Tag Archive for: Matrix Group

Think Safe, Work Safe, Home Safe

‘Think Safe, Work Safe, Home Safe’ is the new campaign being rolled out by utility infrastructure specialist Matrix Group to put Health & Safety front of mind for every employee, every day, on every project.

 

 

Working towards a zero-incident culture, Matrix Group is using the new campaign to encourage employees to think about safety in all they do; working safely by applying best practice techniques and knowledge; and everyone working for or with Matrix to be able to return home safely to their family and friends at the end of each day.

The Campaign is built around the Group’s SHEQ strategy – enabling its employees by using the best standards and procedures; engaging its employees on its priorities and objectives; developing its employees to have the right mindset and behaviours; and continually looking to improve its ways of working.

Rob Sparkes, Matrix Group CEO, said: “We’re proud of our safety performance and of the efforts made by everyone across the business to ensure we do things right – but there’s always room for improvement. Our new ‘Think Safe’ campaign provides an ideal platform for this. It will run internally while also sending a message to our customers, suppliers and other stakeholders that we prioritise safety in everything we do – and are always striving to do better.”

The ‘Think Safe’ campaign will be visible on all safety-related communications issued by the Group and its associated businesses – Matrix Networks and UK Power Distribution. It features a new logo which aligns with the Group’s recent brand refresh and campaign messaging will be incorporated into day-to-day training materials for employees and subcontractors.

Rob added: “Think Safe delivers a very clear, simple message about how we should work. I look forward to seeing this campaign being referenced and acted upon across our business, and the positive impact it will have on helping us achieve our zero-incident goal.”

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net zero

Does this industry understand net zero?

“We heard this week from the UN’s Report that ‘…climate change is not a problem of the future, it’s here now and affecting every region of the world…’. ‘Very likely’ was the term used repeatedly in the Report in reference to global warming. Sea levels are rising, temperatures are rising and we’re seeing the devastating effects of that in Greece, Turkey and California at the moment where entire communities are being destroyed by sweeping wildfires.

“Climate change is nothing new, it’s been around since the dawn of time, but the changes we’re seeing now have been and continue to be, accelerated by our own actions – by how society has evolved in an unsustainable way. And while every single person, organisation and government has a role to play in protecting our future, I’m looking at our industry, at utility infrastructure and connections requirements, and asking whether we’re doing enough, or just paying lip service to it?

“In the market research we commissioned earlier this year, we asked participants what they would want a utility infrastructure provider, like ourselves, to offer over the next few years. We expected the responses to include a reference to sustainability options, and they did, but not in any great depth. It was almost like it was something they were expected to say, without really understanding the complexities of what it might entail. I wonder, is there a lack of understanding in the market of what zero carbon looks like?

“We’ve also been looking at internet search trends in our industry. There are some companies who lead with commentary on their websites about net zero, businesses who publish their sustainability strategies and proudly promote the green credentials of their developments, but our research revealed that words like ‘sustainability’ and ‘net zero’ aren’t common search terms for our industry. Perhaps at the end of the day, do ‘we’ just want to get the job done?

“Don’t misunderstand me, I’m encouraged to read about sustainable development and the fantastic work which is being done to take power from renewable sources. The increase in self-generation projects – of which we’re part of many, is having a positive impact on our efforts towards reducing carbon emissions, but the enormity of this task, from education to practical delivery and what that actually means for our industry, is immense.

“In our own business we’re developing initiatives such as investing in an electric company car fleet, switching to a renewable energy provider and exploring options for solar power generation to make ours a net zero business. And as our proposition to our customers evolves, we’re focussing on how we can bring developments to life by connecting them to renewable sources of energy, and looking at how we can introduce measures to further improve the sustainability of our operational methods. This is all important stuff – but how does it fair in the sustainability versus price war?

“The challenge remains – turning words and attitudes into actions. Last year we were forced to cease all but essential air travel. That change helped the environment, but now restrictions have largely been lifted, our skies are once again dotted with contrails from aircraft engine exhaust. I accept we’re all in need of a holiday, but are we learning anything? There’s no easy answer to this, if there was, we wouldn’t be where we find ourselves now, but certainly in our business, I’ll be working hard to ensure we do what we can to navigate our path to net zero and we’re here to help our customers do the same.”

Rob Sparkes, CEO, Matrix Group

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preferred supplier

Would you prefer a preferred supplier?

“One of the questions posed in our recent market research, was whether there was value in having a preferred supplier for utility infrastructure connections. 61% of respondents said they thought there was – yet when asked if they had a provider of choice, only 42% said this was the case. This provides us with a potential business opportunity, but when the pros and cons for establishing a preferred supplier framework are considered – is it the right thing to do?

“First let’s look at what that 42% who already have a supplier of choice like about them. Common responses were ‘relationship’, ‘trustworthy’, ‘one point of contact’, ‘experienced’, ‘communication’ and ‘knowledge’. All makes sense and good to see ‘communication’ sitting near the top of the pile – ref my last article. These are all attributes which you’d expect a preferred supplier to have and more interestingly perhaps, they all focus on what that supplier can do, their delivery and the capability of their team. No one mentioned price.

“Then when we asked for opinions on having a preferred supplier – positioning it as more of a business proposition, the 61% who said they thought it would be a good idea, commented on perceived benefits such as ‘quick engagement’, ‘speedier working’ and ‘easier to manage’. They also mentioned the advantages they thought they might enjoy through having an agreement in place – collaborating on innovation, sustainability options and health and safety practices for example, as well as benefitting from access to skilled labour at short notice. The 39% who weren’t in favour of adopting a preferred supplier, said their response was influenced by bad experiences in the past, or that they would usually be steered by a client’s need for tendering. They also challenged what the advantages and disadvantages might be around price and service, questioning competitiveness of quotes – and how the initial pre-qualification process might work.

“Considering all of these responses, the positive comments all focus on a productive way of working, understanding each other’s businesses and working in collaboration. While the negative responses highlighted some very valid points – one being the need to address a client’s requirement for tendering. It can be standard practice to ask a number of different suppliers to quote for a job, demonstrating a fair process and proof of where value for money lies, but interestingly, this was one of the only times price was mentioned in whole of our market research.

“The other counter arguments were the impact of previous experiences of working with just one utility infrastructure provider (UIP). I’d argue that just because it didn’t work out once, doesn’t mean that would be the case with a different supplier. And then, how might the pre-qualification process work? What would be the terms and conditions of the relationship? Clearly, there’s scope for further discussion here, but what I take from these findings – well all of our research in fact, is the importance of building a relationship with your clients, which may mean you find you have a preferred supplier without necessarily having a framework agreement in place.

“Those who have a provider or choice know their UIP delivers for them, time after time – suggesting that communication, understanding and reliability might be considered more important than price. I’d encourage those who are bound by the requirements of a tendering process to consider what a UIP might offer beyond its initial quote, and explore where value for money really lies. Finally, those whose view of working with a preferred supplier has been tainted by past experience, need only look at the 61% who are very happy with their UIP, to see it isn’t all bad news and the right (preferred) supplier is out there waiting to work with them…why not give us a call?”

Rob Sparkes, CEO, Matrix Group

*617 construction industry buyers were contacted independently across March and April 2021. 178 were spoken to and 33 surveys carried out. 30% hadn’t worked with Matrix Networks previously.

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communication is key

Communication is key

“We recently commissioned some market research to ask representatives from the construction industry what they look for in a utility infrastructure sector provider now, and how they think that might change over the next two to three years.

“The thing with market research is you do it because want to find out something you didn’t already know – yet there’s also the argument that we should know what our buyers want, otherwise why are we in this business? That aside, we commissioned the research and left it in the expert hands of Ann Goodwin at Win Marketing to work her magic and uncover some lesser-known industry insights.

“The results generated some good headline stats – and not to reveal all our cards at once, one message which came back loud and clear was the importance of effective communications.

“A staggering 88% of respondents* said communications was one of the most important factors to consider when appointing a multi-utility provider. Other stats were:

  • 76% were keen on early project involvement
  • 76% said they looked for a high level of technical support
  • And, 70% said they took comfort in having some degree of programme certainty.

“But turning our attention back to comms – I’m pleased (relieved!) to say 83% of respondents rated comms from the Matrix team at 8 out of 10 or better, which is good to know. So, while comms is clearly so important and thankfully it’s something the industry seems satisfied we’re good at, why might some providers not rank so highly?

“Like anything in life, if we know what’s going on, if someone is taking the time to communicate with us, showing us some respect and appreciating why we might need to be kept informed, it removes so much uncertainty. Uncertainty, in this industry can cost significant sums of money – yet being open and honest, engaging with every member of a client team no matter their level of seniority, can provide reassurance when faced with a challenge, or it can just let people know that everything’s on track.

“We’re surrounded by communication, possibly too much so today when sometimes we find ourselves suffering from information overload. But that also means there’s no excuse to not communicate with your colleagues or your clients. We rose to the comms challenge which was thrown at us in Spring 2020, we adapted, we kept in touch and we kept going. And, if the past 12 or so months has taught us anything, it’s how much we value communicating with others – although I’m personally a bit over online meetings and am pleased to be back seeing people face to face (safely).

“Communications is key, and at Matrix we’ll be working hard to improve on our 83%, putting into practice some of the learnings we’ve gained from our valuable investment into market research.”

Rob Sparkes, CEO, Matrix Group

 

*617 construction industry buyers were contacted independently across March and April 2021. 178 were spoken to and 33 surveys carried out. 30% hadn’t worked with Matrix Networks previously.

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looking forwards

Looking forwards, not back

“Some days I feel like I’m living in a parallel universe. Why is everyone wearing face masks? Why am I carrying a bottle of hand sanitiser around with me? And why can’t I go out for a drink? The past 12 months have turned our lives upside down – but I’m a practical person. What’s happened has happened. It hasn’t been nice, for any of us, and unfortunately continues to be so, but some good things did happen in 2020 and my focus now, and that of Matrix Networks Group, is to look forward to the next 12 months and beyond.

“Overall, we’ve weathered the storm reasonably well as a business. Our growth rate has slowed a little, but our prospects have remained strong. Our offices are open, albeit with managed, reduced occupancy to ensure a Covid-safe environment, but we’re working well, both on and offline. Apart from a short period in the Spring, construction has continued, which means the requirement for utility infrastructure has remained. The key thing for us now, is where do we go from here?

“2021 will be another year of change for the Group – but positive this time. We were founded on the principals of offering something different in the market – delivering on what our customers want, tailoring solutions to suit them and putting our employees in the driving seat. This has proved to be a successful approach, so much so that 85% of our work is generated through repeat business, or customer referrals. We now want to build on that – growing our business further and spreading our net wider in terms of the industry sectors we’re looking to engage with.

“January will see the start of a significant recruitment drive for the business. Working with our employment partner, we’ll be looking for people with a range of skill sets to boost every aspect of  our business across sales, design, operations and commercial. We need these people and many more to follow if we’re to achieve the targets we’ve set ourselves for the next five years.

“We’ll also be closely analysing how we can adapt our delivery model to support emerging market opportunities such as data centres, smart cities and the Government’s 10 Point Plan for a ‘Green Industrial Revolution’. 2020 has forced a rapid change to our lifestyle behaviours – our use of IT in particular. It’s suggested that, as a nation, we’ve fast forwarded possibly five years to increased levels of remote working, virtual office environments and a heavier adoption of online shopping. This changes the landscape for industrial and commercial developments, where investors are choosing focus their interest and how we can we offer a utility infrastructure solution which is relevant for the future.

“Christmas is just around the corner, so in the spirit of looking forward, I plan to enjoy that with my family and along with the rest of nation (world?) take a breath for a day or two, then head into 2021 and make the most of the opportunities it has to offer.”

Rob Sparkes, CEO, Matrix Group

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job interview tips

The job interview

“It’s been a while since I was interviewed for a job. I’ve had promotions – one quite recent one in fact – but because I’ve had a healthy set of opportunities to climb the career ladder at Matrix Networks, I haven’t wanted or needed to start scouring the job market. I have interviewed a fair few people though and as we’re about to embark on a fairly ambitious recruitment drive at Matrix Networks, I thought it might be worth sharing my thoughts on how to succeed in the interview room.

“I’m not going to talk about the experience and qualifications you might have needed to be able to apply for a job in the first place, because that’s a given. You wouldn’t be offered an interview if we didn’t think you had the right skill set. The interview is about who you are. I’m not impressed by people who try to impress me. It doesn’t work. And I can confidently say that my colleagues at Matrix would say the same. The question after ‘Can you do the job’, is ‘Are you going to get on with us?’, and ‘How well will you fit in?’.

“I’m looking for people who are genuinely interested in what we do and want to help us achieve our goals. Those candidates who are just looking for their next step up the career ladder before they move on to somewhere else, aren’t of any interest. So, I’d recommend doing some research on our business before you arrive for the interview – you’d be surprised at how many people don’t. This shows me you’ve thought about who you’re applying for a job with, you know what we do, who we work for and what’s important to us as a Company.

“I’d also say don’t worry about the interview. You’re just sitting in a room in front of one or two other people (possibly virtually) and we want you to be yourself. You should be professional of course, but just relax and talk to us. The difficult bit is knowing how to do the job you’re interested in but you’ve already shown us evidence of that in your application, so just be yourself.

“We’ll ask you some difficult questions – it’s our job to, but if you don’t know the answer, just say so. There’s nothing worse than watching someone sweat under the pressure of trying to think of an answer when they don’t know what it is. It might be that question wasn’t very important to us anyway, we just want to see how you react.

“It’s a bit of a cliché, but it really is a ‘people thing’. If you’ve got the right skillset for the job we’re advertising for and you want to work for us, then apply. The rest is down to who you are as a person and no one can demonstrate that better than you.”

Rob Sparkes, CEO, Matrix Group

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