SPN FEB 2010 COMPLETE EDITION:SPN 2010 21/01/2010 06:37 Page 104
104 SPN FEB 2010 MyView
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ISN’T IT TIME THE INDUSTRY CAME
TOGETHER AND SPOKE WITH ONE VOICE?
A NEW REGULAR COLUMN WHICH GIVES PEOPLE
THE CHANCE TO AIR THEIR PERSONAL CONCERNS,
VIEWS, IDEAS AND THOUGHTS ON THE SPECIALIST
POOL AND SPA TRADE. IN THIS ISSUE BOB KENT,
FOUNDER OF CERTIKIN, WHO FOR EIGHT YEARS
RAN THE INDUSTRY PROMOTION COMPANY – THE
2000 CLUB, AND WHO IS NOW MANAGING
DIRECTOR OF MINERAL SUPPLIERS INTERNATIONAL
enry Ford was quite a clever chap tangible results have been achieved by the
who achieved a fair bit of success in BSPF in gaining either in-house or external
the business world and one of his growth. A continued drop in membership and
Htruest quotes, I feel was: “Coming poor financial returns underline the fact that
together is a beginning. Keeping together is things are not going the way they should. In
progress. Working together is 1984 the membership
success.” The reason I like stood at 212. Why, 26
this one is because what years later has that figure
he is saying is a shrunk rather than many casualties. Committee speak is fine if
philosophy that works and grown? What happens if the result can be conveyed to the members to
I like things that work! the membership and build confidence and show that they are
In the early days of the therefore the finances actually getting not only a return on their
UK pool industry that was continue to reduce? subscriptions, but also have some say in the
what we did. We all The BSPF office has way that money is spent.
worked together and the been mooted as the Peter Geekie was once our industry’s true
formation of SPATA came driving force of the figurehead and many of us looked to him in
about due to a desire to oil industry for several the early years for his foresight, decency and
the collective industry years and has its own energy in taking the pool business forward.
wheels so that by talking to managing director. His ability to be one of the boys yet still a
each other, sharing ideas Firstly, Alan Brobyn and leader made him stand out from the rest but
and promoting ourselves, currently Chris Hayes, at the same time remain a terrific team
internally and externally we plus staff members. player. I would love to be able to ask him
could progress. What I would what he feels needs to be done today.
And…we did. genuinely like to know So is teamwork the solution? I think it is
The SPATA regional bi- is who is actually but only if the team has a true leader and if
monthly meetings, were running the operation? Who makes everyone in the team is working towards the
incredibly well attended with the South East the decisions? same goal. Let’s not be naive here, we all
region claiming 50/60 attendees and Thames Having raised some critical pointers I must want our own business to flourish but by
Valley often boasting over 70 attendees then also comment that I think the SPATA standards working together in promoting and selling
there was North and East Anglia. for new pool builds are the best in Europe and our combined business interests we might
We, ‘’Swimming Pools PLC’’ collectively, are I applaud the people who contributed so actually get more not less out of it.
now a commercial entity generating millions much time and effort, and the fact that these Let me conclude by saying I was a very active
of pounds and yet today’s pool industry often standards are being regulated and updated. SPATA member from the late 70s through to
feels disjointed. Perhaps the time is right for the industry to the early 90s therefore it’s easy to be an
Is the BSPF spending too much time, once again come together and think about observer. I leave you with another Ford quote
effort and money on its infrastructure rather what is really needed if we are to come out of and that is: “If everyone is moving forward
than reaching out and building on the the current economic doldrums without too together, then success takes care of itself”. spn
needs and desires of its members and
encouraging new members?
It seems to me that there are many
meetings of the Spata committee or the PIP “Perhaps the time is right for the industry to once
committee or BISHTA and so on and not
enough with the real people who make up again come together and think about what is
the membership.
The air of secrecy combined with the same really needed if we are to come out of the current
set of people at the helm making the same
decisions and mistakes is driving away existing economic doldrums without too many casualties”
members and despite many changes, no
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