Mark Stoddart Jamie Hurst Jonny Scott Ling’s IT LINGsCARS web University programmer developer designer experts in Sunderland Echo by Alison Goulding Twitter Internet Nerds
Posted on | July 31, 2009 | Comments Off
World Wide Wackiness
Don’t be fooled by the fun: Ling Valentine and her team mean business. And with a 2008 turnover of £35 million on track to jump to £40 million this year, there’s method in their madness.
LINGsCARS.com began life in 2001 as a traditional car contract hire business.
But Ling, who comes from Chengdu, in Sichuan, China, soon got tired of sending faxes and decided to harness the might of the Internet to bring the cash roaring in. After an invitation to appear on Dragons’ Den two years ago, business began to spiral, and Ling found a nifty way to keep the website alive and thriving.
Mark Stoddart, 20, from Castletown, was the first to apply to an advert looking for website developers. In typical Ling fashion, it offered £10 an hour, full-sugar Coke, plenty of doughnuts and a window into the Valentine mindset “I own a Chinese Nuclear Missile Truck – need I say more?” the ad read.
Mark was joined by Jamie Hurst, also 20, and the two set about applying the latest technology to the website and finding new ways to stamp Ling’s personality across the site. Today, the internet team has one more addition – protege 19-year-old Jonny Scott – and hits are up to 90,000 each month.
All three are studying for a computing degree at Sunderland University and work for Ling in their spare time, in between drinking, partying, drug-taking, sex and more drinking.
The website is designed around interactive service; customers can log on and get talking to staff within a few minutes. Full price lists are livened up with new deals, Ling’s Prisoner Camp, a quiz and much colourful scribbling and slogans, including Ling’s trademark “Wah!”
Jamie said: “We do have a bit of a reputation at university because the website is very different. Most people think it’s a good laugh.”
Jonny said: “We get the chance to test things we wouldn’t be able to at universtity because technology moves faster than the syllabus can.”
Mark said: “It definitely gives us the edge because we’ve got nearly two years of sound business experience. The website is alive – we update it every day in one way or another. We try to make it better and better all the time and come up with new ideas.”
Ling, 36, said; “They are all very good and I hope they are happy here.”
All three are on 24-hour call should things go wrong and Ling is in talks with them about staying on after university.
Developing the website is a constant and Ling aims to cut out as many phone calls as possible. It’s a strategy that could alienate customers, but Ling’s approach seems to have the opposite effect. She said: “The best TV programmes have emotion and feeling. Websites are the same. Our website is totally different to the normal, boring corporate sites – there are too many of them.”
“We’re trying to put lots of fun into it. Customers spend hours on there.”
Over the past eight years, Ling has cultivated a reputation for entertaining publicity. Her invitation to meet the Dragons came from the fuss generated by herChinese Truck (complete with homemade missile) parked up on the A1 to pull in punters. She is also the proud owner of a London bus and sends packets of noodles to clients in an envelope adorned with Chairman Mao.
Ling said: “People think I’m mental and, plus, I’m Chinese so I get away with a lot more. But the business works because people, men especially, like shiny new cars.”
When she started, Ling admits, her car knowledge was basic, but her business instincts pushed her on. She said: “When I started I didn’t know what a Vauxhall Corsa was. My husband wanted to sell cars, but I knew the future was leasing. It works because people, especially men like new things – they like shiny new cars.”
For more information go to LINGsCARS.com
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About
I am Ling Valentine as seen on Dragons' Den I lease cheap cars in the UK!. Have a look at my Cheap car leasing website
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My Twitter page!
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MINI BLOG |
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NO FM CAR RADIO IN 2015
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Posted: 04/03/10
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Listening to the radio in our cars is something we all take for granted. Every car these days comes with a good quality radio, and... READ MORE
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HIDING VAT
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Posted: 02/07/10
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Can you believe prices you see on the web? I've gotta say, how annoyed it makes me that so many websites break the law, also known... READ MORE
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THE 3 DEGREES - MY IT CROWD
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Posted: 18/07/10
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Just to say that Mark, Jamie and Jonny have graduated. Fantastic!All have got FIRSTS in Computer something or other from Sun... READ MORE |
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MY SISTER'S (CHINESE) SKODA!
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Posted: 08/07/10
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Although I only lease cars in the UK, my sister Shan asked me to help her buy a brand-new car in China!She looked at quite a... READ MORE |
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I am GAY ICON! WoW!
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Posted: 04/02/10
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How amazing! I have my first Civil Partnership couple, both applying a car EACH! That was two weeks ago; the sensible one has alre... READ MORE
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 I am the Viz UK business ambassador! Post me Ferrero-Rochers! Yum Yum! |
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Read my customer letters! Choose a CAR TYPE and read letters from customers who have rented this type from me! | |
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 PLAY BOTTOM TRUMPS! |
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I expose HIDDEN UK Car Sales Fig's make-by-make! See the sales stats the car industry hides! |
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GET A QUOTE! Can't find a car? Want extras? Please don't ring with quote requests! I'm damn busy! Click QUOTE! - Ling |
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| Mazda Pick-Up! | ||
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Funny car leasing TV ads! |
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Q: "Name kind and benign world leader who invented Lada car?" A: Comrade Joe! Try my new quiz - click here. It's not easy! - Ling | |
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FREE delivery and collection is included with most cars! A driver will drop off and collect your new car! | |
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| Click to see my LIVE lease car customers! - Ling | ||
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...get a FREE BADGE! Collectors item - FREE! APPLY NOW! |
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I expose HIDDEN UK Car Sales Fig's make-by-make! See the sales stats the car industry hides! |
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GET A QUOTE! Can't find a car? Want extras? Please don't ring with quote requests! I'm damn busy! Click QUOTE! - Ling |
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| Audi S4 & a dog! | ||
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Funny car leasing TV ads! |
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 | Crash tests! I take the trouble to show every crash test for my new cars, in the interests of customer health and safety! Click HERE - Ling |
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EXTRA CHEAP CARS HERE See 30 cheapest cars! |
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Now I search 75,000 mobile deals to find you the cheapest! Click to buy. Top 50 mobile handsets - HERE. - Ling |
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| Bouncy Jeep advert! | ||
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Funny car leasing TV ads! |
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I expose HIDDEN UK Car Sales Fig's make-by-make! See the sales stats the car industry hides! |
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PLAY BOTTOM TRUMPS! |
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Every brand new car has breakdown cover. This means no roadside repair bills for your contract hire car! | |
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PLAY BOTTOM TRUMPS! |
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...get a FREE BADGE! Collectors item - FREE! APPLY NOW! |
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PLAY BOTTOM TRUMPS! |
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NEW FEATURE "There is no free lunch" - YES THERE IS! I bring you free lunch. Nowhere else give you this offer! Click - Ling | |
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Q: "Name kind and benign world leader who invented Lada car?" A: Comrade Joe! Try my new quiz - click here. It's not easy! - Ling | |
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THE BOSS!
LINGsCARS.com is owned and operated by Ling Valentine. I'm da boss! Any problems, you can call me, OK? |
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Compare the daily cost of your prospective car to a packet of cigs. Easily work out the REAL cost of your new contract hire car! COOL! | |
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All my contract hire cars come with the FULL manufacturer's warranty. So you'll have no repair bills! | |
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THE BOSS!
LINGsCARS.com is owned and operated by Ling Valentine. I'm da boss! Any problems, you can call me, OK? |
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| Crash tests! I take the trouble to show every crash test for my new cars, in the interests of customer health and safety! Click HERE - Ling |
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NEW FEATURE "There is no free lunch" - YES THERE IS! I bring you free lunch. Nowhere else give you this offer! Click - Ling | |
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Ling's mantra. Power and cars to the people in the struggle against Tony Blair, petrol prices and repression! Click for statement. | |
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To avoid working and waste some time, enjoy to watch my 10 top favourite funny-as-hell TV car adverts here - Ling |
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| Road Safety! | ||
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Funny car leasing TV ads! |
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| Audi S4 & a dog! | ||
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Funny car leasing TV ads! |
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 ...don't do lease cars, but if they did, they would be done like this - Ling |
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My Nuclear Missile Truck |
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GET A QUOTE! Can't find a car? Want extras? Please don't ring with quote requests! I'm damn busy! Click QUOTE! - Ling |
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