remain committed to the principle of continuous improvement and will invest in the best training, equipment and materials to ensure that every potential is fulfilled.

We will work strenuously to ensure that budgets and timescales are adhered to, whilst every effort will be made to enhance our work by clearing up after ourselves and leaving the premises in (at least) a similar level of cleanliness and order.

Our quotations and invoices will continue to be clearly written and comprehensive in detail, with any administrative queries being handled effectively and professionally.

Any after sales queries or problems will be dealt with as quickly, fairly and efficiently as possible. IKD wish to enjoy the continued pride we have in our after sales customer care.

IKD will endeavour to recommend or co-ordinate only fully qualified and highly experienced third parties (i.e.: electricians, Gas Safe registered gas installers, plasterers etc) wherever possible. We have no interest in jeopardising our own hard-earned reputation on questionable (sub-contracted) tradesmen.

It is the long held ambition of IKD to be the benchmark by which our competitors are judged - and to continue trading for a generation, upon our good reputation alone

Please read what our Customers have said about us : testimonials

NEW GADGET ALERT!

We're very pleased to introduce our new - and competitively priced - gadget; the PowerPod, the worktop powerpoint solution, complete with a USB charging facility.  This is completely ideal for all kitchens, offices and even bedrooms!

Bomb to the bottom of the article if you want the price, but for those of you who want some more information, here goes:

> The PowerPod has two USB sockets, which makes it ideal for charging iPods and mobile phones.

> It has three 13 amp power sockets

> It is splashproof: IP54 protection. 

> Unlike other designs on the market, the PowerPod hides away when not in use and retracts whilst appliances are still plugged in - ideal for modern streamlined homes.  This flexible approach ensures your kitchen can maintain its sleek and refined lines.

> It has a slimline profile, so you need only cut a 92mm hole in the worksurface to install it - and it can be retro-fitted if your kitchen, office or bedroom surfaces are already installed.

> There's an illuminated on/off switch, complete with fuse protection.

> The height above the surface measures 331mm, width 100mm.

> Modern, durable and hygenic aluminium casing.

> Comes complete with a 3 pin plug and 1.5 metres of cable.  This means you need only cut a 92mm hole & plug the PowerPod into a standard domestic plug socket (within 1.5 metres of the Pod, obviously) - there is no Part P requirement with this unit.

We're about to install one in our kitchen showroom, so please feel free to come and take a look.  Now, I will amaze you with the price .... ready? ...

£99

> Price includes VAT, but excludes delivery or installation. 

> Next working day delivery to a mainland UK address is £15.

> Please enquire if you'd like a quotation for your PowerPod to be professioanlly installed.

> If you're trade, please ask us about the discount that will apply to you.

> Call Karan now on (01536) 415280 to order yours today - we have two deliveries a week, so no delay!

TIME JUGGLER

[Karan]:  I was asked yesterday how, as a mother of two very young children, and a business owner, did I manage my time: how did I get everything done? 

I would hasten to point out that the question could have been equally asked of Ian, as a father of two young children and a business owner; as the dilemma is ours together and not mine alone.  Ian struggles as much as I do to make and find quality time with the children, whilst also focusing on our ambitions for the business.  Needless to say it's far from easy.

My answer to Claire's question yesterday began with me telling her I've given up on the crazy sleep habit I had become accustomed to prior to having children, and prior to our business really moving up a gear, and beginning to grow significantly. 

I then explained that, as I'm more productive in the morning, that I will get up as early as necessary to complete important tasks before "The Stuff of Days" kicks in.  By getting up early and before everyone else, I am able to apply concentrated effort for 90 minutes (2 hours maximum) - without interruption or distraction - and get a whole lot more done, as it really focuses the mind.  If you follow the principle that work will expand to fill the time available, you have to limit the time available with deadlines; and then stick to them!

I have learnt many new and more effective ways of working this year, thanks in no small part to Nigel Botterill, but one of my favourite methods is the following.  If you have a task to complete in e.g.: seven days, ask yourself this: if I had to complete this task in four days, or I would die, could it be done?  If the answer is "yes, but I'd have to work really hard, rescheduled this, postpone that and not watch TV for four days" well then, do it!  Nigel doesn't do flowery, but this method really works.  And remember, there's no point cheating, as you're only cheating yourself.  Push yourself harder and you'll be amazed by the outcome. 

The more routine and not-so-important tasks of the day can then be completed amongst "The Stuff of Days" like impromptu telephone calls and meetings etc.  I tend to leave the easier and not so brain-draining matters for the afternoon, when my energy levels are beginning to wane.  I do tend to have a second wind after the kids have gone to bed, but if I'm going to be up, about and productive early next day, there's no point burning the midnight oil.  But I do, as the routine and domestic stuff takes time too.

Claire and I swapped notes about how our houses aren't as clean as we'd like them, how in an ideal world we'd like more food in the fridge and who had the tallest pile of ironing.  At the moment Claire and I seem to be trading the same stuff, because with only one of us each, not everything gets done; we're prioritising on a day-to-day basis.  Throw in Christmas and we're both running around like our hair's on fire.  It can't all be done.  There are only 24 hours in a day and 7 days in a week, and unless we're going to be cloned for Christmas, something's gotta give. 

Consider the VALUE of one of your working hours.  You can probably work out your hourly rate easily enough, but what value has it for you?  I attended a BNI meeting recently where a self-employed book keeper stood up and presented a case study: in essence, she had earned her client £10,000.  How?  By paying his book keeper £120 for keeping his books (funnily enough) and completing his quarterly VAT return, the client was able to dedicate his time to doing what he did best; sales and marketing.  As a result he was free to be in the right place at the right time to handle a sales enquiry that eventually became a £10,000 sale.  Would Claire's and my time be better spent growing our businesses and paying another entrepreneur to conquer the south face of our ironing piles, or ensuring we're not knee deep in dust when we get home?

Of course there is the expense of hiring someone to clean, iron and book-keep for you, but is it a false economy not to?  What else could you be doing, whilst this is being done for you?  Could these services be effectively earning you money, whilst assisting the growth of your business?  These are questions I am going to ask myself early in the New Year, as we have big plans for 2011 - which is going to take a lot of my time and energy - and I'm not going to allow pesky laundry to sabotage them! 

SCRABBLE'S LIFE LESSONS

My name is Karan and I love playing Scrabble.  They say the first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem, although I don't see this as a problem; it's only some other people who think I'm uncool; but their opinion of me is none of my business, is it?

I generally play online, as it allows me to play with far flung friends and family, in addition to random strangers who may, or may not, become regular Scrabble buddies.  I love words (you may have noticed) and I love the challenge, whilst keeping my brain and vocabulary well exercised.  It's not as cool as being plugged into an Xbox 360 I grant you, but I don't care, as I'm learning new words all the time.

Recently I was involved in two games simultaneously, which were nearing the end, and both results were looking bleak for me.  In fact, I was certain I'd lose these games, as I had a single low scoring tile left in both games, and absolutely no opportunity on the board to place them well and win.  It crossed my mind fleetingly to forfeit both games, to save time, but my opponents both had their penultimate turns to take, before my seemingly inevitable loss.

Following the dictum "Don't quit. Ever. Do. Not. Quit", I decided to play on, hoping my opponents would hit the "Forfeit" icon themselves - in error if nothing else - stranger things have happened at sea.  And this is where Scrabble taught me a life lesson: as both opponents laid down their penultimate tiles they created an opportunity for me.  I now had somewhere to put my single low scoring tiles, which was basically at the end of the words they had just created.  Both single low scoring tiles landed on Double Word Score squares, which meant that I won both games, unexpectedly and from nowhere, by one single point, and within minutes of each other.  I laughed.

What I took from this bizarrely timed experience is this: in business you can never second guess what your opponents and competitors are going to do; in some ways it's none of your business what they do - you have to play your own game with confidence, until the end.  Don't quit. Ever. Do. Not. Quit.  Your opponents may make mistakes and create opportunity for you.  They may even be successful and create opportunity for you; you never can tell.  All that you can do is be patient, persevere, and actually be around to pounce on the possibilities when they eventually present themselves.  I'd have lost these games if I had quit, but I always had a chance (that led to eventual triumph) whilst I was still in the game.  Losing is not inevitable and you always have to play to win despite the odds.

If anyone fancies a game of Scrabble with me, please let me know via our Facebook page as I'll play anyone - but I'm obviously going to play to the death and would expect you to, too!  May the best uncool Scrabble geek win!

SHOWING MY AGE!

[Karan]:  Our daughter, Mia (aged 7), thinks dinosaurs roamed the earth when I was at school, and once asked me what we used before cars were invented, when I was little.  I kid you not.  It's a bloody good job you can't sell kids on eBay, is all I can say!  Cheeky little Minx.

I am keen to point out that I wasn't born in the Mesozoic, or any other prehistoric era for that matter, but I am a child of the 1970's; which is feeling more and more like the Mesozoic era the older I get.  To make matters worse, I saw an online article recently celebrating all the "must have" toys of my bygone age, and Mia took pity on me as though I was neglected as a child or something.  What I have tried to explain to Mia is that SIMON was our version of her Nintendo DS, and I was thrilled when I got it for Christmas in 1978: my parents may have lived to regret their repetitively noisy present choice, but I most certainly didn't.

Another of my all time greatest presents was the Stylophone.  Now, as a mother of two rampant and rambunctious children, I can only assume that my parents were clinically insane to have given this to me in 1976 - what were they thinking?!  Have you heard the God awful noise this contraption creates?  For those of you denied the special privilege of having heard the special tunes created by a tame Stylophone, I can only describe it as sounding like a bag of cats being slammed against a wall.  But I loved it as it allowed me to be "creative" - along with my banging wooden spoons on pots, pans and my brother!

My deepest regret, the one thing I always wanted but never got was the Raleigh Chopper bike, complete with a gear lever.  My friend Simon Hodge had a red one and I coveted it unashamedly, but I was bought a girlie Flyer instead (no, I hadn't heard of one until then either) - a brown one at that - BROWN?!  No nine year-old child asks for a brown bike, and you should see the groovy haircut I had at the time when photographed on said brown bike.  No, I'm not showing you.  The Raleigh Chopper was the epitome of a bike, it was the ultimate - you were somebody if you had a Chopper - everyone was your friend, mostly so they could get a ride on your bike.  I didn't get any requests to ride my brown Flyer [sniff].

May I also take this opportunity to register my utter disgust that when the Chopper was relaunched a few years ago it was sans gear lever - how could they do that?!  I know why they did that; on Health 'n' Safety grounds, but we children of the 70's survived, and there's nothing (much) wrong with us...I heard that!

My brother and I were not in the least bit neglected at Christmas, whatever Mia may think; we had great Christmas', where our parents went all out for a wonderful day, with great food, mountains of presents and our family around us.  Our parents subjected themselves to hours, days, weeks and months of Stylophonic Greensleeves, because that's what parents do at Christmas, isn't it?  It's in the children's charter that they are required, by law, to be noisy and rampant on Christmas Day, so that their parents are fraught and exhausted husks by nightfall. 

Stand by your beds fellow parents, the day is almost upon us.  This is where our own parents laugh at the memories of how we used to be, and delight in the deliciousness of karma, as our ears ring from the cacophony and our last nerve strains to hold out: I'm looking forward to it already.  Good luck people and please remember me fondly.

IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN!

[Karan]:  And no, I don't mean Christmas.  Of course it is Christmas soon, (however hard I try and deny it), but what I mean is: it's that time of year when [gasp] it snows!

It never ceases to amaze me how this country comes grinding to a standstill at the first glimpse of snow.  Already we have had news reporters dispatched to Hemel Hempstead so they can crouch in the snow to show us how deep it is.  Already three major airports have closed, with no news as to when they might re-open, whilst disappointing thousands of travellers.  I've still to hear the AA advise us only to travel if it's important, but I'm sure that little nugget is on it's way soon.  Politicians have been "braving it into Westminster" to ensure our stocks of salt are adequate to keep the country moving, whilst my TV is now covered in muesli at the nonsense of it all.

I'm now sitting here, having threaded my way carefully into work this morning because the roads are icy, and fully anticipating having to collect my daughter from school before lunch, because the current snow flurry is expected to drift and the school must close!  How in God's name do they cope in Alaska, Russia and Norway - let's find out and copy what they do, because I'm pretty sure their schools don't close, their trains still run and their airports remain open, always. 

We have a serious obsession with the weather in this country, but whatever the weather may throw at us, it leaves us bemused and often times, scuppered with the wrong kind of rainfall (!) or leaves on the line.  In summer the very same news reporters were crouching next to a melting road surface, whilst the rest of us were unable to refresh our scorched patches of earth due to a hosepipe ban.  It's the current snow that really amuses me.  If we lived in Barbados, snow would be a genuine surprise, but we don't and it shouldn't be.  Have you noticed that the phrase "global warming" is always substituted at this time of year for "climate change".  Climate change my arse, it's winter, it snows; we just all need to be grown ups and learn how to adapt better, rather than be caught out by what we know is coming.

I saw a television programme earlier this week about the snow, road gritting and the likelihood that the UK will run out of salt before spring arrives.  A comment was also made that to import the salt we need is very expensive "at this time of year".  Hmmm, okay, well what can we learn from this?  Well, in the UK it snows in winter.  We experience winter weather from November to February EVERY YEAR, so why not buy/import salt in June when it's cheaper, hello?! 

As for melting road surfaces, I'll leave that for the engineers to work out, but perhaps they could observe how the roads in Arizona and Melbourne survive their searing temperatures.  There is a solution to every problem, and we in the UK need to respond better to what happens to us, rather than react.  And can the media please stop whipping these issues into more than they really are or need to be; it's only snow: keep calm and carry on!  

That is all.

  

FATAL SALES FAIL

Loss or Opportunity?

[Karan]:  I've had an interesting couple of days in which I have experienced two completely different attitudes towards exactly the same problem, and I'm now ruminating about the likely outcome of each.

We have been a customer of a local supplier, who I shall refer only to as Tired Incorporated, since we began trading in 1992; a very long time ago.  You might consider us a very loyal customer of Tired Inc after all these years, and we used to place quite a bit of business their way, as they were friendly, dynamic and helpful.  They might not always have been the cheapest supplier of their stuff, but they were pleasant to trade with and we always try to stay as local as we can.

On Tuesday I had a sales enquiry for a widget, and referred to Tired Incorporated's price list, which was still dated July 2007 despite repeated requests for the revised editions.  I thought I'd have another go and spoke directly with the new Sales Manager whose response was: "...every time we try to publish a new brochure, a manufacturer or two will change their stock and/or prices, rendering the brochure out-of-date and inaccurate, so we just [infrequently] email you the changes".  Hmmm, okay, fair enough point about the pricing etc, but what are the likes of IKD to do when trying to find the price and availablility of a widget?  The answer was: "...give us a call".   Hmmm, okay, but what if I need a price outside of your hours of business?  Well, we can all guess the answer to that, can't we?

On Wednesday Ian and I went to a trade exhibition, where we were introduced to a new supplier of  widgets, who now represent direct competition to Tired Incorporated. During our discussions, their Divisional Sales Director offered us a very large and heavy duty ring binder, full of professionally printed loose leaf pages, complete with all relevent stock, price and discount codes and product specifications etc.  It was explained to us that "...every time we try to publish a new brochure, a manufacturer or two will change their stock and/or prices, rendering the brochure out-of-date and inaccurate, so we created this in addition to offering you live online stock levels and a 24 hour online ordering facility".  Hmmm, now we're talking!  Obviously as stock, price and discount codes change in the future, Extraordinary Inc. will update the binder pages accordingly, but will also email us the changes as a fail safe catch all, ensuring that we are fully equipped with all of the latest developments to help us sell their products!

The online stock level checker and 24 hour ordering facility is just brilliant, and obviously affords us bang up-to-date information and greater ordering flexibility than ever before, from this section of the industry.  So who with me can now predict the future for poor old Tired Incorporated?  They've allowed themselves to be defeated by an easily surmountable problem; all it would take is a little ingenuity and willingness because, let's face it, a heavy duty ring binder with loose leaf pages is not rocket science, is it?  There may be costs incurred to activate this solution, but how much sales revenue are they loosing because they haven't - this is a false economy!

Tired Incorporated, and others I could mention who operate like them, would do well to remember that their customers, like IKD, are having to work extra hard in this climate to succeed, and are unlikely to work even harder than that, and unnecessarily so, when a better, faster, cheaper and more accurate alternative is available from their competitor(s).  My advice to Tired Incorporated is the same as it continues to be for ourselves, and something we are constantly mindful of: adapt or die, because if you're not growing your business, your business is shrinking - as a wise man (aka Nigel Botterill) once told me.

FOR THE FALLEN

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,

England mourns for her dead across the sea.

Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of spirit,

Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal

Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres.

There is music in the midst of desolation

And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,

Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,

They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

They mingle not with laughing comrades again;

They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;

They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain,
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

By Laurence Binyon