Constant refresh of services needed to succeed

Pro

13 February 2012

In a fast changing market, with multiple, evolving challenges, constant review, refinement and refresh of strategy is what is needed to succeed. That is the view of John Purdy, CEO, Ergo Group.

With the ICT Excellence Awards opening for entries for 2012, ComputerScope caught up with the 2011 Person of the Year to see what the intervening year has brought and to see what it means to win such awards.

Ergo Group is made up of three businesses, Ergo Services, Finergo and a joint UK venture in managed print services (MPS). Finergo is a company building out a banking compliance product, whose main activity is currently in the UK, but sales are based in the UK, with some Irish customers. Leveraging its own MPS expertise, Ergo’s joint venture is with a company called XMA Print Solutions.

However, it is probably Ergo Services with which most people would be familiar, which has three main areas, network services and software solutions, which is predominantly focused on the Microsoft stack and the MPS business.

"We’ve got a good spread, with strong levels of recurring income," said Purdy.

Playing a prudent strategy for current economic conditions, Purdy says that the business has done a lot of work to manage credit risks in recent years.

"Ergo is in a strong, healthy position and even through the downturn, is still producing profits and growing its top line."

Purdy is confident where this core strength has come from. "We are service oriented, not product or tin lead."

Added to this is a basic approach to doing business, driven by the predominantly service nature of its offerings. "We are focused on how our customers can get shorter return on investment."

In the market itself, Ergo is seeing demand in specific areas, related to the ever present focus on capital costs and value for money.

"We are seeing further demand for managed services, managed desktops, virtual desktops, that kind of thing." But productivity too, says Purdy, is also a key focus for businesses, looking to make the tools available for people to work smarter.

He said there is more demand for collaborative tools, such as Sharepoint, and the connection between it and CRM and unified communications, as organisations are trying to drive more efficiency and productivity through the shrinking resources they have.

"Opportunities in the market are around helping organisations deal with the challenges they’ve got in going to market, in managing their critical data and doing that in a way that means they don’t have to have all of those skillsets within."

In terms of the market landscape, Purdy still sees positives. "Indigenous service providers have stood up well over the last few years. But, there will be more consolidation among indigenous providers, perhaps UK players coming in and buying well run companies here. Also, there will be greater links between service providers and telcos-their platforms are increasingly merging."

With a thriving business, Ergo is no stranger to awards, having won Microsoft Country Partner of the Year 2010, Great Place to Work 2011 and of course ICT Excellence Awards 2011 Person of the Year for the CEO, among others and Purdy insists each one is appreciated.

"They are all celebrated, in some way or form," said Purdy. "We take them very seriously, and celebrate everyone."

He emphasises the role of the staff in achieving such accolades, and the importance of acknowledging their efforts.

"Staff will always get something to say thanks," says Purdy, with bottles of champagne being one example. But each award is used to demonstrate what the company has achieved.

"We would never take one granted and see them as a differentiator. On our presentations, tenders and on our web site, they are all there. We see it as part of the equity within the brand."

"They are marked on collateral for marketing and communications because they matter. The fact that we are recognised by peers or industry organisations is very important."

To find out more or to enter go to www.ictexcellenceawards.ie


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