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Digby Jones - the new troubleshooter BBC2
roger_50
Posts: 6,929 Forum Member
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Did anyone else watch this last night? Was quite interesting.
I have some major concerns with the competence of the directors at that company. They looked utterly clueless throughout the whole programme. No accounting knowledge, no apparent planning skills and poor communication with their staff.
I felt sorry for the employees. I also wonder whether taking part in such a programme can backfire for a company when their management come across this incompetent.
I have some major concerns with the competence of the directors at that company. They looked utterly clueless throughout the whole programme. No accounting knowledge, no apparent planning skills and poor communication with their staff.
I felt sorry for the employees. I also wonder whether taking part in such a programme can backfire for a company when their management come across this incompetent.
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It looks like their attempt at a rebrand came to nothing: http://www.herefordfurniture.co.uk/
There will be thousands of family-run businesses like that up and down the country. They may have a good quality product and have grown slowly over the years but they employ family and friends rather than professionals and then find they cannot adapt when the market changes.
Just a waste of an hour.
If I were dealing with a company I want to know they are run by people who are in the job as they are competent, not just lucky in who they are related to.
And I certainly wouldn't want to work in one - knowing no matter how good you are you can never rise to the top - short of marrying into "The Family".
Whatever, the show did leave everything hanging somewhat, so it felt like the whole thing was left completely unresolved especially when we had the boss muttering at the end about whether he should retire.
The existing management did seem out of their depth. They're clearly good at making stuff but apart the crazy notion of forever winging the finiancials, I really didn't understand the logic of being a manufacturer who then fills their showrooms with products imported from China. What was the logic to that and why didn't Digby question it further? Don't the imports compete with their own products?
Not branding their products at all seemed weird too. Not sure what was wrong with 'Hereford Furniture' really, although the 'made in Britian' branding was nice and positive. The new brand name, I thought, was awful. I get the idea/concept but until someone explains it, the word is unpronouncible and difficult to spell. In an internet world that seems an utterly mad road to go down.
I think you're right; they WERE successful until the market changed then they were lost.
A bit scary that they didn't know how to forecast. it's a good job they didn't need to approach the bank for money as they would have got short shrift with such a lack of business planning.
Not sure about Digby Jones as Troubleshooter. He's no doubt very experienced but didn't seem to have the personality of the late John Harvey-Jones. I'll stick with it though.
No wonder they are in trouble
call me dumb but how do you buy that?
http://www.herefordfurniture.co.uk/hereford-oak-2-drawer-filing-cabinet-492-p.asp
It seems that you can't buy directly online from them, but from other companies that stock their range. It does seem a bit strange, given that they have their own stores but not an online store.
http://www.herefordfurniture.co.uk/find-a-stockist-4-w.asp
The Hygge name has already been used by a company in Bangkok, so that would explain the non-rebranding.
I agree it's all very confused and poor - especially given that last night's show will probably have sent visits to their website sky high.
Not a positive customer experience... as you have found.
They should get rid of the shops and importing, and just sell online.
People want to buy things in a couple of clicks these days.
They don't do direct online sales. You have to buy through a local stockist: http://www.herefordfurniture.co.uk/find-a-stockist-4-w.asp
The problem is if you sell direct and through retailers then there is a potential for channel conflict. Your stockists won't be happy if customers can buy direct from you rather than through their shop. That's why most manufacturers don't sell direct to the public.
they have an ebay store, 2 items on it,
http://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/hereford-furniture?_trksid=p2047675.l2559
It depends. Selling direct works for some products but not for others.
In which case, use a second brand name. I know they'd need to be aware of not upsetting their stockists but if one or other channel worked or didn't work, they can home in on the one that does work. There's always going to be a element of the population who want to go to a retailer and browse/touch etc before they buy. They do seem to be making a pig's ear of it all at the moment going by the website and ebay shop!
There's inevitably a situation where they ignore or argue with the expert and make themselves look idiots. It's always the same, whether it's Digby in this case, or Alex Polizzi, Gordon Ramsey, Russell Norman etc.
That's a reasonable analysis. You should be applying for a job as their marketing manager.
It would be very dull telly for most viewers if there was no friction though. I suspect the producers contrive, or at least play up, a lot of the arguments in these shows.
Also I do wonder if the 'experts' actually give the advice in time for a difference to be made - its no good telling a restuaranter to go for a certain style of establishment if they've already signed a lease and bought fittings.
BIB - I don't dispute that but the business owners have to give the producers some conflict material in the first place!
True, but there is usually hours and hours of stuff shot thats boiled down into just 60 minutes. I'd imagine you very quickly forget the cameras are there - eventually you'll do something silly.
Digby Jones strutting around the place and making less contribution than the average Business Studies teacher. A completely vacuous man - he had even less vision and creativeness than the board itself. Pathetic waste of space. I didn't always agree with Harvey Jones, but he had more acumen in his little finger than Digby Jones in his considerable frame. And had a personality too. My own business may be small, but I've also built it from nothing and could have given a far more insightful analysis than DJ.
Only goes to show how high you can go if you talk the talk and know the right people. Not that he even talked the talk last evening.
There is scope for a really interesting programme on business. Unfortunately this wasn't it. One of the best I can remember is Back to the Floor. I'd like to see that back as it was a lot more realistic than Undercover Boss as there was no attempt to disguise the boss or explain away the camera crew.
I watched the prog with low expectations & they were not reached - DJ did little to change my opinion of him.