Martin discusses what a Brand Ambassador is, it’s not just your logo, it’s what you do and the way you do things.

Pickfords is the de facto brand recognition of the industry (for those 35 and older, states Martin), and they move anything, anywhere, anytime. Pickfords have approximately 50 branches (46 warehouse units) throughout the UK, where they took on an additional 15 branches/warehouse units last year and are looking to put more dots on the map as they return (once again) to the local markets, where back in the hay day Pickfords had approximately 175 locations within the UK with a fleet of 6-700 vehicles!

Martin is the current Chairman of the BAR Commercial Moving Group (which has 50 members). However, his tenure finishes in May when Robert Poyner of Crown Workspace takes over the role.

Martin’s biggest challenge is working within an industry that is very tyre kicking focused, but also managing the relationship between the technical and sales parts, as Martin likes to look at things from the customers perspective. A challenge for Pickfords is that it has an aging workforce, but they do run a pro-active apprenticeship program for a variety of roles within the business.

Martin wouldn’t change anything from his moving past as he feels incredibly lucky to have joined Pickfords at a time (2003-2006) where he was able to soak up as much knowledge and experience as possible from some great people working there.

Martin’s highpoint of being within the industry was winning the contract to move NATO’s headquarters in Brussels in 2016/17, where 2/2.5 years was spent on the project management alone, and the physical move consisted of 4,200 staff, 19km of secret archives, 200 safes and 2,700 crate movements, into a building of 254,000 square metres! Martin even convinced NATO to make a film of the entire moving process, something you can see yourself on the Pickfords TV YouTube channel here.

The one thing Martin would like to change within the industry is how customers try to commoditise our industry, by doing a group walk around on commercial moves.

The advice Martin would give himself just starting out within the industry again is to soak up as much knowledge and experience as you can.

In the next 5 years Martin hopes to still be at Pickfords doing what he does today as he absolutely loves it. Industry wise, he does see people moving back to working in office environments again, albeit different to pre-pandemic days, and the man and van industry scares Martin where the consumer does not see the value or expertise of getting a professional mover.

Outside of the industry Martin loves great food, great drink, travelling, meeting people, and loves to live life.

And as always we end Moving Matters with a funny moving story, regarding a defibrillator.

Enjoy!

Links to Pickfords:

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• YouTube

Special Guest: Martin Budd.

We begin at Pickfords Heavy Haulage, where David started as Traffic Clark in Preston, taking every opportunity to use vehicles for back loading purposes to reduce dead time, albeit by pony express at the time!

At the young age of 20/21, David had progressed to Traffic Manager, and further promotions led David to the branches of Liverpool, Newcastle, Derby and Sheffield.

After 20 years David left Pickfords Heavy Haulage and joined a local heavy haulage and crane company back in Preston, but due to a lack of progression David applied for the role of Depo Manager at Giltspur Bullens Transport Services and joined in 1983.

When Giltspur Bullens were acquired by Pickfords, David left and took on the role to develop the office and commercial division of a company in Preston, Whittle Movers, in 1996. In only 2 years David was offered a directorship within the company and when he retired 12 years later the division had a turnover of £3m!

We discuss David’s high point within the moving industry, and not content with one he lists five!

We discover David’s long and distinguished roles and achievements within the British Association of Removers - Chairman of the Commercial Moving Group 1997/99, President in 2005/06, Honorary Life Member in 2008, just to name a few.

We discuss David’s time as a judge of CMotY (Commercial Mover of the Year), which David won while at Whittle Movers in 2003.

We discover that David, although retired for 12 years now, never switches off from the industry, and neither does he want to.

Outside of the industry we discover David enjoys golf, gardening, time with his wife, children and grandchildren, and of course his beloved Preston North End, where you will hear a wager placed by Nigel Shaw (guest on Episode 2) was accepted by David – So watch this space!

And we end Moving Matters with a couple of funny stories, one that made David more money and another involving a known character within the moving industry, synonymous for his card tricks and anticks.

Enjoy!

Special Guest: David Bunting.