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SPOTLIGHT ON A CAP BUSINESS CLUB MEMBER
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Featuring Vince & Tracey Farmer from Dean Garage Doors
WHAT DID YOU DO BEFORE YOUR CURRENT BUSINESS? – Vince was a delivery driver for John Brookes Garage doors. Tracey worked full time in Marketing & Sales in the financial services sector before becoming a full time Mum. WHAT MADE YOU START YOUR CURRENT BUSINESS? - The company Vince was working for went into liquidation so he built a trailer to carry garage doors, attached it to his Ford Sierra and Dean Garage Doors was born on 6 April 1992! WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES? - We’ve discovered motorcycling. Vince loves riding around on his Harley Road King Classic and Tracey has a Yamaha MT-07 (700cc and she rides much faster than him!) WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE MOVIE? - We’re not really film buffs – prefer documentaries or listening to music, Classic FM (yes, really!!) WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE MEAL? – Anything Tracey doesn’t have to prepare and cook (and if Chris Adams of Adfitness is reading this she especially likes fish and salad!) and Vince likes anything he doesn’t have to cook (i.e. everything seeing as he can’t cook!) WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE UK HOLIDAY DESTINATION? – Southwold, Suffolk. Very Dickensian with brilliant restaurants. Also love Scotland where we married and would love to revisit and tour on the bikes. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE HOLIDAY DESTINATION ABROAD? - A very memorable holiday to Cyprus before we got married!! Still makes us smile to this day! Have also loved skiing in France on a number of occasions (in a motorhome!) WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE TV PROGRAMME? - Prefer factual programmes to do with house building & DIY, natural history, transport, finance etc. Although Tracey has spent her entire life watching Coronation Street! YOUR FAVOURITE SONG? – Tracey loves Forever Autumn by Justin Hayward and is very fond of old crooners like Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra, music from the 80’s brings back very happy memories too – Human League and Soft Cell can transport her back instantly (to white stilettos, dancing around her handbag!) Vince loves Seasons in the Sun by Terry Jacks, The Windmills of your Mind by Noel Harrison, Summer the First Time, Bobby Goldsboro and classical music - Adaggio for Strings, Benedictus (Karl Jenkins) and Gregorian Chants are among his favourites. WHAT DO YOU MOST ENJOY ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS? - The freedom to be able to make our own decisions and running our own diaries to suit our lifestyle. Tracey has distant memories (when employed) of the annual scrum getting to the holiday chart and trying to book time off on a first come, first served basis! Running your own business gives you the opportunity to plan effectively. IF YOU HAD A MAGIC WAND WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS? We would have a beautiful showroom fitted out and ready to use by the end of the week! It’s been a long time coming and the closer we get – the further away we seem to be! WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELVES IN 5 YEARS’ TIME? Mentoring our two sons, the youngest one (12) is already getting very excited about getting involved, and the eldest one (16) is currently helping out in school holidays. DO YOU HAVE ANY USEFUL TIPS OR IDEAS THAT YOU COULD SHARE WITH THE OTHER CAP MEMBERS? - 1. Communicate and make friends! Build relationships, we all like to buy from people we like and trust. 2. Find a good accountant! (Thank you Patrick Field, FPA!) HOW HAS CAP BUSINESS CLUBS HELPED YOU IN YOUR BUSINESS? - The other members have become friends and a really good source of knowledge. It’s good to share ideas and have empathy with one another when it comes to running your own business, there are times when it can feel quite isolating. It can be daunting and exhilarating, frustrating and fun, challenging and rewarding. You have to be all things, management, human resources, marketing & sales, payroll, etc. so being able to share your own experience with others that understand means you don’t have to shoulder it all alone. If any of our fellow CAP members, their friends, relatives or contacts ever need any advice about their garage door, then we’d like to think they’d talk to us, we’d certainly be happy to help! |
Testimonials
“Excellent service all round. Great showroom. Help with selecting best option. No sales pressure. Very friendly/personable. Efficient ordering. Good comms. Smooth arrangement of supporting electrician. Good information on what was needed. Turned up on time. Worked courteously. Demonstrated very well. Good timescales. Love the installed doors - they work superbly. Thank you Tracey, Charlie and Vince.” - Mark Tomlinson "Very impressed with Vince.He arrived exactly on time.He repaired our electric double garage door quickly and efficiently.In a sentence, a truly professional service.No hard sales talk. Good solid advice given.I shall certainly use his business again if needed.Thoroughly recommended." - Graham Maynard "I have used Dean Garage doors on many occasions in my role as a letting agent. Vince Farmer who attends all appointments gives a first class service in repairing garage doors and thereby saving landlords the cost of replacing doors, invoices are clear. I have used Dean Garage Doors on my personal property for repairs, he attended at 7.30 a.m one morning as my door had come out of the roller due to age and repaired it. I am now in the process of ordering a new replacement garage door so I will have a pvc door with no maintenance. Costs are very competitive, I highly recommend him to anybody wishing a small repair or replacing your garage door. - Debra Powell, Crown Lettings, Chepstow "KJT Residential Coleford, have been selling houses and letting properties since 1988. Through that period we have been able to rely upon the services from Dean Garage Doors. They have always provided a prompt, friendly and informative service and once we have passed on the information we can relax in the knowledge that a fully professional job will be done, whether it is repairs or replacement doors. We would highly recommend their services to any of our clients and I have personally got one of their garage doors." With Regards - Mark Woodhead "I have known Vince Farmer of Dean Garage Doors for over 20 years and have used his services and installation skills on a number of projects over this period, the most recent being on my new house which involved 3 electrically operated insulated panel doors. I couldn’t have been more pleased with the product and the service Vince gave me. I have recommended Vince to a number of other family members and friends, all which have subsequently had doors fitted and have been very pleased with the end result" Tony Walding.(Parkwood) "I chose to use Dean Garage Doors as Vince Farmer had installed my parents replacement garage door a few years ago. They were very impressed with the service and quality of the product and have never had a problem with it since the installation so this was enough of a recommendation for me. My replacement garage door was ordered and fitted within 10 days. I am extremely pleased with the outstanding quality and professional workmanship and finish - and most of all no mess to clear up and my old garage door and fittings taken away. Vince took the time to explain and demonstrate how to look after/use my new garage door. Within minutes of Vince leaving my property, my neighbours were so impressed that they have now ordered the same door as mine - no sales talk needed - the product and workmanship spoke for itself. I have no hesitation in recommending Dean Garage Doors to other people. - Lesley, Monmouth We have used Dean Garage Doors for the supply and fitting of garage doors and accessories at all of our individual development sites over the past 18 years. Dean Garage Doors and Vince in particular, have always provided us with solutions which exactly meet our needs in terms of quality, cost, delivery and service. I have no hesitation, therefore, in recommending Dean Garage Doors to other businesses and / or individual customers. Mike Etheridge, Managing Director We have been employing Dean Garage Doors doors for over 10 years for the supply and fitting of garage doors on all of our new build sites. We have found Vince to be very knowledgeable and professional and nothing is ever too much trouble, we always receive great levels of workmanship and sites are always left clean and spotless. From up and over doors, roller shutter doors to fully automated bespoke timber doors, Vince has always been able to source the product we require and with a selection of door manufacturers to choose from, there is always a door to suit our budget. The fact Dean Garage Doors is one of our longest serving sub-contractors is a testament in itself to the levels of service and workmanship we receive and hopefully will continue to receive for a long time to come. Grant Price, Senior Buyer We were recommended to Dean Garage Doors by a friend who is a structural engineer. We were visited by the proprietor, Vince Farmer, and were struck by his lack of sales talk; instead, he had a very straightforward approach and a positive attitude. He also gave us a lot of useful practical advice about the style and colour of the doors. During installation we noted how he got on quickly and efficiently. We were particularly impressed with the finished installation and the careful instructions on use that we were given. We are extremely pleased with everything about the doors and particularly impressed with the quality. Mr C Anstice |
