REMAIN COMPETITIVE . HUGIN MAINTAINS , THEREFORE , THAT TO PROVIDE THIS SERVICE EFFECTIVELY AND TO ENSURE THAT THE GOOD REPUTATION OF ITS MACHINES WILL NOT BE DAMAGED BY DEFECTIVE OR INEFFICIENT SERVICE AND REPAIR BY INDEPENDENT AND UNQUALIFIED OPERATORS , IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR HUGIN NOT ONLY TO OFFER MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR ON ALL ITS MACHINES WHETHER NEW OR SECOND-HAND , BUT ALSO TO REFUSE TO SUPPLY SPARE PARTS TO ANY INDEPENDENT OPERATOR WHO MAY WISH TO UNDERTAKE SUCH SERVICE OR REPAIR . IN THIS RESPECT , HOWEVER , THE PRACTICE OF HUGIN APPEARS TO DIFFER FROM THE OTHER MAJOR PRODUCERS WHICH , IN THE UNITED KINGDOM IN ANY EVENT , ARE ALL PREPARED TO SUPPLY QUALIFIED INDEPENDENT OPERATORS WITH THE SPARE PARTS THEY REQUIRE .
D . THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN LIPTONS AND HUGIN
ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS FOR HUGIN GB APPOINTING LIPTONS AS AGENT WAS THE FACT THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM HAS DECIDED TO INTRODUCE THE DECIMAL SYSTEM . THIS MEANT THAT ALL CASH REGISTERS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM HAD TO BE DECIMALIZED PRIOR TO 15 FEBRUARY 1971 . THE DECISION TO INTRODUCE THE DECIMAL SYSTEM RESULTED IN A BOOM ON THE CASH REGISTER MARKET DURING THE YEARS 1969 , 1970 AND 1971 . CONSEQUENTLY CASH REGISTER MANUFACTURERS NEEDED HELP IN SELLING CASH REGISTERS .
AT THE TIME OF THE APPOINTMENT OF LIPTONS , HUGIN GB RETAINED THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE FOR THE MACHINES WHICH IT SOLD TO CUSTOMERS , PARTICULARLY FOR THE PERIOD OF GUARANTEE . HOWEVER , DURING THE BOOM IN 1969/71 IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE FOR HUGIN GB TO HANDLE ALL THE MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE NECESSARY . THEREFORE THE LETTER OF APPOINTMENT PROVIDED THAT WHILE ' MAINTENANCE AND SERVICING OF MACHINES WILL EVENTUALLY BE THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF HUGIN GB , IN THE INITIAL STAGES LIPTONS ' MECHANICS WILL PARTICIPATE ' . THIS SENTENCE RELATED TO NEW MACHINES SUPPLIED UNDER THE CONTRACT AND CONSEQUENTLY LIPTONS WAS AWARE THAT ITS PARTICIPATION IN THE MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE OF THE MACHINES SOLD BY LIPTONS UNDER THE AGREEMENT WAS INTENDED TO BE LIMITED TO A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME . LIPTONS CONTINUED , HOWEVER , TO SERVICE THE MACHINES IT USED FOR ITS OWN SEPARATE BUSINESS AND TO OBTAIN THE NECESSARY SPARE PARTS FROM HUGIN GB . NOTHING WAS EVER SAID TO SUGGEST THAT EITHER HUGIN GB OR HUGIN AB WISHED TO TAKE OVER THIS BUSINESS FROM LIPTONS , TO BRING IT TO AN END OR TO REFUSE TO SUPPLY SPARE PARTS FOR IT .
FOLLOWING THE APPOINTMENT LIPTONS ESTABLISHED A NETWORK OF SOME 30 COMMISSION AGENTS THROUGHOUT ENGLAND , SCOTLAND AND WALES TO SELL HUGIN CASH REGISTERS AND TOOK ON EXTRA STAFF OF SPECIALLY TRAINED SALESMEN TO PROMOTE SALES AND ENGINEERS TO SERVICE AND REPAIR HUGIN CASH REGISTERS . IN PARTICULAR , ONE ENGINEER WAS SENT TO SWEDEN FOR SPECIAL TRAINING WITH HUGIN AB IN THE REPAIR , MAINTENANCE AND MODIFICATION OF HUGIN CASH REGISTERS , AND ANOTHER ENGINEER WAS A FORMER EMPLOYEE