Festive thoughts from the MF of FM

As Christmas fast approaches and a New Year beckons, CEO Martyn Freeman shares his thoughts on Q3’s 2023, and all that lies ahead.

“The Festive season is fast approaching and before we can blink it will be 2024. It doesn’t seem that long ago since last December when I was reflecting on the impending 5th anniversary of the founding of Q3. I remember thinking at that time that such a lot has happened in five years and as I look back on the last twelve months, the pace has not relented.

“At this time of the year, in business and in my life outside work, I always find time to reflect on things. The routine slows down to suit the mood of the season and I find it’s a good time to look back on the progress and achievements of one year and give a nod to the challenges that lie ahead on the “to-do” list in the New Year.

“One thought that struck me as I reminisced, is that although Q3 has grown rapidly to be an established FM business with a turnover of over £20million, we still haven’t lost our roots. We have stuck to running the business based on our Q3 core values – Quality People, Quality Service, Quality Workplaces.

“I’m pleased that we haven’t sold out on those original values or diluted them in any way, and simply continued pursuing the same approach we started with. We still prioritise looking after our people because, like night follows day, we realise we just cannot deliver the quality service and the quality workplaces without them.

“And our people have not had an easy time of it. Let’s face it, with the cost-of-living crisis and everything else that’s going on, it’s been a tough year for everyone. This year, we introduced some new people initiatives including the “Daisy” platform, with its inbuilt wellbeing advice centre, staff recognition system and retail discounts for staff. We launched a new bereavement policy, and our new e-learning platform goes live imminently. As we grow and aim to reach our next milestone, we need to be investing in all the right things to support and reinforce our people and realise our individual and collective goals.

“We’ve always believed that talking to people is the best way to run a business and that includes not only staff but also clients and suppliers. Even simple things like conducting client satisfaction surveys by TEAMS rather than faceless online tick-box surveys, make a difference. I’m pleased to say that we continue to pursue a face-to-face approach whenever possible, at every level of the organisation. As we grow, it will be a challenge to retain the personal touch and keep things simple, but it is something I am desperate we should not lose.

“We operate an open and transparent way of trading and continue to build a sustainable business model – not just sustainable in the “green” sense but creating a sustainable business with longevity that provides stability to the people who work for us. We continue to bid selectively, choosing to work with clients who appreciate the value of the service we provide and who also share the same culture and values. I am pleased to announce that we have another new significant contract about to land, which we hope to announce officially during the New Year.

“Let me take this opportunity to wish all our suppliers, partners, client and employees a very happy and peaceful time over the festive period and the very best wishes for a successful and prosperous 2024.”