Rob Bright started BTT comms in 1995 and in 2007 he also set up a sister company. BTT Comms provides quality Telecoms, IT & Networking Solutions, and a host of broadband services to businesses and their remote workers. Typical customers of BTT Comms are food supply chain services, the NHS, and hospitality.
Throughout Covid, his company has adopted an attitude to support their customers with a ‘can do – will do’ approach to ensure that they can adapt and continue to serve and support their own customers and staff. Rob is also a family man who wanted to get a better work-life balance.
Rob says….
“The businesses were growing nicely (by an average of 35%) so we were doing really well from that perspective, however, I found I was doing things the hard way. I really needed to work on team aspects, new systems, in essence, I needed to work smarter not harder!
One of the key challenges I faced was work-life balance and not being able to say no! There was little room for family time or time to focus on me and my health. Like many other business owners, I tended to be the broom, sweeping up tasks after people which impacted greatly on my time and well-being.
The first steps…
I met Angela at BNI over a year ago and once I understood what she did, I realised my business needed ActionCOACH to help make the whole team accountable, including myself and my business partner. We have focused on ongoing team development to ensure they are following company procedures 100%, this means less of me being the broom because the team is doing exactly what they should. Also, we wanted to empower and nurture the team. We now have regular team meetings and focus on attention to detail which is helping us all.
In the last year I have spoken to both Angela and Rupert about BTT Comms Systems and processes, and what I have really benefitted from is being able to bounce off my ideas with them and get their perspective and advice.
Initially, our systems weren’t talking to each other, however, we have been reviewing them and have now started changing our systems. They are now automated and working together. This is saving us all a lot of time and frustration. Quoting to starting on a job is a much more seamless process, and the team has all of the info they need at hand to get on with what they need to do. We all now have laptops, tablets, and smartphones so we can all collaborate no matter where we are. We have also integrated a CRM and new marketing platforms, all of which have improved the way we all work.
Talking to Angela at ActionCOACH has really got me thinking properly about my long-term future too. My ultimate goal is to have a business that can survive without me, allowing me to focus more on family and hobbies. This has driven process changes that give more responsibility to our younger staff as I see them as the future, in the long term, I would like to see them running the business.
The results so far…
Before using ActionCOACH I felt I was sometimes hitting my head against a brick wall, lots of little things needed to be addressed and ironed out. I am very happy to say that these frustrations are not happening anywhere near as much, and everyone else in our team is much happier too.
Another benefit of my business coaching is that I feel accountable. Talking to Angela allows me to drill into KPIs for me and my team.
I am seeing big differences in time-saving, so I am getting more time to talk to and develop staff properly. This is resulting in me not taking on more than I should. The delegation has improved significantly, and it’s also helped the way I work with my business partner. Putting it simply, coaching is helping us make things happen, quicker!
For example, now if issues crop up, I have the time to address them straight away and this is preventing delays with crucial elements that could affect my business badly if not dealt with properly.
There are many benefits to signing up with Angela (and Rupert). It really does make a difference and that’s why I have decided to continue with coaching. I like being made accountable, not only for my business but on a personal level too. Angela has challenged me to schedule family time. It is helping with work-life balance and helps keep me and the staff organised and safe during Covid. It’s brought our team together too as work-life has also improved for them.
Business is in good shape, and still doing well even through covid. The team is happier as changes in our processes mean less mileage for them, and they find the new systems easier and quicker to use so there is less frustration. I would say we now have 60/70% of our new programme in place. It’s transforming the way we work, we can easily check progress and make quick changes when we need to. The future is looking very bright.
I have now purchased a holiday home on the coast, and during the times I have been able to visit, I felt I could truly switch off from work and enjoy the long walks and the sea air.
I say definitely give business coaching a go, even if your business is in good shape. They bring something different to the table and make you and your team more accountable. They will look at your processes and systems in a different way to you, and see areas you can improve on. It doesn’t just help your business, it’ll help your personally too, ensuring your work-life goals are in the right context.
Business Coaching is a financial investment but if you can afford it, just do it. If you can’t afford a long-term commitment, look at having short-term coaching instead. Angela and Rupert are there as long as you need them.
I really think you need to remove yourself from your business to look at it from a different perspective. Go along to free sessions and talk to them about how your business works and how they can help. A conversation doesn’t hurt. I could really see the benefits after my initial conversation with Angela. She saw my business in a totally different way and helped me through when making tough decisions, I can truly say my business is the better for it, and now I also have a better version of me too, just ask my wife! “
Rob Bright
MD BTT Comms
A note from Business Coach Angela Turton
“Rob and I knew each other through BNI in Kettering and although Rob already had great business, he knew he needed something better for himself. Following our initial conversation, I could see there were untapped opportunities and also new ways of doing things. Throughout 2020 BTT continued to grow and take on new team members, and their concentration on getting the systems right will allow those team members to make a positive difference to the company. Rob himself is happier and more contented in both business and his new way of life, which is great to see.”
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