020-7828 4925|Store Opening Hours|Glossary Est. 1985 - the Kind of Service of which Legends are Made
Grays of Westminster
Online Shop
New Equipment
New Equipment
New Nikon Camera Equipment
Nikon Manual Focus Lenses Pricelist
Price-Match Guarantee
Instruction Manuals
Hawkesmill Bags & Straps
Think Tank Camera Bags
Book Shop
Grays Merchandise
Ordering Information
Finance
Currency Converter
Nikon Data
Gift Certificates
Second-hand Equipment
Second-hand Equipment
Autofocus Nikkor Lenses
Nikon Digital Cameras
Nikon 35mm Film Cameras
Nikon Mirrorless
Manual Focus Nikkor Lenses
Vintage & Pre-AI Nikkor Lenses
Nikon Rangefinder Equipment
Nikon Accessories
Nikonos
Nikon Cine Cameras
Second-hand Grading
Wants List
Wanted for Cash
How to Find Us
Contact Us
About Us
News
Events
An Introduction
Grays of Westminster Film
Testimonials
In The Movies
Grays of Westminster Gazette
Tour the Shop
Awards
What the Press say
What other websites say
Blog
Store Opening Hours
Glossary
Blog

Home / Blog

 

Featured Posts

Grays of Westminster is one of the world’s most famous Nikon dealers

Perfect Photographic Presents - the Grays of Westminster Newsletter

New Grays of Westminster advert including new book preview

Grays of Westminster & Nikon Scoop Top Prizes at AP Awards

Grays of Westminster & Nikon Owner present an unmissable Christmas Evening with a unique presentation by Neil Lucas & Michael Pitts.

  • The legendary award-winning Grays of Westminster is a charming period shop, specialising exclusively in Nikon. It offers what is probably the widest range of new and second-hand Nikon in the world. It is situated in a quiet location in central London and offers a fast and reliable mail-order service on any Nikon item - available to all world-wide destinations. Tax free shopping to non-European Community residents is also available.

    Grays of Westminster shop, Pimlico, London

  • How to Find Us

    Grays of Westminster
    ...Exclusively Nikon
    40 Churton Street
    Pimlico, London
    SW1V 2LP
    Tel: +44 (0)20 7828 4925
    Fax: +44 (0)20 7976 5783
    info@graysofwestminster.co.uk
    www.graysofwestminster.co.uk


    View Larger Map
  • Links

    • Nikon
    • Nikon UK
    • Nikon Owner Magazine
    • Think Tank Camera Bags
  • Nikon Owner Magazine

    Current Issue

    Nikon Owner magazine latest cover

  • Tags

    nikon grays of westminster nikkor london nikon special offer nikon special offers camera shop photography second hand nikon equipment nikon deals nikon owner magazine Nikon Owner Simon Stafford Gray Levett dslr london camera shop lenses D810 lens photography magazine Camera nikon deal cashback D750
  • Blog Archive

    • 2022 (4)
      • January (1)
      • February (1)
      • April (1)
      • May (1)
    • 2021 (6)
      • October (3)
      • December (3)
    • 2020 (3)
      • January (1)
      • September (1)
      • November (1)
    • 2019 (23)
      • January (3)
      • February (1)
      • March (4)
      • April (1)
      • May (1)
      • July (4)
      • August (4)
      • September (3)
      • October (2)
    • 2018 (36)
      • January (6)
      • February (4)
      • March (6)
      • April (4)
      • May (2)
      • June (3)
      • July (2)
      • September (1)
      • October (4)
      • November (1)
      • December (3)
    • 2017 (89)
      • January (8)
      • February (8)
      • March (7)
      • April (7)
      • May (9)
      • June (7)
      • July (9)
      • August (5)
      • September (8)
      • October (7)
      • November (6)
      • December (8)
    • 2016 (74)
      • January (9)
      • February (8)
      • March (6)
      • April (3)
      • May (3)
      • June (1)
      • July (8)
      • August (9)
      • September (8)
      • October (8)
      • November (6)
      • December (5)
    • 2015 (74)
      • January (5)
      • February (5)
      • March (3)
      • April (10)
      • May (4)
      • June (4)
      • July (9)
      • August (9)
      • September (4)
      • October (6)
      • November (7)
      • December (8)
    • 2014 (82)
      • January (10)
      • February (11)
      • March (5)
      • April (5)
      • May (10)
      • June (7)
      • July (6)
      • August (5)
      • September (8)
      • October (7)
      • November (4)
      • December (4)
    • 2013 (87)
      • January (4)
      • February (11)
      • March (7)
      • April (8)
      • May (7)
      • June (10)
      • July (6)
      • August (7)
      • September (5)
      • October (10)
      • November (10)
      • December (2)
    • 2012 (98)
      • January (7)
      • February (10)
      • March (2)
      • April (9)
      • May (13)
      • June (14)
      • July (5)
      • August (13)
      • September (9)
      • October (8)
      • November (4)
      • December (4)
    • 2011 (93)
      • January (8)
      • February (10)
      • March (6)
      • April (9)
      • May (9)
      • June (8)
      • July (7)
      • August (10)
      • September (7)
      • October (5)
      • November (10)
      • December (4)
    • 2010 (108)
      • January (5)
      • February (12)
      • March (7)
      • April (6)
      • May (8)
      • June (6)
      • July (8)
      • August (14)
      • September (18)
      • October (5)
      • November (7)
      • December (12)
    • 2009 (20)
      • June (1)
      • July (2)
      • October (5)
      • November (6)
      • December (6)
  • Tweets by @NikonatGrays
  • Tweets by @NikonatGrays
  • Categories

    • Awards
    • Competition
    • Events
    • Featured
    • Grays of Westminster
    • News
    • Newsletters
    • Nikkor Lenses
    • Nikon Owner Groups
    • Nikon Owner Magazine
    • Nikon Products
    • Nikon Special Offers
    • Outings
    • Photographers
    • Photographic Awards
    • Photographic Gallery
    • Photography Competition
    • Press Release
    • Review
    • second hand
    • Seminars
    • Technical Advice
    • Uncategorized
    • Workshops
    • YouTube

Blog

To the manners born… Gray Levett’s Guest Opinion, BPI Magazine – February 2012

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Grays of Westminster

Click image to view

“In addition to a full knowledge of one’s trade, exemplary manners and complete professionalism were tools that could open doors to success.”

 

Though a great deal has changed since Gray Levett, founder of Grays of Westminster– the multi-award winning Nikon-only dealer based in London, started his first job in the industry, many of the lessons he learned then are, no less valid today.

My first job in the photographic retail world was at Hartle Photographic, a camera shop in Bournemouth on the south coast of England. The proprietor was not only knowledgeable about cameras and photography, but possessed an old-fashioned sensibility that pursued with absolute conviction the concept of a pre-Second World War approach to dealing with customers. He worked us like a drill sergeant and put his staff through a strict regime, involving us in daily cleaning, dusting, and presentation, as well as making sure the clientele were treated with respect and given good service. He also insisted that you knew your equipment and could answer any question without hesitation. Perhaps the hardest part of this apprenticeship for me were the daily lessons. He would say to you something like ‘Focal plane shutter – definition?’ If you showed the slightest lag in responding with the correct answer you had to look it up in a dictionary. Between serving customers. I spent my time studying so that I could answer his questions fully! Not only did you have to know the answer, you had to demonstrate it to him and show you understood what you were saying. He did not permit a rote manner of remembering things. You had to know. I cursed him (under my breath) each time I was kept late trying to answer some arcane photographic question, when I would rather have been outside shooting pictures!

Daylight begins to dawn…

Then about a year later, something unexpected happened. I had decided to move to London in order to broaden my career prospects. I selected what I considered to be the best camera shop to work at, which was based in central London. I was interviewed by the owner, another formidable figure. He questioned me intensively and at length. My responses were immediate, confident and without hesitation. Then it dawned on me, all the studying of photographic nomenclature, all the drilling on the key elements of dealing with people and all the months of training on how to provide a truly professional service had fallen in to place. All those facts, all that study and questioning had become mine to use. I suddenly realised that my old boss had given me something of great value. He had trained me to become competent and confident in my profession. It was a moment of revelation to me. I learnt that you have to be a professional in whatever you do in life if you are to succeed. If you know your subject and can think with the information and have manual dexterity with your equipment, any professional in that field will recognise you as a professional too. But far more importantly, your knowledgeable professionalism will communicate to the customers with whom you are dealing and you will be listened to.

A lost world…

There is another key element to all of this. My former boss had also taught me the importance of good manners whilst dealing with anyone. Good manners were originally developed by man to oil the machinery of human relationships. There are a number of terms used to describe this procedure: politeness, decorum, etiquette, courtesy and respect. Throughout the history of the world and throughout all races, “bad manners” are rejected. “Good manners” grant importance to the other person. Good manners are respected. As standards of courtesy have eroded in society, having good manners stands out and is remembered. In summation, I then learnt that in addition to a full knowledge of one’s trade, exemplary manners and complete professionalism were tools that could open doors to success. The one thing that I have noticed over the years is that the shops and companies that are successful have training programmes on these key elements as a matter of importance, and those that don’t are suffering or have even disappeared. For the record my old boss’s name was Mr. Hartle. He did have a first name but I would never have dreamed of using it (even behind his back) and even today I cannot bring myself to call him by his first name. Somehow it would not be right. It might just break the spell!

Facebook Comments

Posted in Grays of Westminster, Photographers | Tagged care, courtesy, customer service, grays of westminster, magazine, nikon, photography | 1 Comment

One Response to To the manners born… Gray Levett’s Guest Opinion, BPI Magazine – February 2012

  1. John R Gibbs says:
    March 1, 2012 at 4:06 am

    The accolades afforded to both you and your Aladdin’s Cave of quality Nikon equipment, is much deserved. Well Done!…Thankyou.

Join our Mailing List Go

MAIN MENU

Home
Equipment
About Us
Book Shop
News
Blog
Wanted for Cash
Wants List
Events
How to Find Us
Contact Us
CONTACT US

40 Churton Street
Pimlico, London
SW1V 2LP, England

Telephone: +44 (0)20-7828 4925
E-mail: info@graysofwestminster.co.uk

Opening hours:
Mon - Fri: 10:00am - 5:30pm
Closed on Public and Bank Holidays

CORPORATE

Registered in
England & Wales.

Registered office:
40 Churton Street
Pimlico, London
SW1V 2LP, England

Company Reg. No. 5652450

VAT No. 872 2684 03

THURSDAY
18
AUGUST
Copyright 2022 Grays of Westminster. All Rights Reserved. Site by Amazing Internet
Terms & Conditions|Privacy Policy|Cookies