#7 The Birthday Issue: Robot Risk Assessments, A Double-Award Win & The Business Managers' Biggest Mistake
It's almost December, which can only mean one thing...
Time to celebrate our birthday!! ????????
WFP is 19 today...and how the world has changed since the early days in 2003 when our founder Paul Field took the leap to take the fire safety industry by storm.
Back then, it was all about wireless fire alarm systems; today, we're talking about the benefits of around 50 other services, including LED lighting and even EV chargers within our electrical division.
I wonder what other creations or inventions that make it mainstream will exist in 19 years to make the world more future-proofed?
Maybe we'll be doing Fire Risk Assessments using AI and drones?
Or maybe not - I mean, robots haven't even figured out how to get past this yet...
Before we get into this week's newsletter, we've got to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who has supported us throughout the years. From customers to team members and partners - you make what we do in safety and compliance a real vocation, not just a job! ??
There's another bit of cracking news to celebrate with you...
And that's our double award win at this year's On The Tools awards ceremony! I say "our" because this has been felt across the entire team at WFP, but the real win belongs to our Electrical Manager Ricky Howell EngTech TMIET who bagged 'Electrician of the Year' and 'Tradesperson of the Year'. We're chuffed to bits and immensely proud of you, Ricky!
Learn more about Ricky's award win here >> https://w-fp.co.uk/on-the-tools-electrician-of-the-year-award-winner/
Here's Ricky, along with your author, Verity, smiling for the camera on awards night!
Ricky only started with us in May 2022, but has already made such an impact with the team and our customers to provide future proofing solutions to protect buildings and save money on energy bills, both now and in the long-term.
Which leads us to business managers' biggest mistake...
'Return on Investment' is a term coined in business to understand the value in the investments you make.
Understanding ROI means you can make decisions faster and more confidently that are backed by logic, data, and something really tangible, rather than just a punt.
Of course, in the industry of safety and compliance, it's not like other B2B markets offering a snazzy marketing tool or management system where you can choose at what time it'll be best to take the plunge and invest.
You kind of have to do it. There's little room to negotiate with the law or play with lives.
But building management can be a lot to juggle: and spinning plates can mean your eyes aren't fully on the ball, and that's where mistakes can be made.
The biggest mistake? Not having a Planned Preventative Maintenance Plan.
This can be as simple as doing the following:
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1) Keeping up with annual risk assessments, such as your Fire Risk Assessment, and having a full action plan of any areas you need to rectify (in a traffic light system of priority) with associated costs.
Then you're working in order of priority in terms of hazards and threats to safety, not solely in accordance with your purse strings.
2) Looking at your safety-related expenditures for the last year, and making sure you allocate a budget for the next 12 months (adding a buffer % to account for anything ad hoc such as emergency repairs).
Future proofing isn't just about what systems and how you're adapting your business to be durable from a physical perspective.
It's equally as important to develop routine procedures that will undoubtedly make your life easier in the long run.
Too often we have business and property managers flocking to us when the sand is about to run out in the hourglass. Because for so long, it's been a case of...
The bad thing's not happened = we don't need to do it.
And then either something happens, or insurers/the Fire Brigade take stipulations into their own hands, and then it's crunch time to get those changes in place.
The best thing for any mistake is that there's a lesson. Except, we'd prefer you didn't learn the hard way!
The first solution doesn't cost you anything: it's consistent awareness and tactful planning.
So, as we approach the last month of 2022, ask yourself this:
Have I made room for Planned Preventative Maintenance in my business plan for 2023?
Plan, prevent, maintain = Fewer financial surprises, smarter prioritisation, reduced business downtime, longer lifespans of systems/less costs to repair or upgrade, increased safety and compliance
You're welcome!
(And don't forget to make sure you've got a reliable sidekick to help you execute that safety plan - i.e. us! ?? Otherwise, the plan will only ever be a plan!)
Right, now it's time for some birthday cake...??
Powering down for now,
Verity Stone Author of 'Future Proofed' | Head of Communications for 'Fire Protection Service of the Year' 2022,?WFP Fire, Security & Electrical???????
P.S. Read the last issues of 'Future Proofed' here: (And don't forget to subscribe!)
Client Services Executive at Backhouse Solicitors Ltd
2 年Happy 19th Birthday WFP Fire, Security & Electrical!