On April 6, 2009 we learned from Geoff Wallace that Paul Walker, one of Hodder Faith’s reps to the Christian Book Trade, had been made redundant. In view of the escalating concern being expressed over this situation, the comments made thus far are now reposted here.
Please continue the discussions here rather than on the earlier post. Thank you.
Geoff Wallace, April 6, 2009 at 7:57 pm:
I was very sorry to learn of the news that our Hodder rep Paul Walker has also been made redundant. This seems an extremely shortsighted move by Hodder as Paul was the only rep who travelled to the Christian Bookshops. Paul worked hard as a rep and always made sure he found out answers to questions that we had (and there were many – especially with the dubious policy of getting trendy marketing companies to design Bible Covers).
I can’t help thinking that if Hodder kept a decent range of NIV bibles in print instead of many of them being out of stock, then sales would be up and Paul would still be there.
Phil Groom, April 6, 2009 at 11:41 pm:
That is sad news. Paul, if you happen to read this, I take this opportunity to thank you for your helpfulness and to wish you well wherever you go next.
Geoff, I think you’re right about the Bibles. There was a time when a customer could come into the shop and say they wanted a Bible, we’d look it up (either in the catalogue or online) and order it, job done. Now, we look it up and say, sorry that one’s not available, let’s try another, repeat ad infinitum until we find one available that the customer likes the look of or the customer gives up, whichever comes first.
John Duncan, April 6, 2009 at 10:51 pm:
News to me! That really is a shock!
John Duncan, April 7, 2009 at 8:57 am:
I too would like to wish Paul all the best – he was an excellent rep who would often go out of his way to come and see us if there were any issues to resolve. He also did the odd window display for us! This is a sad loss to the trade.
Martin Deadman, April 7, 2009 at 1:02 pm
I am really sorry to hear about Paul – Definitely another loss to the trade. I do wish him all the best for the future! Most of Hodder’s sales to me are proactive from Paul. Apart from NIV’s I wonder how much future Hodder business I will be doing. And the NIV range is so inadequate. Customers regularly tell me the type of NIV they require which never seems to be available due to the constant changing of the range!
Steve Wood, April 7, 2009 at 1:22 pm
Just want to add my best wishes to Paul wherever he goes. What a shame, another sad loss. Guess I’ll go back to doing Hodders through CLC.
I only had one visit from Paul but he was good at his job and cared for our ministry as well as our business. This was typified by his desire to pray for us as well as sell us books!
Strangely enough I have just discovered this thread while I wait for his latest visit – guess I’ll be waiting a while.
John Duncan, April 9, 2009 at 12:27 pm
I have just had the Hodder Faith April newsletter (the second one they have sent out). At the bottom is a list of area reps, which implies that my Hodder rep is now someone called Gary Reynolds. There was no reps list on the first newsletter they sent out.
I have had no communication from Hodder about Paul Walker’s departure. So has he just been airbrushed from history?
Geoff Wallace, April 9, 2009 at 1:49 pm:
Exactly my thoughts. I have just replied to the email asking why there was no mention of Paul or of the faithful service that he gave to Hodder. Having sent that I then found your comment. I doubt whether Hodder will listen but they do need to know how we feel.
George Elliot, April 10, 2009 at 1:25 pm:
This outrageous and short sighted announcement by Hodder Faith to make an outstanding Sales Representative like Paul Walker redundant, should not be taken lightly. Some years ago Hodder Faith used non-Christian sales people to represent their product into stores – the result was confusion, both by the sales person who did not understand the spiritual content of the books and the buyer, who had to work out exactly what the book’s content was all about!
Yes, we know that the job of the Sales Representative is to sell as much of his/her companies product into stores but the loss of people of the calibre of Paul Walker, who, as Geoff says, go that extra mile to ensure that the best possible information and service are offered and who bring a spiritual dynamic to all they do, should not be ignored.
I suggest that instead of us corporately bleating about ‘the sad loss’ on here, we all determine to make representation to Hodder Faith by letter, email, telephone and fax and make Hodder aware of the implications financially of losing such an asset to their company. Together we really can make a difference. Contact details:
Hodder Faith
338 Euston Road
London
NW1 3BH
UK
Tel: 020 7873 6051
Fax: 020 7873 6059
hodderfaith-sales AT hodder.co.uk
Phil Groom, April 10, 2009 at 5:08 pm:
To the best of my knowledge there has been no announcement from Hodder.
I have invited Wendy Grisham to respond to the concerns raised.
