Martin Smout, chief executive of GB 黑洞社区 Solutions, has said the company boosted repeat business from 60% to 69% last year, to help combat the recession
Speaking after the contractor unveiled its results for the year to 30 June this week, Smout said: 鈥淢ore than ever it鈥檚 about understanding your client.
鈥淎s budgets for schemes get trimmed you need to sit down with them and find a solution that still delivers.鈥�
Turnover at the company fell 5.8% from 拢207.2m to 拢195.2m in 2009 while pre-tax profit rose 31% to 拢174,378.
Last year鈥檚 profit figure was low by comparison after the repayment of loan notes to MJ Gleeson, the company from which Smout led a management buyout in July 2005.
This year鈥檚 figures were also affected by 拢930,000 of restructuring costs that saw headcount fall from 350 to 250. Smout ruled out more redundancies and said the group had the right structure in place to weather the recession.
He added that the company had also become an investor in PFI schemes over the past 12 months, including the Brunswick social housing project for Manchester council.
He said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 better to be further up the food chain, adding value.鈥�
The company ended the year with 拢17.3m cash in the bank while the pay of the highest-paid director rose from 拢270,246 to 拢280,257.
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