APRIL 2012
USP COMPATIBLE MATCH
How to win against a dwindling demand for printing supplies
ARROW IN THE BOWES Simon Lindsay from Pitney Bowes gets his sales straight
SITTING COMFORTABLY?
The latest trends and innovations in ergonomic furniture
HOW TO SPEND IT
The latest film, music and technology to spend your commission on
THE EDITOR’S LETTER CONTENTS 03
NEWS PITCH INVADERS The latest news and products to help you deliver that perfect sales pitch
04
MARKETPLACE COMPATIBLE MATCH How to win against a dwindling demand for printing supplies
JULIA DENNISON Welcome to the April edition of USP Magazine. As you may know from reading sister magazine Dealer Support on the flipside of this one, Nina has stepped down as editor and, as managing editor, I am filling her shoes until we tie down our new recruit. In this issue, we look at compatible cartridges and where the opportunities lie, despite a challenging printing market (p4). For cash over percentage margins, read up on the benefit of selling ergonomic furniture on page seven. For both, but especially the latter, dealers have to be ready to ramp up the personality and sell with service. For furniture especially, the customer will expect you to be the expert, so if you’re not, it’s worth speaking to the manufacturers to find out if they can help you out with any training. They will often offer it for free in the hopes that you’ll help sell their product. For some advice on selling from the big boys, we interview a top salesperson from Pitney Bowes in our High Rollers section (p10). Simon Lindsay shares his secrets to success, so if you’re looking to compete with these guys, you’ll want to listen up. In the meantime, it’s the new financial year, so customers may well have fresh budgets to plan with, however, that means getting in fast and speaking to them about contracts now. With the sun finally showing itself from behind the wall of winter’s cloud, what better time than to take them out for a little dining al fresco? Here’s hoping you have a lovely April. Please get in touch with any news stories or updates on editor@dealersupport.co.uk. Enjoy!
07
ARE YOU SITTING COMFORTABLY?
10
HIGH ROLLERS ARROW IN THE BOWES
The latest trends and innovations in ergonomic furniture
Simon Lindsay from Pitney Bowes gets his sales straight
12
LIVE IT HOW TO SPEND IT The latest film, music and technology to spend your commission on
10
Managing editor
ON THE COVER
USP MANAGING EDITOR JULIA DENNISON | julia.dennison@intelligentmedia.co.uk REPORTER GEORGE CAREY | george.carey@intelligentmedia.co.uk PUBLISHER VICKI BALOCH | vicki.baloch@intelligentmedia.co.uk SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER – MEDIA SOLUTIONS MATTHEW MOORE | matthew.moore@intelligentmedia.co.uk
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE – MEDIA SOLUTIONS KRYSTLE DAVIS | krystle.davis@intelligentmedia.co.uk DESIGNER SARAH CHIVERS | sarah.chivers@intelligentmedia.co.uk DESIGNER/PRODUCTION PETER HOPE-PARRY | peter.hope-parry@intelligentmedia.co.uk CIRCULATIONS MANAGER NATALIA JOHNSTON | natalia.johnston@intelligentmedia.co.uk
USP magazine is published by... Intelligent Media Solutions | Suite 223 | Business Design Centre | 52 Upper Street, London N1 0QH tel: 0207 288 6833 | fax: 0207 288 6834 | email: info@intelligenmedia.co.uk | web: www.uspmagazine.com Follow USP on Twitter at Twitter.com/uspmagazine Printed in the UK by Buxton Press www.buxtonpress.co.uk
04 COMPATIBLE MATCH
How to win against a dwindling demand for printing supplies
07 SITTING COMFORTABLY?
The latest trends and innovations in ergonomic furniture
10 ARROW IN THE BOWES
Simon Lindsay from Pitney Bowes gets his sales straight
PITCH INVADERS
All the products and developments you need to deliver the perfect sales pitch
TOSHIBA TEC STREAMLINES MFP DOCUMENT CAPTURING PRODUCT Toshiba TEC UK Imaging Systems has announced the availability of Drivve | Image scanning functionality with its range of multifunction products (MFPs) to help businesses streamline their document processing operations. Designed to operate with any Toshiba TEC e-BRIDGE enabled MFP, Drivve | Image enhances workflow processes by transforming input devices into programmable systems. Meaning that it can be configured to suit the specific needs of a business, reducing the possibility of human error. Users simply format input fields that determine what information, if any, needs to be entered at the MFP panel to quickly and efficiently index scanned documents. It creates automated scan profiles with predefined document filing, or flexible versions with customised indexing and processing; once they are sent to the server a host of features are enabled, including high precision image correction and barcode recognition. Users can also define where a document can be stored, emailed, or faxed to after it has been indexed. This allows all internal stakeholders to accelerate the move to office synchronisation and the system’s interfaces plug into virtually all databases, and link directly to a customer’s database. The scanning system delivers a high performance imaging solution. Scanner power tools combine with database connectors, barcode modules and optical character recognition (OCR) modules to create PDF documents that can be encrypted to ensure security and confidentiality. Organisations using Microsoft SharePoint and Exchange can integrate their Toshiba TEC MFPs with these solutions. Drivve | Image’s SharePoint connector module allows the creation of point of scan, personalised profiles via image processing and file format conversion, to auto-generated file names and filing structures. The Microsoft Exchange connector provides emailing or faxing functionality via an Exchange or fax server, allowing access to emails and fax numbers stored on it. Drivve | Image also facilitates integration to the Drivve | DM document management solution.
ALASTAIR WALLACE JOINS STAEDTLER UK PEOPLE Staedtler UK has appointmented Alastair Wallace to the newly created position of head of sales. Wallace joined the company on 2 April from label manufacturer Avery Dennison where he was European account manager for the past five years. Prior to that, he spent four years in charge of the trade sales team at Swindon-based Pentel. In his new role at Staedtler, Wallace will assume full responsibility for the sales function from MD Duncan Savage and will form part of the senior management team.
TOSHIBA SIGNS EUROPEAN VOLUNTARY AGREEMENT NEWS Toshiba has signed a voluntary agreement to support the European Union Action Plan on Energy Efficiency with 16 other companies from the imaging industry. This agreement will help customers make a more sustainable purchasing decision by providing detailed information on the environmental performance of imaging equipment. Toshiba’s commitment to improve the environment was once again confirmed when the company signed the ‘Industry Voluntary Agreement to Improve the Environmental Performance of Imaging Equipment Placed on the European Market’. This agreement is expected to result in energy savings of around one to 1.5 TWh per year in the European Union. By signing the agreement, Toshiba commits to a minimum of 90% of all products placed in the EU to be compliant with the specifications of the Energy Star v1.1, as well as additional duplex requirements. These products all offer ‘N-up printing’, allowing several pages of a document to be printed on one sheet of paper and the products’ design will maximise the possibility of recycling the material used. “We constantly make efforts to improve the impact our products have on the environment,” says Chris Mills, product manager for Toshiba. “By working together with other key players in the market and the European Commission, the imaging industry has accepted its responsibility and has created a voluntary agreement which will lead to better, more energy-efficient products.”
GARY SMITH WINS PILOT AWARD PEOPLE Gary Smith, from the Pilot Pen Company, has won the company’s much-coveted annual Sword of Excellence Award, presented at its recent sales conference. He covers a large geographical area, encompassing East Yorkshire, Essex, Oxfordshire, Derbyshire and all counties in between. MD Don Skelton said: “Gary has done a fantastic job in developing his business and managed to achieve year-on-year growth in a very challenging market place. The award is the highest level of recognition a salesperson can achieve at Pilot and Gary’s hard work, dedication and experience all played a part in him being this year’s worthy winner.”
04 MARKETPLACE COMPATIBLES
COMPATIBILITY TEST With increased demand for MPS and the everlooming threat of the paperless office, what does it all mean for the printing industry and can compatibles provide the answer? George Carey looks at the changing face of cartridges and asks what they can do for dealers
Compatibles have undergone something of an image change in recent years. Initially they were seen by many as a bit of a gamble and cheap ‘drill and fill’ products did little to prove them wrong. However, with many OEM manufacturers now producing their own ranges and a market place constantly looking to stretch budgets, it appears that compatibles are no longer products on the fringe of the industry. The number of companies offering compatibles has risen precipitously and they now account for a significant share of the market. Many in the industry have embraced these products and believe that they present an excellent opportunity for both dealers and their customers. Scott MacKenzie, vice president of marketing operations and communications for Clovertech, is one of them: “Aftermarket cartridges, and in particular those that are remanufactured using OEM-quality components, inks, and toners, are a great way for end-users to save money while not sacrificing print quality. They also represent a good margin opportunity for resellers facing price-pressure and declining margins on OEM supplies.” So how do dealers go about convincing the non-believers that compatibles can save them money, without sacrificing on quality? One thing that is vital, as with any other product is an excellent knowledge of what is available
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APRIL 2012
MARKETPLACE COMPATIBLES 05
and more importantly, what would work best for each individual customer. This approach will provide double benefits, with happier and retained customers, as well as increased profit margins resulting from a reduction in returns and refunds.
offering a competitive price to the end-user. He continues: “By focusing on the superior value of compatible cartridges and emphasizing quality, dealers can offer some of the most important benefits of MPS to their customers: superior value and reduced printing costs.”
COMPATIBLES OR MPS There is an attitude among some that dealers must convince their customers to use compatibles, or risk losing them to a firm who will offer MPS. However, the advice from those in-the-know is that a two-pronged attack is the best way to retain clients in this hypercompetitive market place. Georgina Mullins, national account manager for Katuns, is of this opinion: “MPS allows end-user customers to control their costs, while the use of compatible products, both for cost per page contracts and directs sales offer the dealer and the end user the opportunity to print more cost effectively.” This hybrid approach seems to be one favoured my many and Julie McGrattan, business development manager UK and Ireland for MSE, seems to vehemently believe that it is a necessity rather than an option if a healthy range and size of custromers is to be retained: “They must have some sort of MPS offering to be able to defend and keep the accounts at threat. MSE understand the MPS market, we have a range of products that are built for this. MPS is also a different sell and process that many dealers are afraid of, not only do they need to look at software, but also fixing costs must be taken into account, as this sometimes hidden cost can erode any margin that the dealer makes.” This certainly appears to be an increasingly popular approach with many companies offering MPS, choosing to do so using compatibles due to their superior value and cost per page when compared with OEM cartridges. If dealers are unwilling or unable to offer MPS, compatibles can still be a good option to retain profitability. MacKenzie says: “For dealers facing margin erosion due to managed print services being offered by their competitors and choosing not to offer it themselves, compatibles are a good way to reclaim some of that lost margin while still
CHANGES TO THE MARKET It seems to be a unanimous opinion that both the increase in market share and the quality of compatibles has been notable recently. Bob Reynolds, Armor’s corporate sales director, comments: “Sales of aftermarket products continue to grow , and the importers of ‘clone’ products from Asia are under severe pressure from the OEMs in relation to respect of intellectual property. Armor encourages the use of products respecting the OEM’s intellectual property, and we believe that as is the case in Spain, the importers of clone products will face hard times over the coming months and years.” Jet Tec’s business development and marketing manager, Becky Capes, certainly agrees that compatibles are still enjoying an increased market share: “The remanufactured laser toner market is showing an increase due to a higher demand for these products but also due to the cost of the OEMs.” So what changes are there on the horizon for compatibles and what impact could they have on resellers? Looking forward McGrattan comments: “I see an increase in sales, due to both the MPS market and also end users understanding that not all compatible are the same. Once they bought on price alone, but this is no longer the case.” According to Reynolds, as with so many products, the key to success will be emphasising cartridges green credentials: “Close-the-loop solutions and carbon footprint reports offer a real USP for the aftermarket industry.” So rather than compatibles and MPS squaring off against each other, they can infact complement each other very well and offer, both resellers and customers alike, improvements in quality and cost. Alternatively, for those dealers still unsure of MPS they are a great product to offer those customers still looking to print in-house.
Close-the-loop solutions and carbon footprint reports offer a real USP for the aftermarket industry
APRIL 2012
USP
Top qualiTy Toner
Replaces HP 16A (Q7516A)
The future of the office printer industry has begun: MANAGED PRINT SERVICE (MPS) is the new magic formula. You too, can use this opportunity as a tool to create customer loyalty. Use consumable printer supplies of KMP with a good conscience. All toners with our QUALITY LABEL “MPS READY” have been successfully tested for their functionality in MPS environments and work perfectly in standard print management solutions. The ExCELLENT PRICE PERFORMANCE RATIO as well as the HIGH QUALITY and RELIABILITY of the KMP products remain guaranteed. www.kmp.com | valerie@kmpuk.biz | 01475 730099
MARKETPLACE ERGONOMICS 07
COMFORT AT WORK
Effective ergonomic solutions in the office environment can be a vital element in maintaining happy and healthy staff. GEORGE CAREY looks at the products on the market and the benefits that they could offer your customers
According to the last study carried out by the NHS, between 2008 and 2009, about 9.3 million working days were lost in the UK due to work-related back pain and other musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). With many consumers spending the majority of their time at work and at a desk, it is easy to see just how important ergonomics can be when it comes to maintaining a productive and healthy workforce. But this is a product area that is all too often overlooked by businesses looking to cut down on costs. It is important that consumers know the full range of products available to them and the demonstrable difference that they could make to their businesses.
APRIL 2012
USP
08 MARKETPLACE ERGONOMICS
Dealers should look to stress to consumers that, when it comes to ergonomic issues, it’s important to address the bigger picture
USP
APRIL 2012
With a host of products and a clear requirement for improved ergonomic solutions, salespeople have a great opportunity to enhance their offering to customers. One of the golden rules when selling into this area is that prevention is better than the cure. Louise Shipley, European marketing manager health and comfort for Fellowes, certainly agrees: “Prevention of MSDs reduces the costly burden of injuries to businesses as well as improving employees’ performance and reducing sick days. It is estimated that workstation related illnesses cost businesses £1300 or €1500 per employee, yet ergonomic accessories are available from as little as £13 or €15 each!”
more at risk with only 18% having had such an assessment. In reaction to this dearth of assessments, one service that many ergonomics resellers can provide is an ergonomics test, so that consumers can establish whether their current equipment is sufficient and see what areas, if any, require improvement. This also provides an excellent opportunity for dealers to interact with customers and plan special offers when the results of such tests are announced. Fellowes’ research also found that one in four people suffer from wrist-related pain from either using their mouse or typing. It has been known for a long time that RSI (repetitive
Not only does ensuring a safe and comfortable working environment make good business sense, there is also a legal obligation to do so under the EU Directive 90/270/EEC, which outlines the minimum requirements for working with display screen equipment. By having an effective ergonomics programme in place, employers can demonstrate their commitment to employees and ensure a positive reputation externally as well. Slouching when sitting is a major cause of back pain among office workers and the combination of an ergonomic chair and foot rest can go a long way to correcting people’s postures. There is a huge range of chairs available to consumers and of course not everyone will be suited to the same products. Therefore it is important to source products with multiple settings, which will offer the most tailored fit to a wide range of heights and frames. Poor ergonomics can have a real impact on a company’s profitability, often leading to a drop in employee productivity and, in some cases, extensive time off work. Ergonomicallyfriendly equipment like chairs and desks are only half the story and it’s important not to let common place office problems like disorganisation undermine even the most ergonomically-advanced equipment when it comes to wellbeing. Research, commissioned by Fellowes, interviewed 1,000 workers across the UK and found that, despite being a legal requirement for all businesses to carry out, only 45% of those questioned had been given a workstation risk assessments - designed to identify and resolve issues which might cause poor posture or pain. People who work from home are even
strain injury) can cause people long-lasting pain and result in absences and vastly decreased productivity. The range of wrist supports for both mouse mats and keyboards is everexpanding and there are different options of filling, with gel and memory foam proving to be the best sellers. Beyond bigger equipment, desk tidies and filing solutions can be integral to a comfortable working experience. Gregg Corbett, marketing director of Avery Office and Consumer Products, says: “Consider for example a messy desk. While an office consumer may have the most comfortable office chair to sit on and the perfect complementary desk, they won’t be making the most of them, or using them properly if their working space is continually disorganised and they struggle to find essential documents, stationery or personal items.” It is equally important to get small organisational issues resolved, as well as the more obvious things such as having the right chair. Corbett concludes: ‘Dealers should look to stress to consumers that, when it comes to ergonomic issues, it’s important to address the bigger picture to make sure that ergonomic equipment is complemented by efficient, space-saving organising solutions.’ Shipley feels that a consultative approach is the best way to ensure good business for dealers and a happy working environment for their customers: “In today’s fast moving working environment, computer users have an increasing need for accessories to suit their working lifestyle and status. Ergonomic products are an essential part of the computer users’ tool kit, and as such it is important to know how to solve problems and move your customers into the comfort zone.”
SIT UP TO A SMARTER WAY OF SELLING Professor Ergo is a leading worldwide authority on workstation ergonomics. He’s totally committed to changing workstation lifestyle to avoid the potential pain and injuries caused through poor posture while working at your computer, laptop or tablet. New research reveals that employees who can’t get comfortable at their desk could be costing their employer on average £3,279*per person per year in lost revenue through time off sick and reduced productivity. With 71% of employees having already suffered from ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS ailments during the past three AWARE OF THE RISKS/COSTS years, as a direct result of using ASSOCIATED WITH MSD’S? computers for work, employers can’t afford not to invest in providing a safe and comfortable working environment for their employees, especially when they share workspaces and work from multiple locations. The research, commissioned by office specialists Fellowes, found that despite being a legal requirement for all businesses to carry out, only 45% of those questioned had been given a Workstation risk
assessments - designed to identify and resolve issues which might cause poor posture or pain. People who work from home are even more at risk with only 18% having had such an assessment. Louise Shipley at Fellowes commented: “With UK employees HOW MANY OF YOUR now spending an average of 6.7 hours CUSTOMERS ARE a day working at a computer, the SUFFERING FROM MSD’S? concerns of lost productivity and revenue are only going to increase. Workstation risk assessments are part of Health and Safety law but employers should also educate and encourage employees to highlight problem areas so that any reductions in ARE ANY OF YOUR CUSTOMERS AWARE OF productivity or time THIS LEGAL REQUIREMENT? HOW MANY off sick can be EMPLOYEES DO THEY HAVE THAT WORK AT rectified and business MULTIPLE LOCATIONS OR HOME? improvements ultimately made.” Most sales are currently generated reactively through reported pain to the employer. A simple workstation assessment pro-actively unlocks the opportunity to help the majority of risky work environments and prevent MSD’s. DON’T MISS OUT ON A Fellowes offer support to help propose the right SALES OPPORTUNITY! ergonomic products for your customers with confidence with the help of workstation assessment tools and the Fellowes 4 zone guide. Together with Fellowes ergonomic expertise and innovative range of effective products, you will be helping more of your customers to move into the comfort zone. For more information about the Professor Ergo Campaign or Fellowes ergonomic product solutions, contact Denise Belgacem on 01302 836835 or visit www.ergo.fellowes.com
Avery Launches Solutions for Small Businesses Range New range offers comprehensive marketing tools Avery has launched a new range of branding, merchandising and promotional solutions, providing affordable and customisable products to help micro and small businesses produce professional, creative and effective sales and marketing materials The new range offers significant growth opportunities for dealers by providing a comprehensive solution that responds to the growing demand for more cost-effective, straightforward and flexible ways for small business to promote and market themselves. The range empowers businesses to quickly and easily design and print a comprehensive range of marketing materials using free online software and templates. From customisable company brochures, business cards and compliment slips to retail labels and signage, product information tags and even QR codes, the range will appeal to businesses operating in both retail and service-based environments. Avery’s free online software gives access to thousands of design templates that allow any product in the range to be personalised with a business’ own branding, graphics and images. These designs can then be saved, adjusted and printed whenever consumers require. To find out more the new Solutions for Small Businesses range please visit www.avery.co.uk/smallbiz
10 HIGH ROLLERS INTERVIEW
S I M O N L I N D S AY
Great expectations After only 18 months in the job, Simon Lindsay won Newcomer of the Year at the National Sales Awards. He tells George Carey about his rise and the importance of going the extra mile Pitney Bowes ventured into office supplies less than three years ago and has been growing its market share ever since. In even less time, Simon Lindsay has gone from zero to hero after starting his first sales job with the company. HOW DID YOU FIRST GET INTO SALES? I came out of university after studying journalism but at the time it was incredibly competitive so I started looking for something else. I wanted to do something that would suit my outgoing and competitive nature and a sales job came up; I didn’t have any experience but I thought I’d give it a go. DID YOU TAKE TO IT STRAIGHT AWAY? We have two teams at Pitney Bowes and I started in the franking sales team, which is all cold calling. I was terrible; it just wasn’t me at all. At that time our office supplies department was quite new and I moved over there. It involves talking to large existing corporate customers and picking up warm leads. It’s all about developing relationships and encouraging customers to use new products. That’s where I found my feet and within two or three months I was top on the floor. CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR ROLE? I’ve got more responsibility since I won the award but basically I talk to customers and get them to increase their product portfolio and make sure that we get all of their business. I’m an account manager so I train new starters and do some bits of marketing and product pricing. HOW’S YOUR TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE? It’s good but it’s not the best by any means. Because I don’t have a background in stationery I’ve had to learn as I go, I think we’ve got 22,000 products now. My expertise is in compatible toners – my main job is converting people from OEMs over to our own brand. The way we differentiate ourselves from other compatible ranges is the
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APRIL 2012
service we offer. Whenever we sell a compatible product, they get a full warranty for the catridges and their printers and a dedicated account manager. I manage between 100 and 150 corporate accounts so if there are problems, I’ll be on call to get an engineer involved. It’s something we’re making a big push on this year and we’re trying to get half of our base over to compatibles. DO YOU THINK TRAINING IS IMPORTANT? Definitely. When I first started here I’d never sold on the phone and we have a lot of in-house training to teach the basics and what is expected of you as a Pitney Bowes employee. We’ve only been doing office supplies for a few years and when I started we were trying to win big accounts but didn’t have the know-how to go about it; so I asked if we could get some outside help. A company came in and gave us a lot of product knowledge, including how our competitors sell and that really pushed the department and me on. HOW DID YOU BECOME INVOLVED WITH THE NATIONAL SALES AWARDS? I didn’t know too much about it to be honest; the company put a few of us up for it. There was a written stage and once I got through that, the last six of us had to go to the Daily Telegraph and pitch to four judges. It was a bit like The X Factor, and pretty nerve-racking. We had to go through our achievements, our figures, responsibilities within the team and how I got into sales. HAS WINNING MADE A DIFFERENCE? Yes, as well as figures, the award is about customer service. Our clients aren’t just looking for good prices, they want a good relationship with someone they can trust, so the fact that a few of the bigger clients know about the award has definitely helped. WHAT MAKES YOU GOOD AT THE JOB? Our business is all about relationships, so a lot of it is just listening to the customer. Reliability is huge, so I always make sure that I get back to people quickly and keep my word. The customer can always see that I’m trying
HIGH ROLLERS INTERVIEW 11
“When I started we were trying to win big accounts but didn’t have the knowhow to go about it” hard for them and if they want a product that’s more expensive but not right for them, I’ll be honest with them about it. WHAT MAKES FOR A PROBLEM CLIENT? Some customers expect the whole thing to be a glitchfree process but obviously that’s not always the case. With the majority, as long as they can see you working to sort things out it’s fine, but sometimes people have very strict deadlines and rely on next day delivery. Education and legal firms tend to have the strictest deadlines. HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT? It’s a combination of having a contingency plan and being able to think on your feet, things like same-day deliveries are often helpful. WHAT’S THE BEST PART OF THE JOB? There’s a lot of variety, because we supply to so many different industries and have such a big product portfolio. One day you could be putting 10 minutes work into a £1,000 order and the next you could put an hour’s work in for a £10 order. I sit next to one of my best mates, which helps. Everyone works hard but there’s also a great sense of humour around the office. I know it sounds a bit cheesy but it doesn’t really feel like you’re having to sit down and do work.
APRIL 2012
USP
12
LIVE IT
The best way to spend your free time and money
FILM
JEFF, WHO LIVES AT HOME Jeff, Who Lives at Home takes place on one day. It’s Jeff’s mum’s (Susan Sarandon) birthday, and the only gift she really wants is for her son to perform a simple household task. She’s a widowed mother of two very different men—the 30-year-old Jeff (Jason Segel), who lives in the basement of her house, and his brother Pat (Ed Helms), a narcissist with marital issues who doesn’t much like Jeff. But Jeff gets easily side-tracked, trying to follow celestial signs on the way to the hardware store. He’s an overgrown slacker who spends his time looking for signals about how to spend his day, and his life. Segel’s persuasive portrayal of this irritating but somehow appealing couch potato rings true, who doesn’t know someone at least a little like Jeff? Pat enlists his brother to track his wife who he’s thinks is having an affair. As he puts it, he wants to find out the truth so that if there’s an argument, he can have the upper hand. Tensions run high as the pair pursue Pat’s wife and their mum finally reaches the end of her tether. The result is an equally touching and funny film. Sarandon puts in a star turn as the long-suffering mum and even Helms’ thoroughly unlikable brother character grows on you by the end, slightly.
BIT OF BANTER WHY THE LONG FACE?
GOOD THE ODD COUPLE A gorilla and a rabbit have become the best of friends according to officials at Erie Zoo in Pennsylvania, who claim the pair have become inseparable since being introduced to each other last month. Samantha, a 47-year-old western lowland, is too old to be paired with another gorilla after the death of her long-term male partner; but is being kept company by the young Dutch rabbit, named Panda. MUSIC
GADGET
A-JAYS ONE+
A-Jays One+ Earphones fit snugly thanks to a range of ear bud sizes. This cancels out external noise allowing you to enjoy your music unhindered or catch every word of that important call, as these headphones also come with a microphone to connect to your phone for the ultimate in functionality. A push button on the tangle-free, cable allows music to be played or paused without the hassle of getting out your phone, while Android phone users can also download more hands-free functions from the app store.
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APRIL 2012
BLUNDERBUSS Jack White’s long-awaited first solo album is released this week, in the midst of more hype than an Elvis comeback. The album’s first single, Love Interruption, has received critical acclaim and hints at great things to come. White has also announced plans for his debut solo live shows, which will take place in March in the United States. You can catch him in the UK at Radio 1’s Hackney Weekend on 23-24 June, alongside Lana Del Ray and The Macabees.
CLOWNING AROUND Michael Bell Jr, from Miami, came home with a report card containing failing grades and comments from teachers, describing him as the ‘class clown’. As punishment, his father ordered him to walk on to a street corner wearing a sandwich board that read: “Hey, I want to be a class clown. Is it wrong?” While the back read: “I’m in the 7th grade and got 3 Fs. Blow your horn if there’s something wrong with that.” Unsurprisingly he said that he wants to do better when he heads back to school after the holidays.
BAD