earlsdoncobbler Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 i was on Holiday in Madeira a couple of weeks ago when i spotted a Mister minit shop my Portuguese is not up to much so i did not speak to him but at the time i was there they did not seam very busy but a independent in another shop had plenty of work on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gray Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 The guy obviously didn't suffer from claustrophobia. I'ts only as big as a garden shed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny King Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 Great unit tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 Nice sharp look, did you get any pcitures of the independent? Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earlsdoncobbler Posted July 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2009 Nice sharp look, did you get any pcitures of the independent? Lee no i didn't Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCustomer Posted July 30, 2009 Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 omg! I saw what I guess you would call a shoe booth on the corner of Tottenham court road and Oxford street, and I just logged on to upload these pictures when i saw this thread! According to cockneyese folklore there are just a handful of ancient market plots scattered up and down oxford street which are "worth ******* lodsamoney mate". so, I am not sure if this guy has always had the plot in the family or if he leases or something Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auto Key Wizard Posted July 30, 2009 Report Share Posted July 30, 2009 Hey, That unit is bigger than K4MRC's shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithm Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 With a new little 750sp and a press inside it. They've been there for around 3 years and are very successful Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCustomer Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 press, like a trouser press? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robinh Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 There was a very good half hour program on Radio 4 at 8.30 last night with John Timpson as the guest. It gave a very good insight into how his business is run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discodave Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 There was a very good half hour program on Radio 4 at 8.30 last night with John Timpson as the guest. It gave a very good insight into how his business is run. i guess people that have dealt with him would be able to give a more accurate account robin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robinh Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 I always give the benefit of the doubt discodave. Even to you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discodave Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 others sometimes know different dont they. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kobblers Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gray Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discodave Posted August 8, 2009 Report Share Posted August 8, 2009 i just thought this was a timpson free thread, should keep it that way really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted August 10, 2009 Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 There was a very good half hour program on Radio 4 at 8.30 last night with John Timpson as the guest. It gave a very good insight into how his business is run. does anyone have a link to perhaps a podcast from the show, I'd like to listen to it. Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hibsjo(SCO) Posted August 10, 2009 Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/wo ... ayepisode1 carry on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted August 10, 2009 Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 listening to it now. Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny King Posted August 11, 2009 Report Share Posted August 11, 2009 LIsten to it a few days ago. Funny how every store he walked into his fiqs where excellent with very happy staff , Made me laugh As I passed one of his shops the other day and his excellent staff was asleep at the back of the store But it seems to work for him so good on him I guess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kobblers Posted August 11, 2009 Report Share Posted August 11, 2009 We were actively discouraged from making any comments that might upset Mr Timpson when he did his shop visits, even legitimate complaints or opinions. I worked at one of the Timpson branches as a youngster and John Timpson paid us a visit one day and when he asked the manager how things were going I was hoping the manager would ask why we were discouraged from taking the breaks we were legally entitled to but he didn't have the bottle. Nothing worse than having yes men who shield you from what may be happening in your company. If I was John Timpson or any other company owner then I would take it upon myself to hire someone outside the company to secretly visit the shops and find out how the staff on the ground really feel about things. If the things still go on that went on when I was there then John Timpson would have a heart attack if he knew the half of it. Rick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCustomer Posted August 18, 2009 Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 I thought it was a very interesting interview. I like to see different ways of running a business. sent it to the a senior colleague who might be trying some of John Timpson's methods. however profitable his empire is, I still feel that if I take in any complicated jobs then their brains fall out and have to send them away. A bit like the McDonalds breakfast; the only half decient thing they do are those hippo sole things.... The toes tend to go first and if you are not careful then you can end up wearing the real toe down but, they really do last a lifetime if you get them changed regular. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh-Candoit (ENG) Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 We were actively discouraged from making any comments that might upset Mr Timpson when he did his shop visits, even legitimate complaints or opinions. I worked at one of the Timpson branches as a youngster and John Timpson paid us a visit one day and when he asked the manager how things were going I was hoping the manager would ask why we were discouraged from taking the breaks we were legally entitled to but he didn't have the bottle. Nothing worse than having yes men who shield you from what may be happening in your company. If I was John Timpson or any other company owner then I would take it upon myself to hire someone outside the company to secretly visit the shops and find out how the staff on the ground really feel about things. If the things still go on that went on when I was there then John Timpson would have a heart attack if he knew the half of it. Rick. This happens in most large companies. Those above you as in Area/Regional/National Managers get thier noses put out of joint if things do not go as planned and problems are brought to the forefront that should have been solved by them. MD or Chairman visits are not the time to air grievances, put them in writing to the relevant people and keep a copy. Write to the MD or Chairman if needs be but do not sent it anon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kobblers Posted November 4, 2009 Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 We were actively discouraged from making any comments that might upset Mr Timpson when he did his shop visits, even legitimate complaints or opinions. I worked at one of the Timpson branches as a youngster and John Timpson paid us a visit one day and when he asked the manager how things were going I was hoping the manager would ask why we were discouraged from taking the breaks we were legally entitled to but he didn't have the bottle. Nothing worse than having yes men who shield you from what may be happening in your company. If I was John Timpson or any other company owner then I would take it upon myself to hire someone outside the company to secretly visit the shops and find out how the staff on the ground really feel about things. If the things still go on that went on when I was there then John Timpson would have a heart attack if he knew the half of it. Rick. This happens in most large companies. Those above you as in Area/Regional/National Managers get thier noses put out of joint if things do not go as planned and problems are brought to the forefront that should have been solved by them. MD or Chairman visits are not the time to air grievances, put them in writing to the relevant people and keep a copy. Write to the MD or Chairman if needs be but do not sent it anon. I totally appreciate where you're coming from but if the Chairman or MD don't want to hear honest answers then why ask the questions? I would've thought their visits would have been the perfect time to find out how people really feel instead of getting a sugar coated version of events If I was an MD then I would be asking ALL my staff how they feel and not through some random survey either. I had some (what I thought anyway) viable ideas when I worked for Timpson and Automagic but whenever I told the area manager they were completely ignored, same with my grievances. I really enjoyed working for Timpson but I became disheartened by the lack of real opportunity to progress through the company at the time. I also didn't like the fact that some of the best shoe repairers I knew where being labelled as dead wood because although being fantastic at all aspects of shoe repair they weren't very good at selling or pushing the extra product. I've had an email from a customer this week telling me about a visit to her local Timpson to have her shoes repaired as the sole had a hole in the outer layer and "(they) wouldnt put new soles on the boots as I would feel the hole" To me this is symptomatic of undertrained or apathetic and unmotivated staff and is a result of concentrating on making someone a salesman instead of a proper shoe repairer. I now have this customer for life \:D/ Rick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auto Key Wizard Posted November 5, 2009 Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 the sole had a hole in the outer layer and "(they) wouldnt put new soles on the boots as I would feel the hole" What!!!.....Didn't they offer to cover the hole with cardboard & fit a Stick-On-Sole? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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