A Spotlight On: Adam Thurman
As part of this month’s TeamTalk ‘Spotlight On’ series, we are introducing you to the people behind CPC Drive, the team making sure our vehicle leasing and salary sacrifice scheme runs smoothly for NHS and public sector organisations across the UK.
This time, we caught up with Adam Thurman, Fleet Administrator and the go-to person for driver engagement, event coordination, and making sure CPC Drive launches run without a hitch.
You have had some interesting roles before joining the NHS, including time in the tourism industry. How have those earlier experiences shaped the way you work with people now?
Working in tourism, and studying it at university, gave me the chance to meet people from all walks of life, both colleagues and customers. It taught me to value the human side of customer service, not just the transactional side. I like to build rapport with customers and, if the situation is right, I will even crack a joke or two. Appealing to people’s human side often helps situations move along more smoothly, whether it is work-related or not.
Since James moved into his new role within the team, you have stepped up to take on a lot more, from communications and marketing to events. What was that shift like?
Honestly, daunting. James left big shoes to fill and I am still on that learning journey. But I have enjoyed it because it has helped me understand more about how the scheme works and how all the processes link together. I have also seen first-hand how effective communications can make a huge difference to scheme uptake.
What is your favourite part of your job?
I touched on this earlier, but it is definitely talking to and meeting our drivers and customers. Building rapport gives me a real sense of satisfaction. Working with facts, figures and spreadsheets is all well and good but it’s engaging with people that really drives progress anywhere.
What brought you to NOE CPC?
My family has always worked in the NHS, so after working in tourism for a while and seeing one of the UK’s biggest tour operators at the time go bust. I wanted job security, and working for the NHS felt like a natural step to continue the unofficial family tradition.
What is something you have done recently that you are particularly proud of?
This one will probably come up in other team interviews too, but I recently organised the most attended pre-launch webinar CPC Drive has ever had, for one of our client organisations in Scotland. The interest was so strong that employees were asking to join the scheme weeks before launch, and post-launch uptake was one of our most successful yet. We have been incredibly busy with them ever since and I am sure the team is quietly thanking me for that.
How do you think your work supports the team and the organisations we serve?
I am going to answer this on behalf of the whole team because it is never just one of us who makes this work. We are a small but mighty team and if any one of us were to leave, we would all feel the impact. Everyone brings something different to the table and that is what makes us so effective. We work closely together behind the scenes, getting on with the day-to-day tasks that keep everything running smoothly for our customers. At the end of the day, it is about making sure the organisations we work with see the savings and benefits that CPC Drive can deliver, and we take a lot of pride in doing that well.
What is one thing you have learned from working with your team that has helped you in your role?
The art of delegation, though I am still working on it. Our team has grown a little since I joined in 2022, but the scheme has grown much faster. Effective communication and delegation within the team is what keeps things moving, especially as our workload increases.
If someone new joined your role as Fleet Administrator, what advice would you give them?
Be ready to forget everything you think you know from similar roles. There is so much to learn here, and it takes years to even scratch the surface. Be patient. Take a deep breath. This is a role where you need to work calmly under pressure and as part of a close-knit team.
You are also known for your event planning skills. What is your secret to keeping everything running smoothly?
I would not say there is a secret, except to be personable and available to the people you are working with. Too often, events are handled in a very corporate, jargon-heavy way. That doesn’t sat right with me, so I prefer to meet with the coordinators at our client organisations and make them feel at ease. If they are comfortable and trust that I am there to support them, the planning becomes much easier.
If you would like to learn more about the CPC Drive Managed Service and the people behind it, visit:
www.cpcdrive.com
CPC Drive Framework
Or email your questions directly to the team at cpcdrive.lypft@nhs.net