Page 153 - IT'S A RUM LIFE BOOK TWO "BOSTON 1960 TO 1970"

CHAPTER 19
DELIVERING A MAGYAR 9

THE BEGINNING OF THE END FOR FIRESTONE UK
AND WHY THE BOAT BUSINESS
Through the year 1968 Firestone had begun to change,
American management had come to the UK from the parent
company, were flexing their muscles and making life more
difficult for us “traditional’ English employees. I had begun to
look at developing some form of business for ourselves and
initially looked at using our long time experience in boats.
I had the feeling that Firestone was not going to give us the
security for the future we desired and in 1969 we created
“East Coast Yachts and Boats” a business revolved around
boats transport and delivery.

The best way to explain how these American managers
were affecting our local Firestone business would be to explain
about Fossitt and Thorne, my largest client by far, and their
reaction to the blunt American sales methods.
Fossitt and Thorne were now Lincolnshire’s largest
independent tyre distributor and retailer. Their depots
covered the entire County and their main tyre of choice to sell
was still the Firestone brand; their turnover with our company
was many many millions of pounds in 1969.

Firestone UK had still based their local management on
district offices. The District Managers had complete local
control of their “area clients”, administration and distribution
staff, a large warehouse with full range of the company
products and small fleet of delivery vehicles.
The local “District Manager” was autonomous and
responsible for sales targets as well as total client satisfaction.
He was until this new level of middle management was
introduced.

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