I love the film Ronin
(late 1990’s action thriller, fab car chases ... everyone over 30 has seen it
but if you are below 30, and haven’t seen it .. see it .. De Niro is in it .. it is awesome (especially the car
chases) Movie Trailer here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkJq5RPu-EY
Now, not wishing the
spoil the ending (spoiler alert) but I hate the fact you never get to find out what is the the
bl**dy silver case. One of the reasons that Ronin is seen as being a particularly good film is that it's everyone goes to so much trouble to get their hands on the case, but they
never get to find out what its in the case. You see it, Its the journey, not the destination.
... and talking of journeys, got me thinking about my recent train trips to London. I always
thought Kings Cross and St. Pancras were awful and in turn thought the railways
were as bad. Now they have done them up and at Kings Cross, they have even put on that lovely
side canopy, so my estimation of the railways has gone up even more (see picture below).. Its
still the same old trains, but the surroundings have improved my opinion of the
railways.
Isn’t it the same with your
lettings (and come to think about it, estate agency) offices? I still remember
visiting a hotel in London a few years ago. The reception lobby was far bigger
than most people's homes, and it was totally empty, a long, long walk from the
door to the reception desk. I thought wow. Once in the hotel, the rooms were
just like a posh Premier Inn (without the purple bedsheets and plastic curtains)
at the desk... but I still felt wow
Contrast this with a letting’s office I recently visited. He was
sharing space with a financial services chap, and the shop/ office was bog
standard street, with paint peeling off the facade. Inside the carpets were 10
years old, leaflets bleached by the sun, paper bin a bit full .. you know
Dont get me wrong, he is a good letting agent, very honest and professional, but there was something lacking. There was no wow, and it was lacking something, which made me think there was nothing worth paying extra for. If you are
let down by an average facade with paint peeling and
missing light bulbs on the facia, then it's an uphill battle to gain the
confidence, trust and enthusiasm of your potential landlords to make them want to walk through your door, let alone give you a property to rent
Without trust .. you wont have landlords.