PTFS suspends chairman

Readers' comments (12)

• Danny Lovey | 19 Nov 2009 9:16 pm

  I know Martin Wilson fairly well - he is one of the good guys and has integrity and is respected by those who meet him and importantly the PTFS staff who have grown up with the firm.
  I cannot believe Martin is knowingly guilty of any wrong doing

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• Danny Lovey | 20 Nov 2009 8:12 am

  Sleeping on my above comment, I can only say I find this even more unbelievable. Martin is an intermediary's friend and fights their corner. He has built the business on high ethical standards and is not someone who has just planned to build a business to flog it asp.
  I will bet a pound to a penny that when the 'truth out's' he will have done no wrong in my eye's

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• Mike Fitzgerald | 20 Nov 2009 10:35 am

  I have known Martin Wilson for quite a few years and in all my dealings with him i have always found him to both honest and Trustworthy.
  Martin is well liked by his brokers firms and Im sure that we all give him our best wishes and suppoort at this time.
  Mike Fitzgerald
  The EMBA Group Ltd

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• Mike Yeoman | 20 Nov 2009 2:34 pm

  We are ARs with Personal Touch. I have today received a telephone call from a Development Manager from a large rival network. He had in the past been to see us, to find out if we were interested in joining them. His opening gambit today, was to ask if I knew of the suspension of Martin Wilson. I did already know. It is interesting to see, that the vultures are all to eager to swoop, when there is a hint of scandal. I thought that a person was considered innocent until proven guilty. Clearly one the network competition does not have the same values.

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• Ashley Brown | 20 Nov 2009 3:43 pm

  I've never had any doubts on the integrity of Martin Wilson or his staff. As said, he is a good guy in the industry. I do not believe it can be anything serious, and PTFS are just playing everything by the book. It's rubbish that people assume the worst.

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• Anonymous | 20 Nov 2009 3:54 pm

  I am an AR of PTFS and unfortunately, this news does not surprise me one bit. I have been with PTFS for over 7 years and have built my business up using PTFS as my foundations. In the last 2 years however, especially since the instigation of the Regional Support Centre’s, I am sorry to say that Personal Touch has lost its personal touch.
  
  We have very recently questioned their compliance manual on a number of different points, concerning their file checking regime, how they conduct appraisals and risk assessments and their interpretation of each area of the compliance manual to suit which ever individual is looking at it at a particular time. We questioned all of this but received a muted response, basically saying that they wouldn’t comment - I see a pattern forming.
  
  I believe that PTFS have lost control of its business, taking on too many AR's, but allowing quality staff to leave and not providing correct training to the new staff who takes their positions.
  
  We recently tried to ask for an investigation of a matter using their Whistle blowing scheme. What a joke that was. Their was no investigation, nor was their any discretion shown to us.
  
  I feel sad that a company I put so much effort into and previously used their business recommendations for my own business. Unfortunately, Martin Wilson is to blame, because, like the captain of a ship, he is ultimately responsible. If he can make millions on the way up from the company, then he must realize that he is still responsible for what happens their and unfortunately, he hasn’t kept his eye on things.
  
  I’m sorry that PTFS are having a rough time, but there are a lot of brokers who may feel that something has now happened which may change the network for the better.

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• Eddie Murphy | 21 Nov 2009 9:03 am

  Having worked around all sorts of people in the industry over the years, and upon joining PTFS in February 2007, I have found Martin Wilson and Personal Touch to be an absolute pleasure to deal with and he has always conducted himself in both a professional manner whilst always providing the support you would want from your network. I would like to post my support to Martin and his family and look forward to hearing that all has been concluded quickly and Martin is back where he belongs, at the helm of Personal Touch.

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• Keith Hood | 23 Nov 2009 1:43 pm

  As with almost all the posts i would like to add that although I've only known Martin a couple of years I have found him to be a man of integrity. I believe that the issue is not a compliance one as implied by one of the trade mags, but simply a grievance procedure being carried out when one employee has a gripe with another. Ultimately Martin is an employee like any other and has to follow the same procedure as any other. Must be tough for him and Amanda to be put in this position and in the unlikely event that they are reading this I send them my best. Great shame that it couldn't have been resolved in house.
  Regarding the anonymous post, all I can say is that I am also a PTFS AR and very pleased to be one. The gripe regarding the RSC's makes no sense to me, the Network introduced them to retain the "Personal Touch", surely local events, particulalrly training, and more of it, is beneficial?

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• Anonymous | 24 Nov 2009 10:18 am

  This does not surprise me at all. As a past AR of PTFS I initially found Martyn to be all of the good things previously mentioned however as the business took a downturn he changed dramatically, renaging on agreements by refusing to release business and effectively blocking any member trying to leave.
  Certainly not the man (or the business)that I originally joined.

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• Anonymous | 24 Nov 2009 1:55 pm

  I am also a past AR of PTFS and initially found Martin and his company very friendly and promising the earth. When we left they held on to renewal commissions and took months to deal with agency transfers.
  The last straw for me was when PTFS changed the amount of commission they took from us from 10% to12% without any prior discussion or written notice only to apologise thatthey could have communicated it better!!!
  They also never communicated that when you leave they do not allow you to transfer your Paymentshield agency away and that they then keep 70% of the renewal commission.
  I wonder what goal posts they will change next.

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