Brackwell Freight Ltd / BG-Demo – Check In
Callcompleted
Brackwell Freight Ltd · 27 Aug 2024 16:00
Liam Doherty put a summer dip in use down to holidays and the August rush. The call booked depot training and a one-page retailer view, and gave a first renewal heads up on Starter. Liam must justify the spend to his finance director.
What was said
What this says
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026Liam Doherty put a summer dip in use down to holidays and the August rush. The call booked depot training and a one-page retailer view, and gave a first renewal heads up on Starter. Liam must justify the spend to his finance director.
What happened: Marcus Bell showed usage slightly lower than before the summer, with questions asked softer but spread across three or four people. No tickets in the last month, and nightly refresh and records indexed look healthy.
Customer view: Liam Doherty blames holidays and deliveries, and says September peak is when the at-risk view matters. He wants the brain in the Monday meeting so use becomes a habit.
Commercial: Marcus stated Starter at £20k with fifteen licensed users, term end 2024-11-30 and renewal 2024-12-01. Liam must justify value to his finance director, and signing runs through the finance director and then the managing director.
Watch: Liam has not yet sent the account manager's write-up or the early warning example. Admin cover rests on Liam, and a second admin name is outstanding.
Themes
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026Theme
Summer dip and renewal prep
Importance
renewal
Sentiment
mixed
Voice
champion
Who was there
BG-Demo
CRMmade from
Them
CRMmade from
Follow-up
Next steps
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026- Marcus Bell to send the depot training invite for early the following month, around 10:00.
- Marcus to build a shorter question list and a one-page view per retailer for the Monday meeting.
- Marcus to brief Tom once Liam sends the account manager's lines and the early warning example.
Risks
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026- Active users and days logged in dipped, and one person's example is the main value case for the finance director.
- Admin cover rests on Liam, with the second admin not yet named.
- The depot session has already slipped once and is not yet rescheduled.
Opportunities
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026- A weekly at-risk view for big retail contracts ahead of peak could embed use across the depots.
- If all the depots join, the fifteen licensed users on Starter may be exceeded, which opens an upgrade conversation.
Transcript
Liam DohertyAfternoon, Marcus. Sorry, I'm a minute or so behind, I was stuck in the yard doing a handover.
Marcus BellNo problem at all, I've only just got in myself. Afternoon. How's the week been, with the bank holiday behind us?- Liam DohertyMad. Everyone was off for the long weekend and then everyone came back at once wanting everything. You know how it goes. Half the deliveries bunched up on Tuesday.
- Marcus BellHa, I can imagine. Well, I'll try not to add to it. I'll share my screen and run through what I want to cover. Usage first, since I've pulled the numbers, then what's happened since the last time, then the renewal, because the date's getting closer.
- Liam DohertyGo for it. I can see it.
- Marcus BellRight. So this is the last quarter against the one before. Honest picture: it's a touch lower. Not dramatic, just slightly fewer people active than before the summer.
- Liam DohertyYeah. That'll be the holidays. Honestly I'd have been surprised if it wasn't. Half my depot managers have been away, and the ones who weren't were firefighting.
- Marcus BellThat's what I'd guess too. I don't want to read too much into one dip, because the shape's a bit different from earlier in the year. It was climbing nicely, and I'd expect that to come back as people return.
- Liam DohertyMm. Right. It's a bit annoying though, because I did push it in June and I thought we'd got some momentum.
- Marcus BellYou did, and it showed. Look, if I scroll down, the people who started in the summer are still there. It's not that they've left, it's more that the number of days they're logging in has gone down. So the habit's there, it's just been quiet.
- Liam DohertyOkay. That's a fair way of putting it.
- Marcus BellQuestions asked is the one I care about most. Same story, a bit softer, but still more than we were seeing at the start of the year. And I'm glad to say it's still spread across a few people rather than just you.
- Liam DohertyRight. Because if it's only me asking, that's not a business tool, that's me with a hobby.
- Marcus BellHa, well put. No, it's not just you. There's a core of three or four. What I'd like to do is get that spread wider, which is where the depots come in.
- Liam DohertyYeah. So, the depots. I'll be straight, it's been slower than I wanted. I got the session booked, as we said, and then three people dropped out because of deliveries, and one of the managers is on long leave.
- Marcus BellUnderstood. Did you reschedule?
- Liam DohertyNot yet. That's on me. I wanted to get past the August rush first.
- Marcus BellNo, that's sensible. Shall we pick a slot now, while we're both here? Early next month, a mid-morning one? I'd rather get it in the diary than have it float.
- Liam DohertyYeah, go on. Mornings are better for the depot lot, they're not out on the road until later. If it's around ten, I think most of them can make it.
- Marcus BellTen works. I'll send an invite for early next month and you can move it if you need to. Short is fine, I'd say a short slot, they won't want to sit through a long one.
- Liam DohertyPerfect. A short slot, then. I'll get them to bring a retailer each.
- Marcus BellThat's the way. On their own accounts it clicks. Okay, tickets. And this one's easy, there's nothing. No tickets in the last month, nothing open.
- Liam DohertyRight. Which is either very good or everyone's given up.
- Marcus BellHa. I did wonder. I looked at it from both ends. The data's been refreshing every night, records are still going up, so it's not that the thing's broken and nobody's said. I think it's genuinely been fine.
- Liam DohertyOkay. Good. I'd have told you. You know I would, I'm the one who chases things.
- Marcus BellI do know. That's why I'm comfortable. Though if I'm honest, quiet on both fronts, fewer people logging in and no tickets, is the combination I like to check on, so I'm glad I could ask you directly.
- Liam DohertyNo, fair enough, that's a reasonable thing to look at. Honestly, it's just the summer. September's when it picks up for us anyway, retail peak starts building.
- Marcus BellThat's useful to know. Is that when you most want the at-risk view, ahead of the busy period?
- Liam DohertyExactly. That's when contracts get tested. Peak volumes, tight deadlines, any slip shows up. If I can get the account managers asking the right questions before that, then it's earned its keep.
- Marcus BellThen let's make the training call about that. Not a general tour, but the weekly check on your biggest retail contracts, pulling together calls, exceptions and emails. I'll build it around that.
- Liam DohertyI like that a lot. Make it practical. Here's the question, here's what you get back, here's what you do with it.
- Marcus BellYeah. Same as the list of questions I sent you earlier in the summer, did those land? Did anyone actually use them?
- Liam DohertyA couple did. The ones about what's changed on an account in the last month, those got used. The longer ones, less so. People like short.
- Marcus BellOkay, that's helpful. I'll cut the long ones and keep it short.
- Liam DohertyYeah. Short and a bit blunt, they respond better.
- Marcus BellNoted. Right, the renewal, then. And I'll be clear about what this is. It's a heads up, nothing's being decided today.
- Liam DohertyGo on.
- Marcus BellSo, you started on 1 Dec 2023. The first term ends on 30 Nov 2024 and the renewal date is 1 Dec 2024. You're on Starter at nineteen and a half thousand a year, with fifteen licensed users. That's the contract and it matches what's been invoiced. I'll be sending the formal notice in good time before the end of the term.
- Liam DohertyOkay. Nineteen and a half. And that's the same as the first year, so no change?
- Marcus BellI'm going to be careful here, because the commercial side is Tom's, and I don't want to quote you something I shouldn't. What I can tell you is what's in the current order form, and that's the figure I just gave. Anything about what happens at renewal, Tom will take you through.
- Liam DohertyFair enough. I'd rather hear it from him than get a half answer.
- Marcus BellExactly. What I'll do is brief him properly, with the usage and the story from this year, so you're not repeating yourself.
- Liam DohertyGood. Because honestly I'll need to sell it upwards. My finance director will ask what we get for it, and I don't want to say 'it's useful' and leave it there.
- Marcus BellRight, and that's why I keep asking for the example. Did you get anything from the account manager? The one with the retail review?
- Liam DohertyI did, actually. She wrote me a few lines. I haven't sent them on yet, because I wanted to tidy it. Basically, before, she'd spend most of a morning putting it together from different places, and with the brain it took her a short while and she went in with a fuller picture.
- Marcus BellThat's great. Please send it when you're ready, even rough. I can help tidy the wording if it'd help.
- Liam DohertyI will. And I had a think about the early warning one too. There's a case, a contract where we spotted a pattern in exceptions before the buyer rang. I want to check the details with the account manager, and then I'll tell you.
- Marcus BellBrilliant. That's the one that really lands with a finance director. Take your time on it, accurate matters more than fast.
- Liam DohertyYeah. Will do.
- Marcus BellCan I ask something a bit broader, while we've got time? If you had a magic wand for the next year, what would you want the brain doing that it's not?
- Liam DohertyOoh. Okay. Honestly, getting everyone using it without me nagging. That's the big one. It's not a feature, it's a habit. If the depot managers just opened it first thing, like they open their email, that'd be it.
- Marcus BellYeah. That's the right ambition, and it's the one thing where I think what we do together matters more than any product change. What would make it part of the first thing they do?
- Liam DohertyHonestly? If it was in the Monday meeting. If the account review started with the brain's view on each big customer, instead of someone remembering what happened. Then it's not optional.
- Marcus BellThat's really a good idea. A standing item. And I can give you something to show on that screen, a one-page view per retailer, if that helps. We've done it with other customers as a simple saved question.
- Liam DohertyYes. Do that. One view, that's the point.
- Marcus BellRight, I'll put that together for the September call so you've got it in time for the busy period.
- Liam DohertyLove that.
- Marcus BellOne thing I should mention, in case it comes up. You've got room under the fifteen licensed users. If the depots all join, it's something to keep an eye on, and again that's a Tom conversation if it gets near. I just want you to know the shape of it.
- Liam DohertyOkay. So worst case I'm asking for more, which means it's working.
- Marcus BellHa, yes, that's one way to put it. A good problem to have.
- Liam DohertyI'll take it. Right, what else? I feel like we've done the main stuff.
- Marcus BellA couple of small things. Admin side. Are you still the main admin on your side, and is there anyone else who could do it if you were away? I like to have two names.
- Liam DohertyMostly me. There's one colleague in IT who has access, but he's not really hands-on with it. I'm happy to put another name forward. Probably one of the senior account managers.
- Marcus BellThat'd be sensible. It's partly about holidays and partly about not leaving it all on one person. If you send me a name, I'll sort the access and show them the basics.
- Liam DohertyOkay. I'll talk to my boss and see who he'd rather. Or I'll just pick. Either way I'll let you know.
- Marcus BellThanks. Last thing from me, the retailer-name spelling that you raised before. I did take it to the team. I'm afraid I haven't got a firm answer yet, and I don't want to guess. I'll chase it this week and tell you where it stands.
- Liam DohertyNo problem. It's not urgent, it's just a bit irritating. People can work round it.
- Marcus BellUnderstood. I'll still get you the straight answer.
- Liam DohertyCheers. Can I ask, just on the renewal again, is there anything I need to do at my end? Any forms, any approvals I should be lining up?
- Marcus BellNothing yet. What would help is knowing who signs on your side and whether finance need anything in a particular format. If you can find that out quietly, it saves time later. And Tom will pick up the rest.
- Liam DohertyOkay. That I can do. It's the finance director and then the managing director for anything over a certain size. I'll check where this one lands.
- Marcus BellPerfect. That's really useful, thanks. So to wrap up, then. I send an invite for the depot training call early next month, around ten. I rebuild the question list shorter and put together a one-page view per retailer for the Monday meeting. I chase the engineering team on the name spelling. You send me the account manager's lines and, when you've checked it, the early warning example, plus a second admin name and who signs on your side.
- Liam DohertyThat's all of it. And you brief Tom ahead of the renewal.
- Marcus BellYes, I'll do that once I've got your example, so he's got the full story.
- Liam DohertyBrilliant. Thanks, Marcus. Honestly, it's good to talk it through. It does feel like it's earning its place, even if the graph dipped.
- Marcus BellI think so too. Let's get the depots on and see that graph go the other way. Thanks for your time, Liam. Speak soon.
- Liam DohertyCheers, Marcus. Bye.
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