Page 9 - Bouvet årsrapport ENG 2010 ePub

Bouvet ANNUAL repOrt 2010 9

Increased demand meant that we had 96 more employees at 31 December than a year earlier. Tis success refects good market progress, but most of all able and enthusi-astic consultants. It is very enjoyable to lead a company which gets so much positive feedback from clients. Teir comments relate to both the professional expertise and the personal qualities of our consultants. I am constantly hearing that they are easy to coop-erate with and function well in the projects.

For their part, the consultants fnd it stimu-lating to work on professional challenges in projects which help to advance the society of which we form part. Some examples demon-strate this. We are building systems for more efcient energy trading and improved man-agement of predators, solutions for following up health, safety and the environment, better web banks, support for more efcient internal collaboration at our clients, websites for the sale and distribution of digital teaching aids to schools, and mobile solutions for locating public transport services. Te list could have been much longer.

Our starting point has been services related to the development of systems. In recent years, however, we have widened our range. We have taken new steps in the direction of the server room, users of solutions and the strategic processes which underlie the choice of business solutions. Tis has made it possible to achieve a broader collabora-tion with our clients. Service management, mobile solutions and technical infrastruc-ture are examples of areas where we became considerably stronger during 2010.

I would make particular mention of our progress in Rogaland county, where growth in both the workforce and the volume of assignments has been impressive. We have also found it appropriate to establish a dedi-cated subsidiary to serve the local Rogaland market for interactive communication and web solutions. Tis Olavstoppen venture has already established itself in a positive way in the local market.

Our strategy has remained the same throughout. We build stone by stone on the basis of credibility, long-term client relation-ships and satisfed employees. Tis approach was retained even in the tough market which prevailed in 2009. During 2010, we saw that this was the right choice.

An important reason for our success has been the attention we devote to our employ-ees. In addition to professional develop-ment and expertise-building, we cultivate a corporate culture in which job satisfaction, team spirit and good humour are important elements. Te expertise and enthusiasm of

our employees are crucial for our success in establishing long-term relationships with clients and becoming their preferred partner. We have a fat organisational structure, where the views of the individual are heard, and we facilitate fexible solutions which permit work and family to be combined in the best possible way. A great many social events are also organised. Tat means we enjoy each other’s company – which I fnd very gratifying.

Our regional profle is important. A wide geographical spread and local ofces in both Norway and Sweden provide clear benefts for marketing and competitiveness. Tis closeness to the client means that we achieve better interaction and long-term relationships with them. We have chosen to illustrate that point in this annual report through pictures of consultants dancing with clients. Satisfed clients will always be the best ambassadors, and good references are important in sales work.

We will continue to develop by ofering the services which our clients need. A crucial condition for achieving that goal will be to maintain continuity in our workforce and to go on developing our expertise. If we succeed in that, we will continue to make progress. We have everything needed for success.

Able employees

– close to the clients

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We had another good year in 2010. Existing clients showed renewed confdence in us, while a number of highly interesting new clients chose to enter into collaboration with us.

Chief executive’s comments: