>

Today is the 1 year anniversary of a very significant date. A year ago today, Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy, the catalyst which sparked the worst financial collapse and global recession for 70 years. This will be a date that will live in the memory of every man, woman and child that is alive right now.


As with every sort of disaster, lessons have to be learned in order to prevent such a catastrophe from happening again. For the financial sector, it has to learn how to manage its balance sheets better, lend to viable businesses which have a real chance of making something of themselves. It has to learn that the bonus culture, which unfortunately is still alive and well, will only serve to wind up the public against the banking sector. It has to learn to lend to small businesses and make it easier, small businesses make tens and tens of billions for the economy. Start to do that and the jobs sector will improve also.


Specifically for the double glazing industry, we also have lessons to learn. We have to learn not to under-cut, it’s the profit companies make on jobs that keep them afloat during the leaner times. We have to remember that customer service is the absolute priority, still some companies neglect this vital area of business practice, for some, the neglect of customer service is the main reason why some companies go bust. But the main point we have to remember and learn is how to get through this again. There will come a time when there is another severe recession or financial collapse, and when there is, we have to know and put into practice all the effort, all the initiatives, all the forward and innovative thinking that has kept so many of us in business through-out this destructive time in our economy.