Tech specialist Wilson-Etheridge should have been celebrating a business anniversary when lockdown struck.
Director Daniel Wilson explains how the pandemic prompted him to pivot and reimagine his offer to SMEs and clients.
What was the original plan when you launched in 2018?
The original plan remains the same; but we have altered the offer. We’re being more flexible in an uncertain economic climate. When I left the RAF in early 2018 from an IT role, I fell into some contract work. I knew I didn’t want to be an ‘out of the box’ contractor and wanted to run and build a business that delivered cloud-based services. I created Wilson-Etheridge which combines my name with my wife Amy’s name. Within a short space of time we were successfully doing contract work for large corporates.
More recently we’ve introduced a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) offer to appeal to SMEs.
Explain your core offer and services
Primarily we’re a Microsoft 365 specialist. We provide the full service from licence reselling to design and development, consultation and implementation to ongoing maintenance support. There’s also a training provision for those who require it. We typically work on monthly or annual contracts; but our new PAYG service means we can also provide quick, high-impact support and interventions for those that have more limited budgets.
What sort of clients are you attracting?
Prior to COVID-19 striking and the lockdown we were getting a steady range of work from corporates and reasonably large companies. Much of it was direct and some through IT providers. We continue to work with a global recruitment group as well as an international oil and gas safety specialist. We’re starting to see an interest in cloud services and support from smaller companies.
What has been the impact of the pandemic?
Business remains steady for us. Our contracts keep me and my team reasonably busy. But it’s fair to say everyone is a little more uncertain and cautious about the future. We’ve just got to keep delivering the best service we can and hope the economy recovers quickly. There will always be a need for IT and tech support. If anything, the pandemic has accelerated digital transformation within many companies.
How have you responded?
The pandemic did make us stop and review our business model. We need to remain focused on our core contracts while also getting busy securing new work. At the same time, we recognise there will be a lot of companies needing tech support but reluctant to commit to fixed monthly or annual fees when times might be hard. So, during lockdown, we launched our PAYG service to support companies working in a Microsoft 365 environment.
Explain PAYG and the benefits
It’s a simple offer that most SMEs get. Small enterprises need flexibility and cost-effective solutions. We allow customers to pay by the hour – whether it’s troubleshooting, support or development. They simply pay as they use our service. They’re not locked into any contract – there’s zero commitment for the user. It’s perfect for a start-up, a small business or even those people working remotely from home – which is only likely to increase. We can help – supporting them remotely or on site.
How do the next 12 months look?
We’re getting more referral work, so I’m quietly confident we’ll keep on steadily attracting contract work while also securing more PAYG customers. While the future looks a little uncertain, I’d like to grow my network of sub-contractors and eventually start to recruit a small direct team of Microsoft 365 specialists to expand the business. Whatever the health of the economy, there is always a need to develop and maintain technical systems and equipment across all businesses.