Inventors, past and present, make a few choice observations about our service!

Mr. R D Simpson, Essex

As a professional in marketing, I was reluctant to admit that I needed an agent to advance my invention -particularly as it was designed for use in a specialist marketing area. Now I won't say Inventions have proved me totally wrong! But they definitely underlined the benefit of on-the-spot experience, which I should have anticipated. Essentially, Inventions introduced me to a very rigorous development process that is tailor-made to fit with the market they work in. Inventions were very frank with me about how long the Patent would take to be searched, and go through. They nailed my design down - which I didn't enjoy at first - but the result was an economical solution to the design problem. Best of all, Inventions have found a couple of manufacturers for my idea that I had never heard of, nor would have, unless I had contacted them.

Mr. L Hemping, Glasgow

I didn't have a clue what to do with my idea, I really didn't. I was going to take it to the DTI! But I was certainly not going to hand it over to just anyone, especially after what I'd heard about these "sharks" who just strung you along and left you out to dry. Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained. I got Inventions' name from a friend of mine who'd seen the Inventions MD (Colin Cramphorn) on a TV programme on the Discovery Channel, and took the plunge. To my surprise, Inventions didn't want any money up front. They didn't want any money at all, apart from some to pay for the legal arrangements and marketing stuff. Unfortunately, my invention didn't make it past the Patent Search. There were too many other people who'd got the same idea. And no amount of design modification was going to change that. I didn't unerstand at first how the whole Patent thing worked, but its a bit clearer now. I know Inventions were doing everything they could to help. After all, why wouldn't they? And I'm not just saying that because I've been asked to comment, I'm quite happy to list the things I'm not happy about, which included a long wait for the Patent Search to come through in the first place. But I suppose that wasn't their fault, it just takes that long. Also Inventions insisted on really technical drawings and a written brochure to show what my invention did. I suppose it was a good idea, but I didn't see it immediately. All in all I was treated fairly, and when I come up with another idea, I'll be back.

Mrs E, Rodgerston, Elizabeth Town, PA, USA

9 Patents successfully applied for, 23 Pending, 3 products made to market and selling on shelves in the US and Europe. That's my record as a professional inventor (US, Pennsylvania). I've worked with the "monster" agents from the US and one in the UK. I didn't know what to expect from a smaller agent, but I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of knowledge and contacts that Inventions had. I wasn't used to having designs worked on that tough. When I say tough, I mean, whittling it down. The legal side of things has been handled without fuss so far. But there are always problems, aren't there? I know that, but I've been virtually part of the business for 15 years, as an inventor. I can't say much more, because we're in the middle of things. And I'm certainly not talking about my invention right now. But so far, so good.

Omega Holdings Ltd 2005