Tag Archives: prestatyn

News

Leading names in sales, marketing and comms unite to launch experts platform for business

PROMINENT names in sales, marketing and communications have joined forces to launch a new online membership that offers small businesses access to expert training and advice.

My Expert Team (MET) launches today (Weds), a virtual platform focused on supporting SMEs and small businesses in North Wales and the North West.

Founded by Dawn Roberts, Managing Director of Outperform Training and Coaching, the ‘Netflix-style’ monthly subscription gives users unlimited access to hours of content on a wide range of topics.

Members can access masterclasses delivered by small business experts, attend live networking events, interactive panel discussions and Q&A sessions, and capitalise on services tailored to their requirements and priorities.

There is also a pay-as-you-go option and a monthly package to choose from.

Joining her are Caroline Sanger-Davies, Director and Principal Consultant at Experience Marketing in Hawarden, and Martin Williams, Director of Radar PR, which has offices in St Asaph and Rhyl.

Having led sales teams and delivered training to thousands of people in the private and public sectors across the UK for more than 20 years, Dawn says MET will give members the opportunity to grow their reputations and customer bases while meeting new people and having key information and advice at their fingertips.

“For many organisations, hiring someone to come to their workplace and carry out this kind of training would prove expensive, and, given the economic challenges we are all facing, difficult to justify – My Expert Team is a solution to that problem,” said Dawn, from Prestatyn.

“The driving force behind this is giving people access to advice they might not otherwise be able to afford, smaller companies, start-ups, entrepreneurs, and sole traders who are often unsure what steps to take to achieve success.

“By that we don’t just mean financially, but in terms of growing, providing better customer service, sharing their story, communicating with each other, and building networks.

“We will be adding further topics – finance, HR, accounting, recruitment, AI, web design, photography and videography, event management and everything in between – and want to make this a valuable, end-to-end experience for everyone.”

She added: “Having Caroline and Martin as part of the team is fantastic as they have so much experience in the worlds of marketing, public relations, journalism, social media, and communications.

“Every business is unique, so the support they need must be unique too, without unrealistic targets and complicated processes.

“The feedback we’ve had has been so positive, more than 50 members have already signed up and we expect that to rise in the days and weeks ahead, with more experts joining as well.”

At just £29 a month, the MET subscription costs less than £1 a day over the course of the year.

Martin believes the membership will grow to become a crucial source of information and inspiration for companies across the region and said: “We have all spent hours in a room with no windows receiving training that could have been delivered in minutes, a waste of time and resources for the employee and employer, and that’s before travel and subsequent costs.

“This is the perfect way for businesses to access resources that will allow people to learn from the workplace or even at home when it suits them.

“And as a member there are many other facets to this, including events and live sessions which will feature members and experts from across different sectors – I’m proud to be a part of it.”

Caroline added: “MET is such a simple concept, it does not come with a huge price tag and as every business is unique, the range of experts and content is varied so there will be something for everyone.

“As well as online masterclasses and videos we will be hosting live events in person as well on a regular basis, which will bring people together to share their stories, learn from each other and let us know what training they want, and need.

“We are excited to see how this develops, it could be a game-changer for how we access experts in this part of the world and beyond.”

To join My Expert Team (MET) and for more information, visit www.myexpertteam.co.uk and follow them on social media @myexpertteam.

News

Former musical theatre and retail supremo finds calling in customer service

A FORMER retail boss who started out in musical theatre has found her calling in customer service.

Rhian Anstey owned three successful Vodafone stores – in Rhyl, Prestatyn and Oswestry – before passing them on to a new franchisee and taking on the role of Customer Experience Director in North Wales and Chester for insight6.

The company delivers advanced client feedback programmes, with services including mystery shopping, reviews, focus groups, training and development, working in multiple sectors UK-wide.

Rhian is already forging partnerships with leading names in education, communications, hospitality, and tourism and has also now taken-on the Networx4Business group based at Costigan’s in Rhyl, which is proving popular with entrepreneurs and small businesses in the coastal area.

“It is a very, very busy period but I’m enjoying it and interest is growing all the time,” said Rhian, from Connah’s Quay, who trained in musical theatre at college.

“Given the challenges of the pandemic, the companies and organisations I’m working with are more focused than ever on the end user and delivering a high-quality experience, but also on retaining and attracting talent.

“Engagement and the wellbeing of employees is more crucial and they recognise that, whereas previously that side of a business might not have had their full attention.”

With the support of husband Russell, Rhian was thrilled to join insight6 and is excited at the opportunities ahead; however, she was sad to leave retail after more than 20 years in the sector.

“It was a real shame but with more and more people shopping online and us having to close our doors because of lockdowns I really had no choice but to diversify,” she said.

“Now I have the chance to do something completely new, and add value to businesses in a different way, which is already very rewarding.”

Rhian added: “The pandemic has changed attitudes towards customer service and the way we buy things – perhaps forever – so I haven’t been surprised by the amount of interest we’ve had.

“A return on investment and efficiency are paramount, but from my perspective excellent customer service should be a priority whatever industry you are in, because there is so much choice now.

“If you are not standing out from the crowd or going over and above then it’s going to be very difficult to be successful.

“I’m pleased to be able to offer my experience and expertise – and that of the brilliant team around me – to help organisations on the path to doing that – I’m delighted with how it’s going so far.”

For more information, visit the website www.insight6.com/region/north-wales or email Rhian via rhian.anstey@insight6.com.

News

Free events to support North Wales landlords ahead of landmark rental law changes

AN AWARD-WINNING estate agent will hold free events to support landlords and tenants ahead of a landmark transformation in Welsh rental laws.

Williams Estates is to host drop-in sessions and advice clinics at its offices in Ruthin, Rhyl, Denbigh, Mold, Prestatyn and Rhuddlan in the run up to July 15, when The Renting Homes Act 2016 is set to be introduced across the country.

The Act has been branded the “biggest change to housing law in Wales for decades” and includes updates to current laws; among them is an increase in the notice landlords must give when issuing ‘no-fault’ evictions and protection for tenants from ‘no-fault’ evictions for a minimum of 12 months after signing a contract.

Managing Director Jason Williams and the team – named Best Lettings Agency in Denbighshire at The British Property Awards for 2021/22 – are on hand to help all parties as the changes will mark a “watershed moment” for the sector.

“The Act has been in the pipeline for some time so the announcement it will finally take place this summer will have a huge impact on landlords and tenants,” said Jason.

“It will in many ways make the process a lot simpler but in the short term there will be a lot of questions around liability, insurance, legalities and other issues so we are going to hold free advice and information sessions across all our North Wales offices to try and help people as much as we can.

“Whether you are a customer of Williams Estates or not, our award-winning, experienced staff will be on hand to share their expertise at what is a watershed moment for the housing industry.”

From July 15, all landlords will be required to provide a written copy of the occupation contract to the tenant, setting out the rights and responsibilities of both parties; there will be a strengthened duty on landlords to ensure the property is fit for human habitation, including the installation of smoke alarms and regular electrical safety testing, and the introduction of a consistent approach to eviction where antisocial behaviour and domestic violence occurs.

Welsh Government Climate Change Minister Julie James admitted the Act has “taken longer than expected” to implement but says it will have a positive effect for years to come.

She added: “This Act represents the biggest change to housing law in Wales for decades and will make it simpler and easier to rent a home, replacing various, complex pieces of existing legislation and case law with one clear legal framework.

“When in place, contract-holders in Wales will have greater security of tenure than in any other part of the UK.”

For more information on the free information clinics, visit the Williams Estates website www.williamsestates.com and follow Williams Estates on social media @williamsestates.

Education, Engagement, Property Buyer News, Property News

Grand designs by talented art students light up new year property campaign

GRAND designs by talented art students hold the keys to a long-standing partnership with one of the country’s top property agents.

Learners on the Foundation Studies in Art and Design course at Grwp Llandrillo Menai have been working alongside Williams Estates to develop a series of images for their Home is Where the Heart Is campaign.

The cohort from the college’s Rhos-on-Sea site created bespoke posters for an innovative light-up window display that will capture the attention of customers and passers-by at their offices in Holywell, Denbigh, Mold, Rhyl, Ruthin, Prestatyn and Rhuddlan.

It comes as Director Jason Williams and the team again were named Best Lettings Agency in Denbighshire at The British Property Awards for 2021/22, adding to the impressive array of industry customer service awards they won this year.

Jason said: “We’ve had an amazing year and it’s been topped off by the brilliant work of the students at Llandrillo.

“We are always keen to try and support the college and the next generation of artists and designers with real-life, real-time projects that will enhance our marketing and profile while giving them vital experience.

“The end result is a fabulous and eye-catching digital poster using different concepts which will definitely turn heads – we love it and thank them for their amazing efforts.”

This is the sixth consecutive year that Williams Estates has given the Art and Design department a creative brief.

“And every year the absolutely blow us away with what they come up with,” said Jason.

“This Christmas is no different, they’ve outdone themselves once again.”

Lecturer Dewi Owen Hughes added: “I fully support such links with industry as I believe realistic creative work projects greatly enhance the experience and future employability of our Art and Design students.

“Our learners gain so much added-value by working on this brief and they can’t wait to see their creative work being printed and used by Williams Estates in a state-of-the-art LED light-pocket window display.”

Reflecting on their latest awards victory, which came just weeks after they won six titles at the ESTAS – including their ninth Gold for Best Sales Agent in Wales – Jason said: “That is testament to our staff, who – despite the challenges of the pandemic – have gone above and beyond to support our customers and provide outstanding service.

“For that to be recognised with success in two such high-profile industry award ceremonies is a major honour for us.”

“Visit www.williamsestates.com and follow @williamsestates for more news and information from Williams Estates.

For more information on Creative Arts courses at Coleg Llandrillo, call 01492 542 338 or visit www.gllm.ac.uk.

 

 

For more property news, visit propertynewsdesk.co.uk

News

Estate agent lays foundation for further growth after expansion and record awards win

AN ESTATE agent laid foundations for further growth in the new year after sweeping the board at national awards ceremonies.

Williams Estates was a big winner at both the ESTAS and British Property Awards following a successful 12 months.

Despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, the North Wales company – which has sites in Holywell, Denbigh, Mold, Rhyl, Ruthin, Prestatyn and Rhuddlan – recruited six new bilingual staff in past months.

And the 25-strong team had even more to shout about having secured top industry accolades; they won six titles at the recent ESTAS, including their ninth Gold for Best Sales Agent in Wales, and another for Best Estate Agency Group in Wales.

And last week, Williams Estates received Silver for Wales at the British Property Awards, having earlier been unveiled as Gold winner for Denbighshire (Sales) and Flintshire (Lettings).

Director Jason Williams praised his team for their diligence and dedication to customers, a focus which played a major role in them emerging victorious at both ceremonies.

“The customer is at the heart of everything we do, so to have been recognised and rewarded for that is a huge honour,” he said.

“These titles are judged on service, efficiency and there is a mystery shopping element to them over several months, so we have to be at the top of our game to compete with the hundreds of other agencies out there.

“Given the consistently high standards of our staff we have again featured highly and won the Wales-wide ESTAS Gold for the ninth time – and eighth in a row – so that is testament to their hard work and positive attitudes.”

Despite the challenges of the Coronavirus pandemic, Jason said their early investment in technology and adaptability in the face of national uncertainty enabled employees at all seven sites to continue setting new standards.

“We have expanded to meet demand, and when Covid-19 took hold in the UK were early adopters of innovative methods including virtual video tours,” said Jason, a former President of the North Wales, South Cheshire, and Merseyside branch of the National Association of Estate Agents.

“To this point we have produced more than 800 videos and they have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times so that is something we will look to continue with, though more in-person sales are now taking place.

“The market is in a strong position, with house prices increasing and so much interest, but for us the main target is further improvement in all aspects of the business – that’s our top priority as we approach 2022.”

This year’s ESTAS were held in London, with results calculated from over 200,000 customer review ratings.

TV presenter and host Phil Spencer praised Williams Estates and all of the winners: “You’ve had to work incredibly hard, adapt your businesses and absorb considerable costs to follow the protocols and enable things to happen safely.

“Quite simply, delivering great service has never been more challenging, so the ESTAS Awards for 2021 are the most well deserved ever in their entire 18-year history.”

For more information, visit the website www.williamsestates.com and follow Williams Estates on social media @williamsestates.

News

Estate agent celebrates 21st anniversary and targets record national award win

A PROMINENT estate agent celebrating a landmark anniversary is heading for record-breaking awards success.

Williams Estates has handed over the keys to thousands of doors across North Wales over the last 21 years.

Director Jason Williams launched the company at the turn of the century and has grown it strategically from one employee and one office to 25 staff across seven sites in Denbigh, Mold, Rhyl, Ruthin, Holywell, Prestatyn and Rhuddlan.

Having taken on six new Welsh-speaking employees in past months the 51 year-old is laying the foundations for a bright future.

“We have grown through the pandemic and expanded our workforce, which is an achievement given the challenges all sectors have faced since the onset of Covid-19,” said Jason, who is married to Emma and has three children, Harry, Rory, and Nathan.

“But we have done so sustainably, as before, and are now focused on making ourselves even better, rather than bigger.

“That means improving by 10-20%, which will make us even more efficient and meet the huge demand we have for our services at present. We have set the benchmark high, but you can always aim higher.”

He added: “Like many firms we had to quickly pivot in the pandemic but long-term the changes we made, including video tours, online forms for tenants and vendors to complete remotely and virtual conferencing, will only make us more efficient and accessible.”

Williams Estates is hoping to win Gold for Wales Estate Agent of the Year for the ninth time in succession at the prestigious ESTAS Awards ceremony in London this Friday (Oct 22).

And having developed the lettings side of the group to management of more than 400 properties, Jason – a former President of the North Wales, South Cheshire, and Merseyside branch of the National Association of Estate Agents – says life has never been busier.

“When I opened our first office in Denbigh it was just me and a commitment to being a family-orientated business offering that personal touch and never forgetting that the customer is always number one,” he added.

“I’ve never strayed from that ethos and am now joined by a fantastic team who share that belief.

“We’ve grown together – as people and as a company – and I am so proud of what Williams Estates has become, and our place in the sector.

“To win awards is a huge honour, and we are delighted to again be a finalist at the ESTAS, but for me seeing the joy on the faces of a family when they get the keys to their new home is unsurpassable.

“That’s what has kept us at the forefront of this industry and why we are determined to stay there for another 21 years and beyond.”

For more information, visit the website www.williamsestates.com and follow Williams Estates on social media @williamsestates.