Face-to-face
Simon Munson FRICS of Urban Green, talks about launching a new surveying practice in London in the middle of the recession
You’ve just set up a new surveying consultancy. How difficult was it to branch out on your own?
It was not at all difficult. We fully understand the current demands of the market and hold a belief as to where it will be heading, with an even sharper focus upon risk management, business ethics and customer service.
We believe as a small, independent consultancy, with our experiences and skills, we can make an impact. Everything then falls into place.
Why did you decide on the name Urban Green?
With offices in London and Birmingham, we are an urban practice. Green to us, despite a chequered history, reflects certain traits – social awareness, conscience, sustainability.
There is a friction between the two elements of the name which reflects the challenges facing all of us working in the built environment.
What are the advantages/disadvantages to setting up in London?
London is tremendously vibrant, and can’t fail to enthuse. There are always opportunities. We have more than 20 years working experience in the capital and will put this to good use.
It would be churlish to talk about disadvantages, as these are far outweighed by the benefits. It is one of the world’s great cities and is an exciting place to set up shop.
What kind of ways are you promoting the services of your new company?
We are in a highly competitive environment and the developing of a brand awareness is important to us. There is no short cut to building a sustainable reputation.
We are working closely with a select client base of like minded companies and individuals to ensure we are equipped to meet their expectations. We will look to ensure whoever uses us is delighted with the experience.
It is impossible in a professional environment to over-estimate the importance of recommendation following a positive relationship. We could talk about networking, websites etc, but at the end of the day, we deal with people, and you can best promote yourself through delivering.
How important is your RICS accreditation to your firm?
Very – our starting point was to ensure our systems, processes and quality standards were of a high enough standard to surpass those demanded by the RICS.
It is critical a new practice such as Urban Green embraces quality standards set by the RICS, and indeed pushes for higher professional standards at every opportunity, for the benefit of both the membership and the public.
What are going to be your firm’s main challenges in the coming year?
We are a young enthusiastic practice. We need to ensure we retain our vision, managing our own expectation, whilst keeping patient and retaining a common sense approach.
What issues do you think RICS should be concentrating on in 2010?
The pressures placed upon surveyors and surveying practices are immense. Profit margins are continually squeezed and surveyors are tempted to go faster and cut corners – to the detriment of both themselves and the client.
An area where costs have escalated is PI insurance. There is an opportunity here for the RICS to raise its profile in the market-place with more imaginative schemes to support those who are being effectively forced out of the market place due to high premiums.
What can be learned from the current recession?
The most important opportunity given by a recession is surely to learn from it and be better placed to manage the next cycle.
There is a danger the surveying profession has simply looked on as the financial sector has taken criticism for operating reward cultures, which encourage risk taking and short-term profitability, whilst at the same time condoning the same attitudes through bonus cultures and packages which take little account of quality, and the longer term ramifications of lowered professional standards and potential claims.
Practicing surveyors need perhaps to become more aware of the impact upon them personally of claims records, which cannot simply be swept under the carpet when moving from employer to employer.
