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Story: Time Computers denies tales of woe
Posted by: surj (Thursday 28 July 2005, 3:34 AM)
cont'd............
However I did replace faulty hardware when I diagnosed it using my own testing kit from home. As a result of my diligence I had a very good relationship with my customers – I often received gifts and meals from them.
After being made redundant as a technician with Time I quickly found employment with Tiny, and my technical expertise made me a very good salesman, however during 2003 Tiny went into administration. Months before closure, a good proportion of the directors took flight to work for rival firms. A new chairman was bought in and Tiny began refocusing away from their core business into mobile phones, home entertainment equipment and even launched an ISP. However in the stores business was slow, our managers could not explain the downturn, and they recognised it yet were impotent to correct it.
Shockingly Tiny disguised its losses by telling staff that profits were lower as the cost of advertising and marketing had increased. In truth Tiny’s annual spend on advertising was around £2m and to say that it increased to £23m in the space of a year was absurd. However this figure disguised the huge losses they were incurring and the gross strategic errors they were making.
Times / Tinys issues are greater than that of simply bad service and low value systems:
1. Both companies began to expand aggressively from the mid 1990’s when the computer OEM manufacturer sector was contracting and consolidating.
2. When Dell and Compaq merged, Gateway shed thousands of jobs and prices for components were lowered because of over-supply Time and Tiny began to think of getting extra sales through aggressive pricing. This strategy failed as they were making losses on each system sold.
3. Tiny / Time expanded into overseas markets in Europe and the US only to quickly pull out, losing millions in the misendevour.
4. Both companies shifted focus, (though tentatively) away from their core business – OEM system building to other markets – TV’s mobile phones, ISP’s all of which failed or where dropped. This represented a loss of core strategic direction at a critical time.
5. Dangerous fixation with the ‘made in Britain’ mentality. To put it bluntly to think like a Daily Mail reader is not good business sense. Globalisation and Market forces dictate otherwise. Where do you think most of the electronic goods in your house are made ? You cannot compete with lower production costs overseas – it’s a fact. Also with the standardisation of manufacturing processes and business systems made in XYZ country has become almost meaningless as an indicator of quality.
6. The idea for Time to move call centre operations overseas is a good idea but it was done too late. The company should have moved its whole production and manufacturing base overseas.
7. The bricks and mortar approach to business only works of you have excellent customer support, well trained and motivated staff, adaptable and flexible response to issues: Time / Tiny lack these qualities acutely.
8. Over reliance on the volume sale of PC systems to create revenue – in the words of Michael Dell – ‘the margins kill you every time.’
I hope former employees of Time / Tiny reading this will find the employment that you sorely deserve with a more empathetic employer. If need advice I am happy to provide it free of charge.
Full Talkback thread
Story: Time Computers denies tales of woe
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Lets face facts. The PC hardware business is very... James Foster -
Strange things have been going on in the comp... A Store Manager -
Yesterday I emailed Tiny that I intended... Anonymous -
All I can say is I'm glad I'm an EX empl... Anonymous
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time pcs are worthless junk mine bluescreened from... Doc s
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I bought a Time (Platina Range) PC and have h... bluescreen
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CAMRA - Campaign for Real Ale is a great... Pedant -
Hi does anyone know if the insurance crappy p... Anonymous
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I work at Time/Tiny and we have been told nothing... Anonymous
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my plamsa went into repairs after the 2nd day... simon docker
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Harris is full of it, we dont get informed of ANYT... Anonymous
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Fantastic. Everyone who works in the stores... shambala
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I feel sorry for the customers. We can c... Anonymous
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The computer business is dead. I ca... Anonymous
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I worked for Time Computers ab... Jason Bird
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Working at Time Computers.
I p... Jason Bird
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Actually there are less than 10 PC Tech Support le... FrED UPpington
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Passing technical calls to india was a terrib... Anonymous
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Any Time/Tiny/Granville employees worried about th... Anonymous
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I work at Time and everyone is really panicking ab... anonymous
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This is all true, i worked as a sales assistant in... James Ashman
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Well I can see that HSBC may decline to proce... tickle my fancy
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THE CORIER AT TIME IS ALSO REFUSING COLL... Anonymous
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we were robed how can you accept payment of g... Anonymous
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all computer shop managers have been informed toni... Anonymous
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Lets face it thew company has gone. I was emp... An soon to be ex employee
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I am a former Time employee, and I was t... Former Time Employee
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About time they went bust after sel... Phil B
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Well it all comes to no supris... Anonymous
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This was no surprise. The comp... Anonymous
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I PAYED £1200 FOR A PLASMA TV... ANDREW BRODERICK
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I was a technician in the "flagship... an ex employee
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i worked at a shop has a sales rep and t... who cares
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Don't Trust TotalCare, is the same... John
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Don't need TotalCare, I can fi... Tony
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AS A MEMBER OF THE COMPUTER SHOP TEAM IN SWIN... Anonymous
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all i can say is *balls* ... once again a tits up... £1perminhelpline@tiny.com
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I also work for "the computer shop" and I now reli... The Computer Shop
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I have has a Plasma package from the computer... Big_Al
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I have had problems with my pc for over... Time customer
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Dis anybody else receive a letter from t... Jason (Teesside)
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I received my package saying that u... Jason Beck
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All Stores are closed. We dont know whats going on... Anonymous
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As an ex-employee of the company (i left in early... Anonymous
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Hi, I recently left the company (Last friday).
I s... Anonymous
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I worked for Granville Technology at head off... Anonymous
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I worked for Time Computers(Granville Te... Neil Foster
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please get EVERYONE & I mean EVERYO... ex employee
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Alarm bells have been ringin for a while, rumours... Anonymous
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SHIT SHIT SHIT. What a crap company to work... Anonymous
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WHY OH WHY ?
WHY DO SOME DREGS OF THI... DICKO - - - LIVERPOOL
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ALL stores are closed, all staff are at home wonde... Anonymous
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could be worth contacting the local MP and see if... Anonymous
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i doubt that will acheive anything, the local MP?... Anonymous
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My son's laptop has just gone in for repair.
Am I... Anonymous
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Apparantly there was a management buyout whic... Anonymous
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Yes and the bank is about to "drop the b... Anonymous
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i feel sorry for the people who hav... dave griffiths
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well no customer goods have been delivered so the... Anonymous
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http://tinyurl.com/a5pwq Offical news company i... Anonymous
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http://tinyurl.com/a5pwq Offical news company i... Anonymous
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I have just paid £1100 for a plasma. Can anyone he... Linda
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Linda. You asked about your Plasma, If you pa... Anonymous
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HEAD OFFICE STAFF GETTING CASH IN HAND -... Anonymous
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This news, though saddening is not surprising, con... Surj
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cont'd............
However I did replace faulty ha... surj -
Hi I bought a laptop from Tiny last year I ha... Anonymous
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i knew this was coming the day i stepd in to that... Amjad
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hi iam a supanet subscriber who i understand are... Anonymous
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After contacting Supanet myself, they've conf... Anonymous
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A Tale Of DISCRIMINATION?...
http://business.times... annoyed
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i am an employee of "the computer shop"....or... Anonymous
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copy and paste into your browser :)
http... annoyed still
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At the moment I remain a CCC employee after w... Tired of Secrets
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I hope all the staff at Time get what is coming to... Anonymous
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To all of those who are saying that time staff got... Anonymous
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I left Time Computers about six years ago and am s... Anonymous
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Hooray, I am so glad to see the company and the di... Anonymous
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I paid £1800 and the money was taken out of my acc... Anonymous
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THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE DISGRACE! I LIKE MANY PEO... Ben Hoult
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Can anyone help me I am trying to get my... Paul Truelove
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i bought my pc on 18/07/05 and payed cas... jonathan daniel
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I for one feel very sorry for the ex employees of... Joanne S
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I purchased a Time computer in 2001 and took... Anonymous
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I have a County Court judgment against Tiny.C... Anonymous
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I worked for Time but left about 8 years ago and t... MR
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Supanet will suffer badly as their subscribers wer... Ken Davies
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To all fellow 'out of pocket' Time customers.... Out of pocket customer
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Sad case of another Time/Tiny sucker. Paid £1... Ken Rolfe
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Visit following link, Time back in busin... Anonymous
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When i bought a time computer in 19... Anonymous
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I'm a freelance journalist wor... Anonymous
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Does anybody who worked there or an... Simon Brown
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I Bought a tiny computer in march 2005 and already... Ben Turnbull
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for all those who are interested i still work... Anonymous
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I bought both a tower and laptop from Th... Anonymous
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Hello. i still work at Time/Tiny. i... anon
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I've had THE SAME PROBLEM too... my laptop wo... Anonymous
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Me again!!
Tech support advise to get la... Anonymous
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hi i have bot my pc 1000 pound.the pc went for a r... florinda
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i bought a time patina laptop it has had been clea... steve mortn
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i have only machine.
i want to buy screen a... soni urmil
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Back in Time. For all Tiny/Time customer... Anonymous
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Yes its true, they are the same peo... Anonymous
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Its amazing how stupid Richard Harris thought ever... Nicholas Kingsley
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all my god how can you give people jobs and cant t... Anonymous
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what is this world comeing to i cant see light at... Anonymous
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I used to work as a Technical Support Advisor at T... Anonymous
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I have lost 5 years cover gold insurance
pay back... Anonymous
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i'm confused here there tradeing again what the he... mike
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I bought a time computer 5 years ago and took out... Carmela Cirino
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