The Back View

By: The Back View
Listen for free

  • Summary

  • Ian Jones from Backhouse Jones discusses everything related to the transport industry, with a side-order of law.
    Show More Show Less
Business & Careers Economics Politics & Government
Show More Show Less
activate_samplebutton_t1
Episodes
  • 8: The Back View episode 8 - David Somers

    8: The Back View episode 8 - David Somers
    Oct 30 2020
    SPECIAL EXTENDED EDITION: Here’s the hook – you can improve profits fast, by talking to your drivers. In a lively and entertaining specially-extended podcast, Ian Jones chats with David Somers who’s been running the driver professional development firm Road Skills since the 1990s.

    In a lively podcast that’s full of amusing anecdotes, David looks back over his career as a commissioned officer who reached the rank of major, and about the skills required for leading men.

    Recalling how he went from a salesman with a company car and good package to being on the front line, he talks about his training at Sandhurst, how leadership develops, how to instil discipline and leading a unit

    There are clear parallels with the transport industry – getting people to do what you want them to do.

    “It is not about enforcing discipline as a regular management technique – that’s the difference with leadership,” he says. 

    “When you enforce discipline it doesn’t work,” he adds.

    They chat about great leaders – and why they had a ‘great right-hand man’.

    Asked who he admires – the answer is perhaps surprising, before the conversation moves onto current politicians and leaders

    We also learn what it’s like to drive a Chieftain tank and why he left the army as an infantry officer to go into road transport, at a time when there wasn’t the recognition that military training and skills could be transferred.

    He spills the beans on how he ‘sneaked in’ to the army, and got away with a ‘sleight of hand’ for his medicals… and how he got his HGV driver licence – a story in itself - then ran a haulage business.

    Since the 1990s David has been running training, developed in-house when he owned the haulage business.

    He explains how it started from looking at how to reduce the number of collisions his drivers were having, using a simple but effective solution. 

    He also talks about the different between right and wrong, 'avoidability' and how effective coaching makes a genuine difference for companies.
    Show More Show Less
    48 mins
  • 7: The Back View episode 7 - Phil White

    7: The Back View episode 7 - Phil White
    Oct 19 2020
    You might assume that commercial insurance is dull; but you’d be very wrong, as Phil White proves as he reflects on his career with Ian Jones, of Backhouse Jones. He talks about how insurance was “in the family DNA” and the best and worst advice he’s received. He looks at the changes in IT and working at Lloyds of London in the 1980s, along with changes in IT for vehicles and how this means operators can avoid being “sitting targets.” He recalls the development of brokerage Belmont, and its transition to Gallagher as well as the practical application of insurance and risk assessment – with an amusing tale of how it could have all gone very wrong during a visit to Chicago. He also votes for his favourite after-dinner speaker (and the worst), talks about the best times in business and, curiously, the long-running soap Cheers…
    Show More Show Less
    41 mins
  • 6: The Back View episode 6 - Richard Bamber

    6: The Back View episode 6 - Richard Bamber
    Oct 9 2020
    In this week’s edition, Ian Jones of Backhouse Jones chats with Richard Bamber co-founder of multi award-winning Runcorn-based Anthony’s Travel, as he looks back over his career.   Richard started in the industry by cleaning coaches for ‘lazy coach drivers’ at 50p a time, and aged 10 became “the richest kid in the playground.”   His father was a bailiff and Richard recalls how a repossessed minibus started a business in the middle of the 1980s recession, when there were no jobs for youngsters.    At the time Richard was 13, so his father and mother applied for a Restricted Operator Licence – in the days when a first application required a personal appearance before the Traffic Commissioner.   He learnt much from his father, but he also describes the challenges of being an impatient young man.   Having been very open about mental health issues “way before it became fashionable it to do so,” he explains how depression isn’t a sign of weakness.   He also talks about family relationships and how a breach of trust led to a difficult situation that ended up in court.   We discover that he knows one of The Beatles and chats about their early years along with his philosophy about life, where he thinks the coach industry will go over the next couple of years and the “great opportunities” ahead.   As one of first coach operators to embrace technology, he tells us how it’s benefitted his businesses, helping it become multi-award winning.    And, the strange story of why his coaches are painted metallic pink…
    Show More Show Less
    53 mins

What listeners say about The Back View

Average Customer Ratings

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Audible.com.au reviews

Amazon Reviews
No Reviews are Available
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.