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they’re not looking to be supported themselves. Tey’re very much looking for someone who is on their level. Tey’re all intelligent, articulate people and they are generally all hard working professionals. Tey’re all quite motivated, ambitious individuals and they want to find someone who is like themselves but they all seem to have this issue of time. Trying to fit everything in means finding a relationship seems to drop to the bottom of the priority list. It’s something they’re very focused on doing but they want to do it in a more efficient, timely manner. Tat’s where we come in.” Te self-confessed romantic added: “We find that our members come to us looking to find
someone who is like them. Our gentlemen are often very ambitious, they’ve done very well in their careers, they’re successful and they want to meet someone they can talk about their day with and discuss what’s happened at work, or talk about current affairs with someone who can contribute and they can have a conversation with.” Te elite service doesn’t just end with an
introduction. Members benefit from the services of a relationship expert, a stylist, a fitness consultant and a concierge to help them choose that dream date setting. Hayley said: “It’s a very competitive industry. Tere are dating agencies popping up every week. Tey fall by the wayside very quickly. So we’ve had to work very hard to maintain our position. Tat’s very much based on reputation. It doesn’t take long for a bad word to spread, particularly in a town like London. We’re always very conscious of making sure we deliver great customer service, so I have a team of ladies that help me. It’s very important for us to speak to our members on a weekly basis. In order to do that I have to have a very strong team around me.” Hayley says that the company is there to
“hold people’s hands” through the dating process, with some more in need of guidance than others. “I had a gentleman on the phone a couple of weeks ago who was going to meet a lady in a restaurant,” she explains. “He called me up at about 7pm and was stood outside. He is a CEO of a massive company and will stand up and do presentations in front of thousands of people but he hadn’t been on a date in a long time. He’d come out of quite a long marriage and was just getting back into the dating market again and there’s always that element of nerves. Everyone is in the same boat really.” Te company is aware of the importance of maintaining the gender balance among members and looks to adapt to what Hayley describes as the “seasonal” nature of the business as a result. She said: “We found that other introduction agencies attract more
females than males and I think maybe men find it a little difficult to go and sit in front of someone and admit they may need some help. We tend to find that there are peaks and troughs and that it’s a very seasonal business and recognising that means that we can target the right gender. So at New Year’s we get inundated with women because they are great at New Year’s resolutions. Tey come to us after Christmas and they’re very focused about finding a gentleman. So at that time of year our advertising is a lot more weighted towards gentlemen. Ten at the beginning of summer we get inundated with gentlemen because although men are joining for the long term they’re thinking about summer holidays and going away with someone. Tat’s a big motivating factor for gentlemen to approach us, as is this time of year with Christmas social events on the horizon. So at this time of year our advertising is a lot more focused on women.”
For more information, visit,
www.bowes-lyonpartnership.co.uk 23
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