Flooring services

Questions and Answers

Should my flooring business offer an interior design service?

Q) I run my own flooring company and am thinking about offering an interior design consultation to my customers ... do you think this would encourage people to buy flooring from us rather than our competitors and who could we use .. a freelance interior designer on a commission basis perhaps?

A) Yes. Think outside the box. Do what your competitors are not doing. Good luck.

I have a flooring company and would like to work with an interior designer ...?

Q) We're based in Gloucestershire and would like to offer an interior design consultation service to our customers ... probably using a freelance interior designer on a commission basis ... do you think it would encourage people to buy flooring from us if we offered this service? Who could we use?

A) When I go into a flooring store it is because I want flooring, not someone to tell me how to decorate my house. If I wanted an interior designer, I'd go to an interior designer. My point is, no, I don't think you making that service available to your customers will make your business any more lucrative. However, what I would do is go to every interior designer in your area and offer them a "reeferal bonus" or "finders fee" for every customer they reefer to you. You could do this with other trades also such as home remodelers, subcontractors, carpet cleaning companies, former customers, etc... Word-of-mouth advertising is very effective and typically less costly than traditional paper advertising. Best wishes.

Does anyone know a source for cheap, good wood flooring near Bristol, UK?

Q) A cheap install service would help as well.

A) Try floors2go.co.uk or timberlandfloors.co.uk i hope these websites are correct.

international cash services 9th floor northway house barnet?

Q) 1379 whetstone barnet

A) and your question is? Try starting with what, why, where, when or how.. thats normally a good start

Can social services sell my mums house and spend her savings 2 pay for a care home she doesnt want 2 go in?

Q) My mum is a pensioner who owns her own flat after her mum died in 2005,she also gained about 25k. At the end of March she had a stroke,my brother found her on her bedroom floor. Were unsure how many days she was laid there, but my brothers last contact was with her on the tues of that week.She has lost movent in her left side and has shown little sign of gaining this back. On monday 16th of july 2007 we have a panel meeting at her hostpital with social services to pressing for the sale of her house to pay 4 care.

A) If she doesn't want to go into care they cannot force her. They can provide care in her house, this would only be during the day so she would be alone at night, she could get an alarm installed in her house that she could use if anything happens so that she can raise the alarm. They also can give her a pendant to keep aroung her neck to press so if she is away from the alarm she always has it with her. It is such a disgrace that people who have worked all their lives and paid for care already through their NI contributions have to sell their property to pay for care, when people who have never contributed get it for free anyway! Anyway the bottom line is no your mum cannot be forced into a care home if she doesn't want to go.

How do I complain to TESCO UK about their cafe service the cleanliness of floors and tables quality of food?

A) THE 'CAFE' at tescos are now in the hands of a french company. some would say that speaks for it's self. If enough people complain to tescos head office then they have to do something.

How do I get set up as a sole trader and what sort of costs are involved?

Q) I am interested in preparing myself to act as a sole trader - I have something in planning which will raise some capital, but then I want to become quite literally a trader - buying/selling/arranging inland transport and import/export of goods, buy cheap sell higher with an emphasis on quality of goods and a high level of service - nothing too complicated. I have access to a storage facility+ a contact who has agreed in principle to assist in the running of operations. I am not quite ready to start this yet and wonder if there is a way of "setting the scene" so that I can hit the ground running. Advice heard previously was to ask questions of those who have been involved in similar operations for at least five years where possible. I am and always have been a grafter, have done 96 hour weeks before now so I'm not scared by multiple commitments. The floor is open, I am in the early planning stages and don't think I could borrow from the bank for this sort of thing - any loopholes?

A) Get registered as self employed with the tax office. Go see a business startup specialist in a Bank. One of the best banks out there from personal experience were Barclays they have a team of business specialists they can provide loads of info including Starting and running your own business guides on CD Rom and information fact sheets, there are other sources of information you can obtain through Business Link too. Banks usually lend on a matched funding basis to new businesses, ie 50/50 but only if you can provide a cashflow projection and business plan up front. If you have already bought equipment to use for your business and can produce receipts this would be included in your 50% You sound like a hardworker, working for yourself is not always easy and does demand your time and effort, from what you have said you have no objections to doing this. The benefit obviously being that any money you make (less any deductions) is your own clear profit not someone elses. Anyhow, best of luck!

Do you believe that the role of a sommelier is no longer required in modern culture?

Q) As a sommelier myself, I find that some restaurateurs feel that the staff should all have sufficient knowledge of the food, drinks and tobaccos to service the customers' requirements, whilst some feel that a sommelier is essential for the smooth running of the service and satisfaction of the clients. I currently work for a wine supplier, rather than on a restaurant floor, where I find my training is equally applicable. What do you consider to be the arguments for and against having sommeliers in restaurants. Thank you all for the excellent answers so far, but let me expand: As I was trained, a sommelier is expected to have a knowledge of the wines, beers, spirits, liqueurs, soft-drinks, cocktails, cigars, the service protocol and doctrine and also be familiar and capable with the food preparation (ie. my colleagues and I had to be at least partly trained as chefs too). Surely this makes ME a 'jack of all trades' and perhaps better replaced by a team with individual specialities (or perhaps a computer program [lol]). (Or perhaps I should be demanding a payrise!)

A) A sommelier is indispensable in any self-respecting establisment. Thinking that you can get by with serving staff that has been trained in a general but not in any specific fashion is as ridiculous as expecting a first- aider to perform heart surgery. It is not just the guiding of the clients once they have stated their preferences, it is also the advice to hotel or restaurant owners who may know very little about crus, years, etc..and not have the ability to pick good wines, fairly priced and likely to appeal to or please the palate of both experts and greenhorns. Mind you, there are good and bad sommeliers. We have seen a wide assortment over the years and have had the pleasure of meeting winners of the "Meilleur sommelier de France" award. They had charming and self- effacing manners and really cared about the wine they served or recommended, and the satisfaction of their customers. Bottles deemed unsatisfactory where whisked off without argument or batting an eyelid. Let's face it , there are the odd bad bottles even in excellent wines. We also have met some who were trying to get rid of mediocre bottles assuming that the customer will not know the difference, those who despised locally produced wines for grands crus, one particular female sommelier in the Dordogne who was arrogant, prejudiced and pushy, one male in Belgium who only served half of a very expensive bottle.Our best experience was at Chabran where we ordered a reasonably priced bottle of a relatively young wine and noticed that the businessmen on the next table had bought the same wine but considerably older and extremely expensive. They left half of the bottle, as it was lunch time and they clearly needed a clear head for the afternoon. We asked the sommelier if we could have a sip to see the difference. The wine was exquisite and seeing our faces, the kind man instead of whisking the bottle away and keeping it for himself, just gave us the rest of the bottle. He really made our day! We do dislike the pompous sort that talk down to customers as if they were simple, even though their recommendation is good. We are not keen on those that pull a taster cup out of their pocket and sample the wine generously before serving it. We appreciate those who also have a real knowledge of the food being ordered so that they will guide you towards the best suited wine to go with it. A charming, knowledgeable, tactful and courteous sommelier makes all the difference.

Disability Law in the UK - Do I need to install a lift for staff?

Q) I run a small (5 part-time employees) public health care service in a building which is on 2 floors, and the top floor is for staff only. Do I need to provide a lift for my staff to get onto the upper floor according to the UK Disability/Equal opportunity Laws? Would I contravene the law otherwise? If someone can provide a reference, that'd be great!

A) The law in this case is very vaigh. I am an employer and have had a review of 4 business premises. The law states you must make all steps which are reasonable and practicable to accomodate employees, customers and visitors with physical and mental disabilities, Initially it is down to you to decide whether it would be reasonable and practical to install a lift, If an inspector comes from the Disability Rights Commission then it is down to his or her judgement whether it would of been reasonable and practical to install a lift, Above the inspector you can apeal his/her decision with His/her supervisor then appeal again to the Chief Inspector and above him to the Courts, If you only have 5 employees then I dont think it would be practical or reasonable to install a lift, If you was to employ a person with disabilities you could always make arrangment to have an office put down stairs. There is nothing written down anywhere in law which states you must have a lift

what sort of person leaves the toilet door unlocked?

Q) I work in a block of serviced offices so we all share a mens toilet on each floor. its a small WC with toilet, sink and and hand dryer. If its occupied the lock on the outside goes RED. I went to the loo and the door was GREEN so I opened it and was shocked to find a middle aged man sat with his pants around his ankles having a supreme dump. Thats a bit off isnt it?

A) yes