offices nw: alison ross, auto trader
DESCRIPTION
Alison Ross, operations director of Auto Trader, on the company's relocation to ManchesterTRANSCRIPT
Auto Trader moves to Manchester
Alison Ross
Auto Trader – Incredible Brand
65%
Using the Master slide
Auto Trader – Incredible Brand
Alison Ross, infrastructure and operations director at Trader
Media Group, publisher of Auto Trader, will outline the reasons behind the firm's major relocation from
Warrington to Manchester this year.
Last Issue Ever
June 2013
March 2013 – Circulation 27,000
Jan 2000 – Circulation 368,000
1996
5 people in Devon
Online
Little bit of luck
Visionary LeadershipMassive Investment in Technology
Competitive SalesforceBravery
How?
2013
Everybody
100% Digital
• Top 10 UK website
• Over a billion PI a month
• 11 million unique visitors a month
• 73 searches per second at peak
• 60% visits from a mobile device
Massive Website
• Huge consumer audience
• Auto Trader is a B2B business
• Sell products and services to dealers alongside advertising
• Hugely data driven
• We know what you will buy, when, where and how much you’ll pay…
Our Business
4,5000 Employees
2002
39 office locations3 Print plants
900 Employees
Jan 2014
10 Office locations2 Data centres
NLW – Technology and Service 3 Buildings 450 people – Capacity 400
SJC – Finance 50 people – Capacity 100
Chester – Acquired specialist data company 20 people – Capacity 50
Salford – Non Car and D&I 30 people – Capacity 200
Catherine Street – Tele Sales50 people – Capacity 300
The Trevolution
Think Digital
• Large footplate
• Building already built
• Great transport links, especially mainline rail
• North West based
• Great pool of talent
What we wanted
• Search enabled by Steve Brittle from Matthews and Goodman – August 2013
• Long list of properties:• 2 in Liverpool• 3 in Warrington• 8 in Manchester
• Shortlist of 3 was pretty obvious:
What we found
• Started negotiating with First St and Harman Sq from August through to December
• Great design opportunities• In the heart of the city• Great transport links• Within budget
• Either would have been fine….
Hard choices
It was just more us
• Started consulting with employees in October
• Very controversial• Business reasons accepted• Grave unhappiness about commute times• 90% had increase of 30mins plus
• High risk of losing operational ability
Employee Reaction
• We had to bring the employees on the journey
• We were resolute• Great incentive package• Changes to flexible working policy• Really went for it on the fit out
Carrots and Sticks
• Started search in August• Started employee consultation in October• Partnered with Claremont November• Workplace planning during December• Signed lease January• Worked out design in Feb• Started work in earnest in March• First people moved in in May• Last people in July• Still doing a bit of snagging
• We can feel the cultural change• Recruitment has gone through the roof• Staff very happy “all worth it”• Only lost 10 people through the move• Feel like we’re part of something greater
• Knew what we wanted• Short chain of command• Great local partners• Very supportive board• We are amazing executers
November 2014