It felt great to get everyone together — even separated by hundreds of miles of distance in a virtual Annual Meeting environment this year — to recap and celebrate 2020 and to lay out the year ahead of us.
Every year when I sit down to look hard at what we accomplished in the year behind us and to size up the opportunities in the year ahead of us, I’m filled with a huge sense of appreciation for the people in AMP and I am fueled a tremendous feeling of ambition. I really missed the time we normally get to spend together in person and to fill up a university auditorium with good people sharing the same mission, but the feeling of camaraderie and expansive opportunity was as strong this year, even on Zoom, as it has ever been.
What a great run we had in 2020! I’m incredibly proud that through a year of turbulence, chaos, and truly exceptional effort we created a year of personal growth, overall company growth, and set the foundation for a phenomenal year in 2021. It’s nothing short of amazing that we sold more overall, sold more per person on average 10 out of 12 months in 2020, that our OPTIMA™ sales increased 32.5% over 2019, and that our companywide POS was up 12 out of 12 months in the middle of a pandemic. For our customers, we’ve never been a more important partner than we were last year, and their results show it: Over 355,000 four and five star reviews aggregated; 12.2 million phone calls delivered to our clients from Google alone; 6.2 million clicks for map directions to our customers from Google alone; and tens of millions of text messages delivered, website views, HomePages-generated phone calls from good local customers; and hundreds of millions of virtual tour imagery views. Those results would be exceptional any year… and those were our results in 2020.
Last year we laid a deep foundation for AMP to build on in 2021. Now we are at the outset of what will be the most dynamic year in the entire history of the company. Why do I say that? For starters, substantial geographic expansion, the re-launch of 10DLC CloseBy® Text, the roll out of AMP Video, an upcoming launch of a Platinum OPTIMA™ program, and release of Complete Market Coverage bundles.
All these new opportunities require systems that manage down the realities of complexity that come with them. In terms of simplification and future proofing of systems, we can look forward to bundled digital contracts and payment plans (single signature across multiple products) streamlined product fulfillment platforms, and automated tabulation of commission and bonus figures and ARR and RRR rates – all literally in the coming few weeks and months.
There’s never been a more exciting time at AMP. 2021 will be a transformational year. We’re acutely aware that the biggest problem in our business is that there is demand nationally – all across America – for the work we’re doing for our clients so well right now… and yet we’re only in a small and limited number of geographies. I like problems of that scale. This year, like last year, we’re going to tackle big problems and churn out big opportunities. Join me in welcoming a great 2021.
Abe
