Chairman's Blog Archives - Page 20 of 31

CEO’s Blog – Help! Should I take a sabbatical?

Posted on 25 July 2019 by Martin Port

I have been building BigChange for the last seven years. During that time, I suppose I have technically taken the occasional holiday but never more than a fortnight and I’ve always been on email the whole time, so it wasn’t a total break.

I recently received an email from a business associate who wants to take a sabbatical from work. He had been with the business five years and wanted to recharge his batteries. This got me thinking: how do we avoid burn out as entrepreneurs? And when is a good time for a sabbatical from your business?

I have lived and breathed BigChange since we launched but there are times when I feel tired and in need of motivation. I have found that four things can help get me out of an energy rut.

Have a huddle

For me, there is nothing more energising than getting the whole company together to talk about our plans for the future, and our latest achievements. Mondays are the toughest day of the week for me. Unless I have worked Sunday, I come in to a mountain of emails and I find it difficult to get excited about the day. This is why I schedule a 9am huddle to kick-start my week. It takes just 10 minutes but we get the team together and talk about how we are going to increase sales, the latest improvements to customer service, new hires, and ways to drive the business forward. These huddles give me a real boost. Even colleagues who work remotely dial in, and we record the whole thing to send to people who can’t be there. Listening to those recordings is motivation in itself.

Treat the team

I feel that we spend too much time emailing one another and not enough time having face-to-face interactions. This is why I like to have events booked in where I can spend time with my team. These people remind me why I love building this business: they are loyal, driven, and creative. My colleague Geoff is about to celebrate his 65th birthday, so I am taking the whole team out to bingo in his honour. It’ll be a great night out and give me the valuable time with team members that I need to stay motivated.

Get a PA

One of the best ways to avoid burn out is to have a brilliant executive assistant who can take care of all the admin and diary commitments. I finally appointed a new PA and she is helping me manage my time much better. I am spending less time trying to correct my spelling and grammar in emails and more time with customers, or focusing on strategy. That has been hugely motivating for me.

Good coffee

Someone asked me what I do when I’ve had a hard day and building a business is an uphill struggle. I make myself a coffee. But not just any coffee. I have my own machine that makes my coffee just the way I like it. My Jura machine doesn’t make an ordinary cup of Joe – mine’s an illy full strength bean to cup – it’s a real treat, and picks me up whenever I am low.

Even though these four strategies have been fundamental to avoiding burn out, I am still toying with the idea of a sabbatical. I’d love to give my team the chance to thrive without me. It would also prove that I have the right processes in place, which mean I don’t need to be around all the time. But how long should I take? Is four weeks enough time to recharge? And what should I do? Go to a mindfulness retreat or some kind of entrepreneur camp? All ideas and recommendations gratefully received. And if you have other smart ways you avoid burn out, please share those too.

Martin Port
Founder & CEO

CEO’s Blog – Local government needs to make a big change

Posted on 11 July 2019 by Martin Port

The UK public sector employs more than 27m people – nearly 20pc of Britain’s population. This enormous patchwork of institutions, from local councils to central government departments, has a total spend of around £800bn.

When you are dealing with organisations of this size, it is natural that there will be inefficiencies. A single local council needs to cover hundreds of different disciplines, from pruning trees to special needs education, gritting roads to pest control. Each of these individual disciplines is likely to have its own IT system and operational platform. This means that a single council can run more than 70 different systems, none of which talk to one another, each linked to a separate budget.

As an entrepreneur, this model frustrates me. Silos are counterproductive: you can’t pass on best practice, share resource, or collectively problem-solve when you operate in a bubble.

There is another issue: the way that government budgets are allocated completely destroys any incentive for councils to unify operations or work with other departments. When the government slashed local council budgets a few years ago, the austerity measures meant that salary increases were stopped and any budget left over at the end of the year was reclaimed. Local councils now rush to spend their entire budget or risk losing it. Different departments are in competition with each other, which prevents them from working for the greater good. It’s quite perverse and the opposite of a pro-efficiency mindset.

At BigChange, we work with several local councils. Unlike many of their peers, these councils are battling these pressures and are trying to change. They have brought in the digital transformation specialists and business improvement executives and are actively looking to modernise.

Our platform typically takes out up to five legacy systems in one go, replacing them with a seamless, cross-discipline platform that unites the tree surgeons, special needs teachers and gritters alike. It’s incredibly exciting to see the savings that we can generate. And these councils shouldn’t have to lose their budgets; they should be able to funnel the savings into other under-funded projects, such as help for the disabled.

This would be a revolutionary change to the outmoded model but one that is sorely needed. There is huge potential for us, and others like us, to help councils and other government departments but progress is slow. It’s not down to the people – most councils employ brilliant and committed staff. It’s the system that is flawed.

One of the main reasons that there has been a huge push for government to do more business with small firms like ours is so that the public sector can benefit from our innovation and speed of delivery. But the government must do more: it must take the bold step of incentivising the public sector to make the big changes.

Martin Port
Founder & CEO

CEO’s Blog – No, I’m not crazy. I’ve got superpowers

Posted on 3 July 2019 by Martin Port

If you spot me out and about, whether walking down the street or on the train, chances are you might think I’m crazy.

I’ll be talking away to myself – or at least, that’s how it will seem. “He’s off his head”, you’ll think.

I have posted about my hearing impairment before https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/lend-me-your-ears-how-i-made-business-despite-losing-my-martin-port/ but what most people don’t know is that my hearing aids have built-in Bluetooth technology. I also have a small microphone pinned to the inside of my shirt. Both are practically invisible, so when I get a call, answer and start chatting away, passers-by are understandably confused.

It’s been a real eye-opener, seeing the different reactions. Some are bad, but I have also been overwhelmed by the kindness of many people, who come over to check if I’m okay or need help.

The experience has reminded me of an important tenet in business (and in life): to never judge people, or make presumptions about them.

It was a lesson I learned early on, when I ran a bakery business. I would go out with a basket and encourage people to sample my freshly-baked bread. Some people would decide to buy, and some wouldn’t. But it was never obvious who would turn out to be a good prospect: you needed to give everyone a taste.

Last year, BigChange was exhibiting at a trade show. All our salespeople are friendly and engaging with everyone, regardless of whether they seem like a potential client or not. One guy came over. He was in casual dress, wearing a plain rucksack. No Rolex. Yet it turned out that he was the manager of a very successful business. He got chatting to my sales director and, recently, that chance meeting has resulted in a £500,000 order.

Appearances can be deceptive. I’m not doolally, I’m an entrepreneur and technophile with cutting edge hearing aids. When people take the time to ask, I always explain the situation. It would be a mistake to judge me, and I make it my policy – and BigChange’s – to treat others the same way. And it’s proved to be good for business too.

Martin Port
Founder & CEO

CEO’s Blog – Fancy making an exhibition of yourself?

Posted on 28 June 2019 by Martin Port

When you want to buy a new product or service, whom do you trust? The person trying to sell it to you? Or a customer who recommends it highly?

The answer may seem obvious but it’s not always easy to connect prospective customers with your existing happy clients, especially as a B2B business. I have been looking for ways to generate those links, and I think I’ve found a new one.

Each year BigChange attends as many trade exhibitions as we can. It’s a major expense but a worthwhile way to win new business. We recently took a stand at the Facilities Show at Excel London, and were delighted to see many of our existing customers there, either exhibiting or attending.

And then it hit me: why not invite some of our Network Super Users to join the BigChange stand, and demonstrate how we have helped them grow their businesses? What better way to articulate the benefits of our service?

At our next trade show, I hope to have over 50 of our customers joining BigChange at our Network Pavilion. This will be a win/win. They get to talk about their service and show off their brand, and also explain how our technology is helping them to thrive.

A small booth at a commercial trade show can cost up to £10,000. Small companies will enjoy access for a fraction of that amount if they join us.

This is just another way that BigChange is helping its network, and being helped in return. The virtuous circle continues.

We are so committed to our vision of the BigChange Network that we have recruited two amazing new individuals to run the network team. Paul Witter joins us as new Network Managing Director, while Lee Wilkinson joins as our Business Intelligence Director.

The next chapter of our network story is here, and I’m so excited to see what the future brings.

If you would like to join our stand? Get in touch! email [email protected]

Martin Port
Founder & CEO

CEO’s Blog – It’s happening. We are moving to 4.5-day working week. Welcome Flexi-Friday!

Posted on 20 June 2019 by Martin Port

A four-day working week. That is my dream for BigChange. I recently posted my commitment to this goal on this blog https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bigchange-four-day-working-week-2021-martin-port/ – I pledged to get there by 2021.

Thank you to all the people who posted comments and offered advice. There has been a fair amount of scepticism too. This is why I have decided to put my plan into action a little earlier than planned.

From July, we are moving to a 4.5-day working week at BigChange for all employees. It’s a small step in the right direction but one that should pave the way for my vision of a 4-day week.

This decision has not been made lightly. I have been working closely with my talented HR Lead to figure out exactly how this will work, and to avoid any potential issues or confusion.

My colleagues at BigChange will now have the option to work for just half the day on Fridays. They can choose when they take the half-day. Some may decide to take the kids to school in the morning and come in a bit later, with some of the weekend chores already complete. Others may want to leave early and have time in the park with their little ones, or just have some more downtime over the weekend. It’s entirely up to them. However, this is not holiday – if you don’t use it, you lose it. We already give our people 33 days off a year, plus another day off on their BigChange anniversary (and bank holidays too).

For the majority of the people here, Friday is the only day on which the half-day is applicable. The only exception is certain customer-facing departments, such as Road Crew. They will have the option to take a half-day at other times of the week. We already operate a rota system for these teams anyway so it won’t be too hard to factor in some extra time off.

I foresee a major uptick in productivity as a result of this move. Studies have shown again and again that Friday is a ‘tail off’ day for most people. The day they are only operating at half capacity. Interestingly, Tuesday has been shown to be our most productive working day.

At BigChange, people will no longer feel tired and worn out by Friday. They will be able to take better care of themselves, spend more time with family and friends, exercise, and plan most adventurous getaways on the weekend. When they are at work, they will be sharp and even more full of enthusiasm.

BigChange is a technology business. This means that we rely on our brains not our brawn. I don’t need presenteeism to invade our culture. I trust our people to put in the work, do what needs doing, and be responsible for themselves.

I can say this with confidence because every single person at BigChange has been hired because they fit our five pillars. These five qualities underpin our entire organisation: Big on determination; Big on innovation; Being dynamic and Big on service, be the Big difference;

Of course, it helps that we are expanding globally too. As soon we will have our own companies in Asia Pacific and the US operation’s up and running, we’ll be able to divert calls and flip business enquiries to both teams, when required.

So thank you to all the people who have got in touch to ask about my 4-day pledge. You have helped to focus my mind and efforts on this move. I’ll let you all know how it goes, come July.

Martin Port
Founder & CEO

CEO’s Blog – Don’t spend too much time under the bonnet; remember to drive the car

Posted on 13 June 2019 by Martin Port

Web developers are critical to the success of BigChange. They create the products that our customers rely on to build their businesses. They are solving problems every day, and working on new ideas and innovations that will ensure the long-term survival of this company.

Isn’t it strange, then, that the people who are building our technology have next-to-no interaction with the customers who will use it?

Back in 2016, my chief technology officer and I were flown over to Las Vegas by Google. The search giant must have spent a large sum on business class flights and hotels. They took us over there to meet the developers behind Google Maps. It was an incredible experience. We explained which APIs (application programming interfaces) we found useful, and what improvements we wanted to see. They couldn’t believe the things we were doing with their technology, or the sheer volume of APIs we were using.

They published a blog about us, which was great for the company https://cloud.googleblog.com/2016/04/BigChange-Apps-improves-mobile-workforce-productivity-using-Google-Maps-APIs.html

Google is investing in closing the gap between customer and developer and I want to do the same. This is why I am introducing a new initiative at BigChange – our very own ‘meet the developer’ event. Every six months, I will create an opportunity for our super users to come and meet the people who are building our platform.

For the developers, it will give invaluable insight into what they should prioritise, and should spark some great ideas on how to improve our product even further.

For the customers, it is an opportunity for them to see, firsthand, the caliber of our development team. It will also help us to drive home the fact the entire company is working for their benefit.

Customers can be demanding, as they should be. It can be frustrating to make a request and receive an IT ticket – you can feel as though your emails are just going into a black hole. Especially if you don’t see results straight away. I’m hoping that these developer days will humanise the process – our clients will see that there are real people at the other end of the ticketing system.

By connecting every person in our business directly to the customer, my people will be able to see the big picture. I don’t want any of the BigChange teams to be so focused on an app or issue that they lose sight of the users who need it – like a mechanic who spends so much time looking under the bonnet that they forget to drive the car. It’s another step in my plan to keep me and my colleagues here at BigChange completely engaged and focused on the customer. Wish us luck.

Martin Port
Founder & CEO

CEO’s Blog – 9 secrets for building a happy, engaged team

Posted on 3 June 2019 by Martin Port

Many bosses pay lip service to the importance of looking after their people – but often that’s as far as it goes.

It’s easy to say, ‘employees are the lifeblood of my business’ but if you really, truly value your team, and want to ensure your employees are happy, healthy and engaged, you need to work at it.

At BigChange, we invest heavily in the wellbeing of our people. This week, I thought I’d share some of the initiatives that have worked really well for us – many of these strategies are cheap or free, yet we see an incredible response from the people. It’s not just about the great feedback we receive – the numbers speak for themselves: employee retention rates stand at 97%.

Have a huddle

We have a “huddle” twice a month. These informal meetings start at 9am and involve every member of the team; even remote workers out on the road dial in to take part. During these huddles, we talk about how the business is doing, and share any milestones or announcements. This is also where we introduce new hires or work experience people. But our huddles aren’t boring and staid. They are noisy, boisterous affairs, with lots of banter, laughter and applause.

Party hard
As well as our annual Christmas party, we also have a summer party in July. BigChange lays on all the food, drink and entertainment, and it’s a great way to bring people together. We have a small office in France, and we fly over those employees so they can spend time with their UK colleagues.

Motivational Monday
On the first Monday of every month, we invite amazing, interesting people who have overcome some kind of challenge, or have faced adversity, to share their stories. Tomorrow, Bob Champion is coming to talk to us about beating cancer and going on to win the Grand National. Everyone in the company is invited to attend, and it’s an incredibly motivating way to start the month. We invest significantly in these monthly events.

BigChange birthday

Everyone gets an extra day off on their work anniversary. It’s just a little gesture that shows people we care.

Fit and healthy folk

It’s really important to me that my team feel well at work. That’s why BigChange pays for a gym membership for all our employees, and brings in a massage therapist twice a month to give head, foot, or back and neck massages. We also encourage people to take a walk at lunch time, and stretch their legs – there’s now a regular walking club. But it’s not all about exercise, we try and help people to eat healthily too, providing fresh fruit and healthy snacks each day, and offering subsidised, calorie-controlled meals to anyone who wants them. That said, we don’t force people to eat like gerbils. Each Friday, we order in Italian for the whole team. If they want to have pizza, they can have pizza!

Stars of the week

People thrive on praise and I like to create opportunities to tell people they’re doing a great job. Each week, employees vote for the person they feel has gone above and beyond at BigChange. There’s no financial incentive. It’s simple recognition of a job well done. You’d be surprised by how much joy our ‘star of the week’ initiative brings to winners. I think it helps that the prize doesn’t come from me, but from their peers.

Employee of the year

At our Christmas party, we announce the Employee of the Year – the person who has contributed the most to the success of the company, and is most appreciated by the team. The winner gets £1,000 and the runner up receives £500, so it’s a nice thing to win. We also award prizes for Department Employee of the Year and Team of the Year. Our most recent Employee of the Year is Joe Goiti. Here’s what he had to say about his win: “With the employee of the year being voted for by colleagues, it really is the proudest moment in my professional life to have won it. I am very fortunate to work alongside such fantastic colleagues and friends who continuously support and push me to do my very best and also to maintain the highest standards possible.”

Family days

Every year, we invite our employees to bring their partners and kids for a fun day out. Last year, we went to Flamingo Land and 100 people came along, this year we are going to Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster. I want BigChange to feel like a big family, so I really enjoy meeting people’s loved ones.

Charity days

This year we’ll give £100,000 to charity. I think that my team really value working for a company that wants to give something back. And now we’re moving beyond donations towards a model whereby employees can give up a day to help a charity and receive a day off in lieu. Today, we went to Living Potential Care Farm, an amazing place where people with disabilities can connect with nature. We planted trees and cleared the ground to make way for a new orchard. It was a fun and worthwhile day out for all of us.

All of these initiatives are for nought if you don’t create a positive culture around them. We let people be themselves at BigChange and embrace all kinds of personalities and quirks. I have an open-door policy, which means that anyone can come and chat to me if they have a question or a comment. And we always promote internally when we can, giving people the chance to grow and flourish. Employee incentives never work in isolation. It’s only when you put all these small efforts together that you create a powerful culture.

I hope you’ve found this post inspiring and useful. If you have come up with some great ways to motivate your people, please share them below.

All the best

Martin Port
Founder & CEO

CEO’s Blog – Why I embrace distractions

Posted on 2 June 2019 by Martin Port

My working week is demanding. I wake at 5am to get through all my urgent emails before the office opens, and I now work five and half days a week.

As managing director of BigChange, I also have to attend a lot of meetings, which take up a lot of time. Despite all this, I have decided to throw two new distractions into the mix.

I have become a member of a local charity and was recently voted on to its executive. Two weeks ago, we also got a nine-week-old golden retriever puppy. I can’t tell you how much these two developments have impacted my life. I thought I was pressed for time before….

The puppy

For the past couple of years, we have been looking after guide dogs. We typically have them for up to four weeks, and then they go to a new home. But then we were boarding a golden retriever called Taffy and loved him so much that we decided we wanted one of our own. Three out of four of our kids have moved out the house; Joseph is still at home, and Mandy and I so we decided Brodie would fit in well, and to help me train for the marathon. I’m hoping all those dog walks will improve my fitness.

For the first couple of weeks – before Brodie had all his jabs – he was at home all the time. It’s full on from 7am to 11pm. I can’t check my emails in the room I usually use because I’ll wake the puppy. And if I keep my laptop charging in there, he will chew the cable. It’s a complete change of pace and lifestyle for me.

The charity

A while ago, I blogged about my plans to get more involved with charitable organisations and to help them operate more like businesses https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-you-remembered-martin-port/ It’s the first time I’ve done anything like this, and I’m determined to help the charity to achieve big things. But the first time I got an email about a project, I got quite emotional. This organisation, like many charities, is run so differently from a for-profit.

The puppy and the charity have both forced me to re-evaluate my working week. Both threaten to take up all my time, if I let things get out of control. Luckily, Mandy loves Brodie and takes him when I’m maxed out. But he forces me to make time for walks, which is important for my health, and gives me valuable thinking time.

I’ve decided not to check any emails from the charity until after 6pm each day. It means I can compartmentalise the work I’m doing for them, and prevents me from being distracted when I’m at BigChange.

Some may think I take on too much but I’ve found that bringing distractions into your life can be so rewarding. I make more time for the things that really need my attention, and having all these different facets to my life brings me balance.

Martin Port
Founder & CEO

CEO’s Blog – BigChange – a four-day working week by 2021

Posted on 26 May 2019 by Martin Port

Why did human beings develop machines, computers, and – ultimately – artificial intelligence? To reduce the work that had to be completed by us. Yet here we all are, working harder than ever.

In Britain, we work longer hours than any other country in the European Union. We work two hours more than the average European – and yet our productivity lags behind many other nations. I want to take action. I want to reverse this trend, and boost productivity while slashing down the hours my people have to work.

This may sound like wishful thinking but I have a plan. Machine learning and automation are the future of BigChange. We are actively using big data to make decisions for us. If necessary, we will take out the human element completely. Our technology lets users’ book jobs on the platform but there still can be a human element. I want to retrain those people and move them into more important roles while letting a computer do it automatically.

This is just the beginning. There is a whole layer of people who can move up into more challenging roles while machines analyse all our past data to work out the outcomes and answers we need to push the business forward. This is so exciting for the business but it also means that I can pass the benefits on to my hard-working people.

They will make the same money but will be given the tools to do their jobs in four days, not five. That means more time to relax, spend with their families, and exercise. They will take fewer sick days and experience less stress. And when people come to work, they will be fresh and engaged; how many people turn up to work on a Friday and are only running at 50% productivity because they are already exhausted? Doing less for the same salary is the dream, so I believe this step will also help us to recruit the industry’s best talent.

The four-day work week is already being employed by other organisations. A string of smaller firms have made the move and now even the Wellcome Trust has announced its commitment to the four-day week.

Back in the 1930’s, the economist John Maynard Keynes predicted that we would be working just 15 hours a week by now. My plan to get to 32 hours isn’t quite there, but it is a step in the right direction.

Martin Port
Founder & CEO

CEO’s Blog – A great start to the year

Posted on 19 May 2019 by Martin Port

We’ve started 2019 on a high here at BigChange, with growth up 65% year-on-year in the first three months. This is an incredible time for the business. We recently acquired two businesses, which shows how mature the company has become.

We have successfully brought them into the fold and it’s another step on our journey to becoming a much larger organisation. I’m so excited and delighted by the progress we’ve made, and 2019 has only just begun! Here are some of BigChange’s highlights from the first quarter.

A boost to growth

The major milestone is that we have now hit 1,000 customers. That’s an amazing achievement and a credit to our incredible teams. Our two acquisitions have been an overwhelming success. Back in January, I blogged about buying Labyrinth Logistics Consulting, an award-winning supply chain, logistics and compliance consultancy, and Trace Systems, a creator of fleet, garage and workshop management software https://www.martinport.com/news/my-2019-scale-up-secrets-revealed/

Between them, these companies have added around 100 customers to our roster, and BigChange won 100 new clients independently. Overall, this represents £5m in new contract wins and brings our total number of users to 35,000. More than half of these are mobile workers, so we are having a major impact on the gig economy, which was one of my big goals for this year.

Our fast-growing customer base means that BigChange is on target to hit £18m in turnover this year. We have expanded internationally, establishing a company in France, and a reseller covering Cyprus & Greece. The US is next on the hit list, and we have now registered our trademark over there.

Maximising efficiencies

I’m very proud to say that BigChange has achieved BSI ISO 9001, which means we’ve made significant improvements to our products and services, and we’ve ensured that our business model is as resilient as it can be. We are also proud to be a certified Platinum Partner to Sage, the accounting giant. These kinds of certifications are important because they show that we are doing all we can to keep building efficiencies into our model and striving for excellence in all things.

A great way to show that you’ve made your business as lean and innovative as it can be is to apply for awards. We’ve been lucky enough to secure quite a few already this year. We came ninth in the Tech North Top 50 fastest-growing technology companies in the North of England. BigChange has also featured in the Tech Nation Future Fifty Awards for the second year running . We were recognised as one of the Maserati 100 – a ranking of the UK’s most innovative entrepreneurs, published in The Sunday Times. Finally, BigChange was dubbed one of Yorkshire’s Most Exciting Company by Ian Leech, editor of Insider Yorkshire Magazine.

It’s all about the people

One of the new developments that will have the biggest impact over the next few years is the BigChange Network, which launched this year. We’ve signed up the impressive Kevin Keegan OBE, former England manager, as Network Ambassador, and he will be giving his invaluable advice to our customer members. In June, a new network director will be joining the business too, and will be developing the network globally for the first time.

My colleagues are the lifeblood of this company. BigChange now employs 120 people. It feels really good to be growing fast and bringing in new talent, while encouraging long-serving employees to keep developing their skills. To help my colleagues reach for the stars, we have continued with our “Motivational Mondays” series in 2019, bringing in people like TV personality and businesswoman Michelle Dewberry and former football coach Lawrence McMenemy MBE.

One of the other ways we make sure people feel that BigChange is a great place to work is through charitable giving. This year, we will give more than £200,000 to good causes. I am personally planning to raise £50,000 for Brake and Transaid over the next 12 months first activity is a half marathon in October.

These are just a handful of the great things that have happened over the past three months. Share your 2019 business successes with me in the comments below.

https://www.bigchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/BigChange-Company-Introduction.pdf

Martin Port
Founder & CEO