SME News- Business Elite Awards 2023
SME News is proud to host the SME Business Elite Awards. Since launching in 2018, the SME Business Elite Awards have become an established and significant part of the SME News platform. The awards aim to recognise and showcase the efforts of highly skilled SMEs across the UK. Our primary objective at SME News is to identify and support the best small and medium-sized businesses in the UK. These enterprises are a crucial part of the country’s business sector, and we pride ourselves in celebrating their hard work and success through our prestigious award program. Despite the significant contributions and achievements of SMEs, they are often overshadowed by larger multinational corporations. However, we at SME News aim to shine a light on these deserving companies and acknowledge their dedication and efforts through the SME Business Elite Awards. These companies are the backbone of the UK business sector and rightly deserve to be celebrated for their efforts. Our awards provide a chance for small and mediumsized enterprises across all industries to demonstrate their accomplishments and gain recognition and prestige. As a winner of the SME Business Elite Awards, companies gain access to a readership of 78,000, and excellent marketing opportunities to establish themselves as top UK SMEs. At SME News, we highlight companies that work hard, and receiving our award is a remarkable triumph. SME Business Elite Awards 2023 Phone: +44 (0) 203 970 0010 Website: www.sme-news.co.uk Jo Holloway Senior Account Executive
Contents 6 Agents Of Change 7 A Positive Disruptor 8 Go Beyond the Textbook 9 Travel Broadens The Mind 10 Putting People First 11 Hiring Heroes! 12 Putting Quality First 13 Leading The Way 14 Design In Action 16 HR For The Future 18 Tracking Triumph! 19 Be Our Guest! 20 Turn Paper Forms Digital. 21 Paint Perfection 22 Comprehensive Building Services You Can Trust 23 ITPR: Revolutionising B2B Tech PR in the UK 24 Elevating Beauty in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire 25 Leading Healthcare Specialist Placements 26 Getting Busy with the Fizzy! 27 Bridging the Gap Between Sales and Marketing 28 Strategic Digital Growth 30 Innovation at Work 31 The New Age of Travel 32 More Bang for your Buck! 33 Values, Culture, Accountability 34 A Rewarding Business 35 Putting People First 36 The Team Behind the Cyber Scheme 37 The Main Event 39 Daring to be Different 42 Automatic for the People 44 Making UK Legal History 45 Lighting Your Future 46 Best Driver Risk Management Company 2023 - UK 2023 Business Elite Awards 47 Business Loans in Seconds – Not Weeks 48 Where Expert M&A Advisers Bring Natural Success 49 Helping You Achieve Greatness 50 Helping Furry Friends Look Fantastic 51 South Wales' Leading Plastics Manufacturer 52 Award-Winning Construction Telemarketing and Lead Generation Provider 54 Revolutionising Community-Driven Holistic Health and Wellbeing 55 When You Need a Helping Hand 56 Most Inclusive Digital Agency 2023 - Yorkshire and the Humber 57 Let the little dogs bark like big dogs!
58 Linguistic Excellence in Cambridge (and Beyond!) 59 A True Paragon in Tele-Marketing 60 Order Fulfilment Services That Transform Online Businesses 62 A Leading Light in Physiotherapy 63 Health and Wellbeing for Everyone! 64 Inicio; Leading the way in Children’s Social Care 66 Accredited Online Courses in Emotional Intelligence 68 Birdfynn: Distinguished Tax Planning Services 70 Dormeo: Your Memory Foam Mattress Specialists 71 A Vision for Better Finances 72 Exquisite Vintage Style with a Sustainable Heart 73 Incredible Recruitment Services for an Unstoppable Industry 74 Delivering Best-in- Class Marketing Automation 75 Maze, the Home of Incredible Luxury and Artistic Design 76 Helping People Make Great Decisions 78 Because Sometimes We All Need Someone To Talk To 79 Best in Class for Business Recruitment 80 A First for Primary Care Recruitment 81 Research and Development Funding Specialists 82 Best Same Day Flower Delivery Company 2023 - London 83 Bubbling Hot Business 84 Safety Solutions Sorted! 85 Bespoke, Empowering Telecommunications 86 Providing Expert Solutions for the Hygienic Sector 87 Green Pioneers Lead The Way 88 Barnstaple's Leading Independent Bakery 2023 89 Moving Over to the Fast Lane of Recruitment 90 Never Forget That You Are Unique 92 Caring About Cleaning 93 Bringing a Sense of Calm to the Refurbishment of Care Homes 94 System Store Solutions - Redefining Workshop Design Excellence 95 Sustainable Recycling and Waste Management Solutions 96 Bedfordshire’s Best MEP and Building Contractor 97 E-Commerce Experts Unlocking Brands’ Amazon Potential 98 Your Online Electric Vehicle Community 99 Forging Strong Connections Through Team Building 100 A Personal Approach to Accountancy Done Right 101 Reviewing Experiences, One Padded Seat at a Time 102 Collage Recruitment: Where Values Meet Opportunity 103 Delivering Outstanding Design across the South East 104 Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over the Competition 106 Caring for Veterans of the Past, Present, and Future 108 The Best Care, Delivered at Home 110 Luxury Florals Delivered to Your Door 111 Exceptional Gate Automation Services in Cranleigh 112 Tracking the Solutions to Success 113 Scale Up Your UK Dropshipping Business
SME Business Elite Awards 2023 Q1 2023 | 13 Feb23051 Social strategy is an essential part of any modern business, with clear communications generating loyalty with audiences around the world. With The Change Agency named Best Beverage Social Media Agency 2023 – UK in the prestigious Business Elite Awards 2023, we thought it the right time to explore some of how this incredible team have driven standards ever higher in this competitive industry. The principle that lies at the heart of The Change Agency is the idea that ‘change is the only thing that remains constant’. No business with ambition remains the same over the years, as audiences shift and demand alters. By partnering up with this impressive agency, organisations have discovered a path of long-term success that changes to match their fortunes. With a team that has grown up with the power of social media more prescient than ever, it’s little surprise that The Change Agency has unique insight into how to leverage this impressive resource. “We understand the human triggers that make people want to engage and buy,” Vishal Ladwa explains. “Whether it’s connecting you with tastemakers, completely reimaging your communications or providing the subtle nuances and insights; we will make your brand and campaign stand out and shine.” Since opening their doors nine years ago, The Change Agency has worked with over 48 clients in 19 different companies. This beverage social media agency draws not only on the specifics of this industry, but the universal truth that an understanding of underlying data is the secret to success. “Our data driven approach gives our clients a special and insightful viewpoint on their marketing initiatives,” Vishal tells us. “We combine this with the simple philosophy that every piece of communication has to capture your target audience’s attention using eye-catching imagery, humour, or emotion.” For the beverage industry, however, a specialist approach has allowed The Change Agency to become the gold standard which others must meet. The team has worked for long-standing names such as Faxe Beer and Wild Turkey, using their knowledge as a beverage social media agency to push them forward into the 21st Century. Their work on Faxe Beer can be seen here: https://thechangeagency.uk/socialmedia/faxe-beer. In brief, the team were responsible for creating culturally appropriate content that could be used in more than 15 countries. With a historic brand that hadn’t ever used social media, the focus was to formulate a launch strategy across multiple platforms. The team generated 8k followers in 10 months, hitting high engagement rates of 16.2% engagement and lows of 4.8%, completely smashing the industry benchmark. For Wild Turkey, the team were taking a renowned brand of bourbon and pushing it to another level. Their work, which can been seen at https://thechangeagency.uk/socialmedia/wildturkey was achieved through the use of premium photography shoots, smart advertising, strong copy and active community management which saw the brand grow 51% more than the previous year, reaching over 22 million people and maintaining an average engagement rate of 13.8%. The Change Agency team also supported the expansion of Wild Turkey into television with their first commercial which was directed by and starred Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey. The success of The Change Agency has always come from knowing the detail of what the beverage industry wants, and does. The team are currently looking to grow their portfolio of beverage clients and help more spirit and beer brands grow rapidly. “As the landscape of social media evolves we look help our clients do more cool campaigns with things like as augmented reality,” says Vishal. It’s clear that the future is bright indeed for this intrepid crew. We can’t wait to see what they do next. Company: The Change Agency Name: Vishal Ladwa Email: vish@thechangeagency.uk Web Address: www.thechangeagency.uk Agents Of Change
54 | Q1 2023 Feb23485 A Positive Disruptor As the Co-Founder of LendingMetrics, I am proud that we are considered to be one of the most innovative and trusted technology partners in the credit industry. LendingMetrics deliver multi-awardwinning enterprise credit decisioning software and data solutions to banks and mortgage lenders, SMEs, consumer and auto/asset finance lenders, and everything in between. Of the many lenders we currently count as clients, it is fair to say most were sceptical of our ability to automate a decisioning process which is generally more complex than the average consumer loan assessment. The fact that we were able to show our clients how this could be done, and deliver on our promises, has been particularly rewarding. Positive disruptor LendingMetrics is a champion of disruptive technology, delivering some of the most powerful automated and assisted decisioning software on the market, in a cost-effective SaaS solution, accessible to lenders large and small. Since our launch of ADP (Auto Decision Platform) six years ago, we have gained an enviable reputation amongst our vast array of clients. We are known to have the most sophisticated yet intuitive decision engine interface, which allows lenders to autonomously build, edit, test and deploy their decisioning strategy in minutes. ADP is integrated to over 120 data sources including the major CRAs; it fully supports Open Banking and has the ability to execute machine learning and AI algorithm responses. Due to its modern architecture, it is simple to incorporate into a lender’s existing technology landscape. As a technology partner, we place a huge focus on the word “partner” and since our launch in 2010 we have put together a fantastic and dedicated team of professionals who understand the need to put our customers at the centre of everything we do. This approach has resulted in extremely high customer satisfaction scores and clients wishing to state on the record, both in print and on screen, just how happy they are with LendingMetrics and how much we have helped their business to succeed. For instance, we recently recorded a video case study with Evolution Money following their use of ADP for the past four years, which can be found on our website. Innovation Despite the appeal of what we have to offer, LendingMetrics is far from complacent; we push ourselves every day to innovate and to deliver improved and more powerful solutions to our customers and to the wider industry. One recent example of this innovation is DeeJoop. As many lenders will know, it is often necessary to call more than one credit search on an applicant. This may be because they cannot be found by the first bureau, maybe their credit file is too thin with one bureau or maybe the lender simply wants to be certain that all credit commitments have been considered before an affordability assessment is carried out. However, the calling of multiple searches brings with it the problem of duplication and inconsistent data which causes a very confusing picture for affordability assessments. Our team of credit risk and technology experts spent several years listening to customers’ concerns and working on solutions to their problems. In late 2022 we launched DeeJoop, an automated service which deduplicates, distils and standardises data received across multiple bureaus, and gives the lender one reliable and comprehensive summary of the data to be used within their decision engine. The platform is already live with pioneer clients and initial feedback is excellent. We are inviting lenders to carry out a free trial or even a free retro of the service to see for themselves how powerful and game-changing DeeJoop is. Lenders wishing to make use of the free trial can do so without the need to change their CRA or their current decisioning platform. Enquiries can be made via our booking form. 360˚ Support Having helped so many clients with our technology and data products, it seemed only right that we should complement those solutions with a service to help lenders with one of their biggest challenges: credit risk expertise. We are therefore delighted to now be offering credit risk consultancy services and have spent the past three years building a strong and multi-talented team capable of, amongst other things, data retro-analysis, engine design and scorecard calibration. This important piece of the jigsaw ensures that we not only have the technology and data tools to help our customers to succeed and excel, but we also have the expertise on hand to show them how to leverage those tools to deliver better credit risk and consumer outcomes and to get ahead of the competition. Outlook The last three years have seen a sharp increase in the cost of living, rising interest rates and even the prediction that winter would bring the possibility of power blackouts. But, in my view, there is real cause for optimism in the second half of 2023. There seems to be progress in resolving the striking public sector, interest rates have peaked and are expected to fall later this year, consumer spending and treasury revenues have held up very well, and inflation is already starting to fall back. So, my hope and expectation is that as summer arrives and many of these negative factors are put behind us, 2023 and 2024 will prove to be considerably more positive than was predicted only a few months ago. Contact: David Wylie Company: LendingMetrics Web Address: www.lendingmetrics.com “ LendingMetrics is a champion of disruptive technology, delivering some of the most powerful automated and assisted decisioning software on the market to lenders large and small. ” David Wylie is Commercial Director of LendingMetrics.
SME Business Elite Awards 2023 16 | Q1 2023 Go Beyond the Textbook Bernhard Niesner and Adrian Hilti developed Busuu to deliver a unique quality mix of self-paced online learning and teacher-led Live Lessons, all supported by help from native language speakers. This unique methodology is what makes Busuu so effective, with its courses designed so learners can gain and retain language skills that can be applied in everyday life. These courses cover all pillars of language learning – listening, reading, writing, and speaking – and so build a fully rounded skillset. There are courses that enable learners to reach fluency up to CEFR C1, and shorter courses covering specific needs such as travel or business, with learning can be enhanced with Live Lessons focusing on pronunciation. The company offers plenty of opportunities to get feedback from native speakers so users can actively learn from each other. The recent addition of video flashcards provides even more opportunities to hear and see language in action, which is crucial to mastering pronunciation. These integral human interactions are supported by AI technology, found in key features, to provide supportive solutions that complement learning. For example, Busuu’s Smart Review function compiles all grammar and vocabulary covered in completed lessons for easy revision. Busuu works with a broad range of clients who choose it because its learning programmes are easy to manage day-to-day and completely scalable. This means organisations of all sizes, in multiple locations, can democratise language learning for their staff, upskilling teams with very different learning needs, many of whom cannot access classroombased study. All students are supported by a dedicated Customer Success team and CRM campaigns that keep them on track with their studies long-term. Felix Schuchter, Sales Director at the company states, “Busuu is very flexible, and we’re able to mould our offer to provide services to clients in diverse market sectors with different learning needs. We have teams locations across the world, with each client assigned a dedicated customer support manager speaking their native language. “This flexibility extends to the content we can produce for clients. We work with expert content writers to produce bespoke courses meeting clients’ individual communication needs, and we have a wide portfolio of specialised courses including retail, pharmaceutical, healthcare, and automotive. Our clients choose packages that will bring the applicable learning outcomes for their business for best possible return on investment.” Busuu has worked closely with its client, PUMA to create a professional-standard language learning solution that could drive inclusion for the multinational sports brand’s 16,000 employees in 134 countries. PUMA’s head office alone has people from 75 nationalities, so it needed a flexible language solution to overcome communication barriers and support its diverse teams working both at head office and in stores. Busuu was able to offer just that. For PUMA, encouraging diversity and inclusion across the workforce was key. Polina Ivanova, Manager of People Development and Organisational Learning at PUMA explains, “Our biggest motivation for going with Busuu was to make everyone feel at home wherever they are. There is a big aspect of diversity and inclusion, everyone feels included and welcomed, whatever language you speak and whatever language you want to learn.” Busuu’s online self-paced lessons designed to engage learners to meet long-term study goals were the answer. Polina continues, “The biggest benefit of Busuu for PUMA is enabling lifelong learning. We are measuring the success of Busuu and PUMA through employee satisfaction. We see that people are happier that they have more possibilities to learn. People can travel more, people can get to know new people, new friends, and new connections through different languages.” Dietmar Knoess, Global Director of People and Organisation at PUMA says, “We discovered a great fit with Busuu. It’s a great contribution to improving languages and communication with others, especially for our store employees… and I am sure it’s leading to better satisfaction here in the company.” Company: Busuu Email: team@busuu.com Website: business.busuu.com Busuu is the language training provider of choice for over 500 corporate brands including L’Oréal, PUMA, HelloFresh, and Inditex. Founded in 2008 by Bernhard Niesner and Adrian Hilti, Busuu’s mission has always been to empower people through languages. The platform was created after the duo became frustrated with traditional language learning methods. Now, there are over 120 million registered Busuu users accessing free, complete language courses in 14 languages aligned with internationally recognised CEFR standards. Recognised as Most Innovative Language Learning Platform 2023, we learn more.
28 | Q1 2023 Jan23213 Travel Broadens The Mind When it comes to luxury travel PR, there are few finer than The PC Agency. Renowned for its high standards and prestigious clients, this business has risen through the ranks to become one of the most notorious names in the sector. Named Best Specialist Travel PR & Brand Consultancy 2023 – UK in the Business Elite Awards, we caught up with Paul Charles to explore precisely what the team had to offer. Founded by former BBC News presenter, and Virgin Atlantic director, Paul Charles, The PC Agency has an exceptional background on which to build its reputation. For hotels and airlines, tour operators and cruiseships, this incredible firm guides the path to success. Their indepth strategic insight, PR, trade marketing, digital and events support has brought them incredible acclaim. Despite only being founded in 2016, The PC Agency has quickly risen to the forefront of the industry. They work with more airline clients than any other PR agency in the UK, mixing them with luxury hotels, destinations, cruiselines and tour operators. The majority of businesses focus on specific sectors of the tourism and travel market, but such is the range of expertise that The PC Agency can offer that they can cater to any demand that might arise. At the heart of The PC Agency is its incredible team. 35 talented individuals provide the much sought-after advice that sets the business apart from the rest of the crowd. Their tenacity has been earned through an incredible company culture that includes a flexible working policy, a cost-of-living allowance which rose to £400 and a minimum of 27 days off a year. Paul is quick to credit the team for their hard work. “If you look after your team well, then your clients will look after themselves in the knowledge they have a strong team around them. Sir Richard Branson taught me the value of people being your best asset. Without them, you have no business so treat them as well as you can.” The growth of WFH has changed the business model of The PC Agency significantly, as it has unlocked a more creative approach. Their roles can all be done in the office, but being able to go out and about has inspired more dynamic ways of working to keep things fresh. These new concepts have been in demand as clients expect more and more from the time. Many now want The PC Agency to represent them internationally, which has meant that broader strategies must be developed. Looking ahead, it’s clear that there is still incredible potential still untapped. Great advice and sage counsel are always in demand as more people begin to consider a broader outlook on the world at large. As tourism begins again, so too must tourism PR throughout the UK and beyond. Needless to say, the secret to meeting this increased demand will be to grow as a company, and the team have a goal of reaching £5million in revenue by the end of 2024. This will depend on how the position of the business grows overseas, and what acquisitions can be made to support the success of the team. When it comes to developing travel PR, there truly is no firm finer. With a group of people leading the way who care deeply about what they do, it’s clear that The PC Agency is in exceptional hands. We can’t wait to see what they do next! Company: The PC Agency Name: Paul Charles Email: hello@pc.agency Web Address: www.pc.agency
SME Business Elite Awards 2023 Q1 2023 | 29 Jan23223 Rebox HR is a leader in HR, proactively working to protect your business from harm. Using a holistic approach to the sector, they have been able to achieve truly wondrous results. Having been recognised for their achievement by being named Best Bespoke HR Consultancy Provider 2023 - East Midlands in the Business Elite Awards, we thought it time to dig a little deeper and uncover more. In a world filed with HR consultancies, the work of Rebox HR stands apart as something a little different. Their support is bespoke, their attitude focused on the needs of the individual. With no two clients ever the same, the team are determined to get to the heart of the issues that they might face and find solutions that can transform their efficiency. Nothing is ever off-the-shelf. The secret to the success of Rebox HR is the combination of techniques used to push the boundaries of what is currently available. Not only does the team depend on their own experience, and exceptional advice, they use coaching and management tools to ensure that any change within an organisation is positive and generates improvement. The development of people to get closer to business success is something that drives the team on a daily basis. Recently, Rebox HR has pushed into new areas, supporting tech start ups with mastering the HR basics. This has involved getting contracts and HR software in place so that future scaling of companies is more straight forward. The team have also been supporting companies throughout complex investigations, including grievances and disciplinary situations. It is a credit to the team’s hard work and tenacity that they are trusted to support clients through such difficult proceedings. The team have also helped people who have acquired or are in process of selling their businesses, which would involve the transfer of staff or TUPE. What is clear from the success of Rebox HR is that people really want to see consistency in their HR policies. Whilst not necessarily part of any one business, Rebox HR has made its name through supporting people as though they are employees themselves. The key is that when the client succeeds, it reflects incredibly positively on the Rebox HR team too. Over the years, the team have made it their mission to put people first, and this means treating people how you expect them to be treated. It’s not easy to employ people and support them, but good HR makes it much easier to deal with any challenges that might arise. The best relationship is one which is constructive, constantly looking to build something better than what came before. No team understands this more than Rebox HR. Looking forward, it’s clear that the secret of Rebox HR has been the way in which it can support businesses through any challenge that may arise. The future of the business, therefore, is one which will continue to provide such a high quality service to clients no matter what the industry or size. The growth of the business, to support even more clients, is the natural next step for this intrepid crew. Company: Rebox HR Name: Natalie Ellis Email: natalie@reboxhr.co.uk Web Address: http://www.reboxhr.co.uk/ Putting People First
32 | Q1 2023 Jan23235 Hiring Heroes! KME Specialist Recruitment does things differently. When there’s a gap in your workforce, you don’t want to add to your regular workload by having to find new team members. This team know the importance of finding the right people for the right job, and take the stress out of the process by sourcing candidates that match your requirements quickly. Saving time, money and significant headaches. The value of turning to KME Specialist Recruitment is tremendous. The marketplace is filled with people looking to explore new ways of working and take advantage of exciting opportunities. KME Specialist Recruitment prides itself on having contact with some of the very best talent, and being able to partner them with businesses that will allow both parties to flourish. For this team, candidates deserve good treatment where they are respected for what they can bring to the table. As such, the team provide an honest service that secures roles where they will be happy. Under the direction of Michelle El-Din, KME Specialist Recruitment has gone from strength to strength over the years. She has a decade of expertise in the recruitment sector, and established KME Specialist Recruitment after identifying a gap in the sales arena’s recruitment industry. Her time in the industry taught her that whilst many want to connect candidates with companies, many do not have the care or attention to detail that people deserve. Since opening the doors of the business, KME Specialist Recruitment has been committed to delivering exceptional service to both candidates and clients alike. The success of this unique approach has led to reviews from companies saying “Having worked with many recruiters over the years and found most over sold and under delivered, it was a real pleasure to find Michelle was the opposite. Michelle brings integrity to an industry that is renowned for poor practice, her honest approach is welcome, and she is now my ‘Go To’ person when I need to recruit a professional.” Candidates have said “Michelle has done a wonderful job in finding me a new opportunity. I’m really pleased with the new position and totally impressed with her professionalism and attention to detail, I felt supported and valued.” In a world with such competition, having a team who can put you forward for something you know you will be good at is a rare thing indeed. It’s why KME Specialist Recruitment continues to thrive and will do so for the foreseeable future. Company: KME Specialist Recruitment Consultants Ltd Name: Michelle El-Din Email: info@kmerecruitment.com Web Address: https://kmerecruitment.com/ Companies are always looking for the best talent, but opening the door to opportunity is not as easy as it looks. For those who want to explore a new career, it’s worth turning to specialists like the team at KME Specialist Recruitment. Just recognised as Best Specialist Sales Recruitment Agency 2023 - South West in the Business Elite Awards, we thought it the right time to get a closer look.
SME Business Elite Awards 2023 Jan23241 Putting Quality First Datod – Welsh for “unravel” is a management consultancy based in South Wales. They specialise in helping healthcare companies improve how they manage quality. Having earned the title of Best Consultancy for Transforming Medical Device Development 2023 – UK, we spoke to managing director, Dr Matthew Wictome to find out more. “Building Sustainable Change” is the ethos behind Datod, a company designed to help medical device companies improve how they manage quality. Since setting up the company four years ago, Datod has gone on to achieve incredible success. It’s a journey that no one would understand better than Dr Matthew Wictome, who has seen the business rise to its current heights. We asked Matthew what has driven him to such high standards in the industry. “I’m a biochemist by training and spent my early years in R&D,” Matthew explains. “I moved into Quality about 20 years ago and since then have worked with many medical companies helping them improve how they run their quality management systems.” The importance of medical devices cannot be overstated. Quality is crucial because lives, quite literally, are at stake. Datod was founded primarily because Matthew thought that there was a better way for healthcare companies to operate. “Coming from a product development background I’ve seen it from the other side and understand that the quality system has a huge impact on how effective a company can be, its ability to create market-share and support a profitable business,” he tells us. “Profitability is a word not always used by the quality profession, but it’s key. Healthcare systems need products that are safe, effective, and affordable but they are under huge strain now, so it is vitally important we get this balance right. “ Datod stands apart, therefore, as a force that stands against these challenges. For him, quality must come first as opposed to competing with other important matters such as environmental sustainability and diversity. “Protecting patients is more than just a box-ticking exercise,” he says, “and quality is key in ensuring patient safety, obeying the law, and growing market share. Quality organisations often can do a much better job understanding patient needs and how to satisfy these needs, in profitable and sustainable ways. Our approach is to apply operational methodology to re-balance quality systems going beyond just focusing on meeting the regulations.” Since opening its doors, the Datod team have made it their mission to work closely with organisations. This might mean helping them build a plan and execute transformational change. Other companies might want Datod to help identify solutions to specific problems, and they go at their own pace. Reaching all of these companies might seem challenging to some, but Matthew and his team have developed the perfect solution. “We also offer an online in-depth assessment tool to analyse your quality system and give you an instant personalised report of recommendations you can implement to improve quickly. In addition, there is a range of online training packages organisations can complete under your own steam. Or we offer approaches specific to you and we just do some heavy-lifting making change happen.” The range of ideas makes quality a factor which can be prioritised by any, and everybody. The lessons learned whilst running Datod have gone into a new book, “Transforming Quality Organizations: A Practical Guide” by Matthew and Ian Wells. “We wanted to distil approaches we’ve found to be highly effective over the years, approaches when implemented can help reduce critical complaints and time to market in half,” he says. “The other reason we wrote the book was the absence of a practical guidance on how to help Quality organisations improve levels of patient safety. Currently the focus on quality in some parts of the healthcare sector simply isn’t good enough.” Once published, all royalties will be going to Patient Safety Movement, charity focussed on improving healthcare safety and reducing the incidence of patient harm and very close to both authors’ hearts. To round off the interview, we asked Matthew for any final thoughts that would benefit some of our readers. “Never underestimate the importance of quality and putting your customers central to what you do. Many businesses say this, but not all do it. It is vital to the success of your business, whatever your company provides. Be unrelenting in your focus on this.” Company: Datod Consulting Ltd Contact: Matthew Wictome Website: www.datod-consulting.co.uk
38 | Q1 2023 Jan23321 Leading The Way Businesses thrive on reaching as many people as possible, and marketing is a crucial part of that process. Few understand this as well as the team from the Nutcracker Agency, who have earned immense success in the Business Elite Awards 2023. Named B2B Lead Generation Specialist of the Year 2023, we take a closer look to uncover more about how they’ve managed to thrive in such a competitive sector. In the modern world, the brand of a business is its most valuable asset. It defines how people perceive it, and what it means. From SEO to PPC to paid social, the world of digital marketing has revolutionised the way in which many organisations operate. They know the value of getting the brand in front of an audience, and presenting it in the best possible light. Achieving this, however, is no easy task, and no one understands this better than the Nutcracker Agency. This hardened team of individuals have made working in this sector their passion, crafting dedicated content in a host of different mediums to appeal to the broadest range of individuals. In the right hands, content should leave a lasting impression, and the success of the Nutcracker Agency over the years shows clearly that theirs are the right hands for any organisation. With data at the core of how they operate, the Nutcracker Agency team generate the right awareness to the right audiences at all times. They know that targeted lead generation delivers the best possible results and has the potential to deliver leads at scale. Of course none of this is possible without an approach that considers the holistic direction of a business. As such, the Nutcracker Agency doesn’t just work on a singular project, but strives to develop an overall strategy for the future. Social media is naturally a major part of this, with Instagram, Tiktok, Twitter and Facebook playing major roles in how businesses reach out to new audiences. It is a unique challenge to stand out from the crowd with so many options already out there, but a brand, once defined, can gain new insight into a customer base they might never have considered before. Highly targeted messaging and campaigns that resonate in the hearts and minds of your audience are the very core of what the Nutcracker Agency offers. Through copy and design, images and video, the very best of this award-winning firm can be seen through their social media work. The team have a passion for not only telling incredible stories, but for building communities that are actively engaged in the stories that are being told. Brands are built on these tales, with people coming back time and time again because they see it as having value and worth. Curating such content, however, also demands care and attention to detail. For those who work with the Nutcracker Agency, you can be assured that your social media presence will receive precisely that level of love that is required for success. What does it mean to have a strategy for marketing today? It means building an audience that won’t go away. In fact, they will share their passion for the topic with others. Building communities is where the Nutcracker Agency stands apart. We can’t wait to see what they build for their clients next! Company: The Nutcracker Agency “ In the modern world, the brand of a business is its most valuable asset. It defines how people perceive it, and what it means. ”
SME Business Elite Awards 2023 30 | Q1 2023 Jan23279 Design In Action Your website is your pitch to the world at large. What do we do? How do we do it? What are we like? Here, design is everything. To define that design, it’s worth turning to a team that knows what they’re talking about. We dig a little deeper to find out more about GEL Studios, the team named Wiltshire’s Leading Web Design and Graphics Agency – 2023. Doing things the right way is one of the founding principles of GEL Studios. Since opening its doors ten years ago, they have committed to a path which involves no corner-cutting, no templates and no winging it. The result is a portfolio of projects which has not only generated stunning results but has gained confidence, goodwill and a number of award wins. Based in Swindon, the GEL Studios team have a passion for their work. They design bespoke websites, develop brand identities and launch marketing campaigns that have a real impact on their clients. The team don’t work for their clients, but with them to generate ideas and concepts that stand apart from the crowd. Whilst experts in creative thinking and an adaptable attitude, the team rely on their clients’ knowledge and input in order to create a bespoke product that is tailor-made to their requirements in every aspect. Because the GEL Studios team work with a vast array of clients and projects, their creativity is always being put to the test. Done right, the designs and strategies developed by the team play a crucial part in making a difference to people around the world. Whether it’s helping to heat a local community centre, raising funds for British-Ukrainian Aid or supporting domestic violence charities, making a difference always comes first for the GEL Studios team. Instead of working purely for the money, they work on projects that motivate them and push forward into bold new territory. That’s what sets them apart from the rest. Recently, the team have worked alongside the Swindon-based Festival of Tomorrow. This action-packed exploration of science, technology and research has opened the doors for people from a host of backgrounds to uncover exciting new ideas they might never have heard of before. Working in such an accessible way has been truly transformative for so many people, and is a true reflection of how the team operates. In this case, they were approached by the Festival of Tomorrow team because they needed support with digital and printed items for the festival. After the success of 2022, it’s little surprise that the team were invited back to create a new website for the 2023 event! Every project teaches lessons, especially to the receptive team at GEL Studios. The key to the success of Festival of Tomorrow was an awareness that they would make a real difference. This is what inspired the team to achieve such high standards of success. Going forward, it makes sense that this is going to be an integral part of how the studio functions. More recently there have been meetings about work that should or shouldn’t have been done, with timescales too short or briefs too vague. The future, therefore, is one where the team will collaborate on who to work with and why. For an SME, the chance to truly connect is what sets GEL Studios apart. This is a full-service agency that can afford to take the time to get to know precisely what a company needs, and can effortlessly strive to bring that vision to life. Over the years, the impressive standard of relationship that has been built has proven to be the backbone of the business’s success. Looking forward, it’s clear that GEL Studios is taking a bold new step into an exciting future indeed. The team’s determination to make a difference is not purely limited to the clients that the team take on, but the way in which they operate as a whole. GEL Studios is now a Certified B Corporation following a robust assessment period that examined all aspects of how the full-service creative agency operates. As a B Corp, GEL Studios is now part of a global community of businesses that meet high social and environmental impact standards. It has made a legal commitment to stakeholder governance and is demonstrating accountability. Currently, the team are in a period of change, however. The move to a new studio has taken a great deal of time and energy alongside current projects. The new studio, in a converted farmhouse, is just a few doors down from where the team are now but will open up exciting new opportunities for creating an environment that reflects the business as it is now. The office renovation has been designed to be as sustainable as possible, using local tradespeople and environmentally friendly materials where possible. Truly, it will be a showcase for what GEL Studios has to offer. Design is more than a passive entity. It requires a proactive approach, which the GEL Studios team embody and deserves to be celebrated. Company: GEL Studios Email: hello@gelstudios.co.uk Web Address: www.gelstudios.co.uk “ Doing things the right way is one of the founding principles of GEL Studios. Since opening its doors ten years ago, they have committed to a path which involves no corner-cutting, no templates and no winging it. ”
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SME Business Elite Awards 2023 36 | Q1 2023 Jan23427 HR For The Future Since opening its doors in 2016, Westcountry HR has gone from strength to strength in a crowded field. Now, more than ever, companies and businesses are seeing the importance of the workforce in how it can lead to expansion into new and exciting areas. At the very heart of this change, therefore, must be a passion for HR and all that it can offer. That’s precisely where Nicola Bidgood and her team come in. HR Director Nicki has built a business which prides itself on being friendly, informed and always available. Certainly, that’s what clients tell her. Working in an always shifting, ever dynamic environment, Westcountry HR has thrived because the team takes the time to understand precisely what clients need and then by making sure that they always deliver. An impressive group of like-minded individuals lie at the heart of this stunning organisation, always working hard to ensure that nothing is overlooked. When looking to enhance your company’s HR abilities, it can look daunting to hire in new people for such a specific purpose. In the business world, many companies need this support but cannot find a need for it on such a comprehensive level. Westcountry HR offers all of the advantages of an inhouse team, acting as an efficient and effective alternative. Through working with this talented team, you can drive costs down whilst pushing productivity up. Every business needs someone who can take on HR support, but they might not have the need for a HR team. The world of consultancy has boomed over the last few years, and Nicki has ridden that wave to her current position of success. Her ability to provide objective, unbiased employment advice means that she can easily support business owners and managers on the people management that they need to handle. HR advice can be vague and unspecific, but Westcountry HR prides itself on an outsourced service which meets the needs of the individual. No job is too big or too small for this immensely savvy team. Far away from the world of AI and call centres where impersonal communication leads the way, Westcountry HR offers a hands-on solution that meets your requirements at all times. When you trust this team to deliver the results you need, you can focus on other parts of your business and ensure growth and expansion. The passion for HR at Westcountry HR is due, in no small part, to Nicki’s determination and tenacity. She cut her teeth working for FTSE 100 companies, but couldn’t see any reason why SMEs could not have the same stunning level of support that they were able to access. As such, she took the big leap to move from employment at a large firm to self-employment for many small businesses. It’s little wonder that many have found the service she offers overwhelmingly positive as they can finally access the same level of care and attention that the big boys often hoard for themselves. Big companies thrive because they work out where to take risks and where to play it safe. This approach is what Nicki and her team bring to the table at all times. Whether it’s considering employee relations issues, policies, restructure including redundancy, or other employee issues, such as absence, sickness and wellbeing, they can be by your side ensuring compliance at all times. For guaranteed protection from further actions, Westcountry HR is the place to be. As a consultancy, Westcountry HR can also offer a host of different opportunities, including a free HR healthcheck which is independent from your organisation, and therefore entirely impartial. The team at Westcountry HR take a look under the hood to see what makes your business tick, providing a comprehensive HR review. If there is any better way of seeing what value good HR management can bring to your business, we haven’t seen it! Looking ahead, Westcountry HR is already embracing new and exciting ways of using technology to broaden their reach and outlook. As a BreatheHR Partner, the team are committed to providing easier, datadriven decisions for your business. The BreatheHR software will transform any business, which is why Westcountry HR recommends its use. The team have found that their clients enjoy the way in which it is easy to use, secure and fully GDPR compliant. It’s this care and attention which has led to the team being justly recognised in the Business Elite Awards 2023. Their approach is not just based around the rules and regulations that companies must abide by – although this is a major factor! It considers what a business needs and then offers solutions to improve efficiency and reliability. In a world which is always on the lookout for the next big thing, Westcountry HR must be at the top of many people’s lists! Company: Westcountry HR Name: Nicola Bidgood Email: hello@westcountryhr.com Web Address: http://www.westcountryhr.com/ When Nicola Bidgood opened Westcountry HR, she did so with a passion for the sector that would lead her to tremendous achievements. From her humble HQ in Newton Abbot, she has built a business that has gained national standing. In the Business Elite Awards 2023, the team were named Best SME HR Support Provider 2023 - South West. We take a closer look at what the team have done to achieve such success. “ Since opening its doors in 2016, Westcountry HR has gone from strength to strength in a crowded field. Now, more than ever, companies and businesses are seeing the importance of the workforce in how it can lead to expansion into new and exciting areas. ”
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SME Business Elite Awards 2023 40 | Q1 2023 Tracking Triumph! Over the last ten years, the team at ABAX UK have prided themselves on finding solutions that their competitors can’t. With 117 businesses in their sector throughout the UK, they stand apart through identifying problems and pain points, and then solving them. As such, ABAX has become a name to remember in the Smart Mobility space, offering services such as Vehicle and Machinery tracking, Connected Leasing and Usage Based Insurances for Fleets and other solutions for Smart Mobility applications. Since opening their doors, the success of ABAX has come from an approach which doesn’t merely sell solutions, but which explores problems alongside customers. As such, the firm has been able to champion a consultative approach which has ensured the endurance of the business over a decade. With values that put enthusiasm, customer-centric ideas, innovation and sustainability at the heart of how they operate, it’s easy to see how this firm has grown to its current impressive heights of success. ABAX has always been on the forefront of developing new solutions for customers. By building a clear understanding of their needs, ABAX will identify new products and services that help to alleviate specific pain points, making them indispensable to their customers. The next twelve months look incredibly positive indeed, with ABAX expecting to offer more solutions throughout the year. The power of connected mobility data is often overlooked, and the team believe that even in the challenges of the current climate, businesses will be looking for ways in which they can make their operations ever more efficient. As such, the path for ABAX is one which will embrace the business value of this data and leverage it as far as possible. The growth of ABAX is a credit to the team, and the success of the business comes from the way in which customers are empowered to be more sustainable than ever before. Key to the team’s success is the fact that their solutions allow them to use assets as efficiently and responsibly as possible, increasing the lifetime significantly. Looking ahead, it’s clear that these are projects that will continue to allow the team to flourish. We can’t wait to see what they do next! Company: ABAX UK Ltd Name: Craig Allan Email: craig.allan@abax.co.uk The availability of data has opened the door to many new opportunities in the world of smart solutions. For the team at ABAX UK, it was the key to creating insights which have seen marked improvement in Vehicle Tracking, Plant Tracking and Tool Tracking. In the Business Elite Awards, the team at ABAX UK were named Best Vehicle Tracking Solutions Provider 2023 – UK. We dig a little deeper to uncover why.
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