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JACK MEETS.....NIGEL MILLER
Nigel was just a few minutes late. He had driven some 80 miles to see me and was quite concerned. The fact that he had gone several miles out of his way to deliver one racket to a customer was quietly slipped in as we shook hands for the first time for some ten years.
This time, I pondered, I was not a potential buyer and was no longer concerned with budgets, stock orders, discounts, or how to turn the visit of a Rep into profit. Nigel has been a Rep (these days rat catchers are called rodent operators and sales reps may be Area Managers or an array of other high falutin' names) with Wilson for more than a quarter of a century. This reunion would be a chance to discover what makes him tick and possibly to find out why he never went away from my sports emporium without a pretty good order and why I felt so invigorated by his calls.
He was born in Redhill, Surrey in 1949. On August 18th, 1940 his parents were victims of indiscriminate dropping of bombs by enemy 'planes as they lightened their loads to escape the Spitfires whose squadron was close by. His mother's arm needed to be sewn back on as a result of a direct hit on the Anderson shelter. These were traumatic times and in more ways than one his father had proved to be a man of steel, marketing farm tanks and excelling as a salesman. In an article of this nature, I only mention the date of this ghastly happening because Nigel's life story was regularly punctuated by specific details, not simply of dates, but of the time to the minute of almost every occurrence, further evidence if it were needed of his attention to detail and precision. Leaving the ‘A' stream of Stenning County Secondary School aged 16 and inclined towards the country life, he was admitted to Brinsbury Agricultural College where he studied and passed the City and Guilds course. Earlier he had spent one year at Oxted County Grammar School where he chose to play rugby rather than succumb to somewhat arduous cross country running. Perhaps his talents at being able to act and respond to life's challenges may be partly attributed to his position as scrum-half where success depended on his ability to deliver the ball, be it from over his head, between his legs or indeed from wherever and however it comes to him. Nigel is a character with ‘a positive reaction to' rather than ‘a negative escape from', surely the qualities associated with a good scrum-half. But I digress. Much of his studies consisted of practical work on their 830-acre (I had a distinct impression that he had measured it for accuracy) farm. His final studies took him to the Plumpton Agricultural College, Lewes, from which he obtained the National Certificate of Agriculture gaining a good background knowledge of animal, crop and machine. No surprise then that in 1969 he was to go to SCATS, but jump not to any conclusions, that is an acronym for Southern Counties Agricultural Trading Society, which was based in Godalming. With a second hand red Mini (car, not skirt) 850cc, and an Ordnance Survey map (yes, we did manage before sat-navs) he set out as a salesman, learning the hard way.
Eight to ten cold calls a day with SCATS for two years and later with another firm selling to farmers was good spade work for what was to come. In 1976 he married Sandy in America.
Two years on, fortuitously while enjoying a drink in a bar in Spain, he met David Ling, who suggested that adidas might be interested in meeting him. I would love to have been a fly on the wall at the interview at adidas UK HQ when Nigel was asked why he thought that he might succeed as a salesman in the sporting goods industry. His questioner must have been impressed when he expounded the theory that if he could sell fertilisers when the potential buyer would not know if they would perform well, or at all, he would find little difficulty in persuading retailers how to make real money by stocking branded merchandise and in particular with the famous three stripes. There could have been few better introductions to the sports trade. Not only was there a brand that was in demand but the disciplinary ethos of adidas, with targets and record keeping to the fore, was a good deal superior to that generally in the industry.
When Wilson were seeking their first UK salesman, several retailers from the Southern Counties where he had been travelling in adidas clothing (not literally) were quick to suggest Nigel as the man most likely to... His wife, Sandy, had taken a call in the early summer of 1981 from a Mr. Smiddy from the USA, based in Wilson's Wimbledon office. Like Sandy, he too was born South of the Mason-Dixon Line, and whether or not that had any influence, a meeting was arranged. Now the story moves to Delaware, USA, where Nigel is holidaying with his in-laws. Joe Drabot phones from Chicago. Not exactly round the corner but advised to get a taxi and a flight, it was full steam ahead. Leaving at 4am from Philadelphia, Nigel and Joe were having coffee together at half past nine. $380 quickly reimbursed with a ‘fistfull of dollars' (his expenses having been donated by kind father-in-law), he easily conformed to the oft-quoted instruction to ‘have a nice day', meeting the Wilson-ites, and gaining a great impression of the company. Back in the UK, and a meeting with the redoubtable Alan Bond (only recently retired after 40 years service with Wilson) and the rest is history.
Although Nigel ‘works to live rather than living to work' he is very much a live worker and has that all-too-rare ability to enjoy making a living. His decision to stay ‘on the road' rather than oversee others is sometimes questioned by colleagues. But why mend something that, far from showing signs of breaking, seems to be stronger as the years go by? As we talked, I could not resist comparing him to the ‘factor' element in the latest range of rackets about which he enthused with almost as much pride and delight as he does about the latest addition to his family, first grandson Joshua born in June to his daughter Kerry. He takes immense pride in his family. Son Nathan manages no less than five Crown Golf Clubs, while younger daughter Carly is the third of his offspring to have degrees, and is set to make her mark in film editing and media. ‘Factor', explains the latest racket catalogue, by definition represents anything that actively contributes to the production of a result. For ‘anything' substitute ‘anyone' and that surely justifies the comparison. The photo accompanying this ‘Jack meets...' conjures up the amazing changes that rackets have undergone over the years both in material and size. Contrary to what many may believe, today's top rackets undergo much work by hand despite the technical advances used in their manufacture. The laying of hands took on a new concept as I learned about modern methods applied in racket construction and even today the identical matching of any two rackets is far from simple.
Racket count at Wimbledon in his early days was a tedious task and one which meant moving swiftly from court to court to see how many and which Wilson rackets were being used and which were in the hands of winners. Today it is a task performed by ingenious software and this year Wilson scored high on the charts, notably among the winners. Undoubtedly even the best rackets can never replace the tenacity and skill of the player but equally certain is that the (K) Factor representing the four proprietary Wilson technologies about which Nigel's enthusiasm seemed boundless, played a significant part in many victories, as Serena, Venus or Roger will surely testify. But what does all this mean for the independent? Can he compete with the ‘big boys' when it comes to selling? Has Wilson followed certain other popular brands by offering unbeatable terms to them? Nigel quoted Alan Bond with this priceless comment to those who demand such treatment: "We don't mind going to bed with you but we do not want to be raped!" I was convinced that Wilson has reason to hold its head up high when it comes to marketing ethics and credibility. These days, there is much much more to Wilson than rackets and racket sports. After one or two not overly successful attempts to launch clothing, this time they would seem to have scored. The new spring 2009 ranges created in-house with new designers, have been well received, as has the footwear collection. The original 1987 Pro Staff tennis shoe, durable but stiff, would not get a look-in these days other than as a retro street cred model. And just to emphasise that ‘Jack meets...' is truly unbiased and non-advertorial, I do wish that what is otherwise a superbly produced footwear and apparel catalogue had not printed the txt in black on a deep red background - or maybe I should see my optician.
Wilson now comes under the Amer umbrella and is in good company with Atomic and Salomon Skis. Wilson golf clubs were used by two-times British champion Padraig Harrington. Their inventory of balls is surely without parallel. The official NFL ball, for which Wilson have had the licence since 1941, one of the longest-held licences in sporting history (although surely Slazenger has an even longer claim with its Wimbledon tennis ball sponsorship) may present retailers with some sales opportunities with the forthcoming four Wembley NFL games starting in October, when New Orleans Saints will play San Diego Chargers. Anyone doubting the potential should ponder over the ticket sales - enough tickets could have been sold to fill Wembley Stadium seven times. The first 40,000 tickets went in just 72 hours. The last time American Football ‘made it' in the UK a few retailers scooped the jackpot with new sales. I am sure that SGB will have more to say on the subject in due course. Wilson certainly have the balls (ranging from fun to functional) and Nigel will surely be taking the orders.
Perhaps Nigel's success with an American company can partly be explained by his shared sense of enthusiasm and what I can best describe as ‘go-gettedness' and even if my spell checker will not accept it, so be it.
You will probably have gathered that Nigel's life is not centred solely on Wilson or even his much-loved family; he has only recently been 'retired' from voluntary service with his local fire brigade, an activity that could easily fill another column. He does enjoy fishing and the chance it gives him to completely ‘switch off' although it is difficult to imagine a switched-off Nigel. His holidays to far-flung places often include quietly and modestly helping those in need, doing practical work such as providing a roof for a school for children in Africa.
He would be the last to suggest that retailers on whom Nigel calls are indeed lucky. He does admit that his likes in the trade are a dying breed due to the expense of every call, but there he may be wrong. The phrase ‘out of the ashes' comes to mind. The day may yet come again when those who have thought it most economical to neglect the importance of regular personal contact with their customers may think again. Life has a habit of going through circles, after all even supermarkets now deliver to our homes.
As Nigel and I shook hands at the front door, I felt a distinct sense of something missing. As I put head to pillow that night, I realised what was wrong. Sorry, Nigel, no order, this time.
Jack welcomes your comments and is always glad to discuss your ideas, problems and concerns, either person to person, or in print.
If there is anyone you would like him to meet or any product to write about please contact The Editor or Jack (writeawayjack@aol.com).
His articles do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers and are not ‘advertorials'. They are not seen prior to publication by any person or firm to whom they may refer.
