Author: Martin Port

As an entrepreneur, I firmly believe that the implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an asset to the UK workforce.

Not only does it allow for greater efficiency and accuracy in completing low-value repetitive tasks, but it also provides employees with more time and energy to focus on more creative and innovative endeavours. At my company, BigChange, we understand the importance of investing in AI and leveraging tools like ChatGPT to enhance our workforce’s productivity and creativity.

Yes, you guessed it. That introduction was written by ChatGPT.

Everyone’s at it, so I thought I’d have a go.

I’ve read a lot of articles recently claiming that ChatGPT and its ilk are “coming for our jobs”. “Here are the top 10 professions that will be destroyed by AI” etc etc. But the reality is far more nuanced. 

I’m excited about the potential for AI to change the business landscape. I believe in the power of automation to eradicate repetitive and time-consuming processes. This is, after all, why I founded BigChange.

But I do believe AI can replace people? Absolutely not.

Instead, AI has the power to free human beings to concentrate on higher value activities and more creative outputs.

Let me give you an example. A recent poll of Amazon employees who used ChatGPT to dealing with customer support questions found that it did a “very good job” of finding answers.

It would be easy to surmise that Amazon’s customer service personnel could be out of a job. But, firstly, there are always questions that an AI will be unable to answer – things beyond the normal, ‘Where’s my parcel?’ And while that might require only half the bodies that it does now, what will the other people do? They will move into the far more rewarding and exciting field of customer excellence.

How to go beyond just sending a product from A to B, making it a genuinely wonderful experience. Some people may move into marketing, or product, or warehousing – all departments that benefit from insider knowledge of customer service.

Is this a bad thing?

Do people (and forgive me if I offend) really want to reply to “My parcel is late” or “I ordered red but I got green” enquiries all day? Or would they prefer to leave that to the bots and AIs of this world while they find the errant package that ended up in Swaziland instead of Swansea/customise each delivery for ultimate customer joy/connect customers more directly to the small businesses behind the Amazon marketplace by sharing their stories?

At BigChange, we are always looking for ways to help customers save time and money so they can focus on what they do best. I believe ChatGPT is another tool that helps do this. According to the research by Goldman Sachs, breakthroughs in AI could lead to the automation of a quarter of the work done in the US and eurozone .

When I read that, I was delighted – that will help us move one step closer to our goal of having a four-day working week. If the AI can take care of some of the more basic tasks, my colleagues can spend that time with their families, and their pay doesn’t need to change.

Change can be frightening – the unknown always is. But I really think that the AI revolution is an overwhelmingly positive development. We are moving towards the Epicurean ideal – a life that isn’t defined by struggle, but by taking pleasure in our working activities, because they are fulfilling.

This quote has been attributed to many people over the years, from the novelist Tom Clancy to Amazon tycoon Jeff Bezos. Whoever said it first, it remains an undeniable truth.

Almost no one comes up with a winning business idea all at once. Most of us have the germ of an idea, we start building a start-up, we realise we should do more of one thing and less of another, and slowly we refine that original idea.

In the end, the company we are left with may look very different from the venture we launched on day one.

If you think about it, this makes sense. You want to keep honing your proposition as you learn more about the market you operate in, your customers, your team, and your own strengths and weaknesses. It is nearly impossible to have every data point at your fingertips at the outset. They must be gleaned over time – often by making mistakes!

The reason I’m talking about this is because, in my experience, many entrepreneurs think they need to get it right straight away. They believe that their value proposition and vision need to be set in stone as soon as the ink is dry on their company formation paperwork.

We need to dispel this myth.

BigChange was no eureka moment. I didn’t get struck by entrepreneurial lightning. It was the result of spending a decade building Masternaut, the telematics business I founded in 2002. Through Masternaut, I learned a lot about the challenges facing the mobile workforce. We provided vehicle tracking, which was useful – but it was just one part of the puzzle. Over time, I began to imagine a platform that could automate and simplify every single process that was slowing down mobile engineers and hampering the growth of these service companies.

All the best businesspeople are open to making major changes to their model or route to market. Regular readers will remember my Chairman’s Spotlight on Graham Nixon of Nixon Hire. That business started life simply renting out tools and machinery. Then Graham saw a gap in the market for welfare cabins – an all-in-one product offering a generator, cabin and toilet in a single unit. This is now the fastest-growing area of his business.

Michael Taylor, founder and CEO of Contego, is another entrepreneur who isn’t afraid of change. His business initially offered falconry for bird prevention, but now it is a comprehensive pest prevention firm operating nationwide. He never stops modernising his business model, using technology and risk prevention in place of old-fashioned poisons and traps. He’s a true innovator. But none of this happened overnight. He started the business in 2004 and it’s taken almost 20 years to achieve this clarity of vision and purpose.

And here is another fundamental truth: you must never stop resetting the vision. Even when you think that your model and approach are perfect, you must develop your entrepreneurial mindset to stay curious, and look for incremental improvements – even tiny ones, or you could find that business opportunities pass you by and suddenly your product or service is redundant.

Whatever sector you operate in, whatever your purpose or vision, the overarching credo should be: to never stand still. You want to focus on growth and evolution, never retrenchment and stagnation. But don’t worry if change takes time – after all, there’s no such thing as an overnight success.

When I think about my long-term goals for BigChange, sustainability plays a big part. I want us to be as green as we can be, helping customers around the world to meet their carbon goals too. That’s the big vision. 

We have an exceptional and committed team here that is coming up with ideas and making changes every day that help us move closer to that goal. Our CEO, Richard Warley, has written sustainability into our core values and it has become one of the five pillars that underpin our purpose: Big on Sustainability – Protect our Planet.

The sustainability challenge has been taken up by BigChange’s gifted chief operating officer Jo Godsmark, our product marketing manager Jonathan Isaacs, and our head of sustainability Fatima Fellah, who represents us in Park Life, a group of businesses that are based here in Thorpe Park. I caught up with them to find out about our progress, our setbacks, and our ambitions for a more sustainable future.

Jo Godsmark: “We are now carbon neutral but we have a long way to go”

“When I took this challenge on, Martin, I knew it would take time. We started off by taking steps to become carbon neutral by offsetting. We have now achieved that, offsetting for both our company and our entire supply chain, but the next big goal is to eliminate more of those emissions in the first place. 

“We are a paperless office. Our data centres run off green energy. We have now implemented a green travel scheme, incentivising employees to walk, cycle, use public transport or car share to work. And we are looking into the installation of EV charging points at the office, creating a pool of electric vehicles for colleagues to use.

“The technology we have built is a catalyst for positive change for our customers. It eliminates paper, and gets engineers to the job faster, burning less petrol, with fewer wasted journeys. Our updated Route Optimiser and our Scheduling Assistant tool both help customers actively see many miles they can save through better routing.

“We are not alone on this journey. The country wants to achieve Net Zero and all our customers must go electric by 2030, so we need to support them. I’m delighted we are now carbon neutral, but our sustainability journey has only just begun’.”

Jonathan Isaacs: “We make it easy to save the planet”

“There’s a limit to how much one company can achieve on its own – it’s by helping our thousands of customers to make greener decisions that BigChange will make a significant impact. That’s what we are trying to do with our updated route optimiser and emissions reports.

“In the two months since we relaunched the route optimiser feature, it has been used 54,000 times, saving 250 customers some 830,000 miles – that puts an estimated £430,000 back into their pockets. Our vehicle consumption and emissions report allows our customers to view the emissions of their whole fleet and can be set to send an alert when engines are left idling for too long.

“We are still in the early stages of monitoring usage and results but eventually I would like to be in a position where I can claim that BigChange is effectively free, because customers make such significant savings from our sustainability features.”

Fatima Fellah: “Our internal sustainability schemes come with great incentives”

“I’m really proud of the way that BigChange has developed sustainable solutions that really work for the team. Take our car sharing scheme. People were worried about what would happen if they needed to work late or leave early, and missed their ride, so we implemented a “Get Home Safe” scheme whereby the company will pay for a taxi – this ensures no one gets stranded. There is a lot of competition for parking places at the office, and we have allocated two solely for car sharers, which is another big plus.”

I’m really excited by all the projects and campaigns that are making BigChange more sustainable – and giving our customers a helping hand too. Right now, we are improving the CO2 reporting on our platform, giving customers visibility of how much carbon they are creating and the cost-savings if they reduce those emissions. 

We are on the road to net zero, and I’m confident we have the enthusiasm and ambition to take us there.

When building a business, you encounter many challenges. From the ordinary growth stresses to extraordinary curveballs (like pandemics, for example). In those situations, most leaders will ask the advice of someone they trust – or someone who has been through a similar experience.
 
But do they listen to that advice and act on it?
 
The answer is: it depends. Studies show that when leaders pay for advice by hiring consultants or industry experts, they are more likely to follow it. But if the advice is freely given, they are less likely to trust it or see its value.
 
I think this is a mistake, and one that we all must try to avoid.
 
I’m both a giver and receiver of advice. When I started BigChange, I was lucky enough to be able to turn to family and peers for their take. They never led me astray. The only times in my career that I have made errors in judgement were as a result of paid advice. I once brought in a consultant and ignored my own instincts, making a mistake that I later had to rectify.
 
When I do my Shop Floor days, I meet BigChange customers out in the world. And while about a quarter of my time is spent talking about our technology platform, the other 75% is me giving free business advice – have you considered x or done y? I would never think of charging for my advice and it brings me real joy when something I’ve said helps a fellow business owner.
 
But I have noticed that when I meet organisations, and offer my advice for free, the response is somewhere between shock and disbelief. How could my advice be valuable if I’m giving it away for free? The culture of paid advice is pervasive.
 
There are a few reasons why leaders may choose to ignore free advice. Maybe we worry that they don’t understand the problem fully because we haven’t paid for their time to listen. Perhaps, we sometimes struggle to admit that we don’t know it all? If we take free advice, are we subconsciously admitting that someone who doesn’t even value the advice enough to charge for it knows more than we do? Whatever the psychology, it’s flawed.
 
So, the next time you need advice, be empirical about how to seek it. Speak to people with experience, or whose instincts you trust, and give them the opportunity to advise you – and benefit from all the warm-and-fuzzies that go along with helping a friend or fellow business owner. Don’t immediately go down the consultant route or presume that paid advice is best.
 
That’s my advice, take it or leave it.

Anyone can start a business, I truly believe that. But to be successful in business, you need one character trait above all others: assertiveness.

What is an assertive person?

Someone who is not afraid to go after what they want. They are confident and able to express themselves clearly to others. They do not take no for an answer. When they run into problems, they don’t give up, they keep trying to find solutions until they succeed.

Assertive people are never aggressive. They do not exaggerate their abilities – they admit that they can’t do everything. They are goal-orientated and don’t get distracted easily. They also favour logic over emotion – if you take things personally, you’re less likely to risk rejection.

At BigChange, we reward and value the assertiveness of our people. When colleagues take the initiative, or go the extra mile (when they could easily have clocked off for the day instead), we notice. That’s why we host our annual BigChange awards ceremony, celebrating those who give their all. Without people like these, organisations falter.

Most people could work on their assertiveness. We know when we should make that phone call, push back on that offer, say yes when we can’t be bothered, or think of a better deal. We all have that little voice inside our heads that pipes up with, ‘Well, you could…’ But many people choose to ignore that instinct and take the easy route.

Assertiveness is like a muscle: the more you use it, the stronger it becomes. Ever had a day where you start smashing out all your tasks, and as each is finished, you become more creative and more forceful in resolving the next?

I have spent my whole life practicing – and now, I don’t hesitate. If a customer says they are about to sign with someone else, I refuse to lose, and keep trying to win that business. I don’t always follow the process – some rules are made to be broken – and will move heaven and earth to help a customer.

The ability to assert yourself is so powerful – one of the best things anyone could learn. According to this study by Harvard Business School, assertiveness is among the big five character traits that can benefit the entrepreneur.

I think it’s so important to feel that you have given your all in every situation, and to train yourself to learn from failures rather than to fear them. I know it’s easier for some than others – if you are shy or introverted, picking up the phone can seem like an impossible task. But we can all make small incremental improvements over time.

So, what actions should you take today? How could you be more assertive in work and in life. Make your move!

The heroes who help children on the margins

One of the things that I find most rewarding about building successful businesses is that success gives you the ability to give back.

Throughout my life, I have been honoured to support many incredible charities, individuals and organisations that help others, or protect our environment. Being able to offer time, money, contacts, or technology has brought me great joy. I would like to tell you about some of the amazing people that I’ve had the privilege to meet recently, as part of my travels as chairman of BigChange and founder of Port Growth Partners.

This week, I visited a faith school run by the tireless and compassionate Rabbi Avrohom Sugarman MBE. Haskel School in Gateshead welcomes children with additional needs from the local community and has been twice awarded an Outstanding rating by Ofsted. He was inspired to found the school by his son, who needed specialist provision.

Haskel School caters for pupils with Down Syndrome, ASD, and other rare genetic disorders. It also helps other mainstream schools to support their pupils with additional needs. It is a beacon of hope within the community for parents and young people alike, giving kids a first-class education and a bright future. 

I also want to talk about the work of Katie Parlett MBE, founder and CEO of Lighthouse Future’s Trust. Like many of the people who create organisations that help others, she too was inspired by her own experience. Her daughter has Retts syndrome and autism, and she felt that the mainstream education system wasn’t providing the support that she needed.

Lighthouse School opened its doors in 2012. It was the first Special Free School in the country, based in Leeds. She later started the Lighthouse Academy for 16–25-year-olds.

I have a personal connection to Lighthouse. My son Joseph has learning difficulties, but Lighthouse has helped him secure a supported apprenticeship at St James Hospital, working in building maintenance. It can be incredibly hard for young people with special needs to get a foothold in the workplace but being able to achieve some financial independence and work as part of a team is vital to their quality of life.

These two people are doing so much for our children and our society as a whole. It takes an extraordinary individual to change the world, despite many challenges, and both founders have done just that. I’m very proud that BigChange has partnered with Lighthouse to offer supported internships to three young people, to help kickstart their careers.

All employers need to do their bit to support the work of Lighthouse and Haskel. Just 16% of autistic adults manage to secure full-time paid employment, according to the Autism Society. But this is not by choice: 40% of autistic adults working part-time want to work more hours.

I’m hoping to do my bit to support both organisations in any way I can over the coming years. To find out more about their work, visit: haskel.org.uk and lighthousefuturestrust.org.uk

Some people dream of the day they can give up their day job and devote all their time to other pastimes, such as socialising or golf.

Not me, though.

I will never retire. At least, not while I still have energy and drive.  

I believe that work gives us purpose and that purpose is vital to a happy life. I love working and always have. I loved the single-minded journey to growing each of my businesses, and I also love the wonderful variety in my career today.  

I recently watched a speech by the great Warren Buffet where he talks about a woman named Rose Blumkin, the founder of Nebraska Furniture Mart. Rose started her business with just $2,500 in 1937. Berkshire Hathaway bought the business for $60m in 1983. She continued to work in the business until she was 103. I am so inspired by this!

Sadly, she died the year after she retired. And Rose isn’t unusual. Many studies show that mortality rates tend to spike soon after retirement. Weirdly, the earlier you retire, the less likely you are to live a long life .

The truth is that many people slow down when they retire. Despite their best intentions, they may lead more sedentary lives, spend more time alone, drink more alcohol or eat less healthily. These are all sweeping generalisations but it’s not hard for bad habits to take root when you don’t have to be up and working every day.

I feel energised when I’m out there, meeting customers and colleagues every day. The conversations stimulate my mind and it’s invigorating to live in a world where I can effect change and where my ideas come to life. I get a real thrill out of creating employment and helping my customers. It’s the best feeling in the world.

I know I’m very lucky to love my work. Some people are deeply unhappy in their careers, so retirement must seem like paradise. If that sounds like you, I would say this: life is short. If you’re not happy, find a way to get out and do something else.

My wife, Mandy, supports my desire to stave off retirement as long as possible. She wants us to have holidays together, but knows I’ll be much happier working. And she probably doesn’t want me getting under her feet all day at home!

I know that my career will evolve over the coming years. BigChange has a brilliant CEO so I am not responsible for the day-to-day operations any more. I’ve moved into a more strategic, consultative role – and I love it. I have also started to draw on my experience as an entrepreneur to guide other business owners. Helping them to reach their goals gives me a real kick – perhaps, 60 to 100 will be my “guidance years”.

I’ve heard of FIRE (financial independence, retire early). I’d like to start a different movement: WERN (work enjoyment, retire never). I’m a great believer in enjoying the life we are living right now, rather than hankering after retirement. If you’re desperate to retire, what changes could you make to improve your working life today?