The principle behind all our work is to understand the wider business before developing a solution. (We began work in business management, accountancy and electronic design before being converted to the efficiencies and savings that technology brings.)
This demands having the right-minded people. We have been as picky about selecting our 20+ staff as we were about our technology partners...
Chris Surridge. Managing Director.
Initially trained as a chartered accountant, his exceptional project management skills and talent to always be aware of the wider business needs were soon revealed.
One example is when Chris project managed the introduction of their first EPoS system for the House of Fraser. “I was not as “technical” then and admit it was highly pressured. It was my job to both consider and know everything about the project; so that it worked (first time) for staff, customers and the business. I loved it and from then on was hooked on what IT can do for business.” His transition to being a fully qualified systems analyst is history.
Outside working hours, Chris is passionate about skiing, travel, Systematic’s clients and Man United.
Glyn Baker. Business Systems Analyst.
Within Massey Ferguson’s graduate trainee program, they found he had a natural aptitude for numbers; so they trained him in management accounting which is why he remains a qualified CIMA accountant.
At that point the finance department was also responsible for IT – “those early Lotus spreadsheets were revolutionary” – and Glyn led the department in understanding and applying financial analysis software to the business.
Glyn still gets the buzz now when everything falls into place and people see how they can work smarter. He wants to be able to help those people who say “There must be a better way than this.”
Unfortunately, he does come from Yorkshire (which explains his supporting Barnsley). Otherwise, Glyn can often to be found out on the streets either as a taxi driver for his children or practising for the next Triathlon.
Richard Hobbs. Technical Director.
Richard started in electronic design, prototype development and installation for Philips, at the same time as mainframes and PCs were making their mark. “As an engineer I couldn’t wait to work with these new computing systems. I was so excited at being at the forefront of such a dramatic business transformation”
Richard soon learnt to design and configure both Microsoft systems as well as leading mainframes that powered business operations. “Seeing a system properly analysed, specified and installed is very satisfying”.
As for free time, some is spent watching a good football match or motor racing. The rest of the time you’ll find him working his way through modernising his home “Yes, I am equally fastidious about how the work is completed at home as I am at work”.
Steve Bishop. Financial Director.
Steve knows only too well what it is like to implement a new IT system from the end-user’s perspective. He has spent most of his career as a client, managing major IT investments for a mix of large corporates in construction, banking and distribution.
“Whether I was Company Secretary, Group Accountant or Management Accountant, I was tasked with overseeing the installation of IT. The rationale was because of the major sums involved and that the impact was primarily upon my department – finance. Alright, I confess. I did volunteer.” As the investments were significant and the projects generally complex, Steve quickly learnt that “you need to mix realism into each project and be orderly in how you manage change. Planning is everything.”
When found away from work, Steve is currently associated with dirt: either digging holes in the garden (he says for his wife to put plants into) or watching Speedway motorbikes race round a dirt track. Perhaps that is why he aspires to spend more time on a cruise ship, on top of all that lovely (clean) water.
To understand more about each service, please view IT Services for our technology solutions, while our Business Solutions offer a range of financial, CRM and integrated applications to improve operational efficiency. To find out more about our open courses, please click training and courses.
For us to understand the opportunities you use technology to become more effective and efficient, please contact us for a sensible conversation.
