The Person behind the Business |
Mixing past with present proves successful for Chartered Surveyors Hindwoods Property experts Hindwoods has a long history of which its employees are rightly proud; the fact that it has a heritage stretching back to the late 19th Century provides a reputation for reliability and dependability. However, with heritage comes the challenge of also appearing relevant to modern times and modern clients. triking a balance between the two occupies much of the time of Managing Director Nigel Barfoot, who joined the company in 2002 and took on the top job three years ago. He oversees a growing business whose activities range from property surveying and management to commercial and residential agency.
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Hindwoods, which can trace its history back to 1886, has been created over the years by the amalgamation of several highly regarded companies such as Clarke and Esplin, White Dent, Cottrell and Rothon and Hunter Payne. The result is a company with an unmatched history of serving the property community in South London and Kent, with teams based in offices within Blackheath, Greenwich and East Dulwich. Nigel says that its current programme of modernisation is important for the future of the business, not least because it can help attract and retain staff. He said: “We are a well-established business with a long history, but we are also aware that we have to move with the times. “We are currently looking for a new modern office in Greenwich to bring both the Blackheath and Greenwich staff under one roof;
currently our head office is in a Victorian building in Blackheath. “One of our ongoing challenges is competing with the companies in central London when it comes to recruiting and retaining staff as our offices are only a short commute away. We do our best to match central London salaries but one of the things we can offer people is somewhere that they want to work, and I know that a number of our staff would like to work in a more modern working environment. “One of the other ways we can compete is by giving staff an opportunity to progress that they might not achieve within a larger company in central London. For example, one of our existing Directors came to us to undertake some unpaid work experience during the recession and has subsequently risen up the ranks over the years to his current role as a Director.” One thing that has not changed is Hindwoods’ determination to offer a wide range of services to its clients, something which Nigel says sets it apart in an increasingly specialised sector.
According to Nigel, this approach has helped Hindwoods thrive despite the current uncertainties in the economic and political world. He said: “We have modernised and transformed the business over recent years, and it has continued to grow, but we have not moved away from the range of work that we do. “A lot of our competitors have tended to specialise, but we continue to provide a wide range of surveying services, ranging from building surveys, party wall matters, valuations, rent reviews and lease renewals to property management and commercial and residential agency. We can therefore offer our clients a complete range of services within Hindwoods that may not be obtained elsewhere. “We have had a busy year but do believe that the snap election did not help our business over the last financial year as it created a lot of uncertainty. “We do not appear to have seen much of an effect from the Brexit Referendum so far, but we may be in for a period of uncertainty over the next year or two that could affect us.”
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We do our best to match central London salaries but one of the things we can offer people is somewhere that they want to work, and I know that a number of our staff would like to work in a more modern working environment.
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April 2018
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