Gazette
16 Gazette 11 April 2013
dublinlife
Q&A
jim doherty, Doherty Flooring & Wood Products
Laying the foundation for a good business plan Doherty Flooring and Wood Products was established in 1999. Managing director Jim Doherty has over 40 years’ experience in the timber and allied trades. His fellow directors are his sons Gavin and Rory, who are both qualified carpenters, as are all their fitters.
Before setting up Doherty Flooring Jim was managing director of the James McMahon Group, Ireland’s largest timber importers. Jim began his career in McMahons as a junior in the office and became the first non-family director in six generations of the business, which was established in 1830.
How long have you been in business?
(solid and herringbone); carpets; decking (composite, solid hardwood and treated pine); doors, frames, skirting and architraves; banisters and stairs; wardrobes; made-tomeasure alcove units; kitchen refurbishment and radiator cabinets.
Doherty Flooring & Wood Products was established in 1999. We have extensive showrooms with all our products on display.
What makes your business successful?
We are a family-owned business with customer satisfaction to the fore. Every job is signed off, and we ensure that our client is satisfied in every way. More than 50% of our business arises from recommendations from happy clients.
What do you offer your clients that differs from your competitors?
Personal attention and an honest desire to fulfil our customer needs. We have the added advantage of being a one-stop shop for all their timber products and carpentry needs. We also recognise that, as well as customer satisfaction, our prices have to be very competitive.
Has the recession impacted your business?
Yes, very much so – activity has slowed considerably since 2008.
What have you changed about your business to combat the effects of the recession?
We have extended our range of activity. In 2008, our main business was supplying and fitting flooring. We now specialise in flooring (solid, semi-solid and laminates); junckers
What law or regulation would you change overnight to help your business?
Grant aid for home improvement. This would give an immediate boost to indigenous employment, as well as keeping activity outside the black economy. More activity would lead to more jobs, and more revenue for everyone. The Government spoke about this prior to the last budget, but nothing came of it. Hopefully, they will revisit it in the next budget.
How do you use social media (Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, etc) to help your business?
Have just recently started [using such media]; too early to say how this will impact on our business.
What is your ambition for the business?
To continue to expand our range of activity. The recession has driven us forward in this regard. What is the best piece of business advice you ever received?
Keep a close and constant watch on your overheads and, to quote retailer Fergal Quinn: “The customer is king.”
business
Top tips on getting your CV read Some experts say that it takes up to six hours to construct the perfect CV. I think that’s a bit excessive, but not by much. There is a plethora of information and thousands of templates on the internet to help you; but a paint by numbers CV with no considered thought results in a bad picture. Unless you are absolutely adept at writing and amending your CV, don’t expect results from a document you only spent an hour on. You need to consider your presentation, format and content/language. Here are some presentation basics to keep in mind. Firstly, your CV should be no more than two pages in length. There are a number of exceptions eg academic positions. Find out what the standard is for your profession or industry and adhere to it. There’s no need to write CV at the top, it takes up too much valuable space and it’s stating the obvious. Leave out your date of birth and marital status. Use a conservative typeface and a font size no smaller than 11 point. Your CV should stand out because of its content, not because it is typed in Comic Sans on pink paper, and yes, I have come across a CV presented in this manner. Spell your qualifications correctly. You would be amazed how many university graduates think they have a Batchelors degree. Computer spell-checks are not good enough. They’re fine for an initial clean-up,
but I guarantee that if you read over your CV carefully three times, you will find three more mistakes. Write in bullet-points. Recruiters and employers don’t have time to read through paragraphs of text, no matter how well it’s written. Don’t include referee contact details unless they are specifically asked for. These are great sales leads for recruitment consultants and headhunters, but they waste space that you could be using to sell yourself. Instead say “excellent references available”. Add a header to each page in the top right-hand corner with your name and number, in case the first page of your CV is misplaced. All of the above are extremely simple to achieve. Do this and from the outset, you are signalling to an employer that you are a credible candidate. In today’s labour market, getting your CV read is half the battle. Rachael Kilgallon is a qualified career coach and founder of
The Career Hub. Contact Rachael at hello@thecareerhub.ie or visit www.thecareerhub.ie.
launch: importance of keeping business local
Bathroom Boutique ranges from modern to traditional A South Dublin business has launched its new bathroom showroom in Churchtown, which is now open to the public. Bathroom Boutique, located at Earlscourt Industrial Estate in Churchtown is run by Robert Prestage, who has over 25 years’ experience in the plumbing and construction industry. He ran his own company in Cape Town, South Africa, before moving to Dublin 13 years ago. What was meant to be a holiday soon turned into a big career move before the holiday was over, Robert was working for a couple in Shankill and ended up staying in Dublin. Prestage Plumbers and Renovators was established soon afterward, with the business going
from strength to strength. Robert’s latest business venture is the new showroom at Bathroom Boutique. Designed and fitted to the highest standard, it is influenced by styles and concepts from Europe’s leading brands, such as Duravit, Merlyn, Catalano, Grohe, Scanbad, Aqualisa, Geberit, Elements, Isa Bagno, Fiora, Roca, Jika, Clearwater, Gessi, Mira, Crosswater, Bette, Sonas, Heritage and many more. Products range from contemporary to traditional and everything in between. Customers will find a wide range of baths, wet-room showers, shower enclosures, washbasins, toilets, furniture and a large selection of tiles. It specialises in retail and offers full installation
Bathroom Boutique in Churchtown
service and maintenance service by their sister company, Prestage Plumbers and Renovators. Bathroom Boutique’s ethos is based on delivering superior quality and outstanding service. Products are sourced through Irish companies, mindful of Robert’s belief
in keeping business local. The official opening of Bathroom Boutique takes place on April 13 between 11am and 4pm. For further information on the event, contact Bathroom Boutique on 01 2156075, or log on to www.thebathroombou tique.ie.