For many small and medium-sized businesses, strategy can quickly sound like something that belongs in meeting rooms and consists of long reports and plans that are far removed from everyday life. But at Flemming Svendsen VVS, strategy is not about fine words. It’s about well-being, clear workflows and about making conscious choices amidst a busy everyday life.
When Marcus Hansen joined the company just over six years ago, it was really with the desire to return to Bornholm. He lived in Roskilde with his family at the time, but missed the Bornholm nature, the community, and life on the island. The plan was initially to establish a smaller advisory branch on Bornholm in connection with his former workplace. But with a young son at home and the prospect of commuting back and forth, he began to look for other options.
Through Tilflytterservice Bornholm, his CV was sent out to plumbing companies on the island. Flemming Svendsen VVS was the only company that returned.
– Jacob actually went to Roskilde himself to meet with me. That meant a lot. I could feel that it was the right place to start, Marcus tells.
He was hired as a foreman. Three years later, in 2024, he joined as co-owner of the company along with Jacob Svendsen. Today, they each own half of Flemming Svendsen VVS.
But for Marcus, ownership has not only been about gaining more tasks or greater responsibility. It has also been about finding a clearer direction.
Not a new culture, but a new gear
Flemming Svendsen VVS is an established Bornholm-based company with roots dating back to 1986. Several of the employees have been with the company for almost as long as the company has existed, and the culture has been based on decency, professionalism, and a willingness to cooperate for many years.
Marcus did not want to change that culture.
– The culture is the same as it has always been. But I’ve probably come in with a different mindset. I have many ideas, throw things around, and rarely sit still for very long at a time. Sometimes my colleagues might think: “What is it that he’s up to?”
When Marcus started at the company, there were about 30 employees. Today there are about 65 employees, including 13 apprentices and 10 in the office. Just in the last year, the company has grown significantly, including the takeover of a department from another company and the hiring of 15 new employees.
But growth is not the goal in itself.
For Flemming Svendsen VVS, the direction is not about a specific number of employees or a specific turnover. It is more about building a healthy company where people want to be part of it.
– We want to be Bornholm’s best workplace. It’s about the soft values. That people are treated properly. That there is good pay, good working conditions and decent frameworks, he says.
When the company hires new employees, they don’t just ask about experience and skills. They also ask: What do you want to do?
For Marcus, it is an important part of the strategy. The employees must not just fit into the company's needs. The tasks must also make sense to those who have to carry them out.
We want to be Bornholm’s best workplace. It’s about soft values. That people are treated properly. That there is good pay, good working conditions, and decent working conditions.
Strategic work requires calmness of mind
In a craft business with many employees, many customers, and many tasks, it is not always easy to find time for development. The day-to-day operations take up a lot of time. Phones are ringing. Tasks need to be planned, employees need to be informed, customers need to be served, and projects need to be completed.
When asked how one finds time for strategy in the midst of all that, Marcus smiles.
“You work many hours,” he says.
But behind the smile lies a serious matter. Strategy requires time. And not least, calmness.
– It takes a few hours to do it, where you can sit in peace and quiet. It requires calmness in the mind. It’s not something you just do one morning in between everything else, he says.
Therefore, much of the strategic work often takes place outside the normal working day. In the evenings, when there are fewer distractions and the thoughts can have a chance to gather themselves.
For Marcus, the work on strategy began primarily with a need for clarity. Not because the company was going in a completely different direction, but because the direction needed to be clearer.
– It was about getting the plan locked in. Getting clarity about where we stand and where we’re going, he says.
Along the way, he has, among other things, participated in a strategy session through Business Center Bornholm to put words and structure to his thoughts.
When the strategy becomes concrete
At Flemming Svendsen VVS, strategy is not just something that is talked about. It is something that is built into systems, workflows, and daily decisions.
The company was ISO certified in 2024 and will need to re-certify next year. This work has required many hours, but has also created a good structure within the company. Better control has been put in place over procedures, processes, measurements, and action plans. The company works, among other things, with customer satisfaction, complaint follow-up, and well-being analyses.
– The ISO work has made it possible for us to get some procedures in order and create processes for most things. We measure things and make sure to follow up and take action on what we can see, says Marcus.
It might sound technical. But for Marcus, it is closely linked to everyday life. When workflows become simpler, it becomes easier for employees to do their work well. When communication becomes clearer, there are fewer misunderstandings. And when the company measures employee satisfaction, it also becomes clearer where improvements need to be made.
A specific focus area is internal communication. The company is trying to simplify platforms and workflows so that employees don’t have to deal with too many different systems. Much of the communication takes place via SMS or the order management system, and features have been set up to ensure that information can quickly reach the relevant employees.
– We try to communicate as early and as informatively as possible. We know that the employees appreciate that, says Marcus.
The apprentices also have their own voice. The company holds special apprentices meetings where the apprentices meet in private and has an apprentice representative who can bring their perspectives forward.
Punctuality as a strategic choice
When Marcus talks about the company, he often returns to one word: integrity.
It’s about behaving properly towards customers, partners and employees. About not slamming the door in their faces. About wanting to collaborate widely. And about taking responsibility for ensuring that people thrive.
– We want to be a company that always behaves politely, he says.
It may sound simple. But in practice it is also a strategic position. Because in an industry with high demand, many tasks and a struggle for the workforce, it becomes crucial how you treat people.
Flemming Svendsen VVS is actively working on well-being. Investments have been made in employee facilities such as common areas, a pool table, and a fitness room. The facilities can also be used privately by employees for events such as confirmations and special birthdays. Last year, the company also implemented a profit-sharing scheme, in which all employees received a share of the profits.
For Marcus, it’s not about perks for appearances; it’s part of the company they want to be a part of.
– We need to be a cohesive group that gets along well with each other. Of course, we want to make money and have a healthy business, but the economy is not the first priority. It’s the enjoyment, he says.
The future must be built consciously
Although the company is busy, Marcus and the rest of the management team are trying to look ahead. Flemming Svendsen VVS works, among other things, with sustainability and has just completed an ESG report. They are in the process of replacing parts of their fleet with electric vehicles and already have 10 electric vehicles, with another 10 on the way.
This is an area where the company can see that there is something to be gained.
– It’s clear that the cars are where our carbon footprint stands out, says Marcus.
Continuing education also plays a big role. If an employee wants to take a relevant course, the starting point is that the answer is yes.
– That means that we gain a lot of new knowledge into the company, he says.
Energy island Bornholm is also part of the future considerations. Marcus does not yet know exactly how big a role the project will have for the company, but of course they are thinking in the long term and feel ready to take on tasks when they come up.
At the same time, there is a realization that the company does not necessarily have to chase after everything.
– We take it as it comes, he says.
A strategy with room for life outside
However, for Marcus, strategic work is not just about what happens in the company; it is also about creating a daily routine that is consistent outside of working hours.
“Without my family, I can’t do anything,” says Marcus.
In that way, strategy is not just about growth, systems, and future opportunities. It is also about creating a company that can endure the long haul, for both the employees, management, and the people around them.