Chairman Graham Mills recently spent 2 nights on board yacht for team building and learning to splice the Main Brace

The event was organised by the Group 5 of Vistage International the CEO support organisation which aims to help members become more effective leaders and run more successful businesses.

Each year the Group holds a retreat to reflect upon business, organisation and personal goals and work through various options. This year the vehicle for this exercise was a hands-on experience sailing two 37ft Beneteau Oceanis yachts around the Solent. The crew of 6 in each yacht learnt the basics of Seaman ship and team-work which they vowed they would take back to the work place- though they weren’t too sure about the rum rations. Day two saw their new skills put to the test with a head to head race from Cowes to Hamble. Captain Pugwash thought that the best way to show true leadership was to purchase a Captains hat which he can be seen sporting here complete with fetching waterproofs, proving the adage that it’s impossible to carry off elan whilst afloat on a large caravan. Though the experience was obviously personally significant as Graham is considering the purchase of a pedalo.

Hello Sailor!

John Macintyre - Managing Director Technics Group

Technics Group Managing Director John Macintyre presents his thoughts about his recent trip to MIPIM.

I was genuinely looking forward to the MIPIM challenge – 4 days of networking with over 20,000 property delegates, oh yes and it   was in Cannes!

I took the time out before our trip to read our Blog – TG tips which proved very helpful, along with the official MIPIM website & Facebook page to help me set the scene.

As it turned out, just getting into Gatwick in the early hours of Tuesday morning in the snow provided its own challenge. Thankfully we timed it just right & our flight was not delayed. Once we dumped out bags into our hotel we were straight into action – hosting a lunch on the beach.

The London Pavilion was a feature of our week, especially when Boris Johnson delivered his speech following the arrival of the London to Cannes cyclist which included the Olympic Silver medallist Elizabeth Armistead. Viewing the model of London gave me a sense of pride to be part of the development works within our vibrant city.

I had many discussions with delegates regarding the benefits of MIPIM and how they measured the success of time in Cannes. The patrons agreed it had become more focused, people were maximizing their time and arranging meetings in advance of the week. I was pleasantly surprised with how relaxed everyone was, which allowed me to get to know the individuals inside the company rather than just a name on a business card.

The extensive networking continued all the way to the Baggage Hall at Gatwick Airport on Friday Night.

The hard work has already started with following up all our new contacts. Developing clients relationships is something Technics Group excel at, MIPIM has given us a greater platform to achieve this.

I’m confident you’ll see me again in Cannes in 2014 !

Once again Technics Group will be attending Marché International des Professionnels d’Immobilier which translated means International market of the Professionals of Real Estate or simply known to all as MIPIM.

The event takes place from 12th – 15th March in Cannes on the French Riviera and is the event for property professionals throughout the world.

John Macintyre (our Managing Director), Derry Long (our  Business Development Director) and Graham Mills (our Chairman) will be attending as delegates as part of the London Pavillion.

Around 18,000 delegates from around the world attend this annual conference with nearly 3,500 attending from the UK. This will be Derry’s 11^th year attending.

If you are going to MIPIM and you would like to meet up for a chat and a drink, then please drop us a line.

John Macintyre can be contacted on +44 7710 172465, Derry Long can be contacted 0n +44 7866606107 and Graham Mills can be contacted on +44 7836 517229

Follow us at the event via Twitter at @TechnicsGroup

We were delighted when on the 22nd November we were honoured with the award for best surveying and professional services agency at the Surrey Property Awards 2012.

The evening took place at G Live Guildford which was hosted by WSA Chairman Richard Prynne, from Pewleys Estate Agents who was joined by TV presenter Tim Emmett. The venue looked stunning, thanks once again to The Promotional Edge who helped to organise the event.

Launched in 2010 in association with the West Surrey Association of Surveyors, Auctioneers and Estate Agents (WSA), the awards aim to encourage good practice and excellent service among its members.

The difference with these awards is that they are voted for and judged by the people who matter the most, our customers. This makes this award even more special to us; it is so lovely to hear that our customers have been busy voting and believe that we deserve this accolade!

We are happy to tell you that the service we offer is second to none, that the quality of our surveys sets us apart, that hitting client deadlines is critical and that exceeding client expectations is essential, however our opinion is not what counts…

Once again the superb Barnett Hill conference centre in the Surrey hills was the venue for our latest creative day. This time Vistage group chairman Bob Battye facilitated the day which he started with some team building exercises. Who would have thought that groups of intelligent people simply lowering a stick to the ground could cause so much debate, insight into human behaviour and reflection on what customer service means?

The bulk of the day was taken up with team debates on problems and improvement, the emphasis being on finding solutions. It’s great to involve our team from all parts of the business in discussions, their perspective and insight into how we work, the way we work, quality and logistics is vital in ensuring that we are all aligned towards a common goal. Sometimes the simplest idea can help the efficiency of the business and it was great to see different ideas being put forward. With everyone effectively taking the day off their normal work the cost to the business is large, however the investment in the team and therefore in the business is greater.

Bob Battye can be found at

http://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbattye