Berkshire Hathaway (the company of legendary investor Warren Buffet) turns over approximately $250 billion per year, has in excess of $140 billion in cash reserves and employs over 250,000 people in all its businesses (invested in or owned), including brands such as Coca Cola & Dairy Queen. There’s also railroad & energy companies and more… and that doesn’t include his insurance and re-insurance businesses which are some of America’s largest.
You would think he would have a cast of thousands administering such a gargantuan enterprise… but no… Mr Buffet employs approximately 25 people at his head office. Warren Buffet understands the importance of culture so much, that his right hand man for decades at Berkshire Hathaway is Charlie Munger, Vice Chairman. Warren describes Charlie as Vice Chairman of Culture.
Berkshire’s success, in the main, is finding good people or buying businesses run well by good people. Warren lets them do their job and provides business counselling and guidance from time to time when requested or where the need arises.
That’s the Thomas Direct difference…
We have valued culture as an important part of our success and understood that it’s people that makes the business successful – not technology or clever strategies or the latest fad in business management which is often bandied around by organisations and people as being important. Let me prove it to you…
A good sign that a business has a great culture is in the retention of its employees.Thomas Direct have people who have been working with us for over 20 years – some even 30 – which is unheard of in telemarketing. And that’s not mentioning employees who has been with us from 5 to 20 years – all expert and experienced in raising funds for charities large and small while protecting their brand. When a company cares for the people they work with, this caring flows through to the thousands of interactions with your supporters.
Also, the management team and support teams at Thomas Direct share the same honour of being very long term journeymen. From good culture and long term experience flows all the other benefits that make a great enterprise. So when strategy and technology is implemented or improved, you’re on the front foot.