I have been in business since I was 11 years old. I started out working for my father, an auctioneer, before growing my own bakery business in my twenties.
Now, aged 56, I run technology start-up BigChange. I don’t know many entrepreneurs who have experience across such varied industries, so I thought it would be a good idea to share all the lessons I’ve learned over the years.
If I can help any other business owner avoid mistakes I’ve made, and help them build on strategies that have worked well for me, then it’s been worth all the hard work putting pen to paper – I’m dyslexic, so it’s not easy for me. The following book is a compilation of blogs I posted on LinkedIn over the past couple of years. They range from management advice to updates about my fast-growing firm to my take on topical issues.
If you take one thing away from this, it’s to place the needs of your people and customers above everything else in business. It is also to appreciate your family and understand the power of your network. I hope that you enjoy my posts – and my unusual take on the world. I truly believe that the best way to get ahead in business and in life is to help others. That’s the ethos behind BigChange, which succeeds only by making others successful.
I’m the guy that’s all about face-to-face communication. I am always telling my fellow business owners to get out from behind the screen and go talk to their customers and colleagues.
But I know also how hard it is to make time for those kinds of interactions. So imagine how happy I was when I held the first Network event for BigChange customers (find out more about the network here Join the BigChange Network) and found it to be every bit as useful as I’d hoped.
The event brought together 30 of our customers, and was facilitated by Kevin Keegan OBE, the former England football player manager. He is very business-focused, and did a stellar job creating a feel-good factor in the room. Everyone introduced themselves and their businesses and talked about how their sales have grown since adopting BigChange. It was so validating to hear these stories, and to hear what everyone loves – and what they would change – about our offering.
I can’t reveal the insights that our customers shared about their businesses, because the event took place under Chatham House rules, but I can tell you how these conversations have influenced the future strategy and direction for us. It was, honestly, one of the most valuable interactions I’ve had for a long while.
The new BigChange charter
One of the concerns that customers raised was around trust. How can they trust that if they collaborate with other businesses on our system, the contractor won’t steal that client. There is also the fear that the work might be inferior, or unprofessional. This is why we are looking to introduce a code of conduct, the BigChange charter, to hold users accountable. We are about to hire a Network Director, who will draw up this charter and make sure that all our customers understand the rules of play, in order to get the most out of BigChange and the JobWatch system. I am delighted to tell customers that they can now have absolute trust in our system, because any abuses will lead to special measures. This way, every individual and company on JobWatch can focus on collaborating and growing their revenues with confidence.
The mighty sole trader
To date, BigChange has been focused on working with companies and over the coming year, I was planning to target larger corporations too. But our network event has shown me that we also need to make sole traders a priority as well. The gig economy is enormous, and many of our customers use sole traders and freelancers, so we will be reaching out to more independents. For example, there are currently 150,000 gas engineers in the UK; 75,000 of them are one-man bands. We want them on our network. To help bring companies and sole traders together, our BigChange app – which will launch soon – will act like a modern Yellow Pages, helping businesses and users book jobs with registered and vetted engineers.
Boost the buying power
Procurement is a massive issue for any growing company. You want the best deals, and you want them now. We have 1,000 customers – with combined revenues of £59bn, 142,000 employees, and an average business age of 20 – on our system. That is a lot of buying power. We want to help our customers to club together for deals on everything from insurance to vehicle rental and fuel. It’s the next frontier for JobWatch and will be another major benefit of our collaborative system. It will also be another reason for customers to recommend BigChange to their suppliers, clients and contacts.
These three major changes to BigChange’s business plan have all come out of a single network event. I can’t wait for our future meet-ups. Who knows what I’ll learn next!
I don’t have to read the FT to know that M&S’ sales are in trouble. You can judge the health of any business from its shop floor.
I don’t have to read the FT to know that M&S’ sales are in trouble. You can judge the health of any business from its shop floor. So when I visited the M&S flagship store in Marble Arch and found myself in the dirtiest, dingiest changing room I have ever seen, I knew that the chain was struggling.
I had gone in to buy a suit and was shocked by the state of the place. I talked to a sales assistant and asked why the changing area was so filthy. She apologised but was clearly not too fussed about the issue. So I found a manager and asked him what was going on. He was appalled and promised the issue would be sorted.
There was a massive disconnect between the management and the shop floor staff at that branch – and the business has suffered for it. Lo and behold, when M&S published its annual results back in November, clothing sales were down.
When was the last time you spent some time on your shop floor? You don’t have to physically own shops – this just means spending time with your frontline employees. I run a clinic, where I spend 20 minutes with people from all over the business. Some days I’m with customer service, another day sales or software development.
There is absolutely no substitute for speaking to these colleagues. They will tell you things that your managers can’t or won’t. It’s the only way to truly judge what’s going on at the coal face and understand what your customers see when they interact with your company.
I have spent a lot of time in many departments sitting with team members and helping to identify bottle necks, improvement opportunities and also ways of streamline activities. You can have the best technology, but you must complement this with humans. Take everyone on the journey with you get everyone being leaders.
The key to generating insights – insights that could ultimately make or break your business – is to formalise the process. Host clinics like mine every Friday – that’s the day when most people like to unwind before the weekend, so they’re more chatty than usual. Be respectful of people’s opinions – hear them out. Most importantly, promise confidentiality. People won’t talk to you if they think you’ll reveal your conversations to their colleagues.
Do this, and believe me, you’ll save yourself hundreds of thousand in consultancy fees. As your business grows, this process will also help you keep your feet on the ground and your mind focused on what’s important. What are you waiting for?
BigChange, the mobile workforce technology company, today announced that it has signed former England football captain and manager Kevin Keegan OBE as an ambassador and the first coach of its new club for entrepreneurs.
Keegan, who won 63 international caps for England and captained his country on 31 occasions before moving into football management, will play an active role in the BigChange Entrepreneurs’ Club, a new initiative from the company to help company owners develop their leadership skills and improve business performance.
Launched today, the Club provides a forum for the owners of organisations that work with BigChange to meet and discuss ideas with like-minded entrepreneurs once a quarter. Keegan will support BigChange’s efforts by providing leadership coaching and mentoring to members.
Keegan believes that his experience in top-flight football will inspire a premier level of performance among the Club’s members and help them achieve more business goals.
Kevin Keegan comments:
“Management in football is similar to business. You’ve got to get the best out of your people and you’ve got to keep delivering year after year. The companies that are successful are those where leaders are passionate about making progress, they want to see how far they can take their ideas and they inspire that passion and commitment among their people too. I see that passion at BigChange and I’m excited about working with the team and its customers. There’s a great buzz at BigChange, there’s a nice mix of youth and experience, and not only can I give something to help take the company forward, I can learn things here too.”
Martin Port, founder and CEO of BigChange, comments:
“Kevin Keegan is one of the most iconic world footballers of his generation and an inspiration to me. He has achieved a huge amount both on and off the field and we are delighted to have signed him to BigChange. There is an enormous amount that businesses can learn from his focus, passion and leadership experience. The entrepreneurs and business leaders we work with are progressive and ambitious, and I am looking forward to working with Kevin to help inspire them to reach an even greater level of performance.”
BigChange provides a pioneering mobile workforce management system used by over 1,000 organisations globally that combines CRM, smart job scheduling, vehicle tracking and a series of mobile applications to eliminate paper record keeping and automate many of the manual processes undertaken by mobile workers. Easy to use and install, BigChange provides a unique system and has disrupted a market that was dominated previously by enterprise players who sold almost exclusively to large corporates that could afford complex, lengthy and expensive implementations.
BigChange is a technology company, so many people assume that my colleagues and I come to work in jeans and a hoodie. We don’t. This isn’t the West Coast of the US and I am not an 18-year-old coder who lives on Huel and Pop Tarts.
In fact, I’m still a stickler for the suit. If any of my colleagues in sales or customer service are meeting clients or attending any kind of external meeting, I expect them to dress formally. A suit or smart outfit is mandatory; ties, for men, are optional.
Just one in 10 men now wear a suit to work, according to research by Travelodge. That’s an enormous shift from the 80s and 90s when every professional I knew wore one. This study said that 70pc of respondents felt more comfortable in their own clothes. I get it: suits are more confining than a t-shirt and chinos. But, in my opinion, it’s worth it for the gravitas that comes with wearing a suit.
I realise this may make me sound old-fashioned but I believe dressing smart is a way to show respect – respect for your customer, your company, and yourself. Things got a bit out of hand here recently when I realised people were wearing t-shirts and jumpers to meet customers. I don’t care if the person you are meeting runs a plumbing firm and turns up in overalls. You are my representative when you go to meetings and you will be suited and booted.
I am in the minority these days. The FT recently reported that even Goldman Sachs has relaxed its dress code, and allows its people to wear smart/casual attire.
It is getting harder and harder to police my dress code rules. Many of my colleagues aren’t based in the office full-time – they are on the road, selling. I’m thinking of asking every remote worker to submit a time-stamped selfie every morning to prove they are dressed to impress. Overkill? Sure I don’t mind if people wear smart casual clothes to work if they aren’t meeting clients… But then what about the times that last-minute meetings are scheduled? Or when you find yourself sitting opposite a prospect on the train and you’re in old jeans? That is just unacceptable.
‘Casual Friday’ is an American import and it looks like informal work attire is the latest trend that we’ve adopted from the US – but this isn’t America. Can you imagine if they relaxed the dress code at Wimbledon and allowed players to wear jogging bottoms in any colour? Those tennis whites denote professionalism and respect.
Am I the only one who still believes the suit belongs in the workplace? Let me know what you think, leave a comment below.
Meetings are a necessary evil. They take up a lot of time, and can be an excuse for people to talk a lot while saying very little. Yet they remain fundamental to keeping on top of your business’ performance. How else can you share important information with the people who are driving the company forwards?
I have spent a lot of time in meetings, and almost as much time trying to work out how to make meetings more effective. Finally, I think I’ve cracked it.
One of the greatest strengths and the most debilitating weaknesses of the modern age is our ability to collect data on anything and everything. This data is then poured into PowerPoint presentations and delivered, slide after slide, at management meetings.
I’ve lost count of the number of three-hour meetings I’ve sat through, as each person shares their KPIs or whatever other metric is the flavour of the month.
Don’t get me wrong. I understand how crucial it is to collect and analyse data. BigChange is built on the understanding that we will harness customers’ data and use those learnings to improve their efficiency and customer service. But there is a fine line between using data to make smart decisions, and letting data drown those decisions.
Time and time again I see data used as a smokescreen in meetings: a way to prove that someone is aware of a problem, while allowing them to avoid actually thinking of a solution. Individuals will come to a meeting with an agenda as long as my arm, listing 20, or 30, opportunities or problems. The following week, they’re back, touting the same list, with only one or two items completed, and another 10 to add to the pile.
It’s time to stop letting the data manage us and start managing the data.
I have come up with the solution.
1.Exceptional reporting
It is important to review the data but I’m not interested in hearing the numbers unless you’re presenting exceptions. To explain: when you review your bank statement, you’re not interested in the regular outgoings that don’t change month to month – rent, your morning coffee, etc. You are interested in the unusual activity. The big bills that were unexpected. Or the sudden boom in earnings. Those are the details you need to study in order to repeat or avoid a trend. As a business, I want to know if I’m not on forecast. I can’t rewrite the past so I need to know what I must do to avoid x, or make y happen, in the future. Department managers need to review the data and make sure the patient’s heart is beating at right rate, reporting only erratic behaviour.
2.Start the timer
Management meetings must last no longer than an hour. Any more than that and people’s eyes start to glaze over. By setting a time limit, we force everyone to be succinct and to prioritise the issues that are most important. If you don’t raise it in time, you are out of luck.
3.Slash the agenda
Everyone is allowed to promote a maximum of two ideas or things causing them pain. Those issues must be dealt with within an agreed period of time. You can’t raise the next issue until you’ve completed the outstanding tasks. Don’t bring five things to discuss at a meeting because it’s impossible to deal with that volume of problems at once. No company can do that. And then you see people returning with the same problem, again and again, like Groundhog Day. Teams only have a certain capacity to change each week or month, so you can’t hurl millions of ideas their way and expect them to instantly adapt anyway.
This new approach to meetings and data could have huge implications for BigChange. If you complete just one task a week, that’s 50 improvements to the company over the course of a year. That’s huge.
The team here is on board with this new approach and everyone is excited to see whether we can deliver some incredible results. Wish us luck – and share any of your data/meetings hacks in the comments below.
People often assume that I am a disruptor and rule-breaker because I’m an entrepreneur. But here’s the thing: I have a huge amount of respect for rules, and have always seen the value in process and order.
When I was a young entrepreneur, I used to be obsessed with the present. How’s business right now? Are we hitting our targets? Have we solved immediate challenges?
But, having built several businesses, and listened (Audio) to hundreds of books on business and entrepreneurship, I’ve learned the error of my ways. To be truly successful, you need to look beyond the now. You need to have a vision.
Your vision is more than a goal or target. It’s an aspiration that seems so far away that you may never get there. It’s a bold plan that most rational people will scoff at, or say is impossible. Crucially though, it’s a vision that has a clear path to achieve it. And you have to believe you can get there within five years.
At BigChange, I decided on my vision very early on. I wanted to create a platform that would allow service and transport companies anywhere to collaborate and win more business.
I knew that it was just the right level of ambitious because when I told people, they either didn’t get it, or told me it wasn’t possible. Yet here I am, just a few years later, and I’m so proud to announce that we have actually achieved that vision.
BigChange JobWatch Network platform is a seamless environment where two companies can work together to win more customers and deliver brilliant service. It enables our users all over the UK – or even the world – to work together on contracts, share work, and find partners. It’s a truly collaborative tool that creates a powerful network effect. Ultimately, it helps other entrepreneurs to be more successful. You can read more about JobWatch here. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bigchange-collaboration-marketplace-martin-port
This platform was finally launched on Thursday night, and within 48 hours, we had over 50 requests from our customers.
I have realised my vision. It feels amazing.
What happens after all your dreams come true? You have to come up with the next vision, even bigger and bolder than the last.
I want BigChange to become the market leader in our industry, providing the technology that underpins the global service and transport industry. The number one choice for any gig economy business or firm that uses a mobile workforce. Making every economy we work in stronger through innovation and world-class service.
It’s a big ask, but I truly believe that we can do it.
You have to have vision if you want to be successful. Importantly, you have to shout about your vision so that customers, colleagues and partners all buy into that plan and that mission. I have signage all over my offices that explains where we’re going and how we’ll get there. I’ve done that at all of my businesses, and find that it focuses everyone’s mind on the task at hand.
To achieve my new vision, we have to leverage the sole trader. We have to tap into the gig economy. We have to reassure consumers that we will provide them with a better level of service than they’ve experienced before. We need to disrupt our target markets. We also need to create a deeper connection between the work that needs to be done and the order jobs are completed, while boosting efficiency.
All of the world’s most successful companies have vision. If I say, who wanted to build the world’s supreme search engine? Or become the market leader in flat pack furniture? Or build the biggest consumer technology company in the world? I bet you can name all three.
I hope that, in three to five years, I will be able to post that we’ve achieved this latest vision.
In the meantime, please share your vision for your business. Let me see if I can help you on your way.
BigChange, Leeds-based mobile workforce technology company, has become an Approved Partner of the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE).
APSE is a network of local government representatives formed to promote excellence in the delivery of frontline services to local communities around the UK; a key area for BigChange.
The BigChange 5 in 1 system combines CRM, Job Scheduling, a Mobile App, Vehicle Tracking, and an On-Demand Booking App. that eliminates 100 per cent of the paper to automate all of the manual processes undertaken by back office and mobile workers. JobWatch can be used to simultaneously manage both in-house and sub contracted operations through their brand new BigChange Network Platform; a single system that provides full management and financial reporting enabling digital transformation.
Martin Port, CEO of BigChange, comments:
“As local authorities strive to improve efficiency and accountability, there is a growing need to eliminate cumbersome paperwork by introducing digital working. It’s especially important for council services involving staff who are out and about all day doing essential community work or providing transport services,”
JobWatch is already in wide use to manage services such as Special Education Needs, Waste, Passenger Transport, Property Servicing and Repairs, Social Housing, Highway Maintenance and Pest Control. The system is easy to configure for any service and includes a new booking app allowing local residents and businesses to book services from their smartphones.
Port says:
“We see membership of APSE as the ideal platform to engage with local government and especially those people who are forward-thinkers looking to improve public services through the use of the latest technology,”
Port adds:
“With JobWatch we have developed a platform that is already being used to completely transform council services. It replaces a number standalone legacy systems with a much more useful and affordable 5 in 1 solution utilising the latest cloud and mobile technology.”
By utilising the cloud and mobile apps, BigChange offers a highly flexible and simple to use solution and requires no special IT equipment or support – everything is available 24/7 though a secure web connection from any web-connected device.
People often assume that I am a disruptor and rule-breaker because I’m an entrepreneur. But here’s the thing: I have a huge amount of respect for rules, and have always seen the value in process and order.
Rules exist for a reason. They are put in place for the benefit or safety of customers, and to protect companies and their employees. I was reminded of this recently, when I visited a hotel in the North East.
A member of staff brought out my bill to sign. I tried to explain that I observe the Sabbath, which means I couldn’t use a pen. She was having none of it. It took a lot of self-control to keep my temper but I asked to speak to the manager and eventually they agreed to waive my signature.
At first I found the whole episode infuriating but then I realised how easily scammers could abuse the excuse of the Sabbath to get out of paying their bill. Of course the staff were wary. Especially as the bar attendant hadn’t experienced this issue before and was unsure of the rules governing the Sabbath in Judaism.
At BigChange, we try to be as flexible as we can. When customers want something, we bend over backwards to accommodate them. But there are cases when we need to be intractable. For example, sometimes customers try to use our hardware without installing our software. We tell people till we’re blue in the face that they need to install our platform to ensure it’s safe, and running as it should be, but people love shortcuts, don’t they?
We now have a rule in place, which states that customers who fail to use our software will not be covered by our warranty on the hardware. It’s not been the most popular decision but it’s important to stand by the rules that matter.
Entrepreneurs may challenge the status quo and shake up traditional structures but that doesn’t mean we don’t respect the rules. You need to have rules and process if you are going to build an efficient organisation.
When I come up against a customer service wall in future, if I’m told that rules are rules, and there can be no exceptions, instead of losing my temper, I’m going to remember that it’s not the employee’s fault. They are just doing their job, and we, as customers, need to try and understand that. In this age of “the customer is always right”, this may be an unusual – even unpopular – perspective.
There should always be the option to escalate a grievance to the manager. And companies should be willing to revise rules if they are no longer fit for purpose or could be improved. But that’s no excuse to take it out on the member of staff who is just trying to follow company guidelines. Don’t shoot the messenger: there is usually a good reason you can’t get your way.
In the meantime, I’m looking forward to the introduction of fingerprint recognition in hotels that works without electricity!
Agree with me? Think I’m completely wrong? Let me know your opinion in the comments.
This is going to be a big year for BigChange. The year we expand overseas. The year we double our turnover. The year acquisitions supercharge our growth.
Taking your business to the next level is never straightforward so I’m sharing my three scale-up strategies to help anyone on the same journey.
1. Strategic acquisitions
Many companies tend to wind down over the holiday season but here at BigChange, we had a busy end to the year. We have made our first acquisitions as a company, buying two complementary businesses that will help us double revenues year on year.
The first, Labyrinth Logistics Consulting, is an award-winning supply chain, logistics and compliance consultancy. We also acquired Trace Systems, a creator of fleet, garage and workshop management software, which will be integrated into the BigChange system to make our platform even richer.
These businesses will give BigChange a strategic edge and neither distracts from our core market. We’re still 100% focused on our platform, but these companies will help us deliver an even better service to our customers.
Acquisitions are a great way to scale faster with very little risk. These companies are both small – employing 10 people between them. That means that integration shouldn’t be too difficult.
I have quite a lot of experience acquiring companies now, which means I know how to manage professional fees a bit better without reducing the quality of the advice. Make sure you know when you need to use a lawyer and accountant and when you don’t. If you’re not careful, doing deals can get crazy expensive.
My other tip for acquisitions is to make sure you have a great right hand man. That meant that I wasn’t too distracted from the core business while the deals were being done, and also sped up the process. It took just three weeks from heads of terms being signed for the deals to be done.
2. Go international
We will open our first international office in Paris in February. We decided to create a European operations hub to both take advantage of the weak pound and mitigate Brexit risk.
We have recruited a French national to help expedite the European expansion. Our new VP for Europe, Frederic Dupeyron, will be our man on the ground. I’ve known him for over 10 years: he bought my previous company, Masternaut, so it’s a wonderful twist that he is now coming to work with me at BigChange. There is no substitute for hiring local talent when expanding overseas: they understand cultural differences and tend to be much better at troubleshooting.
France is just the beginning for us. From this launch pad, we will move into Benelux, Germany and the Netherlands. Later this year, we’ll move into the US and Asia. Australia comes next on the international roadmap. We don’t know what’s going to happen with the UK economy over the next few years so having an international outlook is a good way to hedge.
3. Get the basics right
I launched BigChange in 2013 and the company has grown organically since then, which has enabled us to build up our cash reserves. We’ve had to be patient to get to this point, where we can invest in new acquisitions and international growth. Scaling is expensive: we have invested in new acquisitions and a new international team. When you have cash in the bank, you can move quickly to take advantage of new opportunities.
In 2018, we turned over £11m, and – with these acquisitions – we’re on course to hit £23m in 2019 – more than doubling revenues. Profitability will also double, which proves that our growth model works.
It’s really important that we don’t take our eyes off the ball here in the UK as we grow overseas. That’s why we’re investing in more sales and customer service colleagues right here. BigChange will employ 150 people by the end of this year.
As we grow, we also need to make sure everyone is moving in the same direction. This is why I just had a huddle with the team to explain the deals we’ve done, and ensure that everyone understands the transformation plan for this year. It’s important that everyone keeps doing the basics right, and doesn’t get distracted.
These three pillars make up our 2019 scale-up plan. If executed properly, BigChange should be a much bigger company by this time next year. Wish us luck!
