Looking back on the past 28 years

How it began

On 1 June 1993, Dukes was born! Supported by my wife, Elaine, and my business partner at that time, we started Dukes with the sole purpose of executing Warrants of Arrest for the non-payment of Community Charge.

I had just over a year’s experience as a bailiff, but I seized the opportunity to start the business when we were offered work by Macclesfield Borough Council who were impressed with our passion for success.

At the time, the country had seen riots about Poll Tax which started in England and Wales in 1990, but was then abandoned in 1993 for the current Council Tax scheme we have today. There were thousands of people and families owing thousands of pounds, and bailiff companies sprung up, and prospered, because Local Authorities could not enforce without their help.

When establishing Dukes, I had no desire to compete with the bailiff companies; I expected at least two years’ work arresting the thousands who would still not pay. However, our clients were impressed with our performance, and the offer of continued bailiff work ensured we could continue to grow our reputation within the market.

Growth

I never saw Dukes growing exponentially, as our service was and continues to be, more of a guaranteed personal service. However, some 28 years later, we are still here, still growing and still going strong with a leading reputation as the pioneer of ethical enforcement; four regional offices and clients across England and Wales.

In 2018 we reached our 25-year milestone, which was a momentous occasion celebrated proudly not only by myself and my family but the wider Dukes family as well. Looking back since then, I am proud of how much we have accomplished. We have continued to increase the size of our team with experienced professionals joining the family; we have increased our client base across the country, with an amplified presence in the South East and South West of England, and we have continued to expand and diversify our approach to ethical enforcement.

A proud CEO & father

In the spirit of the company’s growth, I am delighted that all three of my daughters now work for and support the family brand. Twins, Sarah and Laura joined the company in 2015, with my eldest, Zoe joining the team later in 2019. As a result of their determination, strong work ethic and desire to lead and shape the business, they have all recently been promoted to Directors, in their own right.

Maintaining our values

It’s always been important to Elaine and I that as the business continues to grow, we continue to maintain our family ethos.

‘Family’ is what makes Dukes different. Our authentic family culture enables us to provide a personalised, professional service to everyone we work with. The relationships that our family members create so naturally, combined with the level of unrivalled service that we provide is what our clients love.

To get this right, we have a heavily vetted recruitment process to ensure we grow with people who are forward thinking, approachable, and most importantly, people who share our passion to help people get out and stay out of debt.

Overcoming challenges

It goes without saying that when running a business, you expect hurdles and challenges along the way. It is no secret that one of our earlier challenges was competing for Local Authority contracts when the question came down to price/fees applied. We were often undercut on fees charged by the larger bailiff competitors, but in 2014, when the TCoG regulations standardised the enforcement process with a single set of statutory fees, it was a gamer changer (for us and our debtors!) and we have not looked back since.

It is obvious that the most recent test we have had to overcome has been the Coronavirus pandemic. Balancing the needs and safety of our stakeholders and adhering to enforcement restrictions, all whilst trying to maintain a successful business was definitely a challenge.

Dealing with Covid-19

On 23 March 2020, the Government laid restrictions on the enforcement of all local taxation debt. These restrictions were in place for 14 months, and to date, additional restrictions on commercial rent arrears recovery (CRAR) have been extended, which are not due to be eased until 25 March 2022.

With country-wide restrictions implemented on office working, overnight we saw our family members transition to homeworkers. With thanks to our forward-thinking senior management team, our ethical approach to recovery and investment in technology we were able to proactively adapt to a new, temporary normal.

Before the pandemic, I distinctly remember feeling that working from home would not be successful. Productivity would be a challenge, because an office environment was required to get the most out of the team. I put this down to my age and old-fashioned work ethic, but 14 months later and I am now converted. Earlier this month, we implemented a company-wide hybrid working model to suit our team and our business requirements, so it looks like Teams meetings are here to stay!

The Future for Dukes

I believe the service we provide is crucial to the economy and it is believed to be responsible for the collection of over £4 billion per annum, across the whole spectrum of debt from DCA’s Certificated Enforcement Agents, County Court Bailiffs and High Court Enforcement Agents.

Dukes have a clear vision to continue to be the trusted enforcement company across England and Wales. To create local opportunities; educate and inspire communities to resolve their debt(s), all whilst maintaining our uncompromising values as we grow.

Whilst Elaine and I will gradually step back from the usual daily order of the company, I am confident in the strategies that we have in place and in our dynamic, experienced senior leadership team who I know will help to make this happen.

What’s more, with my daughters in the team, I believe the brand and legacy of Dukes will remain for many years to come, and the ‘family’ ethos indefinitely. Bring on the 30th anniversary celebrations!

Thanks for reading my latest blog post. If you’re interested to read the blog I posted when we celebrated 25 years, click here.