How Prisoners Built Timpson's Key Empire

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How Prisoners Built Timpson's Key Empire

Рет қаралды 63,475

Күн бұрын

Timpson is one of the most recognizable brands in the whole of the United Kingdom. With 2, 000 stores they have a presence on every single high street. They employ 6, 000 people and what you might not realize is 10 percent of those are prison leavers.
It's a remarkable statistic and James explains to us how they actually teach people how best to rob them.
Timpsons was started in 1865 by shoemaker William Timpson and his brother-in-law, Walter Joyce, in Manchester. To give you an idea of the legacy Timpson has in the UK, it was listed on the Stock Exchange in 1929.
150 years on, it has over 2,000 shops across the UK with brands including Johnson's The Cleaners, Snappy Snaps, Jeeves of Belgravia, The Watch Lab and Flock Inns.
Today I'll be talking to James Timpson, in one of their flagship stores and chatting a bit about his new book, The Happy Index, which looks at upside-down management.
We speak about the rules of success of a business that has seen itself go through two world wars, a pandemic, and the changing nature of the high street to create one of the most endearing brands in the United Kingdom.
🔗 Connect with us:
Instagram: @jimmysjobs
Twitter: @jimmysjobs
LinkedIn: Jimmy Mcloughlin OBE
Website: jobsofthefuture.co
Credits:
Executive Producer / Host: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE
Producer: Sunny Winter

Пікірлер: 94

@gardenogauge 14 күн бұрын

I love how down to earth he is and how in touch he is with his business and customers! CEO steps behind the counter and serves a customer! 🙂

@jimmysjobs 12 күн бұрын

He genuinely did that completely unprompted etc.

@robin_marriott 16 күн бұрын

It’s very clear how good of a person James is from the language he uses. “People with prison experience”, “colleagues” and “people who live there” rather than prisoners, ex convicts and so on. He’s thought about how people will feel with how they’re described. Glad to see his appointment as Prison Minister, I can’t think for a better person for the role.

@georgesmiley8971 5 ай бұрын

TImpsons should be a preserved national treasure.

@jimmysjobs 5 ай бұрын

Agreed, but I also thought it was interesting that there is def an underlying ruthlessness to him.

@latsword3513 2 ай бұрын

What a fantastic video, it was the short that snagged me. I've heard about Timpsons business model before so this filled in a lot of blanks

@jimmysjobs 2 ай бұрын

@@latsword3513 Thank you, I am really glad you enjoyed it, I hope you subscribe and stick around :)

@kieronparr3403 2 ай бұрын

@@jimmysjobsyou don't make much money without ruthlessness. It's balancing that with social responsibility etc.

@benblakey5607 12 күн бұрын

The local ones to me can’t cut keys for shit

@ryanf6530 Ай бұрын

Fast forward to July 2024 and now he's prisons minister in the Labour government. Will be interesting to see what he can do in that job.

@jimmysjobs Ай бұрын

I certainly would not have predicted that, but think it is a great appointment, will be fascinating to see how he gets on.

@dasy2k1 16 күн бұрын

Given that amongst the prison population there are those who are there because they want the life of a criminal and then for every one of those a handful who were forced by circumstances into that position he can hopefully make a significant difference in the latter cases but breaking the cycle of unemployment leading to crime Nothing he can do will reform the true scumbags but I would guess they are less than a quarter of the overall prison population

@arthur1670 7 күн бұрын

But what will actually change tho

@Simon-ui6db 5 күн бұрын

Bloody brilliant to him for doing this. Plenty of people who have made a mistake and not want to reoffend. So really hope more companies take his attitude.

@jimmysjobs 5 күн бұрын

Thanks Simon, appreciate you watching and commenting :)

@hannah42686 3 ай бұрын

Just came across this video and WOW this channel deserves so many more subscribers! The editing feels like a movie - did not expect to want a job at Timpson when I went on youtube about 40 mins ago - keep it up!

@Bean-js9bc 18 күн бұрын

The guy that works at my local Timpson's is great. Really helpful.

@jimmysjobs 18 күн бұрын

👍👍👍

@chriskraszewski1776 5 ай бұрын

Great in-site to how Timpsons operates. James certainly knows the business. Love it ware he constantly uses the word colleagues. Ever thought of expanding to Turkey 🇹🇷 could really do with this service.

@jimmysjobs 5 ай бұрын

Thank you - funnily enough I was going to ask him about international expansion but we just ran out of time - hopefully will be speaking to him at Timpson House later this year.

@chriskraszewski1776 5 ай бұрын

Great book too. Thanks for the interview. Really helpful

@rentisme 2 ай бұрын

*insight

@Hannah-ee7st 8 күн бұрын

I can see the scepticism with inmates having access to key making when the only thing keeping them inside is locked gates.

@simoit 4 ай бұрын

Great video Jimmy, really enjoyed it. Good questions and honest responses from James - he's a man all over his business, not just polished sounbites. Ending is a bit abrupt though, just on an interesting high and suddenly - music. Much more to explore there but overall really good. I like the image cut-ins and info boxes (Parkinson's Law). Will be back to watch more now. Thanks

@jimmysjobs 4 ай бұрын

That is a fair point Simeon, I will think about how we could end it, I am hoping to go up to Timpson House later in the year and record more! Thanks for watching to the end and I hope you enjoy some of our other content. jimmy

@simoit 4 ай бұрын

@@jimmysjobs thanks for the reply. Yes looking forward to getting stuck in. Great to find a new channel!

@peterjones6322 12 күн бұрын

Their key prices are a total rip off. I recently went in for a very simple key to be cut. It is off a boat. I almost fell over when he said it would cost £30. I put the number of the key into Google and immediately found the identical key for sale for £1.50. It works perfectly !!

@jimmysjobs 12 күн бұрын

Is this the Peter Jones off Dragon's Den?! We could see how you made so much money!

@Derek_Garnham 10 күн бұрын

yeah, I feel the same about timber, some guy wanted £30 for a 2m oak plank. £30!! , when an acorn costs virtually nothing!

@Happydale-ds5yp 3 ай бұрын

This is so strange, my store has 7 employees and I'm only months from expanding to new stores. My business isn't the same as this, my products are in a totally different field but this is gold 👌 well done bro

@jimmysjobs 3 ай бұрын

What is your business? Amd why is it strange?

@Happydale-ds5yp 3 ай бұрын

@@jimmysjobs I own Head Happy a retail store in the ancillary Cannabis market in Scotland, started March 2017 with £300 now close on £300k/year turnover. The 'strange' I am referring to is the similarity in thought as well as who my customer base are and our potential for joining in on the 'ex-convict employment market'. I already walk a very narrow line between legal and illegal so this is fascinating to me. Thanks for sharing, just ordered the book a second ago.

@damianleon9837 5 ай бұрын

This is fascinating, a great way to run a business

@jimmysjobs 5 ай бұрын

Thank you, I appreciate that, hope you subscribe and stick around for a few more interesting episodes :)

@cameronallan5624 Күн бұрын

he could name himself - Big Boss

@dave_724 19 күн бұрын

I love Timpsons you can always trust them to do a job properly

@murphychris9811 2 күн бұрын

i was in hmp altcourse from 2005 to 2007 i made windows and learnt how to make them and take them apart which i thought as nuts

@thenoodlebuddy 22 күн бұрын

Isn't it ironic that you trust convicted criminals with your keys to your house

@EthanThomson 16 күн бұрын

give people a chance and they can do wonderful things

@jimmuo9286 12 күн бұрын

Not really. Most likely their crimes had nothing to do with B&E and were crimes of the convenience rather than career.

@mainy1984 2 күн бұрын

He's now known as "The Gate key per"

@failedrockstar 5 ай бұрын

Really interesting interview : )

@jimmysjobs 5 ай бұрын

Thank you, I really appreciate it, hope you subscribe and stick around.

@user-pr4vc6zt3v 24 күн бұрын

What a top bloke. I wish I was this nice.

@jakstrike1 3 ай бұрын

Fyi I got here from a short and have enjoyed the whole thing.

@jimmuo9286 12 күн бұрын

Wow! It actually works. Imagine if you will that GE had been managed this way rather than the once revered Jack Welch method!? Or Ford UK, Holden, or our beloved banks! Yet people will say they’re an anomaly when in reality this is the norm for longevity and profitability. Go figure…

@jimmysjobs 11 күн бұрын

To be fair Henry Ford was the first person to bring in the five day week, because he believed it would make workers more productive than the existing six day a week - that was though a century ago

@pauljermyn5909 Ай бұрын

I dont support or vote for labour, but i think he will do a good job as prison minister

@jimmysjobs Ай бұрын

Likewise, he is a very good appointment.

@5ynthesizerpatel 5 ай бұрын

Are you the keymaster?

@jimmysjobs 5 ай бұрын

Good line!

@lewdgamerguy2071 20 күн бұрын

Dude should be in charge off the Country, No questions asked, Would put the right people in charge of the right things

@epoh3334 18 күн бұрын

He's running the prisons ministry now

@SkyOctopus1 13 күн бұрын

I can't imagine being in the office full time anymore. It looks like a nice environment, but I don't see a reason to drag people in if everything they're doing can be done remotely.

@Hascienda27 5 ай бұрын

I'd give anything to work for him

@jimmysjobs 5 ай бұрын

Plenty of open roles available ... www.careers-page.com/timpson-ltd

@stephenholmes1036 6 күн бұрын

The shops needs toilets and running water.

@starwarsnerd95 14 күн бұрын

I used to work for an independent shoe repair/key cutter which was run by a former timsons area manager. Moat of the business was fixing timsons mistakes and doing the work that timsons overcharged for or couldn't do quickly enough.

@philipwatts9033 5 ай бұрын

Cost a fortune in there to get a key cut £22 Never again

@Liberty_Freedom_Brotherhood 5 ай бұрын

£4.50 here

@philipwatts9033 5 ай бұрын

@@Liberty_Freedom_Brotherhood where ?

@nigelholland24 14 күн бұрын

45 pounds to change a zip in a boot. Boots only cost 40 pounds

@JamesMacdonald-xg7ce 2 ай бұрын

I’m not entirely sure Timpson was “built by prisoners” as the video implies, considering that 1 in 10 have been recruited from prison, I’m sure the other 9 had the majority input. Great interview though

@jimmysjobs 2 ай бұрын

Thanks James, and take your point, but them making up 10% of the workforce probably makes them more prominent than any other employer in the UK.

@berneysharp3940 29 күн бұрын

Please find someone who can hold a camera steady

@japan-black 15 күн бұрын

Very interesting 👍 but omg your camera person should be fired 🤢

@majordelays4909 13 күн бұрын

“Hi I’d like a duplicate of my house key please” “Oh yeah, can I just have your address and name please” “Oh wait 😮”

@chester6343 28 күн бұрын

The sole reason they're still around has nothing to do with his business acumen - which I have my doubts about as family type work environments are normally way too overbearing and make it difficult to separate work from home, but it does have everything to with being unreasonably expensive..

@Derek_Garnham 10 күн бұрын

"sole" reason - is that an intentional joke?

@andyturner7963 20 күн бұрын

You say you like family business but will close them down on a hart beat

@thomaswoodall3305 19 күн бұрын

I work for timpsons and they don't they do everything they can to keep shops open if the situation arises, During covid James changed the definition of our business to a hardware shop so we were classed as essential business so we could stay open and colleagues could get full pay even though we got it while we were off he knows we would have wanted to be working. Maybe do your research first

@ronnielees547 6 күн бұрын

competitive hahaha, you wanted £9 to cut a key, so i went 3 doors down to another shop who cut the key for £3

@Michael-is2se 13 күн бұрын

So, a percentage of "prison leavers" are cutting your keys. Does that not ring alarm bells......

@willallnutt4612 4 күн бұрын

What about it rings alarm bells? Should they just sit inside and rot, instead? If people are happy and receiving a liveable wage, then what incentive do they have to steal from you?

@arthur1670 7 күн бұрын

Not a good start getting things factually wrong in the 1:30 ...... 1918 was a pandemic as well

@TheChodax 22 күн бұрын

Well, that's my opinion of Timpsons changed.

@2x2-wr2he 15 күн бұрын

Key blanks cost on average 11p minimum charge at Timpson is £9

@oliverlevine6577 15 күн бұрын

Go buy a cutter and cut them yourself then

@smiths7317 11 күн бұрын

It's all economics of running a business compared to DIY yourself.

@flymoracer 25 күн бұрын

One thing I learned from using Timpsons to make me a key, is that I’ll go out of my way to find someone else to make it. Crappy job done too quickly for too much money.

@andyasia 21 күн бұрын

So they start up training convicts in prisons on whose dollar ? Who was or is paying for that training ? Let me get my crystal ball out ! I predict the UK government were effectively paying Timpson to train these convicts which then saved Timpson loads of money in training and they benefitted from a virtual captive employee market upon release. I don't buy that it was purely to give something back for one second !

@L.C.Sweeney 5 ай бұрын

I commend this man for his efforts but he makes no plausible link between hiring prisoners or ex-cons and having good staff. Saying thst criminals are "reliable" and "hardworking" is literally describing the opposite of a typical prisoner. You'd have better luck at an AA meeting.

@jimmysjobs 5 ай бұрын

Hmmmm .... interesting idea thAA one will suggest that to james when i next see him.

@UnderscoreZeroLP 5 ай бұрын

i think the idea is if you screen them well enough you get the same good worker but that's more loyal and will accept a lower wage

@jimmysjobs 5 ай бұрын

I thinkthe loyalty bit is absolutely true, but I think in time the wages even out. @@UnderscoreZeroLP

@tallus 5 ай бұрын

He is not employing prisoners at random though. I've spent a fair amount of my career working in charities managing volunteers. By far the best volunteer I've worked with was a recovering heroin addict in a halfway house who was about to get sent back to prison because he couldn't find a gig. People have to want to change but if you put trust in someone and give them a chance to turn things around, when it's exceptionally hard to get a break, you better believe they can be really motivated.

@jimmysjobs 5 ай бұрын

Thanks Tallus, why was he about to be sent back though? I totally agree that people who are given a second chance can be incredibly motivated. @@tallus