Business Weekly - Cambridge, UK

Episys is a global information technology solutions and services company to the retail, manufacturing, logistics, chemical, healthcare and public service sector industries. It provides expertise, products, services and support for signage, labelling and mobile systems. It works with strategic business partners worldwide and with a range of leading technology manufacturers, enabling it to provide solutions to meet each unique business need – from integrated signage systems for major worldwide retailers to specialist labels for food manufacturing.

1) What has Episys done to stay astride of developments in the signage market over the last five years?

The market has moved from being paper-based to incorporating paper, multi media, web and electronic signage.

While technology is important, it must be validated with the client’s voice. I asked our clients four years ago, What do we need to provide?

They said: Firstly fix the basics. Enable us to send promotional signage to stores to match available and relevant inventory. Signs should come in planogram order so they can be put up more quickly. Signs should be integrated to the pricing system so that prices are 100 per cent accurate in store, on the promotion and at the till.

Currently we have individual teams working on content for in-store, paper, POS, our website, our multi media and our catalogues. This leads to content duplication, errors and unnecessary cost. Therefore we want a single place where we can manage our promotional content and be able to send that to the right medium in the right store at the right time.

They also asked us to have the capability of improving the shopping experience and asked us for a solution that can reduce queues in store and provide helpful customer information on the shop floor such as stock availability and product description.

That is how we came to market with the Retail Enterprise Suite which satisfies the customers desires as requested in the points above.

2) Which are the firm’s leading market priorities?

We will continue to focus on solutions that enable clients to lift sales, reduce wastage, cut costs and improve the customer experience.

3) What importance does Episys place on the latest advances in hi-tech display technology?

The technology is really important. However content is key. Also the integration to back office systems. Then you are able to choose the best medium for the promotional message you are trying to get across.

4) In what ways has Episys been leading the market with new technologies?

Episys was the first company to demonstrate electronic signage and multi media in real retail environments, such as that provided for The John Lewis Partnership. We also were the first company to enable a retailer to have a fully mobile till that can be set up at times of peak customer traffic to reduce queues and improve the customer experience.

5) What opportunities in turnover growth is the company exploring?

Our solutions fix problems that retailers confront worldwide, therefore with our strong customer references we can now target a much greater global market share.

Because we are trusted and provide a complete solution our clients are increasingly sourcing their printers, mobile technology, electronic signage and multi media and consumable supplies from Episys.

For each of our contracts we secure a five-year relationship with support and maintenance which in turn increases our turnover.

6) In what ways has being located in the East of England been of benefit to the firm?

This is good region to be based; we attract skilled employees and they can enjoy a good standard of living. It is also an interesting location for our US and global clients to visit.

7) Does the firm have plans to enter any emerging markets? Is Episys planning any international growth & expansion?

We have an international strategy. We introduce partners in a geographical region to create local, referenceable customers.

We will also grow our existing client base in the UK and the US and we have a regular worldwide programme of educational seminars running for our prospective customers including in the US events currently scheduled for New York, Chicago and Atlanta.

8) What is Episys’ technique in providing the highest level of service to its clients?

Culture is critical. I have always learnt the importance of doing what you say you will do and being honest with your customers. This comes from my first job, where I was on a customer help desk.

I was 18 years of age and I remember one day opening a letter which contained a purchase order for £250,000. I thought I had done something wrong as we had a sales team down the corridor who were much older than me and much scarier than me! I phoned the customer who had sent the purchase order. He was head of a government data processing centre.

I asked if there had been some mistake; he said ‘no’, he wanted me to be their account manager because I always did what I said I would do and they only saw the sales people when they were buying something. It is therefore this culture that I am passionate about at Episys, where you do what you say you are going to do and deal honestly with your clients.

An endorsement of this approach is that, rather than advertising or attending exhibitions, we think it is much more powerful to host educational events where our customers are happy to share the benefits they have achieved with our solutions, with prospective clients. The most recent of these was at Wembley Stadium in May, where 400 delegates listened to informative presentations given by eight of our clients.

That said, it is important to recognise we will make mistakes, therefore we provide our customers with a unique programme known as ‘Ever Been Disappointed’? This is where a client can express disappointment anywhere in the world and the process that caused the disappointment gets adjusted so that it will not happen again.

We also give our employees recognition. I believe that if your employees are a key component in the success of the business then they should benefit from share ownership. In recognition of this we have implemented the employee share ownership trust.

We also have our unique event called the ‘Red Carpet Day.’ This is unusual as in most companies it is the sales, marketing or executives in the company that receive nice rewards.

The reason this is unique is that the participants are voted for by colleagues in other departments and operate in business functions such as finance, administration, research, development and test. For the day itself they are picked up in an executive car, taken to a very special lunch venue and at the table there is a gift which is personal to that person.

We also have a quarterly meeting which happens without fail. This enables us to reflect on the last three months and focus the company on what we are about to embark on. It also gives us the opportunity to give out long service awards, profile the interests of a particular member of the company and also distribute that quarter’s ‘I’ve had a shocker’ T-shirt (these are where someone has done something a little bit odd in the last 90 days that their peers wish them to be recognised for).

When you join the company it is quite an unusual experience because we ensure that the technology you require for the job is there and your operational goals are already set. You will start on an afternoon rather than a time people are not fully prepared. There will have been an announcement about your arrival a week before you are due to start. As well as speaking about your experience for the job we will also give a bit of detail on your personal background and interests so that everyone in the company has a chance to talk to you on your arrival.

9) How does Episys’ solution place it ahead of its competitors?

There are three distinctions I would make: Culturally we are very different, recognising it is not about winning a contract, rather making sure a customer achieves their goals and is then willing to provide a reference. As said above, our solution brings together what has been traditionally an area of activity.

Rather we bring together all components and a promotional message to allow them to be driven from one place. We provide a complete solution: hardware, software, consumables and on going support and maintenance.

10) How has Episys moved forward since you have been at the helm?

I am very proud that many of the same people are still here from when I started. The company needed direction, to focus on customer service and product. Previously its solutions were not scaleable and relationships with clients were not strong.

We are profitable. Our turnover has doubled from when I joined and our clients are happy to endorse us publicly. Our solutions are configurable and our contracts are for five years. We have established the US head office in Chicago and we are winning new business in all our territories.