ITWales.com
Company Profile: SmartData UK Ltd.
Established in 1999, SmartData is a flourishing company at the forefront of software development for intelligent business practice.
Their team of expert analysts and programmers utilise the latest in computer technology to deliver specialist E-business software solutions to companies of all sizes.
Gareth Hopkins, Marketing Assistant and Software Engineer provides us with an insight into the company's current success and future plans.
What unique products/services does your company provide?
We provide high quality bespoke software and database development and support specifically to the UK SME market. Our aim is to improve efficiency and data quality through reducing duplication of
processes and data.
We currently have two generic products in the marketplace. The first, Netlog, was designed in collaboration with and specifically for the net industry. It manages fleets of nets, stock items, sites, quality
control and inspections. It was developed in partnership with Safety Net Services of Aberystwyth, and is being marketed to
the net industry by Huck Nets of Bridport, Dorset.
Our other current product is StockTracker, a simple stock tracking application. We're not pushing this product at the moment because of the planned release of AMOSTS - StockTracker's bigger
brother and a fully comprehensive stock and retail management system - in the New Year.
In addition to AMOSTS, we are also planning to launch two other key products in the New Year - TaskTracker and SmartSite - each of which is aimed at dynamic SMEs looking to harness technology
to improve their internal efficiency and gain that competitive edge within their marketplace.
Watch this space for details and promotions!
What's the history of your company?
The company director, Simon Hulse, began developing bespoke IT solutions in the mid to late nineties whilst employed as lecturer in agricultural sciences at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth.
The initial purpose of the software was to make departmental administrative tasks less onerous and time consuming. He soon had requests from business contacts to develop bespoke systems for
them.
The company was formed in 1999, incorporated in 2000 and was run from Simon's home as a side to lecturing until 2001 when he took voluntary redundancy from the university and took advantage of
the University of
Wales spin-out programme which gave free office space for a year and a soft loan.
Since 2001 the company's complement of staff has grown from 1 to 7 (Simon, one projects manager, one marketing assistant and four full time developers).
The company's clients were initially agricultural organisations due to the nature of Simon's contacts. The client base has since expanded to include companies from all over the UK in diverse
markets including agriculture, netting, bio-science, manufacturing, retail, membership bodies and haulage.
What's been the key to your success?
The quality of the company's product and service - particularly after sales support - plays a major role in our success. In addition the staffs dedication and enthusiasm for the company to succeed
coupled with a great deal of technological qualification and diverse life experience contribute greatly.
Add to that some friendly advisors courtesy of Objective 1 via Business Eye (formerly business connect - Ceredigion's local provider of Objective 1 services), WDA and ELWA.
What one piece of technology (software/hardware/other) has benefited your company most?
Difficult to say but hardware-wise it would probably be broadband (particularly satellite broadband in the early years as the exchange was only recently upgraded).
The most useful software product would probably be our own TaskTracker prototype which we use in house to monitor our efficiency and improve the accuracy of estimates.
What one piece of advice would you give to start-up companies in your field?
Be strategic in a military sense - perform SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analyses objectively (don't lie to yourself) and then seek and be prepared to listen to the advice
of those who know better than you - you just can't buy experience.
Where do you see your company going in the future?
Economically speaking the company has experienced growth year on year and has yet to end a financial year in the red (touch wood) and we hope to maintain and extend on that achievement.
Whilst we shall continue to consolidate our position as a provider of quality bespoke service to SMEs we have also begun to develop generic products - the income from which we hope will allow us to
dedicate even more time to improving the quality of our bespoke service.
The WDA have invited us to join the "Technium Aberystwyth", an incubator office block aimed at assisting innovative, high tech, fast growth companies to reach their full potential in the early growth
years. We expect to have moved before November this year in good time for the launch of our new products and improved range of services.
Gareth Hopkins,
SmartData UK Ltd.
http://www.smartdata.co.uk
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