The May issue of Call Sign contained an open letter from Eric Waterman (R71) suggesting that members of the BoM be allowed to stand for only two terms thereby giving more drivers the chance to gain BoM experience. The following response is the personal view of Allen Togwell…

The article by Mr Waterman (R71) advocating Board members standing down after two terms and not seeking re-election for a minimum of two years was interesting, if only for the fact that it was the third time I had heard this suggestion in as many days. 
   I was in the office one Saturday overseeing the final touches to the Call Centre refurb, when during the morning a driver who happened to be in the building, informed me that he intended making the Eric Waterman suggestion into a proposition at the next AGM.
   Later that day, another driver and colleague of the first one, informed me that he too supported the proposal. I feel it prudent to mention at this point that one of these two drivers was a failed candidate for the Board at the last AGM.
   I expressed my views  to both, concluding that I had never heard of such nonsense in my life. Commercially I considered it to be madness although politically it made a lot of sense, particularly to the ex-candidate because it could possibly be the only way he and several of his colleagues who also stood and failed to impress the members, were ever likely to get onto the Board.
   Mountview have a system of two board members standing for re-election each year. Our system for the election of officers, is that we offer all six for re-election at the same time, which means that if the members wanted to, they could change the entire Board - including the Chairman - in one go! So what is the problem? If the members don’t think the Board are doing a good job, then get rid of them. If a member stands from the floor with what you consider to be the right qualities and puts forward a good argument as to why he would benefit the Society as a Board member, surely he would stand every chance of being elected.
   Equally, if the Board working on the Society’s behalf are doing their job successfully, then why change it ?. As the old saying goes: ‘If it ain’t broke - why mend it’.
   The feeble argument of the two drivers in question was that they considered our present system to lack continuity because anyone of us could be hit by a bus. So what happens in the private sector? Is every job arranged in pairs in case one person gets blown up in a terrorist attack?

When I Was Kicked Off…

When I got kicked off the Board, I was replaced by someone who had not a clue about management, sales, marketing, or even the responsibilities of being a Board member. He later resigned and asked if he could be employed by DaC - to which we agreed. Some time later he left the circuit completely and sought a career elsewhere. Disenchanted, he applied to come back to DaC, was given a priority fitting and has repaid our kindness ever since by continually criticising the Board. So much for continuity….
   At the time I was kicked off, I was in the middle of several large, costly projects. One was to renegotiate the contract of one our largest clients, another was the building of a huge (300.000) client data base, while yet another was to build links with taxi firms all over Europe - to name but three.
   Two months later, I was in a café talking to my successor about how he was progressing and was told that the European project had been dumped because he couldn’t understand all the foreign letters he was receiving, the client data base had been lost because he ruined the hard drive on the computer and the renegotiations with the client was causing concern. With regards to the last item, I received a letter at my home from the client, expressing disappointment that I was no longer looking after their account and also stressing concern at the vulnerability of our election system.
   The following year my successor resigned from the circuit, subsequently joined another taxi company and took with him the client. This was just one Board member. You don’t have to be the brain of Britain to realise what  the damage to the Society could be if two successful experienced Board members were kicked off and replaced overnight by two drivers with no knowledge whatsoever of running a radio circuit.
   I asked both drivers what the situation would be if, for example, it was Keith Cain and myself that had to stand down whilst in the middle of several major projects. They both suggested that we would stay on and teach the incumbent member everything we know. Items such as how to sell, how to create artwork, copy-writing and design, how to use a whole gamut of different software 

systems on both PC and Apple, build a rapport with our clients in what would normally takes months - if not years - reply to tenders, negotiate contracts, make presentations, understand the billing and data systems and the Call Centre functionality etc etc.
   I know there are members on our circuit who don’t credit the Board with much intelligence or ability, but I wonder at times if they think we are all running a scout group instead of a £30 million business.
   Oh, and by the way, not only are we supposed to stay on after the AGM to attempt this crash course in teaching what little we know, but will be expected to do it on £12.50 an hour. Don't hold your breath!  

But If You Are Serious…

Finally, I would like to say something to any serious minded members on our circuit who have aspirations of becoming a Board member. I know there are a lot of drivers on Dial-a-Cab who possess a multitude of commercial skills. When I joined this Society, in my opinion it lacked a proper sales department. I put myself up for election and my address to the members concentrated solely on generating future business. I was elected and during my first month on the Board, the person responsible for Sales asked me what job did I hope to do in the future (in those days getting a recognised job such as, for example, Complaints Officer, literally took years). I answered him by saying: ”Your Job”. Three months later, I got it. From that moment on, I started the Society’s first proper Sales and Marketing department. I put all my previous experience into making it a success and I like to think that the Society has benefited from it. I mention this simply because the Board is not a closed shop. If you have the ability and a genuine desire to put that ability for the benefit of the Society, you will achieve success.
   Another example which proves my point is that of Brian Rice who was on the board for just TWO years before becoming Chairman.
   However, before taking that step towards being a Board member, serious consideration needs to be made as to the pitfalls, liabilities and how time consuming the role is. During my time, I have served with two very worthy board members, Marie White and Colin O’Brian, both of whom are sadly no longer with us. Both had to resign after fairly short periods because they could not afford it.
Editor’s note: As with all articles in Call Sign, your comments are welcome…