Fourteen IP Communications may be 'Fourteen' forever but standing still in time is not an option in the fast moving comms sector, believes Managing Director Neil Tolley.
Tolley's introduction to telecoms came early in life. His father worked in the industry and the close family linked proved to be a formative factor in Tolley's outlook on how best to operate in the comms sector. He joined Wigan-based Ashland Communication Equipment in 1997 and his experience there also made an indelible imprint. "Ashland was a fantastic company with fantastic people and a genuine zeal for doing everything we could for our customers, something we have carried on with Fourteen," said Tolley. "Ashland and I were a perfect match and we had many great years selling a mix of Mitel and NEC solutions and thousands of payphones."
Tolley recalls that Ashland's Managing Director Anthony Vose was a 'detail person' with a passion for caring about customers and for making a profit - a winning combination. "Anthony inspired and drove the management team and instilled in us a way of working that carries on to this day," added Tolley. "After my early experiences I swore I would never get involved in running a business of my own, but Ashland and Anthony changed that view. And even with all the hair loss and sleepless nights starting your own firm brings, I am delighted that we did it."
Lancs-based Fourteen IP was established by Chairman Alan Poole with Tolley and a group of former Ashland colleagues joining soon after. "The plan was to operate as a small data and voice reseller but we grew bigger than expected in the UK and across Europe," explained Tolley. "We initially focused on wired and wireless networking with considerable success, only doing voice projects when asked. Now we are busy on both fixed and hosted telephony as well as a range of networking projects.
"Starting a business in the worst recession in memory was always going to be a challenge. Selling phone systems to customers who don't want them is also no easy ask, so we have adapted. We have listened to our customers and created solutions that they want, some quickly and some over a period of time. We have had to innovate and that approach along with working closely with our partners and being seen as a thought leader in our chosen market is making a real difference to our business."
Fourteen IP operates in the hospitality vertical market and as if that was not niche enough, its also tries to do things differently. An approach that is paying off. "Our customers are a mix of local UK hotels and chains and global hotel chains plus some strategic partner organisations. We have focused on partnerships with vendors such as NEC, Mitel, BroadSoft and HP, and creating solutions around these products," added Tolley.
"It amazes me how many of our peers don't work closely with their partners. We are working with Mitel and NEC on a range of PBX and DECT solutions, and it is going well. But the world is going hosted and there is no stopping it. If a five star luxury hotel can take a hosted solution then what more proof is needed. You need to own your own platform or partner carefully with someone who does."
The hosted telephony versus fixed debate is only just catching on in hospitality. This is due, in the main, to nobody actually using the phone systems in hotels, and also they are interconnected to numerous other systems, so there was no real solution, pointed out Tolley. "We have a solution now that is gathering momentum," he commented. "Equally, there are also real opportunities for systems integrators who can pull together solutions built around copper or fibre converged networks. Luckily for us we are one such company."
Fourteen IP is growing significantly year-on-year, reporting circa 100 per cent growth last year and Tolley's formula for success is easily understood. "We are 100 per cent about our customers and will do anything for them 24/7," he commented. "Having the core team from the Ashland days means that this culture is embedded in our company, and as new people join they are quickly on board with the way we do things. We used to have the Ashland Way, we now have the Fourteen Way. It's about our customers, our people and making a profit.
"Listening to customers and innovating means we are not just another reseller, and it means we have things people want to see and talk about and buy. It's an approach that has led us to places and potential deals we would never have thought possible. It has also led to some operational challenges and quick thinking requirements."
Also occupying Tolley's thinking at the moment is the emergence of Big Data, a buzzword that has landed squarely on the Fourteen IP agenda. "Big Data was something I kept hearing about but assumed it would never have relevance to us," he added. "But it suddenly arrived. By leveraging technology and the imagination we are able to achieve incredible results with the data, and customers quickly see the benefits."
Evolving in this way is vital for all resellers, believes Tolley. "The world is changing and to succeed we need to move with the times and somehow stay ahead of the game," he commented. "There has been no future in just selling PBX for some years. It's about solutions, integrated solutions and creating a need. The day-to-day business has to continue, but it is important to keep an eye on the future and deliver the solutions that customers want."•