We’re in, and the building already proving to be worth the hard work!

A sense of ‘what have we done’, stressful moments, a huge balancing act fulfilling ongoing work and endless removals, and let’s face it a lot of disruption!

It is true to say that moving a company is not without its issues, and the few weeks spent moving the entire Rapid Response operation was slightly stressful, but so worth that hard work. A huge investment in our time and the improved infrastructure has been planned meticulously to make sure we continue to live up to our name!

Moving a few hundred yards across a business park sounds simple, but in reality it was a major event for Rapid Response Maintenance. However, with a sense of excitement we are now well and truly settled into the fabulous bespoke designed and built new premises. Just a few months after moving in, we really wonder how we coped without it.

With great pride, the hard work all of the team have put in to make this move successful has certainly been rewarded, and we believe the reward is a more settled atmosphere to work in, and a space that is already proving to be what we imagined. There are certainly early signs of major improvements in regards to operations, with everything now firmly under one extremely organised roof.

The new building is a superb acquisition for Rapid Response, and the design of the building has created very definite areas for departments and the team to interact. Meeting rooms, production office, accounts office, board room, large canteen and of course a very large storage area for materials and equipment – all protected with the latest security systems. Everything has been meticulously planned to the finest detail by Mike Osborne, and the infrastructure is 100% conducive to creating a fabulous and very comfortable working environment, but also an environment that will help us to be incredibly efficient and communicative across the organization, and externally to our customers. Mike has done a tremendous job!

Rapid-(2)---Options-29We certainly need the space

We have been suffering from a severe lack of space over the past year while the new building was taking shape, and with a growing team that was almost bursting out of the doors, and now to have this effective space to work, think and communicate in is quite incredible. You can almost sense the relief as we settled into the new premises, and it is plainly obvious that staff are happier, the individual trades teams are seemingly more relaxed. In general, it has contributed positively to the well-being of the company. This will undoubtedly impact on the services we provide to our clients from in herein, and we are seeing early signs of how the change is positively impacting on the business.

Rapid-(2)---Options-100Our plans weren’t just about the new building!

Rapid Response has been growing extremely fast over the past few years doubling its turnover in that period, and improvements on infrastructure extended far beyond a new bespoke premises. We have been adopting the ‘Lean Business Model’ across the organization for much longer than the construction period. Essentially, the Lean Business Model is about creating a business strategy that strives to eliminate waste, either in time or unnecessary processes, but putting the customer communications, wants and desires first. It provides a platform for sales teams to thrive, but operations to be structured and not dictatorial to those within the business that need to thrive and excel through their own creativity and individuality. Many businesses will suffer from operations and accounts having too much control over sales departments and this can be stifling, but restrictive to sales growth. Our own phenomenal growth over the past few years can be contributed to this philosophy.

Rapid-(2)---Options-88Sales teams have been allowed to thrive and explore new avenues and express themselves as part of the overall direction of the company, and operations have been continually improving systems to provide a high degree of automated communications with customers, but also liaising efficiently internally across all departments.

The growth in itself has naturally formed a management team within the business, with each department having individuals responsible for that department, building greater trusted relationships with our customers through their leadership and expertise. Decisions are being made more effectively and the overall collective confidence of each team, whether it is the accounts or for example the roofing team has improved dramatically. In reality, it was much needed for the company to continue to grow at the same rate, and meet the long-term plan.

We have introduced…

  • A KPi infrastructure within operations, making sure team members are fully aware of their customer and service responsibilities
  • An improved communication system, using the highly efficient customer orientated Clik software that allows customers to measure KPI’s, have more transparency keeping up to date in almost real-time with each project
  • Promoted individuals into more official roles as heads of department with specific job descriptions and goals
  • Setting customer relations standards for all departments, whether office based or trades in the field

Our investment is of course for the benefit of Rapid Response as a business, but in reality customer experience has been at the forefront of our plans. We want our customers to experience the efficiencies and improvements we continually install into the infrastructure and philosophy of Rapid Response, but also benefit greatly using a company that has the sole purpose of making the customers lives easier, and creating an ever increasing sense of trust around our abilities to deliver.

We are of course still bedding in to this fabulous new HQ, and undoubtedly as we do there will be further testing of systems, and improvements within operations, but this is part of our philosophy in ironing out the imperfections and listening to our staff and customers on how we can make continued improvements.

Both Michael, Paul and the senior management team are incredibly relieved now we’re in, but extremely excited in what the future holds, and although it isn’t common for customers to visit us given the nature of our ‘no time to waste’ industry sector, we would welcome anyone who wishes to visit us at our new premises in the future.

 

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