"How will I know if they are up for the challenge and how can I get the best out of the interview? I want a defined process to help find the people who could really make something of the business."It doesn't help that Vom FASS is a new idea, not always easily understood. "The best way to describe it is as a new generation of off-licences. We haven't advertised much yet and don't really know the best place to start. We intend to use our existing shops, but clearly that won't be enough."Once he begins to attract people, his next step will be selecting ones of the right calibre.
"My target is to have three franchises by the end of this year, a further 12 to 15 by the end of next year and 100 within the next four years."But, he adds: "We're looking for a lot of people and we don't know where to find them. They are doing well.Mr Mosconi's objective is to establish 200 franchises throughout the UK over the next 10 years So far, he has set up just one, with two in the pipeline. Originating in Germany, it has been in the UK for five years and is looking to step up its presence here. "I think the Vom FASS concept is very attractive, not least because food and drink is becoming so popular in the UK," says managing director Richard Mosconi. The firm has hit on franchising as the best expansion option, and its track record abroad suggests it may be right. Vom FASS operates in five European countries, and most of its stores outside the UK are run as franchises. Dubbed "the sweet shop for grown-ups", Vom FASS is a retail business selling wines, spirits, oils and vinegars from glass and wooden casks.
You'll find its products in outlets ranging from the food halls at Harrods and Selfridges, to 12 standalone stores in towns such as Stratford-upon-Avon and villages such as Chalfont St Giles in Buckinghamshire Vom FASS also sells via an internet operation. You can also do this on a TV set or projector via a cable that connects to the D600.A small cable comes in the box with the D600. It is mainly intended for consumers to view pictures or movie clips, but it can also be used to display PowerPoint files in the office.The idea of being able to play a business presentation from nothing more complicated than a mobile phone is intriguing, though whether many people would actually want to depend on the phone alone for working with PowerPoint is open to question.But overall, the D600 offers a strong package for business users seeking a basic handset, rather than a phone-handheld computer hybrid.RATING: 4 out of 5.PROS: durable; businesslike design; Bluetooth and GPRS; good battery life.CONS: basic email functions.PRICE: from free with a contract.CONTACT: www.samsung.co.uk. Here, Samsung has built a few other interesting features into the D600.As well as a decent battery life and Bluetooth connections, a function that will interest business users is the ability to view Word and PowerPoint files. This works well enough, but is not really a substitute for BlackBerry or other "push" email technology.The large amount of memory built into the D600 - around 80MB - gives plenty of room to store email and other documents.