2013 is drawing to a close and it is that time of year again where we look forward to the festive period but also look back at the past year.
It will be one that is remembered as a significant one in the history of IDENTITY CONSULT, one in which we achieved many milestones. It does now feel like we are starting to finally see some “green shoots”, where our continued growth throughout the recession has allowed us to invest in offering our clients the highest level of service and helping to ensure that we are in a position to continue to deliver when the “green shoots” blossom.
This investment is most visible in our re-branding from Elliott Dent to IDENTITY CONSULT, a name that we feel better reflects the diverse range of services we offer, all of which contribute to place making and giving communities a true sense of “Identity”. We also believe it portrays the importance of the group of talented individuals who make up our business, in both the success of IDENTITY CONSULT and the projects which we work on.
A further significant milestone was the opening of our North West office in Preston, confirming our long term commitment to our client base in this area.
We currently have five people based in this office but recent appointments to Lancaster University’s Project Management Framework and the JV North Employer’s Agent Framework will create further opportunities in this region.
We have created seven new positions within our business this year, increasing our staff numbers by 30% with new positions ranging from an Apprentice through to an Associate Director. This achievement should not be underestimated against the economic backdrop in which we have been operating which has seen fee levels continue to decline.
Our success and growth comes from working intelligently with forward-thinking clients, establishing partnerships with like-minded organisations. This, and the pro-active and innovative approach we take to delivering our services, has allowed us to move away from a reliance on price only mini-competitions with our focus now on commissions, where the value we can bring is taken account of and recognised.
We have also strengthened our relationships with the charities we have been supporting this year. We are delighted to continue to support the Percy Hedley Foundation, whilst our partnership with the Foundation of Light will provide training, employment, youth group and player pathway opportunities for over 100 children within the Shildon area, where the Football Development Centre which we established goes from strength to strength.
Finally, on behalf of all at IDENTITY CONSULT, we would like to thank you all for your support over the past year and wish you a very merry Christmas and prosperous New Year.
David Dent,
Managing Director