What ever you do don’t forget your name

This was a meeting where the Naughty Corner was substantially depleted.  Only Stuart Smallcombe and Dean Caldon were in attendance.  I think it is fair to say that during the course of the meeting they more than held their own.  Paul and Howard, your organisation is in good hands.

Despite the Naughty Corner absences there were 21 Members present.  At least 4 Members offered their excuses due to illness.  To all of those, speedy recovery.

The Performance League

The runaway winner by at least 170 points was Terry Maylin.  He was duly awarded his certificate.

Education Presentation

Scott Griffiths explained some of the basic faults that he comes across when we fill in the forms.

Most basic fault is failure to fill your name in at the top of the form…yes it’s that basic.  I was pleased to note several people nodding sagely as Scott delivered his guidance.  Lets see if time sustains our optimism.

The 60 Second Round

Jill Willis was awarding the Oscar this week and so she kicked us off with praise for a new intern she has taken on and a celebration of the 4 new clients that have come to her recently.

Mike Rogers stood up having already distinguished himself.  His sausage sandwich order caused our hosts to describe him as “the white man” (no healthy bread for him).  He went on to describe his efforts since the last meeting,  I could not help feel that there was a collective response to his 60 second of “lazy “B…..d”

Kieran Peaty has just signed up his biggest client so far at a very visible location in Stock.  A good place to have your name up in lights.

Ford Astbury rose with the pencil missing from behind his ear.  Had he removed it in order to eat his breakfast?  Nobody really knows but he was positively up beat having just finished a garage conversion in Gidea Park.

Simon Essex owned up to being related to the client.  He has been away on a cruise on a boat that nearly capsized in the Bay of Biscay.    Simon had recovered sufficiently from the experience not to be wearing a life jacket.  Under the circumstances we were all pleased to see him.

Terry Maylin illustrated a good reason to use solicitors to pursue personal injury claims.  He upped a £2,500.00 final offer to £30,000.00  Let that we a warning to all of you.

Richard Reed offered a challenge to members to challenge him to do better than they have themselves than trying to set up a holiday.

The Mayor of Gants Hill was selling personalised Christmas Cards and even produced a flyer for them.  If we are forced to talk about Christmas with friends and clients we should bear his service in mind.

Brian Painter started off in reflective mood about people who have been willing to die for a cause. Before we new what was happening he, of course, had turned this on smokers who he believes seem to have such a cause to die for,  the profits of tobacco companies.  The chances of dying of cancer from smoking apparently is a high percentage of 1 in 2 people. It was a hard hitting message which had the other added benefit of sparing us the gory details that sometimes accompany the promotion of using hypnotherapy to cure addictions to cigarettes.

Nick Cooke explained how he did not do quickies.  A quickie in his terms is a “quick look” at a crack in a house, he will report quickly but will not spare on his inspection obligations.

John Hammond was bemoaning cheap security systems that he is often called in to improve.  He had a interesting take on the phrase “you only get what you pay for”.  As a comment it was probably more appropriate  under the circumstances. This qualifies for rant of the week!

Tina Walker was the second person to mention Christmas and her availability to ease the pressure on beleaguered businesses.

Stuart Smallcome was called out to a care home to improve  the internet and wifi signal he opted for a 4g wireless router appropriate for remote locations.  It looks as if he has made several octogenarians happy.  He must get a lot of satisfaction seeing happy smiley faces, even if they haven’t got their own teeth.

If Nick Cooke was very much involved in interpreting cracks in houses, Scott  Griffiths likewise also looks for cracks in web sites. A metaphor if ever there was one.

It was John Freeman who was revelatory by indicating that the John Lewis partnership have handymen who would never knowingly be undersold.

So who won the Oscar?  It is with some pride that I own up to illustrating the importance of Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney by way of a nifty bit of doggerel.  I can only say the absence of the  Bard of Hadleigh acted as inspiration for me.

This weeks statistics and points of note

• 21 Members present

• 19 referrals passed

• £11,500.00 recorded business

• Terry Maylin won EBF Performance League for the month of October

• Aidan Squire won the Oscar

10-minute presentation by Dean Caldon

It was Dean Caldon who produced a visual presentation to illustrate the current state of play with his business.  He produced some very interesting comparisons with his competitors which coupled with his  straight forward honest approach to business should make him easy to refer potential house sellers to, and you can refer people in a radius well wide of Billericay.  Crofters in Scotland might not be the best potential clients but we should at least be training ourselves with a mindset of making referrals to him when you find out that your relational next door neighbour is moving house.