Choosing the right dating agency can be a huge challenge in itself, especially for the more well cultured individuals. Being single and professional has its drawbacks and in today’s fast paced world, the odds appear to be greatly stacked against accomplished professionals finding long-lasting and loving relationships.
Alex Mellor-Brook, Head of PR and Marketing for Select Personal Introductions and Development Officer (UK) for the industry watchdog says, “Professional people simply want to meet their equal and despite having over 15 million singletons in the UK, finding ‘the one’ is a major challenge. The older we get, the more specific we become about what we want in a partner and with a much smaller social network and fewer single friends many find it difficult to know where look next.”
Nobody wants to be swindled out of their hard earned cash, no matter how wealthy they are, so here is a helpful guide explaining the major differences between the various services out there.
Franchise agencies:
The problem is franchise fees. These fees can really affect net earnings. A franchisee still has to pay for its regular business operation expenses as well as the ongoing franchise fees so it’s easy to see that the agency will not be making as much money as originally believed. Without money, business will fail! Another problem with a franchise is that it is actually very risky: Approximately 70 – 80% of businesses fail within the first 2 – 5 years. And the percentages are getting worse as the economy suffers. Added to this, the average, “successful” business usually doesn’t start consistently turning a profit in as long.
National agencies:
Some agencies cover the whole of the United Kingdom and register people from all walks of life. As such they are faced with the difficulty of a diluted membership and one that is not solely targeted at single, articulate professionals. The majority of its membership base will be located in the South of England. This means that you will have to be prepared to do a lot more travelling at the end of a days work to meet your Mr or Mrs Right! This type of agency is unable to provide a personal matching service so each introduction will be drawn from a computer database picking out similar details in you and your matches profile. This can only work if everyone tells the whole truth and unfortunately, (similar to online services) it is human nature to embellish. We all want to appear younger, prettier and more successful than we actually are! It is also in the agency’s best interests to make their members sound more appealing to others. So, if the agency writes the member profiles it is still likely to be hyped up!
Online dating:
The Office of Fair Trading said the increased potential to meet new people online is being exploited by scammers to con people out of their money. Fraudsters generally target online singles columns and dating websites. The online profiles they create are fictitious and are usually accompanied with fake photographs. In some cases fraudsters have strung people along for years, conning them out of huge sums of money and leaving them financially ruined. Some of the most serious cases are being investigated by the Serious Organised Crime Agency. One recent case involved a British national who was kidnapped after travelling to West Africa after falling for a dating scam. If you’re looking for a cheap option, nothing too serious or long-term and know how to keep yourself safe then online might still be for you, apply now.
Traditional dating agencies:
The bulk of agencies with ABIA status are traditional (off-line) agencies, whose strengths lie in the personal one to one contact with a high level of personal service. As well as service, location is also important in your choice of offline agency, since the membership base of each will be concentrated in the area(s) they specifically target. These types of agencies are able to provide introductions more locally and cater for the more select clientele who are genuinely looking for a long-lasting relationship.
Company ownership:
Some agencies claim to have been established for many years, but it must be noted that some agencies have changed hands four or five times during the course of its business. This could be for genuine reasons but is most likely due to failed business activities – this often leads to a company being placed into administration and your personal details being sold on without your consent.
Select Personal Introductions, a traditional dating agency and the leading dating specialist for single, articulate people of the professions.
For your peace of mind, Select Personal Introductions has never changed ownership or been part of a franchise nor does it have a diluted membership due to being spread too thinly across the United Kingdom. We are not an online dating service, nor do we operate using a PO BOX.
Select Personal Introductions is a traditional and exclusive dating agency, specifically designed for single articulate people from the professional, managerial, creative, media fields and recognised professions, living or working within Manchester, Cheshire, Lancashire, Merseyside, Chester, Wirral, North Wales, West Yorkshire, Leeds and South Cumbria areas.
Select Personal Introductions is a member of the Association of British Introduction Agencies and is the only ABIAregulated traditional dating agency in the Northwest and surrounding areas which is dedicated to people of the professions.
The ABIAwas set up at the instigation of the Government in 1981 to protect consumers and we are pleased that our consultative service is managed by Mr Alex Mellor-Brook, (A.B.I.A. Elected Council Member since 2001) with a background in business, marketing and corporate management.
For your FREE information pack please call our friendly customer services team today on 0161 872 3900 or complete our application form online and let us help you find a long-lasting, loving relationship.