Moving Matters with Greg Wildman of Basil Fry & Company

In this episode, Greg Wildman, Managing Director of Basil Fry & Company, discusses, in quite some length, how he began in the industry in 2001, although he started in the world of work at the age of 13 as a paperboy.

After a stint at university, and travelling the United States of America teaching tennis, we discover that Greg returned to a company he used to work for as a Saturday boy during his college days, Russell & Bromley, where he then set about making a successful career for himself, but soon began to realise that the opportunity to climb to the top the career ladder would be limited as Russell & Bromley was and still is a family owned company.

In 2001 Greg was headhunted by his brother, Philip Wildman, and offered an opportunity to join his brother at Basil Fry & Company, which he duly accepted, and in 2004 Greg spearheaded the recruitment side of the business, adding the likes of Ria Houston, Peter Doman and Adam Kellaway over the years to name a few.

We discover that Basil Fry’s jewel in the crown is Removal Claims Services, which provides claims handling for goods in transit policies. And discover that over the years one claim was for half a bag of pasta that went missing, and how Chris Thorpe (now retired) was so disgruntled by one claim that he settled it in stamps!

Greg explains the difference between liability cover and an insurance solution, and declares that from the 1,500 removers on his books 70% offer an insurance solution while 30% offer liability cover.

Greg also offers an important piece of advice for movers, ensuring you have a signed acceptance of contract form from your customers at all times – vitally important!

We discover several challenges Greg has overcome, purchasing the company with brother Philip heading up the management buyout in 2007, recruiting the right people to drive the company forward, making preparations to buy the company himself 10 years later in 2017, and on a personal level, Greg’s colon burst in 2010, putting him out of action for 9 months.

Greg goes one better than David Bunting did on episode 7 and lists 6, yes 6, highpoints of being within the industry!

We discuss how Greg would like the public perception of the moving industry to change, citing once again just how skilled the workforce actually are, and how he would like to see the insurance industry be more proactive and improve on their service levels.

We discover that outside of the world of work Greg has a passion for AFC Wimbledon, enjoys collecting watches, and it will come as no surprise that he enjoys socialising, with the friends made through business relationships formed from working within the industry.

And as always we end with a funny story regarding a well known member of the Basil Fry team that involves a revolving door and a bloody nose, and another regarding Greg’s very own house move and a little present left by a fox.

Enjoy!

Links to Basil Fry & Company:

• Website
• Facebok
• Linkedin