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Day in the office solving Sales and Marketing management issues after receiving a good visit from Redland Construction Software executives as the coal miners disputes concern Thatcher and a British freighter is damaged in the Gulf War
To the office and disturbed by the delay in receipt of the mail this morning. I insisted that we both query and then formally complain to the Post Office about its non-arrival until nearly 9.00am. Just time to review it before the arrival of Russ Wilmott from Southampton and then with David Fear, Mervyn Grey and Russ to lay our plans for the day’s visit of Redland Construction Software Ltd. A good meeting with Redland, spanning half a day, as we manage to satisfy their points on the sale of HD520 desk units, CRAM256’s and advise them on their first steps into networking. We look forward to some substantial orders to arise from their publicity push into roofing tiles and other construction markets.
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Visit to London by train to join a valued customer as a special guest for their press launch of their new name and then progress my family history research after some tense Comart meetings in the wake of management failings as 20,000 miners lose their jobs and strikes continue in Yorkshire and Scotland
On time to the office and a few irritable meetings before rushing down to Stevenage to catch the London train. First, I review the Cambridge Health debacle with David Fear then the recruitment of a maintenance assistant with Derek Morgan. I catch a satisfactory train and use the journey to catch up on some reading and restore my temper. A short tube ride to Covent Garden and walk to the offices of a key customer, Redland Construction Software. They have previously bought over 100 Communicator Micros and had invited me to a press reception to mark their change of name from Gangnail Software. A good session with many fine compliments made about the computers and good relationships reinforced.
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Shrove Tuesday – Day ending with fine pancakes but starting with the my upset over service personnel management shortcomings and horrific deviation from our standard sales terms as the Scottish miners join the strike and the IRA kill the Maze Prizon Assistant Governor in front of his wife and small child
Diana woke me a little late and the rest of the morning routine was a bit rushed as a result. To the office just in time and then to settle to a desk full of work to do. Lots of meetings today and action with regard to client visit plans, job offers, purchasing and stock plans, unit forecasts and quality. Service results are good but threatened by the imminent loss and turnover of skilled personnel. Upset this morning at the terms negotiated for a large end-user deal with Cambridge Health Authority. The promises on equipment performance and for future of our protection under our standard terms of sale were so horrific that I had to telex a disclaimer and telephone David Fear at home on holiday.
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Driving in a borrowed Cortina to Coventry for the NCC Advisory Committee’s visit to the Courtaulds Group Microsystems facility as John tussles with Service Department personnel and The Yorkshire Miners’ Strike starts as Thatcher’s place man, McGregor, plans to close 20 pits
An arrangement this morning to exchange cars with Diana so that she could take the Rover in for an exhaust repair. Unhappily she got the car as far as the playschool and could not restart it – which is the second time she has suffered the same fate! For my part I managed to borrow a company Cortina to drive to Coventry and the Group Microsystems facility of Courtaulds. As part of the N.C.C. Advisory Committee (together with Alex D’Agapeyov, David Fairbairn and Prof Jim Alty) it was our role to hear about the company, their use of micros, and advise them on how to proceed.