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We were all very interested to read in the FT yesterday about Carphone Warehouse and its acquisition of Time Warner's AOL UK internet business.

The side column was about how Chief Exec Charles Dunstone has used a personal blog to counter negative publicity around Carphone's new "free" broadband product.

A committed technophile, Mr Dunstone launched a personal blog in July to help promote the new product. As it's turned out, the blog's real value has been in defending the company.

A recent entry:

"We have had our fair share of negative publicity of late, and I more than anyone know how frustrating it has been trying to get through to us if you had a problem. However, we have revolutionised the broadband marketplace and changed its pricing forever. If no one ever takes bold steps and embraces risk, nothing will ever change and we would all still be paying a fortune to BT for all our telephony. It's been a bruising experience for everyone at Carphone Warehouse; we are used to being 'the good guys' and it's tough when things don't go as well as we'd hoped. As things start to improve, I hope people will appreciate that what we did was for the best for all consumers, and whilst giving birth to free broadband was painful, it is now turning out to be a beautiful child."

Crikey, brings tears to our eyes.

PSx

How much do you hate window salesmen? For me they are right there on my dartboard of undesirables at the moment.

We invited Weatherfield to quote us for new windows and doors - the salesman arrived and was promptly told - cut to the chase - just measure up and give us a price. Two and half hours later we had our price - arghhhhhh!!!

The first price was £21,000 and finished at £7,000 with nothing to pay for a year. Not interested in signing up at that stage I asked him to leave. His boss kept phoning him pressurising the hard sell. My other half politely (okay so it wasn't polite but it was 11pm on a Friday night and I'd just got home after a week and a half working down south) to get lost. All weekend we had phonecalls from different parts of the said company - offering us better deals than their colleagues.

Finally agreed that one more person could come out - but they wanted to measure up again! Because they were directly from the factory not the sales team. After 15 minutes he said they could go as low as £6,000 - did I buy them. Did I heck as like - if I endured that amount of pain for four days just trying to get a quote can you imagine the trouble I'd have trying to get them installed.

So next time you need windows - make sure you haggle the cost...

MagIC Magazine
I'm back! I'm not a seasoned blogger and lost the link. But I promise to try harder.

I've spent the weekend with my family in Scotland, which is great as I don't see much of them now I'm having to commute from Bristol!!

Will be back soon with something intelligent (well might not be intelligent but won't be as dull as this post!

OK, getting thoroughly sick of my own postings - please feel free to contribute. Say anything you like, no need to be profound. Just say hi. I'm off to Big Chill in Ledbury tonight so fingers crossed this rain stops.
x

How's everyone coping in this unbearable heat?! The kids have gone home - what about us!?

Can anyone recommend an ad sales guru, well experienced in sourcing advertising revenue for local press? I need someone who can undertake some thorough market research and write an advertising strategy. Will consider independents as well as companies.
Cheers