G7, Who Do They Really Represent?

I have just opened my Professional Recovery magazine to find the headline “G7 Initiative hits a setback”. The problem with these initiatives is that the word “agenda” should be used. I still fail to see how the industry can become united to the betterment by people who claim to be representing general recovery operators when they don’t listen to what we want. I completely fail to see how this G7 Agenda will better my business in any way and I feel that the reason for the three associations withdrawing is that they are made up of members who are, once again, people like me.

Even noting what Richard Goddard had to say, and he certainly has plenty of experience and knows his onions, he is keen to criticise the three groups for distancing themselves but he does not explain to me what G7 is really trying to achieve. This G7 needs to list, say, 10 items or areas that they intend to put right (as David Cameron lists his priorities), then at least we would have some idea of what we are letting ourselves in for.

There is reference to the previously failed groups like Focus. I suspect, once again, they failed because they achieved nothing, certainly nothing that anybody wants to be achieved. If I remember correctly, the only significant achievement in recent years has been the increase in the statutory fee and I don’t believe this was achieved by the Survive or Focus Groups.

While there is talk of raising the profile of the industry, whatever that means, I am really searching to find how this will address my business problems which are: high fuel and insurance costs; low return on investment; difficult staff rostering due to not enough money being paid for many jobs; and this G7, I think, is just a threat of more regulation.

In some ways it would be nice to be a completely united recovery industry and a similar thinking unit but because we are all so diverse and individual, people should resign themselves to the fact that it is not the way that we will be going. People should be encouraged to run their own business and make a profit which, by and large, we are doing and not be told how to function by people who are not paying for our services and may cost us money.

We recovery operators are servants of the clubs and insurance companies and the many other companies and individuals who provide us with our livelihood. They are the people whose opinion we need to respect and whose rules and guidance we must adhere to. He who pays the piper has every right to call the tune. I can’t see why anyone else should come out to play.

Fred Henderson,
Breakdown Doctor,
Durham City.