The Client
Mark Duckworth, Chartered Building Engineer. Mark leads the team at Martin & Mortimer, independent Chartered Surveyors and Valuers based in Cambridgeshire. Mark has been managing the business for 9 years, building a talented team, as well as managing his own workload.
The Challenge
A keen sailor, Mark likens his situation 9 months ago to that of being cast out at sea without a life jacket. When Mark first spoke to Bay Tree, his situation was very similar to many other business owners who have managed to successfully grow their business, develop a young team, maintain a healthy client base nationally and manage their own workload.
“I have a great relationship with my clients and give them a good service. The values of the business are critical to its success and developing the team is key to continued growth. I love my work, particularly the people, but I was suffering from work overload. I was drowning.“
Two key factors that will resonate with many are around delegation and trust. Clients, particularly those who have been loyal for many years, have an expectation that you personally will help them, no matter what the problem is. Essentially, you become a victim of your own five-star service.
Another factor might be poor time management which creeps in when you are continually up against it, as do bad habits. These can include poor diet, lack of exercise and family time.
The Solution
“It was my accountant who suggested I speak to Bay Tree with a view to getting some support. When I met with Jane I was very comfortable discussing the calibre and qualities in a VA that I was looking for. I felt that there needed to be an obvious chemistry from the outset as we would need to build trust and be comfortable discussing issues as they would inevitably arise.“
Prior to the onboarding process Mark was introduced to BTVA Chantelle and he was able to share his views and outline his expectations. From the outset Mark was confident that Chantelle had the level of assertiveness and diplomacy needed and a character that would blend well with his team and his clients.
Chantelle works with Mark 8 hours a week. She priorities his workload, manages his emails and has implemented a work tracking system.
The Result
“A life jacket! I have been really impressed. Chantelle has many great qualities and interacts with the whole team. I am happier and confident that she will deal with my clients in the appropriate manner. She has a broad skill set and plenty of experience. Most recently, whilst working on a project at a large stately home, her flair and passion for interior design came in very handy.“
A final word from BTVA Chantelle: “I speak to Mark every morning and we talk through the priorities for the day. We have developed a system which ensures key issues are raised and addressed, but I am also trusted to self-manage the workload and use my experience to deal with any matters arising.”
Jane and the Bay Tree team are very grateful to Mark Duckworth at Martin & Mortimer for sharing his story.
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Jane Cattermole
Founder & Managing Director
Get in touch and let us know what you need assistance with. We’ll suggest how we can help, what tasks we can take off your hands and a way forward.
Lisa Hamon
Business Development
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