Every year, I like to reflect back upon the last year at PRG, sharing the exciting things that have happened and looking forward to the coming year.
As I noted in my Christmas 2012 blog, we approached 2013 full of excitement about our impending move to new offices at the end of January. The New Year kicked off well, as the team coordinated a faultless move (barring the inevitable BT telephone issues) that got us moved in a day and up and running in time for work on Monday. A triumph of planning and logistics from everyone involved.
Sadly, the next few months proved to be challenging for PRG, several members of the team and the Groves family. As many of you will know, Ray was diagnosed with bowel cancer and has since spent the majority of the year receiving treatment or being operated on. Coupled with this, Kathryn suffered a serious head injury whilst out jogging which side-lined her for several months. Two of our part time staff also departed for personal reasons, leaving PRG in a challenging spot.
The good news is that Ray is on the mend, having received the all clear back in the autumn. Kathryn is back to full strength too and over the course of the year we’ve welcomed some new members to the team. Laura joined us as an Account Manager right in the midst of the post-move chaos, as did Stephen, who began as an intern but who earned a full time role as an Account Executive. Yasmin joined us in the summer, working in a spread role across the company assisting all departments. Finally, in order to meet the demands of our clients and their digital requirements, we brought in Joe as a web developer to work with Ian.
During the tough period we still continued to seize opportunities, winning some exciting new clients and projects. Some of the highlights include our successful pitch to Asset Skills, helping them to brand and set up their new training arm, Asset Skills Training.
We also began working with McQuay in the UK, helping them to promote their range of chillers and air handling units. Last month, the team organised a hugely successful launch event for the new ATS air cooled chiller to over 100 customers at the British Transport Museum in London.
Our portfolio of international clients expanded to China, where we undertook a sizeable branding and marketing for British Fortune Group, helping them to launch into the UK whilst creating materials for use in China as well.
We’ve developed some fantastic websites, both big and small, as well as redeveloping past websites for existing clients. The recent launch of the Eastbourne Chamber of Commerce website demonstrated our ability to create fully responsive websites for our clients, meaning that they are built to adapt to mobile devices seamlessly.
Our client Stamco, a large Sussex-based builder’s merchant, engaged us to brand and launch its new high-end kitchen, bedroom and bathroom brand and showroom, Inspired Home Interiors. The launch was a great success and has translated into a constant stream of visitors and customers. Plans for 2014 are already in motion!
We treated ourselves to a bit of a make over and rebranded as PRG Marketing Communications – a term that far better suited the broad offering of services all under our roof. The new logo looks great on the new office too.
Tracey managed to smash her previous record for tennis hospitality sales, leading to record numbers in the suite for the week. She is now busy selling for the 2014 tournament, in between her and Faye pushing on with CQ and LP Gas magazines to get them onto the press early in the New Year.
September was a landmark month for me personally. This was when Ray moved into the Chairman role and I stepped up to become Managing Director. I also welcomed my daughter Lara into the world on 16th September, but I can claim very little credit for this; my wife Jodanna did all the hard work!
Our Senior Account Executive, Michaela, has had a good end to the year as well, having recently got engaged! So everyone is in full-on wedding planning mode.
Looking forwards to 2014, I feel a real sense of excitement. Recently, some great opportunities have presented themselves and we are pushing hard to seize them and to win the work.
Our new website will be going live in January – this one has served us well but it is time for us to bring the branding into line and to practise what we preach when it comes to targeting mobile device users.
We are seeing more confidence in the economy, across many of the sectors that we and our clients operate in.
Finally, I would like to thank the PRG team for all of their hard work this year, we’ve achieved some fantastic things this year and I’m very proud of everyone.
