Monthly Archives: February 2024

News

UK Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) More Vulnerable to Cyber Attacks According to JumpCloud’s latest SME IT Report

  • 50% of UK respondents reported security as their biggest challenge with ransomware a bigger issue for UK respondents than other countries surveyed.
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption is increasing, but UK SMEs are slower to embrace AI than other countries.
  • While budgets are increasing globally, the UK picture is more subdued.

London, UK, 14th February 2024 – Launched today, JumpCloud’s Q1 2024 SME IT Trends report indicates that in 2024, UK SMEs could be more vulnerable to cyber attacks than SMEs in other countries. The survey found that UK respondents are less likely to offer formal cybersecurity training (62% UK, 72.5% USA and 74% in India), less likely to have an IT security expert on staff (78% v 87% v 94%), least financially prepared to recover from a cyber attack (65% v 75% v 80%), and least likely to have a cybersecurity plan (72% v 82% v 87.5%). 

This lack of investment in planning, training, and resources could be budget-related. The UK reported the lowest overall budget increase (75%) and lowest percentage reporting “budgets up by more than 20%”, at 13%. UK budgets are more likely to be remaining flat than other countries, and combining ”remaining flat” and “decreased” the picture is slightly less favourable overall. In the Q2 2023 report, 77% of UK respondents reported budget increases. 

JumpCloud’s sixth edition of its biannual SME IT Trends Report is designed to serve as a resource for evaluating the state of IT, offering guidance on where it’s headed. More than 1,200 respondents were surveyed from the UK, USA, and India, with 402 participants from the UK.  

Security is the number one challenge 

In terms of challenges, security dominates, cited by more than half of respondents globally (56%) and by 50% of UK respondents. The second and third biggest challenges both globally and in the UK were new services/application rollouts (45% and 41% respectively) and increased work burden (44% and 38% respectively). In Q2 2023, UK respondents cited device management as their second largest challenge, whereas this time device management dropped to sixth place. 

Overall, the top three security threats remain consistent with those reported in April 2023. Network attacks topped the list (40%, up from 38% in Q2 2023), followed by software vulnerability exploits (34%, up from 27% in Q2 2023), and ransomware (29%, down from 33% in Q2 2023). In the UK, network attacks also topped the list (44.5%) followed by ransomware (35%), with software vulnerability exploits in third place (32%). In fact, ransomware is a bigger concern for UK organisations than the other countries surveyed (35% UK vs 32% USA vs 20% India). 

Budgets on the rise 

The good news is that globally, IT budgets are up over the past 12 months, continuing the trend seen in early 2023. Over eight in 10 organisations report an increase in IT budgets (82%) and 20% report an increase of more than 20%, compared with 80% who had seen an increase in Q2 2023 and 13% who had seen an increase of over 20%. Likewise, 2024 is an improving picture for UK SMEs with 69% of UK respondents expecting their IT budgets to increase and only 7% predicting a decrease, whereas in Q2 2023 57% expected increases and 10% expected budgets to decrease. 

Greg Keller, CTO of JumpCloud comments; “SMEs are often called the “engine” of the UK economy and they have contributed to better-than-expected performance over the past year. Defending against cyber attacks is important so UK SMEs can continue driving growth, and organisations are naturally looking for powerful but cost-effective solutions that minimise administrative burden. Frictionless device and identity management is a great place to start.” 

AI adoption 

With all the hype around AI, it is no surprise that organisations are actively planning for AI; only 13% of global organisations do not currently have any plans to implement AI initiatives. Well over half (61%) expect to implement AI initiatives within the next year. 76% agree their organisation should be investing in AI, and 63% have already developed an AI policy.  

However, the adoption of AI appears to be higher among Indian and USA respondents than in the UK. In fact, 23% of UK respondents have no plans to implement AI and 8.5% are taking a longer-term view and not planning to implement until 19-24 months out. Only 70% of UK respondents think their organisation should be investing in AI, versus the global average of 76%, and only 45.5% have a policy around AI versus 63% globally.  

UK respondents were more likely to disagree or strongly disagree that AI is outpacing their organisation’s ability to protect against threats (22% versus 18% in the USA versus 5% in India). Also, the UK was least likely to claim that AI will be a net positive (71% versus 76% USA and 91% India). That said, 22% of UK respondents do feel that the organisation is moving too slowly when it comes to the adoption of AI, a higher percentage than the USA and India respondents.  

Other key findings include: 

  • Single solution versus multiple solutions – A large majority (75%) of global respondents continue to prefer a single tool to do their job rather than several-point solutions, roughly the same as the 77% who said the same in Q2 2023. In the UK in Q2 2023, 76% of UK respondents said they would prefer to use a single solution over managing multiple different solutions. In Q1 2024, this has dropped to 66%. 
  • Number of tools – 5% of global respondents need five or more tools to manage the employee lifecycle and the applications they need to do their job, and 9% need more than 15. 45% of UK respondents need five or more tools and 7.5% need more than 15. 
  • Biometrics, Multi-factor authentication (MFA), and passwords – Globally the number of organisations adopting biometrics is increasing. Two-thirds (66%) require the use of biometrics for employee authentication versus 55% in Q2 2023. The UK appears to be behind here, with 44% requiring the use of biometrics for employee authentication. However, 34% say it is the most secure step to access MFA, on par with the global average of 33%. 63% of UK respondents strongly agree that their security posture would be stronger if they were required to adopt biometrics, versus the global average of 60%.
  • Passwords are still a big part of organisational security – 83% of organisations globally use password-only authentication for at least some IT resources compared to 77% of UK respondents. 
  • Organisations are looking to make passwordless authentication more secure – 83% say they also require employees to use MFA to access all IT resources, compared to 75% of UK respondents. 
  • On average employees need to manage three to five passwords – India respondents use a higher percentage of multiple passwords than the other two regions, with UK respondents tending to use a lower number of passwords.
  • Managed service providers (MSPs) continue to be a go-to resource for organisations globally – 87% rely on an MSP for some features, virtually the same as the 90% who reported this in Q2 2023. 62% of UK respondents are using an MSP to some extent within their IT programme, which is higher than the last report (57%). 19% don’t work with an MSP and 18% reported they are considering working with one, whereas this was 30% of respondents in Q2 2023. 

If you’re interested in reading the full global report with all the findings, please click here. 

About JumpCloud 

JumpCloud® helps IT teams and managed service providers (MSPs) Make Work Happen® by centralizing management of user identities and devices, enabling small and medium-sized enterprises to adopt Zero Trust security models. JumpCloud has been used by more than 200,000 organizations, including GoFundMe, Grab, ClassPass, Beyond Finance, and Foursquare. JumpCloud has raised over $400M from world-class investors including Sapphire Ventures, General Atlantic, Sands Capital, Atlassian, and CrowdStrike. 

News

Generative AI, Tool Consolidation, and Compliance and Security are Top of Mind for DevOps Teams

Eficode’s annual DevOps trends pinpoint key areas that will define the intersection of AI and DevOps

Carefully managing Generative AI’s potential through DevOps and an increased focus on compliance and security around its application should be paramount to DevOps teams in 2024, according to Eficode, the leading provider of DevOps solutions in Europe.

Research indicates that 96% of developers use AI tools–with eight out of ten coders bypassing security policies to use them. With no standardised regulations for AI tools, Eficode’s new DevOps trends 2024 guide advocates the need for stronger governance frameworks and AI security policies in organisations’ DevOps strategies to encompass the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

These models will help organisations comply with regulations such as GDPR, manage data residency and governance, and guide the responsible use of AI whilst taking advantage of increased creativity in the software development process.

Eficode’s DevOps trends guide places additional importance on organisations using DevOps as a safety net in validating the accuracy and safety of AI-developed code as its use proliferates. With AI tools enabling DevOps teams to generate complex code at a far faster rate than before, developers must utilise an increased blend of peer reviews, testing, and security scanning to deal with the increase in code volume.

Eficode’s DevOps trends 2024 guide has additionally identified two further key trends as crucial to the intersection of AI and DevOps:

  • Increased tooling consolidation for organisations looking at moving towards big platforms
  • The importance of platform engineering becoming increasingly user-centric in providing a superior Developer Experience for DevOps teams

“Software development is in a transformative shift, driven by the rise of popularised generative AI tools. These remove the most tedious and time-consuming aspects of software development while helping DevOps accelerate the software delivery,” comments Marko Klemetti, CTO of Eficode. “However, as DevOps adapts to the challenges that Generative AI poses, we’re going to see more big organisations build their own governance models. to make sure that their software development tooling and DevOps teams are connected and guarded, all while they augment their processes with AI tooling.”

The themes explored in Eficode’s DevOps trends guide will be central to its 11th edition of The DEVOPS Conference Global in London on March 14. As the leading event for DevOps professionals to share knowledge and expertise, the 2024 edition will focus on the impact of the rise of AI and the growing need for platform engineering.

Here you can find the link to the full Eficode’s DevOps trends eBook: https://we.tl/t-8LqwAQrvkc

 

About Eficode

Eficode is the leading provider of DevOps solutions in Europe that drive real impact. With 580 employees in 10 different countries, Eficode empowers organizations to create a software development culture that unlocks their potential with the right ways of working, the right tools, and the right skill set.

Eficode provides customers with DevOps and Agile skills and practices, enabling organizational growth with their Application Management, Atlassian services, and Eficode ROOT Managed DevOps platform–a managed service with 50+ preferred tools (Atlassian, GitLab, GitHub, and Kubernetes).

 

News, Sustainability

Sybron becomes carbon neutral on its journey to net zero

Sybron, a leading UK supplier of cleaning, hygiene and catering products to some of the largest names in hospitality, has been awarded with carbon neutral NCZ silver certification. This verifies that the company has had an ISO compliant scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon emissions report and has fully balanced all emissions through an ICROA-approved, VCS-certified carbon offset project.

“Sybron has followed industry best practice and balanced its currently unavoidable emissions with a fully verifiable and registered carbon offset from an organisational perspective,” says Neutral Carbon Zone CEO, Alan Stenson. “Officially achieving carbon neutrality as a business is a significant achievement and shows that Sybron is a proactive and sustainably focused business. Coupling this with carbon reduction demonstrates that it is progressing on its ultimate journey to net zero, whilst balancing any unavoidable emissions along the way.”

 Innovation and sustainability

“Our core values as a business are innovation and sustainability, so achieving carbon neutral status is a first and major step towards our ultimate goal to achieve net zero,” says Sybron Sales and Marketing Director, George Mason. “Innovation and sustainability go hand-in-hand as demonstrated through the launch of our own ranges, SyBio and SySoft this year and we have several other projects in the pipeline – from installing solar panels on our warehouse to electric vans and charging points – all of which will enhance our and our customers’ sustainability criteria.”

Following Sybron’s success with biotechnology products, it launched SyBio in 2022. A range of environmentally friendly products which deliver improved performance, safer applications and reduced costs, SyBio replaces harmful, non-renewable chemicals with adaptive biotechnology that clean, disinfect, augment, remediate and protect a range of environments.

Meanwhile, in June 2023, Sybron – based at Crammond Park in Harlow, Essex – launched its own-brand SySoft luxury bamboo toilet tissue which is made from 100% bamboo and with plastic-free packaging. Partnering with eco-friendly, bamboo specialist, UniGreen, Sybron created this sustainable product with exceptional environmental properties, in response to growing customer demand.

 A long term approach to sustainability

“Sybron recognises sustainability as a long-term approach to supporting our ecological, social, and economic environments. All businesses should be expected to recognise the growing importance of corporate responsibility and Sybron is no exception. We want to be pioneers and set an example. As a business we believe in the reduce, reuse, recycle philosophy and focus our strategy on four key areas of the organisation – accreditations, warehouse and logistics, people and products.”

NCZ-certified silver carbon neutral is the latest important accreditation for Sybron, which is a CHSA accredited distributor and a member of the Foodservice Packaging Association. This new accreditation ensures that all key paper lines conform to the FSC® Forests For All Forever accreditation.

All waste plastic and cardboard from Sybron’s warehouse is fully recycled through specialist compactor machines and it purchases key lines in full-truck quantities, saving unnecessary impacts to the environment. Sybron also works with clients who would like a reduced delivery schedule, and operates a fixed delivery schedule, reducing its CO2 impact.

“With products, we have significantly reduced packaging, through innovative manufacturing processes and focused on product longevity through concentrated formulations and innovation. The launch of the SyBio range and SySoft luxury bamboo toilet tissue demonstrates our commitment to innovation and sustainability, with the ambition to work towards a greener future.

“We are looking closely at our supply chain and ensuring that we partner with business which share our beliefs and will work with us to develop an even more sustainable offering while reducing our environmental impact,” concludes George Mason. “We are proud to have become a carbon neutral business, which is the next critical step in our stated goal to become net zero.”

Bristol, News, Property, Property Rentals, Proptech, South West, Technology

PyTerra has been awarded an Innovate UK R&D grant to develop an online solution which empowers tenants to initiate home energy improvement measures

 

PyTerra, the Bristol-based company, today announces it has been awarded a grant under Innovate UK’s ‘Net Zero Living: User Focused Design’ competition. This project will engage tenants across Bristol to understand how they can be incentivised to initiate energy efficiency measures in their rented homes.

Recognising that tenants are more likely to live in energy inefficient dwellings, and that the retrofit industry is failing to tap into the massive private rented sector, PyTerra is developing a solution called MyGreenDoor to bring these two markets together for mutual gain.

MyGreenDoor gives tenants more agency over their comfort and wellbeing, while at the same time opening up a significant market for the retrofit industry.

MyGreenDoor creates ‘smart’ landing pages on the websites of retrofit installers and suppliers, where tenants’ needs are assessed using customer intelligence tools, and where tenants are matched with solutions that suit both them and their landlords. Other products will be brought into the mix if needed, effectively creating multiple mini marketplaces across participating websites.

In effect, MyGreenDoor exchanges ‘hard sell’ for ‘soft sell’, brokering a space that emphasizes the building of trust-based relationships with potential customers – essential for the tenant market.

The impact will be to accelerate the delivery of more comfortable living environments and net zero targets. Tenants will receive information about solutions that are deliverable and affordable. Retrofit companies will open up the lucrative rental market and improve their customer conversion rates.

Tenants are being targeted because landlords currently have little incentive to invest in energy improvements. Last September, the Prime Minister scrapped new EPC targets which would have required landlords to improve the energy performance of their properties. Landlords still expect this legislation to be reintroduced in the future, but the timing is uncertain. However, the new Renters (Reform) Bill promises to help tenants become more secure to pursue energy improvements, building on rights they have had since 2015.

David Arscott

“Over the past two years we’ve focused on where MyGreenDoor can best bring consumers and suppliers together in the rapidly changing UK retrofit market. The product is being designed to improve tenants’ lives by giving them realistic choices as to how the comfort of their homes can be improved,” comments, David Arscott, founder and CEO at PyTerra. “This grant from Innovate UK validates our innovative thinking, allowing us to fully engage the tenant market in order to develop a successful product.”

During the project, PyTerra is working with expert market researchers Timmus Research. Advice is also being provided by Retrofit West CIC, whose MD Simon Andrews added, “ Innovation in this area, particularly where it drives data-driven insights into both buyer and seller markets, is wholly supported by Retrofit West.”

Retrofit installers and suppliers can sign up to hear more about MyGreenDoor via https://www.mygreendoor.io. Join the movement towards healthier homes for tenants through a thriving retrofit industry with MyGreenDoor.

News

50 top eco-innovators gather with corporate leaders to drive positive change at beVisioneers: Mercedes-Benz Fellowship Global Summit

From February 26 to 28, 50 young eco-innovators, all between the ages of 16 and 28, will gather in Stuttgart with environmental experts, business leaders, investors, academics, and government officials for the inaugural beVisioneers Global Summit.

The annual summit is an initiative of beVisioneers: The Mercedes-Benz Fellowship, a fellowship program providing young eco-innovators with the training, mentoring, expert support and resources to develop their planet-positive projects. The fellowship is open to these young people, regardless of their entrepreneurial track record or financial status.

Designed and implemented by The DO School Fellowships and fully funded by donations from Mercedes-Benz, beVisioneers selects fellows based on their leadership potential and the viability of their project ideas, offering financial support to fellows who would otherwise be unable to participate.

The summit will spotlight these young ecopreneurs, showcasing their local solutions to the climate crisis, as well as connecting them with sustainability leaders, growing a global ecosystem for environmental action.

The summit will also give fellows an opportunity to present their projects to an expert jury and the wider community, and up to 20 grants will be made to help fellows advance their work.

Presenters include fellow Thabo Mngomezulu, whose project turns waste into biogas for energy-starved rural populations in his native South Africa, and Chaitanya Sakre, a fellow from India, who will present on her development of a porous asphalt that absorbs climate-induced floodwater and harvests it for daily use.

“We are thrilled to work directly with young people who are passionate about innovating pro-planet solutions to issues they observe in their communities and around the world,” says Mariah Levin, Executive Director of beVisioneers. “Our aim is to build the world’s largest community of eco-innovators, anchored in youth action.”

The growing beVisioneers community includes not just current and future fellows, but experts and allies on sustainability and environmental action. This community will be represented at the Summit by a mix of business leaders, investors, funders, academics, and government and iNGO officials. This includes Dr. Krithi Karanth, CEO and Chief Conservation Scientist at the Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bangalore.

“I’m delighted to participate in the beVisioneers Global Summit because elevating the innovations and achievements of young people around the world is critical to achieving sustainability and conservation goals” says Dr. Karanth.

Now in its pilot year, with 100 fellows from 10 countries, beVisioneers is building the world’s largest fellowship program for young environmental innovators. The program will take 500 fellows from 35 countries in summer of 2024, growing to 1000 fellows per year from all parts of the world in summer of 2025.

If you are interested in being a mentor, have expertise in sustainability, venture building, or have an eco-event space that you could offer for the fellows to meet, sign up to the beVisioneers newsletter for the latest opportunities about how you can get involved to help shape and grow this initiative.

News

Ansvar expands product portfolio with new Business, Office and Retail policy

Ansvar, an expert provider of bespoke insurance solutions, is announcing the launch of its latest product, the Business, Office and Retail policy, specifically designed for the business activities of social enterprises, commercial organisations, shops, and offices.

The Business, Office and Retail policy has been developed for UK organisations of all sizes, scaling flexibly from sole traders to large commercial organisations with multiple locations.

The policy provides protection for activities such as office and administration work, attending trade shows, fundraising events, and selling goods and services.

Adam Tier, Head of Underwriting at Ansvar, commented:

“We have completely refreshed our offering for commercial organisations, allowing a wide range of businesses to be covered under one product. We recognise that companies are involved in a broad array of trades and activities, with each having varying levels of exposure to different risks. Our Business, Office and Retail policy provides flexibility by allowing organisations to customise their coverage, ensuring they are adequately protected, in a cost-effective package.”

Ansvar is part of the Benefact Group, which donates all available profits to charities and good causes. According to ‘The Guide to UK Company Giving 2022-23,’ the Benefact Group stands as the UK’s third-largest corporate donor, having donated over £100 million to charity since 2016. The Group recently launched its 2024 Movement for Good initiative, which allows people to nominate a charity to receive £1,000.

For more information about Ansvar’s Business, Office and Retail policy, please visit https://www.ansvar.co.uk/ourproducts/commercial/business-office-retail-insurance/.

Marketing, PR and SEO, News

Provocative punk styling replaces agency brand

Technical, technology and science PR agency Stone Junction, has rebranded to signal a new phase of the company’s development. The iconoclastic and irreverent new visual style is the company’s first rebrand since 2014.

The overhaul of Stone Junction’s aesthetic is part of a wider infrastructural upgrade which is set to see the company to expand rapidly. A series of new hires, a move to a larger office and expansion of the PR, communications and marketing services offered, all position the agency as ready to grow strongly in the coming months and years.

“The PR industry has changed dramatically in the last five years and it’s important that Stone Junction adapts with that change,” explained Richard Stone, managing director of Stone Junction. “In a funny way, while our clients and friends across the PR world have gotten younger on average, we’ve matured as an agency.

“I wanted to make sure that, amid all the exciting upheaval, change and growth, we retained the witty, anti-establishment, and iconoclastic identity that Stone Junction has always had. We’ve grown organically, without any external investment, and we’re proud to be a company with an entrepreneurial, positive and DIY aesthetic that pulls itself up by its bootstraps.”

Branding, of which visual identity is a crucial part, is central to a company’s key values and the way it chooses to communicate those values. The striking blazes of colour in the new Stone Junction visual style stand out from the deep, broody black canvas and convey the company’s provocative and challenging approach to capturing attention for its clients.

“I think the punk influences for this design scheme are clear. We want it to excite people and make them wonder about us,” explained Kelly Doble, senior designer at Stone Junction. “The Sex Pistols, Vivienne Westwood, and The Clash’s first sets of punk ideals might be 45 years old, but they still stir up rebellious feeling.

“Having this design capability in-house means that we’ve been able to keep the root of our brand identity while giving the company a new face. Although it seems like a big change, this is a natural progression from the agency that we have been into the one that we’re becoming.”

To see more of the rebranded identity and to find out about how Stone Junction’s rebrand design services can help your company to update its image, visit the new website at wechangeminds.com.

FInance, Finance and Banking, Finance News, News

61% of finance professionals have their sights set on becoming CEO

Whilst senior members of the finance team would prefer the top job at their current company, young professionals favour a job move first

London, UK – 13th February 2024:  The majority (61%) of finance professionals in the UK are aiming to become a chief executive officer (CEO) in their career, according to a UK survey of the industry by AccountsIQ, the award-winning accountancy SaaS provider.

Overall, young professionals are more ambitious about their prospects of moving out of the finance department and into the CEO’s chair, with 63% citing this aspiration compared to 59% of senior professionals. However, of those wanting to become CEO, just 46% of the younger respondents would like to do so at their current company. This is in comparison to 64% of senior professionals who are targeting the CEO job with their current employer.

The findings provide evidence to the growing connection between the role of the CFO and that of the business leader, with accounting teams increasingly relied upon to drive business strategy.

The data also reveals that finance leaders are succeeding in providing a clear development pathway to junior members of the team. In fact, 81% of young professionals report having a clear understanding of what they must do in order to achieve their desired career goals at their organisation.

Darren Cran, COO at AccountsIQ said: “It’s inspiring to see the ambition of young accountants to work their way to the top of corporate leadership through the finance team. The accounting department has always been a team which works closely with the CEO, but as the volume of data collected by the function has expanded, so has the pathway to leadership positions for those analysing it.”

Whilst ambition within the finance team is high, the survey revealed aspects of the role which cause issues with morale and culture. Over one-fifth (21%) of all finance professionals cited manual data entry as a leading cause of feeling undervalued. Additionally, when asked about the culture within the finance team, 30% of young professionals said better software and more automation of burdensome tasks would be key.

Cran added, “To truly enable these professionals to make that leap from finance to the CEO role, it’s essential that we liberate them from the shackles of manual, time-consuming tasks. By automating and streamlining financial processes, we can open up opportunities for talented individuals to engage more deeply in strategic decision-making, better preparing them for business leadership.”

The research was conducted among 502 finance professionals and accountants in the UK:

  • 251 young finance professionals between the ages of 18 and 35 who have up to three years’ experience, and who work in companies with between 40 and 500 employees up to middle management level
  • 251 senior finance professionals in companies that have between 40 and 500 employees, and who have 11 or more years of experience and are aged 31 or more

For more information, download AccountsIQ’s ‘Confessions of the finance function’ report today.

News, Technology

McCambridge Duffy saves almost half a million pounds per year by partnering with Apogee

Firm eradicates costs associated with monthly IT outages, reduces postage spend and doubles client caseloads as it undergoes significant digital transformation

 Maidstone, UK, 13th February 2024 – McCambridge Duffy, a leading UK insolvency firm, has partnered with managed workplace services (MWS) provider Apogee Corporation to boost workplace efficiencies  and modernise its IT infrastructure. Since the collaboration began, the firm has already reduced a large proportion of its yearly operating costs by almost half a million pounds.

Apogee digitised the operations at McCambridge Duffy with the implementation of its Managed IT Services and Digital Document Service. Prior to engaging the MWS provider, the firm was suffering from up to two IT outages a month, costing approximately £31,000, which have been reduced to zero. Additionally, as a business heavily reliant on paper-based documents, the yearly costs associated with postage accumulating to £60,000 have been cut down to £8,400.

Alongside cost savings, McCambridge Duffy has also benefitted from improved efficiency across its workforce. Client caseloads have almost doubled from 5,000 to 9,500, without needing to increase headcount, and a meeting of creditors appointment now takes just 7 days to process, down from 45, an 80% reduction.

“We’ve been on a transformative journey over the last five or so years, and I don’t think we would have reached this point today had we not cooperated so closely with the Apogee team. We knew we had to accelerate digitisation across the business to continue meeting the needs of our growing client base and also our staff, but our legacy infrastructure was holding us back. It started with a project to streamline our printing processes and now virtually everything we touch is an Apogee solution” said Michael Rutherford, Business Operations Manager at McCambridge Duffy.

A reliable IT system has additionally provided unprecedented flexibility to staff working patterns. 90% of employees now successfully work remotely or via a hybrid arrangement under a long-term agreement, leading to the retention of key individuals in a time of skills shortages.

The integrated Digital Document Service now controls the digital journey of documents from a centralised location. Staff can now send forms to be signed online and printing requirements have drastically reduced. Previously, McCambridge Duffy printed over one million documents a year by six multifunctional printers, which have now been reduced to just one.

Under its Managed IT Services agreement, Apogee has taken responsibility for the company’s IT infrastructure, from user licenses to laptop stands, keyboards and headsets. A reliable license per user model reduces the number of new servers needed and lowers the company’s expenditure, with 13 desktop servers shrunk down to four.

“Early on in conversations with McCambridge Duffy, we identified key sections of the business where we could make improvements. We’re delighted to have worked closely with the team from the outset to pinpoint the right solutions and ultimately transform the organisation’s operations,” said Aideen Muldoon, Sales Account Manager at Apogee Corporation.

Technology

Eseye named a Visionary in the 2024 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Managed IoT Connectivity Services, Worldwide for 2nd Consecutive Year

Eseye, a pioneer of integrated cellular IoT connectivity solutions, has today announced that it has been recognised as a Visionary in the Gartner® 2024 Magic Quadrant™ for Managed IoT Connectivity Services, Worldwide. This is the second consecutive year that Eseye has been acknowledged for its Completeness of Vision and Ability to Execute.

Nick Earle CEO at Eseye remarked, “This is a fantastic achievement. The Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ is a highly regarded, independent analysis for the industry that offer visual snapshots, in-depth analyses and actionable advice that provide insight into a market’s direction, maturity and vendors. We are delighted to have been recognised as a Visionary for the second year running, which we believe reflects our ability to execute on our clear market vision and commitment to move the industry forward with new advances in IoT device software, global cellular connectivity and IoT platforms, as well as service innovation.”

As one of the most respected analyst firms in the world, Gartner® evaluates vendors on the quality and efficacy of the processes, systems, methods or procedures that enable IT provider performance to be competitive, efficient and effective, and to positively impact revenue, retention and reputation within Gartner’s view of the market. Visionaries have a clear view of the market’s requirements and direction. They focus on providing a broader continuum of value to meet future market needs and effectively upsell and cross-sell within their installed base through trust and the extension of recognisable, iterative value.

“This year Gartner® identified 16 IoT connectivity providers, including Eseye. This is fewer than in previous years, which we believe highlights how highly competitive and fast-growing the market is. We are proud to be moving in an upward trajectory year-on-year and believe that our industry leading Net Promoter Score of +50 reflects the superior value we deliver to our customers. This, combined with our ability to deliver >99.5% connectivity for every device on a global basis, is an important deciding factor for many of the large enterprises that come to us to support their global IoT connectivity deployments,” adds Earle.

Eseye’s customers comment on why they believe the company has been recognised for its Ability to Execute: “Since working with Eseye, we’ve recorded an 87.5% improvement in connectivity performance compared to our previous cellular provider and we’re working with Eseye daily to make even greater improvements. In doing this, we have reached 99.6% connectivity which is better than we expected and it continues to get better every day,” shared Fred Roe, VP of Sales at PharmaWatch.

In addition to Eseye being recognised as a Visionary, over the past 12 months the company has celebrated a number of achievements including:

Steffen Sorrell, Chief of Research at Kaleido Intelligence testified to Eseye’s advanced technical ability which includes 16 direct localisation interconnects plus additional sponsored roaming partnership which helps customers avoid any permanent roaming issues – either due to regulatory restrictions or the breakdown of commercial agreements between operators: “Eseye’s roaming and localisation coverage footprint in addition to an innovative underlying technology proposal offers leading capabilities for connectivity resilience and optimisation.”

While Eseye has made great strides in launching novel solutions such as AnyNet SMARTconnect™ on-device intelligent connectivity software and dominating the eSIM connectivity market in 2023, the company is committed to driving innovation and further developing its solutions. A roadmap is already in place to evolve its solutions to comply with the new GSMA eSIM IoT standard SGP.32 and launch a new line of HERA IoT edge routers with embedded global eSIM connectivity to deliver maximum device uptime.

Reviewing managed IoT connectivity services providers? Get your complimentary copy of the 2024 Gartner® Magic Quadrant report here.

Gartner disclaimer

Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Managed IoT Connectivity Services, Worldwide, 12 February 2024, Pablo Arriandiaga, et al.

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