Gateshead-based Synergi has played a key part in the rapid uptake of cloud services, and no more so than over the last few tumultuous months.
The ‘cloud first’ business specialises in helping organisations digitise working practices, migrating from traditional IT systems to more flexible and cost-effective cloud-based technologies to improve efficiency and productivity.
Its nationwide client list includes Yorkshire Water, Arriva, Lloyds of London, the AA, and Scottish Fire and Rescue Services while closer to home it works with Electrix International, Sotech, Hacel Lighting, Tyneside Safety Glass and others looking to maximise investment in modern technology. Last year Synergi celebrated a 60% turnover rise, on the back of a steady 40% year on year growth since its inception in 2013.
Chief Executive Officer Peter Joynson takes up the story: “The last 18 months have marked a particularly successful point for the business. We launched a new fully managed service practice, consolidated our footholds in Scotland and the South, and invested a substantial sum to create the North East’s first Digital Business Den, a dedicated learning environment where clients can explore the future of digital business.
2020 brought with it a very different business landscape for all of us. As both cloud users and innovators we maintained business as usual and were ideally placed to help businesses facilitate a swift and seamless change to working from home, with all its complex security and access implications. We were also able to offer free, no-obligation COVID-19 support packages to a business community suddenly faced with huge change.”
Few would disagree that the pandemic has turned cloud into an essential service, and the continuing rise in adoption is set to underpin Synergi’s growth. “The last few months have transformed the working landscape, and much of the success is down to cloud services,” adds Chief Operating Officer Justin Short.
“We saw demand across all cloud solutions, particularly in video conferencing, where Microsoft reported a jump to 75 million daily users of Teams, and in intranet and home-based telephony services. Every organisation is at a different stage in its digital journey, and we helped people in all sectors and sizes cope with processes such as signing documents, maintaining regular contact with staff, and accessing core finance systems. Functions such as cloud accounting are not just a nice to have, they are now an essential part of every business.”
Synergi’s new end to end managed service is a logical extension to its portfolio, designed for customers looking for a partner delivering service excellence across on-premise, hybrid and cloud technologies. It saw the firm expand into mainstream IT services including proactive security monitoring and disaster recovery services, and extend its support desk to cover infrastructure, networking communications management, and legacy infrastructures.
Director Paul Burns joined as Chief Technology Officer, spearheading the new service. “This move was part of our long term strategy, and despite the challenging conditions we felt it was the right time to launch,” he said.
“It’s delivered on flexible contracts that allow clients to access and pay for technology on demand, and all through a single point of contact. Clients tell us it was a service they were struggling to find, and they are already praising the benefits in service performance and cost control, reinforcing our faith that we are filling a gap in the market.”
The move has already created several jobs and there are more in the pipeline, says Paul.
“The calibre of our people is one of our biggest strengths. People are attracted to our supportive culture and good benefits package and we are always looking for new talent to join the team, whether they have several years under their belt or are graduates entering our development scheme and looking to forge a career with a cutting edge employer.” Looking forward, the Synergi team exudes quiet confidence.
“We’re seeing a growing focus on innovation and restructuring working practices, putting cloud and digital transformation at its core. It’s the ideal moment for businesses to undertake a review of IT infrastructure and management,” adds Peter. “Organisations are looking to accelerate cloud strategies and take advantage of agile technologies through what could be uncertainty for at least the next 12 months.
Our objective is to become the automatic choice of North East cloud provider, and a leader in the UK. Everything we do is about helping businesses improve efficiency, productivity, insight and security, and there will always be a demand for that.”
