So on the rare occasion that someone is prepared to open up and reveal what are, let's face it, the really interesting facets of their operation, it's always a treat. In this industry, the extreme case of such openness has to be Le Mark, the Cambridgeshire-based manufacturer of sticky tapes and labels so indispensable to the entertainment industry, which decided last year to expose its soul to BBC 3's fly-on-the-wall business documentary, The Ferocious Mr Fixit.
Le Mark has won numerous industry awards for its product innovation over the years, so can arguably lay claim to a certain degree of nous in its business activity. However, that alone won't stop many of the business leaders reading this from shaking their heads in bewilderment at Le Mark's decision to submit to the no-nonsense scrutiny of pinstriped Glaswegian hardman, Alasdair Jeffrey. Having viewed the scenes of internal strife revealed in the programme, I could forgive them for thinking as much. But what has the experience really meant for managing director Stuart Gibbons and his companyΩ
The reaction to the broadcast, Gibbons told us, had been "incredible" - and mostly in a positive way. He said: "It was a tough journey, as we all knew it would be, but what we have now was certainly worth it all."
Interestingly, Gibbons reveals that the responses have been largely along the lines of 'If you think that's bad, you should see so-and-so'. He told us: "The day after transmission, I was 'spotted' by a representative of a big company operating in the event industry. He was impressed with the show and had, in his words 'a far worse situation occurring' at one of his UK divisions. He asked to be given Alasdair's direct!" He adds: "I have been very surprised to hear how many people could totally relate to the old situation we had here at Le Mark."
Gibbons adds that the personal icing on the cake for him was being invited (after the broadcast) by the CEO of Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce to join the Huntingdon Chamber. He told us: "They felt that I had shown courage in accepting the BBC producers' challenge and above all, learned alongside my staff from the overall experience. If you can handle 'trial by television' you can handle most things."
Gibbons concludes: "If I am totally honest, asa director I was concentrating on 'looking out' rather than 'looking in'. Alasdair made me rethink.Lee Baldock
