Moving Matters with Holly Oven of Britannia Alan Cook

In this episode Holly Oven, Transport Manager of Britannia Alan Cook discusses how she began in the industry only 2 years ago and is still a mere 21 years of age!

Holly has always been indirectly involved within the industry, but her initial career path was to be in accounting where she began her training during and after college, until Covid happened.

Britannia Alan Cook is a family business which Holly’s parents bought in 2008, as Alan Cook Removals, joining Britannia Movers International in 2018. Today Britannia Alan Cook operate 25 vehicles (10 trucks, 1 trailer, 15 vans), have 3 warehouses across 2 sites and employ approximately 40 staff. Britannia Alan Cook specialise in the domestic removals & storage market, self-storage, international relocation and offer a shredding service.

Holly’s biggest challenge has been having a young and female voice on the telephone, where customers would question her knowledge. Other challenges have been being the boss’s daughter, and more recently the tachograph changes.

As Holly’s chosen career of being within the industry is still so early on there is nothing she would change from her moving past but is excited for what the future has to offer.

Holly has several highpoints of being within the industry already, obtaining her CPC qualification, being part of the Removals & Storage Magazine’s Women in the Industry feature, and of course being a guest on Moving Matters.

We digress away from the standard questions to find out more about the recent BAR Young Movers Group conference in Cambridge.

The one thing Holly would like to change within the industry is again the conveyancing system, however on the flip side, if it didn’t provide such complications would more companies provide removal services and potentially flood the marketplace? Holly also believes the removal industry and solicitors should be working closer together rather than against each other, and together we touch on legislation.

The advice Holly would give herself just starting out within the industry again is to have confidence and believe in yourself, something Holly has been working upon. Also, to find and implement a robust organisation system.

In the next 5 years Holly would like to continue her development and undertake more courses, including the BAR Removals Masterclass, and to obtain her Class C licence! And within Britannia Alan Cook, Holly is hoping that a younger management team will be in place, alleviating the pressure from her father. Industry wise Holly hopes we will all be recovering from the expected downturn, an increase in sustainability and environmental practices, electric vans (but not electric trucks), recognition of the industry at governmental level, and finally that the crews get the recognition they thoroughly deserve.

Outside of the industry Holly enjoys watching her football team of Norwich City, she is a bookworm, participates in yoga with her mother, and she is a ‘proper’ foodie (her words not mine) who enjoys going out for meals and drinks with friends.

And as always we end Moving Matters with a funny moving story, or more a quaint one, regarding a move to an old railway signal box on the Norfolk Broads using her father’s cruiser as the transportation vessel.

Enjoy!

Links to Britannia Alan Cook:

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