Tips and Hints for Animal Health

Tips and Hints for Animal Health.

This great little book, contains many little- known tips and hints, to keep your animal in tip top health and condition.

To purchase this E publication, at a give-away price, go to www.the-insight-queen.co.uk under the E book category.

The Many Shades of Animals

The Many Shades of Animals

An interesting and informative illustrated book, containing whimsical, amusing, and poignant tales of animals, and their relationships and interlinks with humans.

To purchase this tasteful inexpensive E publication, go to www.the-insight-queen.co.uk under the E book category.

Mike Hancox

Chief Executive, OTTO UK - Freemans & Grattan

Mike Hancox, born in 1966, started his professional career with British Gas where he qualified as an accountant. He then spent 11 years in the Consumer Goods industry with Premier Brands.

In 2001 he joined the Home Shopping division of GUS plc, as the Finance director before becoming CEO of Shop Direct in 2003, following the acquisition of the business by the Barclay family.

In 2004 he was appointed Chief Operating Officer of Littlewoods Shop Direct. As COO, he led the integration programme of the two mail order businesses; Littlewoods and Shop Direct; creating the UK’s largest mail order company.

Mike Hancox joined Otto UK as Chief Executive on the 1st of December 2005.

Freemans Chief Executive

Press Release

November 10, 2005

Michael Hancox new Chief Executive for Otto UK

BRADFORD, UK, 10 November 2005 - Peter Gelsdorf, Acting CEO, Otto UK - member of the Otto Group, the global trading and services organisation - today announced the appointment of Michael Hancox as the new Chief Executive for Otto UK.

Mr Hancox joins Otto UK from his role as Chief Operating Officer for Littlewoods Shop Direct Group. Prior to that appointment in 2004, he was Chief Executive Officer of the Shop Direct Group. Before entering the home shopping industry, Mr Hancox held the position of Deputy Managing Director for food and beverage specialist, Premier Brands UK.

Mr Hancox will take up his new position on 01 December 2005.

Commenting on the appointment, Mr Gelsdorf said: “The Executive Board of the Otto Group has expressed their high confidence in Michael Hancox to provide the strong and effective leadership required to implement Otto UK’s strategic plans and increase its share of the growing UK Home Shopping Market.”

About Otto UK

Otto UK was formed in 2001 when two members of the Otto Group - Grattan (acquired in 1991) and Freemans (acquired in 1999) - were brought together. Otto UK employs 6,000 people in the UK. It has four main sites in Bradford, Sheffield, Peterborough and London, 15 distribution depots and 25 catalogue discount stores. Otto UK’s brand names in the mail order market are Freemans, Grattan and Kaleidoscope. Parcelnet is the distribution arm of Otto UK, delivering parcels for in-house brands and providing delivery services for many third party clients. Otto UK is a member of the Otto Group.

About Otto Group

Founded in Germany in 1949, the Otto Group is now a worldwide-operating trade and services group with more than 54,000 employees on three continents. The Otto Group operates in 19 countries in Europe, North America and Asia with a total of 123 member organisations. Its activities cover four business segments: Multichannel Retail, Financial Services, Services and Wholesale. In the financial year 2004/05, the Otto Group achieved revenues of €14,424m. Today, Otto is the largest mail order group in the world. The Otto Group is the world’s number two in business-to-consumer online trade. Over-the-counter retail trade constitutes the third pillar of the successful multichannel distribution concept at Otto, along with mail-order sales and e-commerce.

Whose War is it Anyway?

One’s own House

They are forever young,
Men little more than boys,
Who willingly went to war,
To defeat the enemies’ ploys.

To read the full story, and form your own opinion see www.the-insight-queen.co.uk, (enlightenment category).

Catalogue Rip Offs!

Dear Mr Hancox,

I write to you regarding a matter concerning Freemans of London home shopping, which, amongst other companies forming part of The Otto group, I felt came under your jurisdiction.
I shall be as brief as I can whilst outlining the outrageous, bordering on fraudulent, practice by this group which I had the misfortune to become involved with.
The facts are as follows: - during the month of March 2007, I received, through the post, an introductory Freemans catalogue.
I placed an initial order, and received also the promised free gift of a Morgan pyjama set.
Being satisfied with the goods I received, upon the delivery of the full Freemans catalogue, I made the decision to place another order and claim the free gift promised, a “multifunction electric coffee maker”,
worth I was informed, by way of a full colour brochure, £39.99, with the written option to order more of these utensils at the stated price.
My order subsequently arrived, with a free gift, not the one promised however, but a cheap shoddy “replacement bearing no resemblance whatsoever to the advertised item, and worth £6.99 through another retail outlet!
To say I was outraged would be an understatement; I immediately telephoned Freemans customer service, (which quite patently isn’t), only to speak to an operator who was so unhelpful as to be obstructive, with a penchant for speaking over me, attempting to block any recourse to higher echelons of management within Freemans, telling me that as it was a “free gift” I would just have to put up with it. I don’t think so!
This “free gift” was part of the inducement to order from Freemans, and I am fully entitled, both morally and legally, to the promised item, especially as there was no disclaimer on the brochure, regarding the right of Freemans to substitute this “gift”.
We therefore have two points here; firstly Freemans failure to honour an agreement made in writing, and secondly, their to say the least, sharp practice, in replacing the promised article with one which does not, and could never, carry out the same functions as the one advertised!
I requested an immediate collection of this shoddy item, which I photographed against the brochure of the “genuine article”, (enclosed),before return and made clear my intentions of taking this matter as far as I need, to obtain the satisfaction of my legal and moral rights,
Being extremely conversant with media publicity in many areas, I discovered that my own grievance with Freemans is by no means the first received, and I am sure, unless this appalling practice is “nipped in the bud”, will certainly not be the last!
I fully intend to exact what I am due from Freemans, and will not hesitate to publish this disgusting, distasteful tale through every area of the media, if this is not forthcoming forthwith.
As you will understand, I am extremely reluctant, to say the least, to ever again deal with this company, or recommend them to anyone else.

Catalogue Rip offs- The sequel- Watch this space!

Dear Mr Hancox,

I write in reference to my letter of 17.4.07, (enclosed).

To say I am disappointed at your lack of response, would be an understatement, taking into consideration, the time lapse between this current letter, and the one to which I refer!

I am open to the fact that mail does at times go astray, when travelling through Consignia, and I am prepared to accept that this may possibly have occurred with said previous epistle.

By the law of averages however, the same fate would be extremely unlikely to befall this current communication, and I would expect at least, a courtesy reply within seven days, pending perhaps your enquiries into this matter.

As I understand your position, it is you who is ultimately responsible for all happenings under your jurisdiction, within which I am informed this situation falls!

If you require any further information regarding this appalling matter, I will be pleased to supply such.

I will reiterate however, that I shall not let this matter rest, until I have achieved a satisfactory result, through whatever action proves necessary, and reluctant though I am to be forced to take matters further, please be assured that I shall not hesitate to do so, if that is what is required.