Former Meridian Aviation salesman, Derrick Ings, has branched out on his own by setting up Derrick Ings Aircraft Sales in late March. He said he has had a flurry of interest: “I probably wouldn’t have set up the business if I hadn’t left Meridian, but I have to tell you that over the past few weeks I can’t think why I didn’t do this years ago.”

Ings was unable to discuss his departure from Meridian due to legal reasons, but clearly relishes this new found independence: “Although we dealt with a range of other manufacturers’ used aircraft, we specialised in Piper, being the UK Piper distributor. Now my horizons are somewhat widened. I have no brand loyalty, so I’m able to give clients advice and guidance across a wide range of aircraft platforms.”

In a market currently well represented with brokers, EBAN asked Ings what he felt he personally could offer: “There always been a need for what I would call a non-dogmatic approach to customer requirements. It should be: ‘What do you want?’ rather than: ‘This is what I can offer, do you want it?’ I believe this means paying more attention to listening to the customer rather than talking to the customer, and I

don’t think many people do this these days.”

The new venture has apparently been set up without too much difficulty: “I’ve had phenomenal encouragement and I’ve never been so busy in my life. It was a nervous beginning tinged with excitement and now it’s all coming to fruition,” said Ings. Customers will be garnered from his past experiences, although he won’t be taking any ready-made client base with him: “I wouldn’t say a client base; I have a reputation amongst the customers I had for honesty. I didn’t always say what people wanted to here, but I always made sure that what they heard was the truth.”

Ings went on to explain how the venture will take shape: “Initially I’m going to be doing brokerage; taking aircraft on to my books for sale and matching them with customer demands. For those customers who I don’t have anything for, I can carry out a specialised search. Additionally, I can help customers who already have an aircraft for sale which is not selling. As I’m not employed by a corporate body I am perhaps hungrier, more motivated, focused and able to offer a much more dedicated service to the individual.”

According to Ings a number of acquaintances have already shown interest: “Obviously I know a great many people from my ‘apprenticeship days’ and will offer my services to them as time goes by. In fact I’ve had a number of them phone me and ask if I can help them, where others have not been able to.”

Ings is hoping that foresight will also carry him through to success: “I envisage a shift from a buyers’ market to a sellers’ market. There are already signs on the US market that it’s picked up quite strongly in a number of areas. But brokers need to be realistic and forge the compromise between a buyer’s budget and a seller’s wishes, and I’ve been pretty good at forging compromises in the past.”