The Apprentice UK S02E08 (2006)
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00I really don't give a fuck anymore.
00:11Tensions were riding high in the house.
00:13We are here for a job.
00:15Do you know what? Everybody's stabbing every fucker in this house.
00:17Exactly.
00:18So what's the fucking problem?
00:19I am here for a job, nothing else.
00:21We're competing.
00:22It's obvious that you've got the problem now.
00:24For the next task, Michelle and Dunn had their first stab at leadership.
00:28As Sir Alan sent the teams on a retail challenge.
00:31Top shop, Oxford Street.
00:33You couldn't get a better place for retailing.
00:36The candidates plunged into the world of high street fashion.
00:39Excellent.
00:41But Dunn's team sidelined their only fashion expert.
00:45If you're going to ask me something,
00:46Sorry.
00:47At least let me finish.
00:48That's definitely your colour.
00:49Definitely your colour.
00:50On the shop floor,
00:51Saeed went on a charm offensive to drive up sales.
00:55Just let me know when you're ready.
00:58And Sharon came under attack again.
01:00She's a marionette bitch.
01:04Have you got any other ideas?
01:06Can I just finish what I'm saying?
01:07One second.
01:08On Michelle's team, Samuel was responsible for marketing.
01:11Would you like a free bottle of water?
01:12What?
01:13Would you like a free bottle of water?
01:14Sure.
01:15His tactics didn't attract many customers.
01:18But Michelle failed to notice and her team lost the task.
01:25In the boardroom, Sir Alan had a warning.
01:28There is only one job going here.
01:31So you'd better start thinking about yourselves.
01:33Because I tell you what,
01:34If any of you survive here, I'll promise you this,
01:37As sure as I've got a hole in my bloody arse, right?
01:39When it gets down to two of you,
01:41All these people that are saying nice things about you at the moment,
01:44Will knock.
01:46But it was Samuel who'd finally tried Sir Alan's patience.
01:50Samuel, I've had enough of your excuses.
01:52I think you've made a fatal error in the marketing.
01:55You're fired.
01:57Samuel became the seventh casualty of the boardroom.
02:02Now seven remain to fight for the chance to become the apprentice.
02:15At the house, the candidates wait to see who's coming back from the boardroom.
02:22Hello.
02:32Hello, hello.
02:34Hello.
02:35Hi.
02:36Jesus.
02:38How are you?
02:39Well done.
02:40You all right?
02:42So what happened, guys?
02:44He made a mistake there.
02:45I think he pointed out today, he said,
02:47It's going to get nasty, you're going to get insults,
02:49Because there's one job.
02:50And that's a fact.
02:5310am
03:0610am
03:09There's been no phone call.
03:15The candidates are having a lie-in.
03:18But they're about to get a wake-up call.
03:33Hi, Alan.
03:35Where's everyone?
03:36In bed, I'll just go get them.
03:37Right, go get them.
03:38Now.
03:40Sir Alan's at the front door.
03:42He's running downstairs, isn't he, guys?
03:44He's still in bed.
03:46He's still in bed, the lot of you.
03:48I just can't...
03:49Right, come on, hurry up.
04:02With just seven candidates left,
04:04Sir Alan's decided the time has come to get tough.
04:08The task we've got today,
04:10I would suggest one of the toughest tasks I have set,
04:14Because it's going to sort the men out from the boys.
04:17I've got eight designers that have come up with their products.
04:22Later on today, you're going to go and see these eight designers,
04:26You're going to look at the products,
04:28You're going to choose two.
04:30And then you're going to go out and you're going to sell them to the trade.
04:34And then you're going to go out and you're going to sell them to the trade.
04:37Not to the public, not on a stall somewhere, not in a shop.
04:41You are going to go and sell them to a trade buyer.
04:44Because this is what I do, and what I have done,
04:47For the past 40 years of my life.
04:49That's why it's a tough task.
04:51Because those people you're going to be talking to are real traders.
04:54Don't waste your time going to the Comets and the B&Qs and the Woolworths of this world.
04:59Because those type of people normally take two to three months to make a decision.
05:03You've got two days.
05:06So you're going to have to go and see the independent dealer.
05:10It's going to be very simple.
05:12The team that has sold the most, billing wise, is going to win.
05:17And the team that hasn't is going to lose.
05:19And as you know, one of you will get fired.
05:22And one thing I'll tell you, I'll look you all in the eye and tell you this.
05:25If it weren't for this ugly mush here,
05:28And people recognising me,
05:30I can do this. It can be done.
05:33And this is what my apprentice is going to be doing one day in the future.
05:50I think that's the first thing we need to establish with all of them.
05:53The teams have picked their project managers.
05:56Ruth will run Velocity.
05:58We need some wholesalers that are big, but are independent.
06:01Because that's where we're going to sell our volume.
06:03The team that makes the most money from sales will be the winner.
06:07Saeed will lead Invicta.
06:09The task starts now.
06:12Invicta won the last three tasks.
06:15But there's been mounting friction between Sharon and the boys.
06:19Whatever problems we have between us,
06:21can we just please put everything on hold until the end of this task?
06:24Because I need to know now.
06:26If you feel that people have been negative towards me,
06:29then I will definitely pull you up and I will speak to you.
06:32The reason why I've brought it up is because I'd rather deal with it now
06:35and get out of the way.
06:37That's what I'm saying. Because every single task that I've worked on,
06:40people are negative even before they actually start the task.
06:42I don't want any of that in this team. That's what I'm trying to angle at.
06:46MUSIC
06:55The designers have been gathered in central London,
06:58keen to get their products into the shops.
07:01The candidates must get beyond the hype
07:04and select two products that will sell to retailers.
07:07The banana is actually quite good.
07:09You sit in the middle, you move the banana as you like,
07:13and you just slide in.
07:15Just slide.
07:21I'll demonstrate how it works.
07:23We took the inherent functionality and graphical identity of the coat hanger
07:28and basically adapted it so it's wall-mounted.
07:31As you can see, that's how it works.
07:36Each product must be ready and available.
07:40I've got two chairs today,
07:42and they're both using a new patented process.
07:46Are they stable and sturdy? Can they accept that weight?
07:48Yeah. I mean, this one, for example, is the third prototype,
07:51but there's slight modifications I'd make to the design
07:54to make it a more robust piece.
07:56This feels very, very unsteady. Look at this.
07:59I don't think that's comfortable at all.
08:01It's digging into my back and I feel like I'm going to fall off it,
08:04which is a real shame because I think the designs are stunning.
08:06Sorry, I'm just going to really test this.
08:09Saeed's team are testing a fifties-inspired coat stand.
08:12How do you want those?
08:16Good feel.
08:19But it's pricey.
08:20180 quid. I mean, I appreciate the design in that,
08:23but not 180 quid's worth of appreciation.
08:26The interesting thing is we think that coat stands are really coming back into fashion.
08:30We are going to be in a really big article in the Sunday Times in a few weeks' time.
08:34In the style section.
08:36The fact it's going to be in the Sunday Times in a few weeks for people buying it,
08:39that's huge. Absolutely huge.
08:42Swayed by the designers' pitch, Ruth's team ignores the price tag
08:46and goes for the coat stand, the first of their two items.
08:50Thank you for selling your product. Cheers. Thank you. Good luck.
08:53Their other choice, a light encased in concrete.
08:57What is this particular product called so we can direct people to it?
09:00It's called Light Cubed, as in L-I-T-E,
09:03and a little mathematical three, as in cubed.
09:07It's got on here a retail cost of £83. Is that per cube?
09:11That's per cube, yes.
09:13And have you been selling them at 83? Absolutely, yes.
09:16Really? Yes. My God. Okey-doke.
09:18Swayed's team are considering a multi-purpose storage unit called the Legible.
09:23It's just really a simple little way of storing things.
09:27You can use it in the bathroom,
09:30you can use it in the bedroom as a bedside table.
09:33You can basically use it wherever you want to.
09:36So what's your highest retail price that you sell this product for?
09:40About £55. Each? Yeah.
09:43That's my favourite one. Definitely.
09:46It's half the price of anything else. I could see me using that.
09:50Shall we just put the products on the table?
09:53Next up, a flow-controlled petrol can with a retail price of just £20.
09:58One of the main features of this product is its total control.
10:02So there's no overfill and there's no spill.
10:05Those are the key features.
10:07I like that. No overfill. And no spill.
10:10The scope that this has is just huge.
10:13Swayed is very obviously enjoying his role as project manager.
10:17He took the lead, he went through the same spiel each time.
10:20He does like the sound of his own voice.
10:22You don't need to know this, but I'm based with Invention.
10:26In the UK. So I've done some research into this and I understand the market fairly well.
10:31But again, I need expert advice such as yourself.
10:34So I'm going to shut up now.
10:37I think this is absolutely brilliant. Don't get me wrong.
10:41My job here is to play devil's advocate a lot of the time
10:44because obviously Swayed is massively optimistic.
10:46Sometimes I want to say, look, let's bring it back down.
10:48What can we do in the next 36 hours?
10:50I think I'm happy with the product selection because I like them.
10:54They are both high volume, low profit products.
10:57So I think tomorrow is going to be a frantic time for us to basically shift as many units as we can.
11:04The godsend would be the one big, super high volume order.
11:1810pm. Time to discuss tactics for the next day.
11:22Car dealerships, DIY.
11:24Swayed has split his team in two. He'll sell a petrol can with Dunn.
11:28Independent DIY shops.
11:30Marinas, boatyards, DIY shops.
11:33OK, now the big clients I'm going to go after, mate, is just to clarify,
11:37this is the AA, the RAC, Sainsbury's.
11:42So you're going to gun for a couple of big boys here?
11:45I'm going to gun for a couple of big boys, yeah, definitely.
11:47Right, because that's got our stuff on.
11:49Paul and Sharon team up to sell the shelves.
11:51We need to get a really nice, neat list.
11:53I'm going to type it up.
11:55My only concern with Paul is that Paul likes to take over everything
11:58and he doesn't like to let other people get a say in.
12:01So it's a case of me trying to make sure that Paul realises that this is a team effort.
12:07So we get a list like that. White City.
12:10Right.
12:13That is under control, believe me.
12:18I think I need Sharon to assist me, but I want to take lead.
12:21I want to start everyone and close everyone.
12:24What I don't want to do is get to the end of tomorrow night
12:26and think about the deals we've lost,
12:28because I know if there's anyone that can do it, it's me.
12:31There's nothing there annoying and something in that,
12:33and you just want to do that.
12:379 o'clock. Shops and suppliers across London open for business.
12:45The teams have until 6.30 to get orders for their products from the trade.
12:50The team with orders of the highest value will be the winner.
12:54All I'm looking to do is spend, with the people that matter,
12:57really five minutes to get the orders.
13:00Ruth's team have picked two products that can be sold to the same kind of outlet.
13:04Their plan is to split in two.
13:06Each half of the team will take both the lights and the coat stand on the road.
13:11I like the product. I think they've got to get the price down.
13:14OK.
13:15The girls will work south London, while Ansel heads north.
13:20Hello.
13:21Hello.
13:22Hello.
13:23Hello.
13:24Hello.
13:25Hello.
13:26Hello.
13:27Hello.
13:28While Ansel heads north.
13:30Hello. You're the Faraway Trading Company, is that correct?
13:33No, us.
13:34What's your name?
13:36OK.
13:37My name is Tadar.
13:39Right, OK, scrap that.
13:47Each half of Saeed's team has taken one product.
13:50While Paul and Sharon try to shift the shelves,
13:54Dunn and Saeed target garages with the fuel can.
13:57It's a new invention. The market's been screaming out for something like this.
14:00Now, we have orders coming left, right and centre.
14:05This is offering something to your customers that none of your competitors are offering, OK?
14:10This is the way forward for fuel cans,
14:12and when I show you what the product is, you will see exactly what I mean.
14:16I'm going to ram these things down to people's throats today.
14:21I just don't know if it's the best way to do it.
14:23That's the way I work, mate.
14:25Would you grab a bag? Grab the blue bag.
14:28The designer has insisted the wholesale price for each fuel can must be no less than £7.50.
14:36What you've got is you take these two caps off, OK?
14:38Only when you press this, the fuel will come out, yeah?
14:42So you can control what you want out from there.
14:45There's not actually enough. Let me just fill it up again.
14:47It sells itself. That's what it does. It sells itself.
14:50You know, you leave it at the front.
14:52OK. OK.
14:53Not at all.
14:54Probably by ten off, you'd be going to achieve enough.
14:58£5 each.
15:00The prices we can do, the lowest we can do, £10.
15:03We can't go anywhere near £5, mate.
15:05We have a rock-bottom price.
15:07If we sell anything below that, we are making a loss.
15:10Obviously, which means I'll get sacked.
15:13So I'm sure you appreciate that.
15:16If I could take it down below £7.50, I would take it down, because I'm here to sell.
15:20I'm not here to take this back with me, etc.
15:22So all I'm suggesting is we could do your budget, sell you £7,
15:26see how you go for £7.50, and that's the rock-bottom price.
15:29Then leave it.
15:31OK, well, I guess that's what I'd have to do.
15:33I've made my decision already, yeah.
15:35OK. All right, mate. No problem at all.
15:40What a...
15:41F***!
15:47Despite a warning from Sir Alan to avoid retail chains,
15:51Saeed is determined to chase a big-name store.
15:55All right, I'm just going to try some big players now,
15:57because this is the time to get in with the big players, early in the morning.
16:02What it is, I have a new, unique design and invention for a fuel can.
16:06I know, OK, that your buyer, if she hears about this product,
16:10she will scream out to speak to me, reason being...
16:13The procedures for being QI,
16:15you need to write with details of the product to the buying office.
16:19Is there no way for anyone to get through to the buyer
16:22and speak to her directly?
16:24There isn't, I'm afraid.
16:25And is that... OK.
16:27And that's the process?
16:28You write in the first instance.
16:30Lovely. Thank you very much. Thanks for your time.
16:32That's OK. Bye-bye. Thanks. Bye. Bye.
16:35OK, well, I'm not letting her...
16:40Telling me what I can and can't do. No, there must be a way round this.
16:4711am.
16:49The other half of Saeed's team is in Islington,
16:52looking for boutique design shops to order the legible.
16:56Stair loss.
17:05Her inspiration was basically initially a bedside table.
17:08She wanted a shelf unit which she could use for storage,
17:10as well as leaning things on so you can see the magazines fit in the back.
17:14Now, what Sharon's going to show you...
17:16Paul's price to the retailer is between £25 and £30,
17:20so they can sell it on for up to £60.
17:23Keeping everything tidy.
17:25How much?
17:26How much would you think they recommended retail prices for one of these?
17:32£35.
17:33See, she's recommending the retail price between £55 and £60.
17:38If we're selling £55 and we're paying her £30,
17:40by the time we've paid VAT we've got about a tenner out of it,
17:43which is OK if I'm going to shift £100 a week.
17:47But, you know, at that £55...
17:51Because, you know, without being rude to the lady,
17:55it's bent metal.
18:01Oh, what a gorgeous smell.
18:03I mean, they're just so versatile.
18:05You can also put stuff on top of it as well.
18:07Air freshener or something like that behind so you don't have to see it.
18:10Candles also look great on here.
18:13My personal opinion is it would stick out like a sore thumb
18:16because it's so different to everything else that I do.
18:18I mean, they're only £25 each.
18:20I mean, we could give you eight for £200.
18:22It's not really stretching your budget that much.
18:24You get eight in your store on a lovely display stand,
18:27it's £200 and you're going to bring £400 back in.
18:30I mean, do you want to take eight today?
18:32I felt like he was a second-hand car salesman in his approach.
18:36Really, really quite forceful.
18:38I kind of thought, OK, it's fine,
18:40but I deal with that every day of the week
18:42when people say new things and...
18:45..it's not the way in which you go about
18:47selling furniture to a retail store.
18:49The kind of people that work in here,
18:51they always look as though they need a right good kick up the arse.
18:54You know, it's just, like, get on with things
18:56and they're always reading books and having coffee
18:58and eating croissants and stuff.
19:00The problem is most of these people can't make decisions
19:03even if they're actually allowed to.
19:07Of all the candidates, Ansel is the most experienced in sales.
19:12Ah, you've got a yellow flag thing outside, haven't you?
19:15He started out selling door-to-door
19:17and is now a senior sales manager,
19:19so Ruth's asked him to work his patch alone.
19:22They're very unique, which is one of the main reasons
19:26that we actually looked to take this product on.
19:29It's got some really good features.
19:32I'd like to set this piece up cos it's quite striking.
19:35The minute I looked at it, I just thought, fantastic.
19:38What's your thoughts initially on those products?
19:41I really like these. We use a lot of stone.
19:43I noticed that.
19:45And so, yes, I would probably say we'd go for five.
19:49OK. Thank you very much. Thank you.
19:52I think I could probably get you more orders on these
19:55because there's a shop in Fulham that we're quite closely affiliated with
19:58that would be interested as well.
20:00Right. Can I say, I've actually got some colleagues in South London
20:03and then I can give them a call.
20:05OK, fantastic. Thanks very much, Amanda.
20:11I've just sold five of the cluster stands.
20:14Oh, you are? Yeah.
20:16And I've sold seven lights.
20:18That's it. So you've sold another five stands. Wicked.
20:21I need you two, you and Ruth, to get a pen and paper.
20:23I've got something that you can... I've got a lead for you.
20:30It's number 9-13 Fulham High Street.
20:34He's named Tony Johnston.
20:36You've got some lovely pieces in here, Tony.
20:40In fact, I think this is the best shop we've been in.
20:44Now, this is a new contemporary, quite funky,
20:48cosmopolitan, minimalistic coat stand.
20:51Now, you can tell by the design that it's very chic and unique.
20:55It attracts the eye when you walk into the room.
20:58And they're retailing at £180.
21:00Right, OK. And what do you say they cost, though?
21:03OK, wholesale, obviously, the more you buy,
21:06the more we can move the margin down for you in the price.
21:09But if you're looking to buy a minimum of five, it's £75.
21:12It's a brilliant market margin.
21:14Yeah.
21:16It's quite contemporary and it fits with my shop,
21:19so, I mean, I'd give it a go.
21:21Great. OK, Michelle, that's this.
21:23Michelle has no experience in sales and knows nothing about design.
21:28But Ruth's told her to get a trade price of £35 for each light.
21:33They can be used as general lighting or they can be used as highlights.
21:37And we can just literally play around with these
21:39and stand them whichever way we want to.
21:41The concrete blocks, to me, they are literally just a concrete block
21:44with a light stuck in them.
21:46But you've got to be able to kind of see it as something that's quite,
21:49you know, man-made, natural product,
21:51with its imperfections still intact and all that kind of bollocks, really.
21:56What do you mean, if they get bashed?
21:58Yeah, I mean, if you're looking to spend £83 on a light,
22:01you don't want to keep it for two, three months.
22:03And over the period of time, it will slightly get knocked
22:06if you're going to move it around.
22:08It actually enhances the character of the light.
22:10Yeah, it just adds character, doesn't it?
22:12The colour grain is all the way through, that actually enhances that.
22:16Right.
22:18Well, realistically, because, you see, we're a furniture shop,
22:22I don't know very much about lighting.
22:25They're a quite inexpensive light.
22:28He took them to the Milan Furniture Fair
22:30and the Armani director bought enough lights to fill his apartment.
22:36We can give 20 a go.
22:39With orders for 27 lights and 12 coat stands,
22:43the girls and Ansel have clocked up over £1,500.
22:52With four hours to go,
22:54Saeed's team have only got £150 worth of orders for their fuel cans.
22:59Yeah, so that's full up with...
23:01That's about two and a half litres in there at the moment.
23:04Because it's a prototype,
23:06the finished product won't be rolling off the lines for another six months.
23:10With this one, all you're doing is you're pressing a button
23:12and you've got the delivery, stopping it whenever you like as well,
23:14so it's complete control.
23:16This is going to be the future for fuel can systems from here in.
23:20They're easy to shift,
23:22basil, and they're easy to make.
23:24It sounds very impressive.
23:27When you've got the finished product, I'd like to see them,
23:30and in probability we would stop them.
23:33Fantastic.
23:35There's only one little problem in that,
23:37and it could be a big problem.
23:39The only little problem is, basil, as you know as a businessman,
23:41we have one day to get the orders in today.
23:43Now, what I was suggesting is,
23:45make a small commitment now,
23:47say 20 or 30.
23:49I mean, I grew up in East London,
23:51I've learned life the hard way,
23:53and one thing I can say is you have got a very, very good product.
23:57I'll take a preliminary order of 10,
24:00and we'll look at it in due course.
24:02Fantastic. What I will suggest is,
24:04you are an absolute gentleman.
24:06We'll shake on that.
24:08Thank you very much, sir.
24:10It's been impressive doing business with you.
24:12I've learned a few things. I wish I could be as cool as you in business.
24:16Not content with small orders from garages,
24:19Saeed still has his sights set on a deal with a big retail chain.
24:23Have you ever worked with, I'm sure you have,
24:25you know jerry cans, you know the red, yeah.
24:27How inconvenient do you find them, honestly?
24:31I can try maybe Total or Texaco,
24:33I'll give them a call and see if I can get through to head office.
24:37OK, thanks for your help, mate. Cheers.
24:39Thanks, mate.
24:41Well, they're a big, big buyer.
24:44At some point I want to go and pitch to Henry's in Holborn today.
24:47No way in hell is a buyer for a multinational company
24:52going to even give you the time of day.
24:55I think you're enough for knocking on the door.
24:57Do you know, before you make such strong statements,
25:00I think you should really consider what you're saying.
25:02In life, OK, at work, this is what we do.
25:04We deal with Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft.
25:06Why would they give me a time of the day?
25:09On the phone, maybe, but I just think knocking on the door...
25:11See, that's what I'm trying to say. On the phone...
25:13No, I know, I mean, see, I'm not disagreeing...
25:15You just said we'd go to High Halt and knock on the door.
25:17That's exactly what I'm saying. I do business on the phone.
25:19If you let me finish, I do business on the phone.
25:21Just give me a second, mate, hold on.
25:23A few miles away, the other half of the team
25:26is following a new lead in South London.
25:29So far, Paul has been dominating the sales pitches.
25:32He's determined to stick to a high minimum order
25:35for their shelf units.
25:37We've got to go for at least 16,
25:39and if not, we'll have to bring it down.
25:41Yeah, the main thing is we're not going to leave there without a sale.
25:44No way.
25:45So, are you going to give me a chance?
25:48Erm...
25:49And get in there?
25:50If you're confident that you can do it,
25:52and on your head be it kind of thing.
25:57Hiya.
25:58Right, I'll just set up, just ignore me.
26:03They're quite good, because houses are getting smaller these days,
26:06these new builds, that you're limited for space, aren't you?
26:10So, it's quite good.
26:12Which is the best seller?
26:14The Matt Black has been very popular in Denmark,
26:17and I think she expects it to be very popular here as well.
26:22Hmm.
26:29I don't know, what's the minimum you'd take,
26:31giving me a vertical display stand?
26:33What's the minimum you would...?
26:35Well, no, I'm asking that as my question to you.
26:37The minimum, really, that we'd be looking to order,
26:39erm, would be 12.
26:48OK.
26:49OK, I'll try 12.
26:51Are you going to call now?
26:53You have a chat and just bear with me a moment.
26:55Well, I've got...
26:56Erm, yeah, Sian did well, she got a sale,
26:58so I'm really pleased for her, she's obviously quite happy about that.
27:01Erm, wouldn't have done much differently.
27:03I'd have said the minimum order was 16,
27:05that was the only difference I would have said.
27:07The deal's done now, and she's had a chance to do it,
27:09so as long as we don't lose by that amount, we'll be laughing.
27:13OK.
27:144.30.
27:15Saeed's drawn a blank with big retailers,
27:18but he's just found a buyer for a fuel distributor.
27:21We've just had a pitch to the guy on the phone,
27:23someone I've been trying to track down all day, OK?
27:26I've got him, he's placed a provisional order of 100,
27:29but we need to go to his house to close the deal.
27:32OK, so we're on the way now to go and close this deal.
27:35Now, personally, I think he... I'll push him up to 150.
27:38Leave that to me.
27:39All right, mate, well, don't fuck it up.
27:41Yes!
27:49With 90 minutes to go,
27:51Ruth's team have tracked down the head buyer
27:53of a chain of nine design stores,
27:56and he's keen to see the coat stand.
27:59We've got a nine-store fucking department store, Ruth.
28:03Hi, Lee?
28:04Hello.
28:05Oh, Ian, Michelle Dewberry, hi.
28:06Hi, I'm Ruth, pleased to meet you.
28:08Thank you ever so much for seeing us today,
28:10especially at this time.
28:12You can see how easy it is to set up.
28:14We've been doing it all day, so we've got quite a neck.
28:19Where is he selling this now?
28:20On the internet only.
28:21Right.
28:22He's only selling it on the internet.
28:24And how successful has he been with it?
28:25He's been very successful.
28:26In two weeks' time,
28:27the Sunday Times are actually doing an article on it
28:31in their Style magazine.
28:33Right.
28:355.30, the candidates are under instruction from Sir Alan
28:39to deliver their order books to Nick and Margaret
28:42in one hour, in Islington.
28:44Saeed is ten miles away, heading in the other direction.
28:48We are five minutes...
28:49Well, we're about ten minutes away from meeting our guy
28:52to close this deal.
28:53We just spoke to him, he's looking very positive.
28:55Got ten minutes to close the deal, get out and head back
28:58so that we can get to Islington and meet you guys there.
29:01All right, mate, we'll fly like the wind.
29:03If we clinch this, we'll beat them at the last minute.
29:06Dying for a lead.
29:12173, 171.
29:14It's going to have to be up on that, isn't it?
29:17Where's 172?
29:19175.
29:22177.
29:24This is bizarre.
29:25That's 177, this one.
29:27Where's 172?
29:29As the minutes tick away,
29:31Ruth tries to close her final deal of the day.
29:34Now, their recommended retail price
29:36and what they're selling on the internet is £180.
29:38Yeah, but how much are you selling?
29:40I don't know.
29:41If you sell one a week at £180, it doesn't mean anything, does it?
29:44Yeah.
29:45If you sell ten a week at £95, then that's a much better deal.
29:48Hadda, from your experience, if one of our customers walked in here
29:51and looked at that and said that's nice and then was told it was £180...
29:54Well, probably not much interest, unfortunately.
29:57So what sort of price are you looking for?
29:59I'm not talking about any order today.
30:01What I'm talking about today is if he wants to put nine in the nine stores we've got,
30:04we'll put them in the stores.
30:06If next week loads of customers come in and we've sold 20,
30:09he'll get an order for 20.
30:10But are you going to look at placing an initial order today with us?
30:13No, not until I know whether it sells or not.
30:15Right, OK, so what you're looking for basically is for him to...
30:18I'm giving the opportunity a floor space in my nine stores.
30:22Right, OK.
30:23Every single retailer we've gone to today, every single one has bought...
30:27Well, good luck to them, but that's not the way... I'm not going to do that.
30:31OK.
30:39Waste of...
30:41What an absolute...
30:42Blanket.
30:43Crap.
30:45I said we even put our lipstick on for him and he was minging.
30:50Hello. How you doing?
30:51How are you, Steve?
30:52Nice to meet you.
30:53If you tip it right over now, you still get no leakage at all.
30:5540 minutes before the deadline,
30:57Saeed and Dun finally track down their bike.
31:00If you release it again...
31:02So it's really controlled.
31:04And you see the key thing with this is you don't get any gurgling.
31:06Yeah.
31:07Which is the one thing that causes splashbacks,
31:10fuel down your trousers a lot.
31:12A maximum flow, as Saeed mentioned before, 5 litres in 12 seconds.
31:16And again, to be totally honest,
31:19I think this will be, in the future,
31:21this will be, you know,
31:24the fuel power of the future.
31:26What I'm thinking is if we start at 200,
31:28what we can do is knock the price down to £9,
31:31and the final figure here is...
31:33Mate, what is this? It's 1,800, is it?
31:35Yeah.
31:36But then what you're getting is 200 units,
31:39which will cost you 2,000.
31:42So you're making a saving of £200 there.
31:44OK, now, if we, again,
31:46if you wanted to go for, say, 250,
31:49OK, we could do them at £8,
31:51but then your cost would be 2,000.
31:54OK, let's do 250.
31:56Don't let 250 stop you.
31:58I mean, if you want to...
32:00If you want to go for bigger numbers...
32:02If we went up to 300, OK,
32:04we could maybe look at reducing the cost to £7.50.
32:07If you do 700, I'll take it.
32:09We can't do 700 cos our rock bottom is £7.50.
32:11Let's do 725.
32:12Steve, I would love to...
32:13Do you know why? Cos you're a fantastic person.
32:15I'd love to negotiate.
32:16It's just that our rock bottom is...
32:18They've just said to us,
32:19£7.50, that's it.
32:20It's a rock bottom.
32:21And you've literally...
32:22That is our rock bottom, £7.50.
32:24OK, I'll take it.
32:25You have 300 at £7.50.
32:27That's 2,250.
32:29Yeah, that's fine.
32:30I mean, we've not come across anybody today,
32:32which is quite...
32:33LAUGHTER
32:36300, son, we just sold 300.
32:38We just made 2,200 quid.
32:402,250 quid.
32:41Nice one, mate.
32:43I went for the jugular, I went for 200,
32:45Dunn went for 250,
32:46and I just went for the slam dunk at 300.
32:48Are you heading back?
32:49Yeah, I'm heading back.
32:51Are you going to be here on time?
32:53It's all in hand, mate, it's all in hand.
33:00625.
33:05Ruth's team make it to Islington,
33:07where Nick and Margaret wait for the order books.
33:10Hello.
33:11Hello, Velocity.
33:12Hello.
33:13First in?
33:14Yeah.
33:22Half of Invictus.
33:25Everyone is back,
33:27except Dunn and Saeed.
33:29Today, you were a fucking soldier.
33:33You were a soldier today, and that's exactly what I needed.
33:36I needed a soldier.
33:38Are the other team there?
33:40Yeah, everyone's here apart from you.
33:4220 past, I said they were 15 minutes away.
33:46Unfortunate.
33:48Yeah.
34:02No, don't look stressed, mate.
34:04You look fine, you look normal.
34:08Yes, there was a major accident there.
34:11They shut down all the roads.
34:14Absolute nightmare.
34:15OK, you'll find out the result in the boardroom.
34:33After a night's sleep, Saeed's team are concerned
34:36they'll be penalised for missing the deadline.
34:41There was a timeline.
34:43We had to abide by it, the other team had to abide by it,
34:46so why should we bend the rules for two other members of our team?
34:49Yeah, it pissed both me and Paul off.
34:52I was really disappointed they didn't get back,
34:54and also disappointed with the usual Saeed answers
34:56that we're going to be five minutes or ten minutes off the traffic.
34:59I mean, just tell the truth, just for once,
35:01just put your hand up and say how fucked up I'm like.
35:04And that's just the usual bullshit,
35:06and it just gets a bit tiring after a while.
35:10If I was trading in real life,
35:12then I would go until the latest time possible
35:14and not worry about running across London to hand the papers in.
35:19The key thing is that we got the deal,
35:21and that's what we're going to be measured on,
35:23who makes the most money, and that's exactly what we did.
35:40Eight weeks ago, these seven left their jobs
35:43for a chance to become Sir Alan's apprentice.
35:46Today, one will be sent home.
35:55You can go through to the boardroom now.
36:10Oh, baby.
36:21Good morning.
36:22Good morning, Sir Alan.
36:27Now, before we get going, I've got a problem.
36:30I've got a problem with you lot coming back late.
36:34If I was given the opportunity to do it again, I'd do it again.
36:38But I must admit, there was an accident on the way.
36:41It's beside the point. You were late.
36:43But there's going to have to be a penalty.
36:45OK, well, I mean, that's your opinion.
36:47It's not my opinion. It's realistic.
36:51Let me give you an example, Si,
36:53of something in the real world that happened to me.
36:55My company was trying to buy a very, very big property deal
36:59owned by the government.
37:01My company was told,
37:03we have to have our tenders in at five o'clock, OK?
37:06What happened was, some bloody motorbike rider
37:09decided to stop off and have a cup of coffee in Starbucks
37:12and delivered the bloody envelope at 5.15.
37:15We didn't get that deal.
37:17And my people spent weeks and weeks of due diligence.
37:20All of it went down the drain, OK?
37:23Now, needless to say, the motorbike firm we don't use any more
37:27and the motorbike rider is, to say the least, on his bloody bike.
37:31I wish I could do the same as the accident that happened on the way.
37:34Well, accident, I don't care about accidents.
37:36I don't care about accidents. It's planning.
37:38I put my hand up to the blame.
37:40I went for the sale. I closed the deal.
37:42And, yes, we were late.
37:44Si, forget about deals at the moment.
37:47You and Dunn did four deals.
37:50So what I'm going to do is take your total sales of those four deals
37:54and divide it by four.
37:56That's your penalty, 25%.
38:00So, Margaret, would you read out, please, for me
38:03what the total sales is of Invicta?
38:06Well, the total sales of Invicta before the penalty
38:09are £3,840.
38:14The penalty is £700,
38:18making £3,140.
38:22Right.
38:24Can you read out what happened with Velocity?
38:27Velocity opened six accounts
38:31and sold stock in to the value of £3,237.50.
38:37Right. Well, well done.
38:40You've won.
38:44You opened six new accounts, right?
38:47And for me as a manufacturer, that rings my bells.
38:50Six new punters. Not so much the quantity and the volume you sold.
38:53You've given me six new outlets to sell to, OK?
38:56So on the basis of that, I've booked a great treat for you.
38:58I've got you into a luxury spa
39:00where you're going to be pampered,
39:02you're going to get facials, massages, treatments, the whole works.
39:06So very, very well done.
39:09Off you go, all of you.
39:11I'll see you lot back in the ballroom shortly.
39:21Good luck.
39:29MUSIC PLAYS
39:31MUSIC CONTINUES
39:55I'm in heaven.
39:57In a word, heaven.
39:59A stress-buster facial.
40:02It is perfect.
40:18While Ruth's team relax, Saeed rehearses his excuses.
40:24Two and a half hours to get from north London
40:27to Lewisham and back.
40:29I mean, on a normal day, that's very realistic,
40:32an hour and a half.
40:34Yeah.
40:356.30's the deadline.
40:36Whether or not he says it in the dossier or anything,
40:38if you go down that line,
40:39he's going to take it to a place called Chinatown.
40:41He's going to absolutely rip the fuck out of you
40:43if you start saying that.
40:44Yeah.
40:45I think, obviously, you can look the fuck up to be Saeed,
40:49but not just for being late,
40:51just for sort of, like, the way your project managed anyway.
40:54You know, if I've made a decision, I'll stick by it.
40:56And when I go back in there, I will stick by my decision.
40:58I would make that call again and again and again.
41:01Two and a half hours is more than enough time.
41:03I grew up in East London,
41:05and I'll put my heart and my life for that.
41:08Two and a half hours is more than enough time to get there and back.
41:12I think Saeed's going to be fired.
41:14The crucial error was going for this last deal,
41:16which made us late.
41:17That's what's lost us the task,
41:19and he's responsible for it.
41:21We'll see. We'll see. We'll see what happens.
41:24I'm feeling confident, but anything can happen in the boardroom.
41:27And to be totally honest, if Sir Alan fires me, it's his loss.
41:48Hello?
41:49OK, Jenny, would you let the four of them in, please?
41:52Yes, sir.
42:09OK, Paul, what did you do on this task?
42:12Planned out the day logistically on where we were going to go
42:14and how we were going to hit places,
42:16and then the next day, led the first two sales,
42:18managed to bump the price up of the actual unit.
42:21It was meant to be 25. We got them for 30.
42:23Was you the main salesman on your team?
42:26Yeah, definitely.
42:27Your mini team is what I'm talking about.
42:29Yeah, definitely.
42:30And I'll come to you when I'm ready.
42:34Do you think that your sales techniques were the right ones to adopt?
42:39Because I had a bit of feedback from a couple of people you spoke to
42:42who thought you were a bit too aggressive.
42:44I didn't mean to come across aggressive,
42:45but I just basically was conscious of getting at least some units out there.
42:48The nicey-nicey designer people that we're dealing with
42:50aren't the kind of people I deal with on a regular basis.
42:52Is that more your fault?
42:54Talking to all these nicely-nicely, softly-softly people?
42:57Did you sell any?
42:58Yes, I did sell some, Sir Alan.
43:00And I have to say that on one occasion, Paul was quite aggressive.
43:04I asked Paul for feedback on his mini team yesterday,
43:07and the feedback that I got was,
43:09and this is the honest feedback that Paul gave me,
43:11was very nice throughout the day.
43:13Did one, closed, and then Paul had to do all the rest.
43:17Sharon closed one deal with three, sorry, with eight units.
43:21Sharon sold the last one with 12.
43:23Refer to Sharon, she did well there.
43:25The only mistake that she would have made
43:27is she should have said the minimum order is 16,
43:29and she said 12, and he closed on that.
43:31He was going to buy anyway.
43:35My impression of you is he's a bit of a backroom bloke,
43:38you know, the number two, the support man,
43:41and not really someone who's in the front.
43:43For a living, I sell products, but in a softer way.
43:46I'm not a hard, aggressive salesperson.
43:48I can be. By all means, I can be.
43:50But this team doesn't need another hard salesman.
43:53What it needs is somebody that knows, that can plan logistics.
43:56What it needed was somebody that was aware of the financial tracking.
43:59What it needed was somebody who knew the new can inside and out.
44:03So you're a bit of a technical expert, really, do you think?
44:06You can call me a technical Tim again if you like,
44:08but in this scenario, had I not done that,
44:11I think we would have been in even more trouble than we were.
44:14You're saying that he wouldn't have sold any unless you were there.
44:17No, I'm saying we wouldn't have sold the volume that we did without that.
44:19I'm saying we wouldn't have secured 300 orders.
44:21I disagree.
44:22We wouldn't have got an order, 300 units, without me there.
44:27Dunn is very, very good at planning, and every salesperson...
44:31I don't want a planner.
44:33Well, that's for you to decide. I would agree with you.
44:35Are you a planner?
44:36I'm a salesman as well. What I'm saying is, it's hard enough...
44:39Portfolio of skills are my words.
44:41Yeah, and I've got that.
44:42You have?
44:43Yeah, I've got that. I can sell, and I can also plan.
44:47This man can sell. Can he plan?
44:49Can he plan?
44:50No, because every decision that Saeed was looking for, Paul made a decision.
44:55Am I talking to you?
44:56Sorry.
44:57Saeed asked Paul's advice on every decision that was made on this task,
45:01and I would say Paul was more of a project manager than Saeed.
45:04The last three tasks, you've closed two deals.
45:06Do you know how many I've closed?
45:07Saeed, I wouldn't want to do business with you,
45:08because I think you're afraid that you would piss off my customer...
45:10I think, to be honest, you have not spent a minute in the real business world.
45:14You'd be eaten up alive, and that's the fact.
45:16And the last three tasks, I have been top performer in every single one,
45:19top salesman in every single one.
45:21I think if you're after a top performer, you're looking at a top performer.
45:24If you're after someone to manage Disneyland...
45:26You're not modest, then, in any way, are you?
45:28No, this is the way I am, and that's not going to change.
45:31Do you think people generally amongst the teams, you know, think much of you?
45:36OK, well, I'm not here to make friends and play happy families,
45:39and that's exactly what's happening in the house.
45:40Secondly, Sir Alan, to be totally honest,
45:43if you look at every single task I have performed,
45:46and if you're looking for a performer, I am that person.
45:49Secondly, when you said the task was to trade,
45:52take it to the trader and sell, that's exactly what I did.
45:55You're telling me you're the greatest and this, that and the other,
45:57and all the rest of them are tossers, right?
45:59There are people in my team that I respect, Sir Alan.
46:01Who do you respect? Paul. Absolutely.
46:04Is that respect, Dunne? Twice. I respect Dunne.
46:06I think Dunne's a good planner.
46:08Well, Saeed, you tell me who you're bringing back in this boardroom with you, then.
46:12Sharon and Dunne.
46:14OK. All right, off you go. Paul, back to the house.
46:18We'll see you a little bit later.
46:34See you soon.
46:36Have a seat.
46:38I think Dunne was just trailing along behind Saeed,
46:41because I wouldn't let him get away with it.
46:43We need to find out a bit more about this Dunne, really.
46:45He comes up with all these clichés, and I want to know what he does, really.
46:48I mean, Saeed clearly is a salesman,
46:51and Sharon, well, she doesn't stop whinging,
46:55and, of course, at the end of the day,
46:58I've got to give someone a job.
47:00We've got the whinger, the liar and the planner.
47:03The whinger, liar and planner, yeah.
47:11PHONE RINGS
47:26Get through to the boardroom.
47:28OK.
47:42Right.
47:46Dunne, listening to Saeed's appraisal of you as the planner,
47:50do you find yourself a bit of a patsy?
47:52No, not at all. I think I serve a purpose within any task and team.
47:56I fill the role that people don't want to fill.
47:59So you are the patsy, then?
48:01I'm not here... Fill the role that people don't want to fill?
48:04Saeed is hard enough to rein in when we're working together on a team, OK?
48:08You give him the authority of a project manager as well.
48:11I stand no hope.
48:13Numerous times we've made the agreement for me to lead a negotiation.
48:16Saeed takes over.
48:17Do you think he's a patsy?
48:19I think... I won't use the word patsy.
48:21I think he's a... Yes, I think he's a planner, and a very good planner.
48:24I appreciate that.
48:25The two situations that I took over, the only reason why I took over...
48:28More than two.
48:29..because the deals were slipping. I had to close them.
48:31See, I don't see anything from you, Dunne, actually.
48:34You've been fortunate to be in winning teams.
48:36I don't think I've been fortunate in being in winning teams.
48:39I think I've contributed to the success of the team.
48:41And what we were doing within this task, for me,
48:43is do we need to have four people running off in all directions,
48:46or do we need three people running off in directions,
48:49and one person maybe reining them in and redirecting?
48:51What was you doing, then?
48:53We were just making crucial decisions.
48:55Do we go and knock on Sainsbury's head office door?
48:57But I told you not to knock on Sainsbury's door.
48:59And I'm supporting that. I didn't want to go.
49:01Well, who did?
49:02So, Alan, I wanted to push the boundaries.
49:04One thing I've learnt with sales is you never know.
49:07I told you before that the greatest salesman in the world
49:11is not going to sell something to Sainsbury's in a day.
49:14It ain't going to happen.
49:15I found that out. That's why I didn't do that.
49:17But I told you.
49:18I had to learn by making mistakes.
49:20What's the point of me telling you?
49:22Tell me, I want to know about this 300 can deal.
49:25I had a lead that I was chasing from the night before.
49:28Got through, got him on the phone, and I just generated interest.
49:32I just told him exactly what I was selling.
49:34He said to me, I'll buy 100 off you right now.
49:36When we got there, we worked together as a team.
49:38When we left, I said, we've got to be very mindful of time.
49:41It's now 4.30, we've got till 6.30.
49:43If we go, this will be the only deal we do.
49:45We're going on the promise, on a verbal promise of 100 units.
49:48I said, we need to sell more than that,
49:50because we can use that 2.5 hours in other places
49:53selling smaller volume units, but making up what we were selling.
49:56Sounds very, very true.
49:57You haven't added a little bit of VAT to that story.
50:00That was 100% accurate.
50:02Basically, we got there, it was a team effort.
50:04I took it from 100 to 250.
50:06Dunn came in and said, why 250, let's go for higher.
50:08I closed him at 300.
50:10Sir Alan, it was a team effort.
50:12I led the negotiations, and we closed it.
50:14Sounds like a good deal.
50:16Yes, it was a very good deal.
50:17It was the one that made...
50:18Sounds like a good deal.
50:19Why shouldn't I fire you, Sharon?
50:21You shouldn't fire me, because the customers that I get you
50:23will be long-term customers that will come back and reorder,
50:26and I'll make you more money than this aggressive sales technique.
50:29Are you naive, Sharon, really, about business?
50:32Are you really naive?
50:34Looking at your CV and your work experience,
50:37you've been a lecturer, you've been a teacher,
50:39Scottish baby clothes, responsibility for service,
50:43and they're all nicey-nicey stuff.
50:45I'm not knocking it, really.
50:48Some companies need that type of thing, but I don't, actually.
50:53I personally think if there was a...
50:55In Disneyland, you'd make a very good manager,
50:57but unfortunately, I'm being totally honest,
51:00you run a baby business, that's good.
51:02Does Sharon have rows all the time, Dunn?
51:05I think Sharon's response to decisions
51:08where she doesn't agree with them maybe sometimes is inappropriate.
51:11What does that mean? Can you say that in English?
51:13If she doesn't like what happens, there is an element of sulking,
51:17for want of a better phrase.
51:19You know what worries me is that, have I got the time for this?
51:23Have I got the time to have someone in my organisation
51:26who is so ultra-sensitive about everything this one says and that one says?
51:30Have I got the time for this?
51:32I don't think you have, Sir Alan, no, and I don't think I'm ultra-sensitive,
51:35I just think that the boys are playing a very clever game in this.
51:39I accept that possibly, and to use his analogy,
51:42there are other businesses like Disney World
51:44where perhaps a different culture may have to exist.
51:47This is not the culture of Sir Alan Sugar's companies, I'm afraid to say.
51:52It's a tough environment out there.
51:54So you tell me, have you got anything else in you
51:57other than this nice, what I call, teacher style?
52:00Of course I have, Sir Alan, I have sold to businesses across the world,
52:03I've exported, of course I can do the hard sell.
52:06I don't need to piss people off and be aggressive and bully people
52:09and I can represent you in the best way possible
52:11and I'm going to work well as a team player.
52:15Done? Who should go out of these two people?
52:17Because we failed the task and because we are sat here,
52:20because of the fact that we were late, it's got to be Said.
52:24Sharon, no point asking you, I suppose.
52:26Said.
52:27Said?
52:28I'd say Sharon, Sir Alan.
52:32If you're after a performer, that's what I am, so...
52:34Well, you're certainly a performer, that's for sure.
52:38Said.
52:40Sir Alan, I respect...
52:42Shut up, I'm talking.
52:46Your team-mates think it's your fault, they put it down to being late.
52:51You're self-promoting, you tend to repeat everything that I say
52:55so as to try and make yourself look good.
52:59But on the other hand, you did sell some good stuff this time
53:01and you are a salesman.
53:02That's why I'm struggling with it at the moment.
53:04That's right.
53:05Shut up.
53:10Sharon, I understand your reasoning
53:12about how you think sales and business could be run,
53:15but the fact is, and I don't think this is your environment,
53:18to be perfectly honest with you.
53:22Dunne, my concern about you was that you don't seem to do anything.
53:26People seem to see you as kind of the backroom bloke.
53:29Push him over there and get on with it.
53:32I have a perception of you, it may be wrong.
53:35It may be wrong and I might be making a mistake.
53:38I might be making a mistake.
53:43My decision is...
53:48Sharon, you're fired.
53:53All right, thank you.
53:56Thanks, Scott.
54:05Good luck in everything you do.
54:09Good luck, stay strong.
54:11Oh!
54:15I get to go and see my fiance. You do.
54:17Good luck.
54:18I think you're an arrogant wanker, but good luck.
54:20I was just about to say, you're a great person, Sharon.
54:23Just go, it's great.
54:24Honestly, I'm going out to see this.
54:26OK, all right, take care.
54:41I think St Alan fired me because he thought I was too nice for business
54:46and I totally disagree with that.
54:49To be honest, I think St Alan's made a big mistake
54:51because Saeed is a liar.
54:53He will cause quite a lot of problems in his business.
54:56He'll probably end up in jail.
54:58He'll probably end up in jail.
55:00He'll probably end up in jail.
55:02He'll probably end up in jail.
55:04He'll probably end up in jail.
55:06He'll probably end up in jail.
55:08He'll probably end up in jail.
55:10He'll probably end up in jail.
55:26One job, now six candidates.
55:30St Alan's search for his apprentice continues.
55:38You