Mike Jones – Why we have merged with Brand Vaughan

Our recent merger with Brand Vaughan has been one of collaboration and growth. This partnership signals the start of an exciting journey with the sole focus of offering the very best property services for our customers.

We understand for many of our customers there are questions around the merger, such as ‘What does this mean for us?’ and ‘Will this change the way Michael Jones operates?’ We decided to sit down with Mike Jones, enjoy a cup of tea and answer a few of your burning questions.

Why did you choose to merge with Brand Vaughan? 

“I thought it would be great for us to be represented in a broader area, than just West Sussex.

Brighton and Hove is an amazing area. I identified Brand Vaughan as a great target business, who has similar values to us, a fantastic lettings department and a very similar profile in terms of its ability to market.

I also felt that we could add value, as they don’t have a New Homes or Commercial department. I think this would be a fantastic opportunity to strengthen their offering and expand our reach.

Most importantly, we have a shared vision and collective passion for personal customer service and company excellence.”

How will each company complement the other? 

“I think it's very important that we keep the brand DNA of the two businesses very strong. Brand Vaughan has an excellent reputation in East Sussex, Michael Jones has an excellent reputation in West Sussex. So, I don’t see any point in merging the company branding of each business and ruining the reputation which each company has worked hard to establish.

However, I do feel there is an opportunity for us to bring skillsets to them, like New Homes and Commercial, and for us to take inspiration from their company.”

What is the benefit for our customers? 

“Combining our business’s resources, including our customers and properties, will increase performance for all our departments benefitting our buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants, and investors.

Our customers will see a huge benefit in terms of a wider range of potential applicants looking to buy, as well as a broader variety of properties which we will be bringing to the market. For me, that is one of the major advantages.”

What defines MJ & BV and sets you apart from other agents locally?

“I think it’s important that we’re still run by each company’s founders. Tom Ghibaldan was the founder of Brand Vaughan, I was the founder of Michael Jones & Company. So, the DNA, and the family feel are really important, particularly for the staff.

Without the staff you haven’t got a great business, so we go to a lot of effort making sure the staff feel that nothing massively changed.

We aren’t a corporate business, we aren’t huge, we are continuing to be an independently owned business.”

How are we keeping our company customer-focused and not sales-driven?

“Everything always comes back to the people, as far as I’m concerned. When we take on mergers like this, it’s important to remember we are a ‘people’ business, made up of our customers, and our staff.

It’s vital that the team feels rewarded, and there are future opportunities for them to progress, which I believe there is with this transaction.

As long as our staff are connected with the business and fulfilled in their work life, they will provide our customers with the first-class service they deserve.”

How will the merger benefit your staff? 

"This merger will provide our staff with more opportunities. We plan on equipping our staff with more training to enrich their knowledge and ensure our staff are constantly on top form."

Will this merger change the company values/ ideals? 

"No, if anything, far from it. When you take on a merger of this size it makes you focus on what your values as a company are, ensure that you keep them, and build upon them to strengthen them.

All the time I am in this chair, nothing will change. Michael Jones will remain a fun, dynamic, and growing family-run company."

What’s next for MJ & BV? Do you plan to expand any further? 

"We have no ambition to be the biggest, as being the biggest isn’t necessarily the best. We definitely have ambitions to expand around Sussex sensibly, whilst considering our company’s vision, and family DNA."

Still have questions?

We understand that you may still have many questions about our merger with Brand Vaughan. If you have any questions which have not been answered in this interview, feel free to call your local office to chat with our team.