Big Banner Company - Closed

[bannerman]

i,m not sure whether this is the correct forum to post this on , and if not i,m sure it will get moved , but i want to let our hundreds of customers know what is happening with our company

it is with sad regret , that today , 25th February 2009 , The Big Banner Company , Pattayas Advertising , Signmaking , Printing and Graphic Design Company has ceased trading.

this business has been trading for about 6 years and operates from a factory premises

we tried to employ/ train an entire new team as well as keep on top of our huge workload but , if i,m honest , the stress and pressure was too great to handle and i realised that health is more important than wealth ....

we are selling off our assets at probably 50% less than the scrap value.. including 8 trucks , million baht printing machinery etc etc and it may happen that the company will reopen under new management ,

we also have a prime Sukhumvit Road Billboard paid 3 years in advance.

basically this is a SINCERE THANKYOU to all our customers for the support given to us over the last few years ,

Sincerely

Jeremy Smith - Founder / Managing Director and 50% shareholder

Edited February 25, 2009 by dr_Pat_Pong
Possible libel allegations

[0Mix1up]

sure you couldn't find a trustworthy farang manager to get it up to speed?

take the impact of the start up.

i imagine your shocked at the deceit going on with people you have been with for years

best of luck

[PhilHarries]

And what was the workforce's reaction to the closure?

Don't tell me, I know the script.

Mai pen rai. Easy come, easy go.

[bannerman]

the main content of my original post has been edited citing , possible libel allegations -

as the matter is with the BIB , maybe sometime in the future the whole reason of why the ENTIRE workforce is no longer employed will become clear and allow the information to become public knowledge .

freedom of speech and all that .....

[R123]

A few months or so back I needed some work done by this company, and not only was the work efficiently completely etc but very reasonably priced, so thanks and sorry to hear of the closure.

[dogman]

Oh dear another farang company that has been closed due to their workforce, in any business you have to be on top of everyone treat them as if they were all "at it" I am sorry to hear this news as it served the farang community well. I sincerley hope that this guy can put things behind him and re open with the same proffesionalism they were before..... with new staff. I wish him the very best of luck and good fortune in the future.

[johnlexo]

sorry to hear....you made the right decision....working with the ignorance and arrogance, the deceitfulness, the laziness and much more of the thai workforce must make any normal, responsible businessman and human being sick! all the best! HK.

[Rimmer]

I salute you for getting the venture off the ground and then having the guts to close it. Both are not easy.

[fivestar]

I salute you for getting the venture off the ground and then having the guts to close it. Both are not easy.

Jeremy...sorry to see you go. You offered a great service and always supplied on time.

Take a rest...start a new venture...I'm sure you will be a success again.

Thanks.

Robert

[nookiebear]

the main content of my original post has been edited citing , possible libel allegations -

as the matter is with the BIB , maybe sometime in the future the whole reason of why the ENTIRE workforce is no longer employed will become clear and allow the information to become public knowledge .

freedom of speech and all that .....

We are all well aware of what caused your problems.........Thieving.

[grahamhc]

Jeremy's company did excellent quality of work. Everyone I spoke to rated him very highly. He will be sadly missed, and welcomed back if he starts over agian. But, as always, ones health is more important that wealth.

He had a good heart for the community as well, producing the banners for our Rotary Cross Bay Swim for the past couple of years, and gave them to us free, even when I offered to pay. As he said. "My bit of charity to help the community"

Sadly, this is not the first Farang Business model that has been hijacked by Thai Staff. Remember the English Language version "Thailand Auto Trader" based on the theme of the UK Auto Trader group? I recall that was hijacked by their workforce and lasted one more issue before collapse without the creator's skills.

[Cuban]

I add my best wishes for the future ventures. I have within the last twenty minutes been speaking to another non-Thai who's business venture is about to be closed and put up for sale, the 'failure' was not due to theft while trading but in the administration stages by the legal 'advisor' and payments made to people in uniform.

The writing is firmly etched on the wall - we will see more closures before the rains come to Pattaya I'm sure.

[Pdavies99]

Thre Big Banner company was a great company to deal with, good quality, fast and a reasonable price, I am surprised and shocked it has closed...Good luck in the future.

[grahamhc]

I read on another Web Forum [PS] that Jeremy has found a buyer for the business, by people who are already in the same business, and it will be re-opened again soon.

He will be staying on for a while, so we can be confident in still using them when they get back on-line.

[MacWalen]

This is something newcomers do not understand about Thailand. It is hard to work with Thai staff, full stop. No matter how much you try and how long you train. If you do not focus your full attention on the business they will ruin it before you know it. Next day you train again, and the following. Next week again. No point in firing them because you will most likely get more of the same so training and development is the best solution.

It is a different culture and if you put too much pressure on your Thai staff you do not have to fire them, they will just quit. So jai yen yen. It can be done. The western business managing formulas have to be modified. I have been running business in Thailand for years and I am still not sure how to do things 100% right and what exactly works. I know however what definitely does not work.

You may have the best system in place and train staff to follow it but still things will not go according to plan. Patience and once again patience. So lets be easy on those who try if not always we get exactly what we want as it may not be a result of any neglect but simply the result of how things are done in this country. We may later miss the somewhat imperfect service as there might be few out there that will be able to provide better. It makes sense to really know your business also, it will stand a better chance of succeeding.

Big banner, sad to see you go. Salute