Safety, quality, Tricks and Lies

[Martin Pearson]

Just had a quick look at the link Phil and from what I could see it mainly concentrates on asking questions about installations and the qualifications the sign company hold for this sort of work, it got a quick mention on another post as well.

[MartinDenton]

its quite a coincidence that the author happens to be managing director of a well know installation company whose staff just happen to have all the qualifications he insists upon in his book,

What a stroke, get people to pay for the book and they will believe in the necessity of the qualifications listed on whereas they would probably throw a similar bit of marketing blurb in the bin as nice to have but not neccesary for every situation

surely he doesn’t really think people will fall for it?

[Martin Pearson]

I only had a quick look but I don’t see why people shouldn’t believe what they read if it makes sense to them, is there anything in the book that connects him to his installation company because if there isn’t then anyone reading the book then ringing round to find a suitable installer is certainly not going to put 2 and 2 together, why should they.

[Robert Lambie]

to be honest… when you think about it… who else better to write something like this than an ex-sign fitter or sign maker himself with installation teams etc etc.
OK, i know the argument here but if it was just another health and safety guy we would probably argue "who needs advice from someone that’s not a hands on or even in our trade?"

[Phill Fenton]

Once something is written about "in a book" it tends to have more credence than any other opinions on the subject matter that aren’t "in writing".

The thing is, it’s very easy and inexpensive to self publish a book these days. What better way to sell your point of view and gain an upper hand over the competition than to write about your own industry in this way.

[Peter Normington]

quote Phill:

Once something is written about “in a book” it tends to have more credence than any other opinions on the subject matter that aren’t “in writing”.

The thing is, it’s very easy and inexpensive to self publish a book these days. What better way to sell your point of view and gain an upper hand over the competition than to write about your own industry in this way.

So we can look forward to your new book then Phill…..

It may be easy to publish, trick is, to get people to buy it.

Peter

[Dave Harrison]

I have just ordered my copy after reading the first few paragraphs on the website. I think this book is aimed at the customer / buyer of larger orders of signage. ( nationwide brands etc ) Realistically I don’t think any of our smaller customers will ever hear of this book let alone read it. So personally I don’t see it as a threat at all, rather educational for smaller sign companies wanting to win larger orders.
Of course I’ll reserve judgment until I’ve actually read it ! 😀 😀

[MartinDenton]

My view is that if buyers do accept every part of it as gospel and dont have the knowledge to differentiate from one installation type to another and therefore the related H & S certification then they will simply insist on the lot. Which is a bit like insisting your GP is also a heart specialist before he can treat you for a common ailment.

I may be cynical but I believe that is what Steve’s intention is as he knows that no other company has that entire set of qualifications. So it gives him an immediate competitive advantage.

Great for him but the down side is the potential that the requirements trickle down to the ordinary job where common sense suggest that these qualifications are not neccesary, thereby either locking out or causing additional overhead for ordinary low hazard work; the type the bulk of us probably earn our livings from.

I remember the comments made on here ref CSCS and I have seen plenty of comments about Jobsworths in shopping malls being unrealistc about health and Safety requirements etc.

All this does is give them more opportunity to validate their positions. And it must be true because an installation specialist wrote the book.

[Phill Fenton]

Well I received my copy today hoping to learn something….

Talk about disappointing. The entire book concentrates on H&S to do with sign installation and practically nothing else. (No mention of vehicle graphics, no mention of sign design or the millions of other things associated with signs). The entire tome is "padded" and the "advice" offered could have been covered by a simple leaflet. I think the book is designed to bolster his companies image and rubbish the opposition as well as squeeze out the smaller companies. Unfortunately there are probably many jobsworths in large creaky organisations that will swallow it all whole 🙄

[MartinDenton]

I thought that was probably the case as i have read many of his articles in sign update magazine etc.

He has made a name for himself and his company by overemphasizing issues on Health & Safety which is often the type of talk a committee or similar like to hear as they can focus on that as they dont know enough about the technical aspects of a specific job to make valid comment.

I’m sure that the book will be serialized in one of the magazines so we can all read it there :lol1:

[Andy Gorman]

I’ll wait for the film. Perhaps Mel Gibson could make it, he’s good at sanctimonious crap.

[Marcella Ross]

quote Andy Gorman:

I’ll wait for the film. Perhaps Mel Gibson could make it, he’s good at sanctimonious crap.

:lol1: :lol1: :lol1: ………… let’s just hope there’s not too many Jews in the sign industry then Andy!

[MartinDenton]

There’s a rumor flying around (started by me right now) that you are putting yourself up for the leading Man

[MartinDenton]

by the way just to clarify – that comment was aimed at Andy