Interestin times ahead i guess

[Ajax123]

That was a strange week. Been incredibly busy all year and the phone just stopped ringing on monday till friday. Then to top that Lafarge group announce the plan to sell off their gypsum division for which i work. Hmmmm! Wondering what happens next.

 

[hillhead]

Tough times Alan for sure, i'm geting busy weeks then not so busy weeks all the time now.
It's all about keeping heads afloat now, two big tile shops over here went bang in last two weeks.
How long till one of my suppliers goes is anyones guess, i'm thinking of diversifying soon too just as a back up to tiling.

 

[strummerman]

Find it very strange that its still slow in certain places iam very busy just took another kitchen fitter on to cope with the extra work

 

[jay]

That was a strange week. Been incredibly busy all year and the phone just stopped ringing on monday till friday. Then to top that Lafarge group announce the plan to sell off their gypsum division for which i work. Hmmmm! Wondering what happens next.

Doesn't sound the best

 

[Spud]

who are they selling it to Alan ?

 

[Ajax123]

In negotiation with the etex group from belgium.

 

[hillhead]

Time will tell Michael, hopefully it'll pick up here soon.
I was in two tile shops today and there was 3 customers between the two.

 

[hillhead]

Hope things turn out ok for you Alan !

 

[Ajax123]

Not out of work yet guys so fingers crossed.

 

[One Day]

It's not even begun to hit the fan yet.
We are still at the straining and fist clenching stage!

I'm finding it a bit of a rollercoaster this year so far. I'm either struggling to keep up with work, or wondering what I'll be doing next week!

I think the economy (bearing in mind it's now "global") is poised on a knife edge.
I think tptb have a definite plan in place. What that is, we'll have to wait and see but I've a feeling it's not going to be pretty......

 

[user123]

Got such a huge circle of friends round the UK in different jobs and most are saying that work seems to be like busses now, and things do come and go in phases, more extremely than ever before. Michael, maybe you and Dave benefit from each other, too, with mutual referrals?
Generally speaking it does mean having to fight, really really fight, with positivity, networking, an active online presence. If customers can shop around for our competition online but we're not there, well, what will happen before long? It's a matter of time, that's all, the work is there, but people go about finding people differently that they did ten years ago, and with so many cowboys out there now it's even more important to present yourself well and convincingly and keeping up to date with the times. Flexibility is everything in the end, we'll need it now and even more so in the future I reckon.

 

[One Day]

Mosaic Girl, don't you think that if (and they will) people start to more and more shop online for the best deal for tile fixing, it will invariably lead to prices being driven further and further down as we compete on that basis? Eventually as with all markets, the bottom will drop out.
Personally, I have zero online presence and I am careful to keep it that way, even making sure my personal and professional life don't get mixed online.
I rely 90% on recommendation and referral and I find that protects my margin. I almost never win work on a price basis.

Must admit that recently I start to wonder if I am missing a trick though and if I should be online?!
It must be the luddite in me!

 

[jay]

You will find cowboys in all parts of advertising . recently had one on TTA with a website and advertising a stupid price per meter.when he posted pics of his work well lets say he got what he deserved,
a website is probably a good idea as everyone goes online to shop these days,But people need to remember cheap is not always the best way to go.as to be cheap they normally cut corners

 

[Daz]

It's not the most pleasing news for you Al, but I'm sure it will only present you with opportunity, no matter what corporate decisions are made.

As a point of interest, I start that job in Halstead with the Gypfix next week if you want to pop along?

Daz

 

[user123]

The bottom will fall out... I don't agree,impish (great name ) We have all become used to a standard of living that includes choice rather than make do, nobody will want to give that up in the long run either, there is still money about. People don't just look for the cheapest prices online, they look what feedback there is, what connections people have, some kind of sense of security that a) the people we give our money to and open our houses to are trustworthy, b)that they give value for money, etc etc. The virtual life is a minefield, it includes TV programmes that scare the living daylight out of people to ever trust any tradesman ever, but the transition to be able to use the internet for research has progressed so much further with incredible speed. People are learning to crosscheck references and results, see if the people are known and respected in various places, etc etc. Denying the effect of this on our professional futures is like copying those who got stuck in the times before the phone, before the car, and then complained years later they got left behind. Even now the elderly who have embraced the internet have more freedom, with online shopping, social networks, etc etc, it is penetrating all our everyday lives. It takes time and effort, too much time often, but is cheaper and more fruitful then endless leafletting and the marketing ways of old. It's great you have your recommendations now, but don't rely on them, give yourself an online backup, too. What have you got to lose?

 

[DHTiling]

Online presence , yet you end up on tilers forums lol , so maybe you are at that time in your career where things are not as rosey as you think


Sent from my iPhone

 

[user123]

Online presence , yet you end up on tilers forums lol , so maybe you are at that time in your career where things are not as rosey as you think


Sent from my iPhone

Eh? Dave, I'm on TF, yes, special place to me, but I also have had a website from the beginning, (even as a health practitioner), as well as have a personal and professional page on facebook, , have been on LinkedIn, on FreeIndex, on BAMM, on CMA, on Hotfrog for ages, am on flickr, Twitter now and on Google+, in with the msrfr tribe (on facebook, twitter, LinkedIn and google+) and purpledognet. Oh, yes, and on some mosaic artists directory sites, glass supplier link pages, that sort of thing.

Howard's T'ai Chi students know what I do and there is a link to my mosaic website from the monthly e-newsletter Howard and I produce and send out every month, with around 800 subscribers.

This present commission, the best earner so far came from my website only, and two smaller ones are waiting to be done, from here, none of which would have happened without the internet. I also have my work in one gallery, three more have requested my work when I can do it. Also from my website I have requests all the time for lessons, as a result of which I have just been looking and found a workshop locally to teach in big enough for eight students, as well as teaching up to two people at a time in my own place.

I have been asked to run a course in Germany by a mosaic artist studio there - via facebook+website, and am the English speaking contact for Saad, which again is obvious from his personal and professional page on facebook and his still not finished website which states me as the contact person.

I think all that can be classed as online presence outside of TF? For the tilers on here, imo, an online presence outside of TF is really important, as most of their work will come from outside TF, their own website at the very least, and then being there on LinkedIn etc. I have no idea what my future will bring professionally, who does, but it's looking good at the moment. If I had to rely on local customers only, which would be the case without the internet my options would be much more limited.

'Ending up' on TF doesn't really do this place justice, I am surprised you of all people would use this term?

 

[DHTiling]

It was meant for Impish.. should have quoted.. now you can calm down..

 

[Andy Allen]

ha,ha,ha.......she spent ages writing that lot..

 

[user123]

Well, blinking heck, Dave, yes, you should have quoted! :lol: and I forgot to mention the links from Colour Republic and your good self, and others, blimey... will have to calm down for sure!! Got well het up there. !.. anyhow, if nothing else it shows so many options how we can be found online, go for it, anyone who hasn't, your professional future will depend on it, I'm certain. I'll stick my head out in the rain now I reckon..

 

[Ajax123]

It's not the most pleasing news for you Al, but I'm sure it will only present you with opportunity, no matter what corporate decisions are made.As a point of interest, I start that job in Halstead with the Gypfix next week if you want to pop along?Daz

Thanks daz. Hopeful that oportunity will knock. Alternatively a complete change might ensue. Who knows. Never been one to think too far ahead and never try to predict the future as you never know what croassroads you mit come in in life. As for the job in halstead i don't think i will get the chance to get there next week but wil welcome any feedbackAlan

 

[strummerman]

Eh? Dave, I'm on TF, yes, special place to me, but I also have had a website from the beginning, (even as a health practitioner), as well as have a personal and professional page on facebook, , have been on LinkedIn, on FreeIndex, on BAMM, on CMA, on Hotfrog for ages, am on flickr, Twitter now and on Google+, in with the msrfr tribe (on facebook, twitter, LinkedIn and google+) and purpledognet. Oh, yes, and on some mosaic artists directory sites, glass supplier link pages, that sort of thing.

Howard's T'ai Chi students know what I do and there is a link to my mosaic website from the monthly e-newsletter Howard and I produce and send out every month, with around 800 subscribers.

This present commission, the best earner so far came from my website only, and two smaller ones are waiting to be done, from here, none of which would have happened without the internet. I also have my work in one gallery, three more have requested my work when I can do it. Also from my website I have requests all the time for lessons, as a result of which I have just been looking and found a workshop locally to teach in big enough for eight students, as well as teaching up to two people at a time in my own place.

I have been asked to run a course in Germany by a mosaic artist studio there - via facebook+website, and am the English speaking contact for Saad, which again is obvious from his personal and professional page on facebook and his still not finished website which states me as the contact person.

I think all that can be classed as online presence outside of TF? For the tilers on here, imo, an online presence outside of TF is really important, as most of their work will come from outside TF, their own website at the very least, and then being there on LinkedIn etc. I have no idea what my future will bring professionally, who does, but it's looking good at the moment. If I had to rely on local customers only, which would be the case without the internet my options would be much more limited.

'Ending up' on TF doesn't really do this place justice, I am surprised you of all people would use this term?

love when you go on one :lol:

 

[user123]

love when you go on one :lol:

Thanks Michael, - I was pretty stunned!... :lol: yep, it is funny. At least it's educational though, hopefully .... :smilewinkgrin: :blush2:

 

[One Day]

It was meant for Impish.. should have quoted.. now you can calm down..

I think you've got a point there Dave! - meaning what you said to me, not Mosaic Girl. (This is getting confusing!)