Monday 26 January 2009

Kicking and screaming to transparency...If they will not give you the name of the MD, buy elsewhere

As part of our commitment to publishing the most comprehensive and accurate information possible, we recently wrote to the Managing Director of each of the soft play suppliers to the UK indoor play market.

The letter outlined the role of http://www.shareandcompareplay.com/ and how suppliers could be involved to the benefit of the industry and their organisation. In the letter, we asked them to confirm that the review our experts had written about their company was factually correct and invited them to write a brief resume of their business (we only provide a limited space for each of the above because we want users to determine how suppliers are rated).

Although we are waiting for a number of the letters to be returned (we notified suppliers that they will be listed on the website regardless of whether a response is received), it was the nature of the response from one Company in particular during a phone call that concerned us. We rang out of courtesy only to re-confirm the name of the Managing Director so that the letter could be appropriately addressed. The response was staggering.

The lady who answered the phone refused to share the name of the Managing Director. Not only is this surprising because the names of all UK Directors are a matter of public record, it also has worrying implications regarding the philosophy of that organisation in being open and transparent in its relationships / operation.

After this experience, it would be one simple rule for me when shortlisting suppliers...if you ring and ask for the name of the Managing Director and they will not give it you, buy elsewhere.

The first Comparison Website for the Soft Play industry...a few days to launch

ShareAndComparePlay.com is the first comparison website specialising in providing independent information and comparison tools to Entrepreneurs starting and operating an indoor play centre.

Dining room tables are often the best incubators for the creation of valuable businesses in the Soft Play industry and so it was for our website. What started as a 'what if' / an experiment as to the value of providing information for free has become a significant platform for the exchange of ideas.

ShareAndComparePlay.com will shares stories of best-practice / operational excellence, financial / creative success and enables independent comparison of soft play suppliers; together, the transparent nature of this information will aid the evolution of the supply of soft play equipment and the operation of indoor play centres.

Through a process of observation / immersion / experimentation / activity (aka Sharing and Comparing) Entrepreneurs create, verify and implement ideas that add value to the lives of their customers and become successful businesses.

Share & Compare Play would like to join Entrepreneurs at their dining room table and accompany them throughout this development process. We will bring some of the best minds in the industry for company and let you choose what you want to research and apply; operators will be invited to share their own stories and benefit from listening to their peers.

The capacity to innovate and create value in this still embryonic market is infinite. To succeed, it takes passion, energy, flexibility and the ability to correctly interpret and apply information; a bit of luck also helps.

Our hope is that with access to more information that is independent, relevant, credible and valuable, Share and Compare Play will enable more Entrepreneurs and Investors to start and successfully operate the next phase of indoor play centres.

Share and Compare is the most exciting project any of the team have been involved in to date because of its potential to add value and change an important market.

We are putting the finishing touches to our web platform and will be launching in the next few days, we look forward to starting the discussion.