What is the new global competition you’re facing?

●      There are now IT experts all over the world with similar resources to the UK, who may work for half the price.

●      Today, simply having software development expertise – even in a specialist area like mobile – isn’t enough to differentiate you any more.

What approaches have you taken to competing in the current market?

●      We can offer superior working relationships with our clients to overseas providers, as we share the same language, business culture and time zone – so daily communication is just much easier.

●      We work interactively and flexibly with clients using methods such as Agile development, and don’t require detailed specifications in advance.

●      This makes us a very good provider for projects where the scope can evolve and change quickly.

What are your tips for developing a customer-centric culture?

●      Take any customer issues that come up extremely seriously. Dealing with challenges quickly and effectively greatly improves relationships with clients

●      Different skills are needed in the workforce. Even technical staff need good communication skills.  This means changes in who will interact with clients, and in the training process.  It is a surprisingly large culture change.