Page 65 - West Country View

Shirley Mitchell, from our Yeovil office, has been with GTH for 25 years this year!
"I can’t believe it’s been 25 years since I started working for the company - always in the survey department and always for the same boss! Back in 1993, there were no emails or photocopiers although I thought then that it was state of the art having an electric typewriter and I remember the clatter of gestetner machines when the girls were printing sales particulars and sale catalogues in the print room."
Derek Biffen, from our Langport office, has been with us for 31 years and counting!
Derek joined F L Hunt & Sons in 1987 as manager of the Cheapside office in Langport. "After nearly 32 years’ service with GTH, I have been witness to an incredible
change in estate agency technology including the recent launch of our interactive 24/7 website – a far cry from the old traditional methods of selling property! Of the many hundreds of properties I have dealt with over the years, perhaps the most memorable would be a beautifully converted Victorian former Engine House in a canal side location."
Adam Hayes, who can be found at Sedgemoor Auction Centre, has been with GTH since 1992.
"I remember when I was a sheet runner at the age of 12, running sheets at Taunton Market from the sale ring to the office, now all the sales information is done in real time in the sale rings. One memory that springs to mind at SAC was during the floods when we had all of one farm's cattle transferred from the flooded farm to the market. The market was also used as a drop-off for food and forage to go to the farms who needed it out on the moors. It was amazing to see the national support of farmers sticking together as one!"
David Lethaby, from our Minehead office, has been with Chanin & Thomas (now with GTH) for over 37 years!
David has been with Chanin & Thomas since 1980. "The obvious biggest change over the past 30-odd years has been the advent of the internet, along with other IT including social media and mobile phones. However, I feel it is still important to retain the personal touch, particularly in an area like ours. I remember when we carried out the council tax valuations for West Somerset in 1991, which was not only exciting to be involved with, but also very timely as we were in the midst of the property recession of the late 1980s/early 1990s."
Marion Stewart, from our Burnham-on-Sea office, has been with us for nearly 27 years.
"I think the biggest change I’ve seen over the years is technology. When I first began it was only electronic typewriters, no screens, we hand-wrote all the posters for the windows and mobile phones were as big as a brick,with an even bigger battery! Of course that's changed vastly over the years, and it's changed the pace of work and volume of work has risen with it. When I started it was mainly letters (especially to farmer clients), with faxes to businesses/solicitors, and you waited for a phone or letter reponse. These days everyone expects an answer to an email the same day quite often!"
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