The Year in Review
Publish date: 15/12/2020
As the year is coming to a close, it’s a good time to look back on some of the highlights of what has been an eventful 2020 for most.
Here at FMG, the year brought change and challenge in equal measure to innovation and opportunity. The year started off with the announcement that I was to succeed Harvey Stead as Managing Director of FMG. Whilst I never imagined transitioning into the role at one of the most challenging times presented to businesses and individuals, it was clear that my priority was to successfully lead the business through the challenging times ahead; keeping our people safe, our customers mobile and our business operational.
Innovation has been a key feature throughout the year, beginning with the successful implementation of a newly created virtual service centre within two weeks of the pandemic hitting. Other highlights have been the blue-print and subsequent development of our new Traffic Officer App which supports our clients within the roadside and recovery arm of the business, and the further enhancement of our Ingenium software, with the development of new functionality such as direct integration with other fleet management and claims management systems.
We have continued to experience strong growth, with 75,551 new business vehicles implemented onto our management platform this year, meaning that we now incident manage more vehicles than ever before. We’ve seen sustained levels of business retention and our customers continue to be engaged with our service provision, leading to opportunities for deeper partnerships with a number of our existing clients.
As the Brexit situation lingers on, I believe we are all united in our frustrations and concerns as a post-Brexit trade deal remains in the balance. Whilst we continue to closely monitor developments in relation to negotiations and the likelihood of a trade deal with the European Union, if there is one thing this year has taught us, it’s that we’re well positioned to rapidly and effectively adapt our business processes to new environments, whilst maintaining service levels and business resilience. However, my hope remains for an outcome that allows the UK as a whole, to continue to prosper.
Looking ahead, the markets in which we operate continue to evolve, and we will continue to adapt our strategy to support change; we will continue to refine processes, invest in digital solutions, build upon our existing client relationships, source new business opportunities and remain steadfast in our commitment to drive a seamless service to our client base.
Whilst ‘you’re on mute!’ may encapsulate the year for many, with it already ear-marked as the most-used work-from-home catchphrase of 2020, the word ‘new’ encapsulates ours. New ways of working, new innovations, new clients, new Managing Director and new acquisition! If ‘new’ is our word of the year, it’s certainly our people who’ve yet again proven to be our asset of the year. Our vision, mission and values have shone through in recent months, which is testament to the contribution of our people. Whether a stalwart of the company or one of the 47 new starters who joined the business during the year, the unwavering efforts and dedication of all our people have had a significant impact on our performance throughout these challenging times and is something that I, and the Board are immensely proud of.
When Captain Tom ‘stepped-out’ to raise vital funds for the NHS, our people ‘stepped-up’, doing their own virtual take on the million-step challenge. This, along with ongoing charity donations from colleagues across the company has seen our local charity partners, Forget-Me-Not and The Kirkwood, along with the Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, gifted just under £10,000 this year. It’s certainly a time where we have embraced ‘we’re in it together’.
And on that note, from all of us at FMG, thank you for helping us continue to achieve new milestones in 2020, wishing you all the best this festive season and hoping 2021 sees positive change and recovery for all.