Congratulations to Sequence divisional managing director Simon Arnes who has notched up not just 40 years with the same company, but in the same office.
Arnes has been based in the same office in Dereham, Norfolk, ever since starting there as the office boy in 1972 with William H Brown, then trading as T H Warren and now part of Sequence.
Over the last four decades, Arnes has risen through the ranks to his current position where he is responsible for a successful network of almost 100 estate agency branches covering East Anglia, Eastern England and the Midlands, operating under five local trading names, as well as two auction centres, 40 lettings offices and five land and new homes centres.
He recalls: “When I began my career our auction house sold everything from animals and farm machinery to car parts and furniture.
“Auctions is still a strong tradition in our business, although now it is strictly property. Our two auction houses in this area sell around £35m in property each year and I still keep my hand in by taking my place on the rostrum.
“When I started we used old-fashioned typewriters. Now we have cutting-edge IT which we take for granted, but this business will always live and die by our ability to talk to people, whether it’s explaining our ability to sell a house or getting on the phone to chase up a chain and make that sale on behalf of our customer.
“Technology is great – however, I reckon I could still sell a house without a PC.
“We must never forget that the basis for successful estate agency is winning instructions. The buyers, the mortgages, the conveyancing and all the other services will follow on from here.
“I run my region with the simple aim of maximising profits, providing excellent local customer service and investing in the team around me.”
With no plans to retire, he says: “We plan to further strengthen the network with more acquisitions and a new branch opening at Braintree at the beginning of 2013, so I guess my idea of spending more time on the golf course trying to improve my handicap will have to remain on hold for a few more years.”
We wish him well and trust that Connells chairman Stephen Shipperley and chief executive Stuart Flavell (a mere 35 years in the business apiece) join him in a celebratory round (on the course and at the bar).
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Comments
I have had the pleasure to work with Mr Arnes, a true gentleman and quality all round Estate Agent, very rare today, well Simon keep you going bor!
Congratulations, Mr Arnes, on this achievement.
In ten years time, never mind forty, I predict the vast majority of those currently in the Estate Agency industry will be long gone.
(and before all the baying hounds jump on that statement, it will have NOTHING to do with internet Agents taking all the business, the 'new breed' of passive interwhassfaces, office closures or any other shenanegans reported on EAT... they simply won't hack the market. There are many ways of earning a far easier - and better... - living than treading the boards in Estate Agency...)