It was a pleasure to catch up with Ian Hollins, Director of Clear Building Management, and understand what keeps him motivated and the most important lesson he has learnt.
What got you interested in a career in property management?
I had previously been involved with a voluntary consumer protection organisation, and had always been interested in how leaseholders could be protected by transparent and open management.
I had problems in my own block and decided that what I had learned could be used as a force for good.
What objectives did you have when you launched Clear Building Management?
I wanted to create a trusted and truly transparent business; that offers something tangibly different, that goes beyond what is recognised as traditional management.
I wanted communication to be central to our offering so that all owners and residents were involved in the running of their site, and that they had access to the information they want at the time they want it.
We look after people homes and investments and saw community building as something that property managers should be actively participating in and facilitate.
What does your job involve day-to-day?
As a growing business, I spend a lot of my day making sure that everyone in the businesses shares our ethos, this goes from me and my fellow Directors right through to third party contractors.
I love speaking to our customers and getting feedback. I put a lot of effort into getting our processes slick so everyone has more time to spend speaking to customers, communication is everything in this industry.
What keeps you motivated and enthusiastic?
I like a challenge, it’s fair to say we have a great team with complementary strengths, I like to listen and come up with ideas to grow. The feedback we get from all our clients keeps me motivated to grow the business further.
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career?
Get knocked down, learn from it, but don’t stay down for long enough to wallow in it. Get back up and see who is still by your side – they are the people to trust.
What is your proudest achievement?
Being the first managing agent to be awarded the Cabinet Office ‘Customer Service Excellence’ Award was definitely up there. And – most recently – being highly commended in the ARMA Ace Awards was a very proud moment.
What drives you crazy about other property managers?
The culture of secrecy and lack of communication, it’s fair to say the industry doesn’t have the best of reputations but when I hear of managers at other firms telling leaseholders “we don’t get paid enough to talk to you” they can’t be surprised!
Who in the industry has inspired you the most?
A great guy who is a solicitor specialising in Leasehold Law, we met through a mutual acquaintance, hit it off and his friendship and support has played an important part of the company’s growth.
What ambition would you still like to fulfil?
I have a plan to grow the company and my ambition is to achieve my goals 😉
What do you do when you’re not working?
The old cliché, spend time with friends, I love to travel and enjoy experiencing new places and I enjoy a glass (or two) of red.
