NEWS
Resolution Media and Publishing ’ s new recruit Vicky Thomas with Aycliffe Business editor Martin Walker ( right ) and his business partner Dave Allan .
GROWTH PLANS BACK ON TRACK AS PUBLISHER MAKES NEW APPOINTMENT
The team behind Aycliffe Business ’ s sister publication have got their growth plans back on track by adding another member to their team .
Marketing graduate Vicky Thomas has joined Middlesbrough-based Resolution Media and Publishing as the firm ’ s new office manager .
Resolution – owned by Aycliffe Business editor Martin Walker and his business partner Dave Allan – had to shelve ambitious growth plans in 2020 after the Covid outbreak .
But they then saw sales grow as they ramped up their digital offering and continued to drive print sales of both their Tees Business and Wear Business publications , while also winning a new contract to publish Middlesbrough Council ’ s quarterly magazine , Love Middlesbrough .
Now the ambitious pair aim to grow their team with further appointments in 2021 , with 25-year-old Vicky the first .
She joins sales manager Chris Garbutt and writer / events manager Julie Burniston at Resolution , who also employ a team of local freelance writers , photographers and designers .
Middlesbrough-born Vicky , who graduated from Northumbria University with a BA ( Hons ) in marketing management in 2018 , joins Resolution from Barker and Stonehouse , where she held an administrative role .
Vicky previously spent 18 months as studio co-ordinator with Better Brand Agency .
“ I ’ m delighted to be joining a young , ambitious media company ,” said Vicky , who lives in Middlesbrough .
“ I ’ ve been impressed by the growth of their print products as well as their digital transformation over the last year .
“ I ’ m looking forward to playing my part in the company ’ s development in the coming years .”
Martin , who solely owns Aycliffe Today publisher Mantis Media , added : “ Vicky is a perfect fit for our business and is just the type of person we need as we look to grow this year .
“ Her organisational skills and understanding of media are already proving to be valuable and she will undoubtedly enable us to fulfil our ambitions as we go forward .”
Sales of Resolution ’ s Tees Business magazine were 10 per cent up in 2020 compared to 2019 , while the firm also managed to salvage two major events by taking them online – the Tees Tech and Tees Businesswomen Awards . They expect to see sales of publications increase significantly in 2021 along with the roll-out of at least one other publication and another event in the Best New Tees Business Awards in November .
Find out more about their publications at teesbusiness . co . uk and wear . business .
EXCELPOINT HITS 500K USERS MILESTONE
Aycliffe Business Park tech firm Excelpoint is celebrating getting more than 500,000 users worldwide for its innovative no-code software .
No-code software is becoming a buzz term across the software sector – with Excelpoint deploying no-code solutions now for more than 20 years .
Based at The Work Place on Aycliffe Business Park , Excelpoint enables organisations worldwide - and from diverse sectors - to take advantage of a digital transformation .
Excelpoint can provide training and support for customers enabling them to selfconfigure and deploy the software in-house , putting them back in control and enabling
them to overcome the disadvantages often associated with bespoke development such as time , money , risk and technical resource .
Managing director Ian Brown ( pictured ) said : “ We are proud to be part of a sector enabling more efficient ways of working , and one that focuses on both the employee and customer experience .”
AVOID CONTRACT LOCK-IN
ADVICE
According to research , approximately 82 per cent of people experience “ buyer ’ s remorse ” - a regret of having made a purchase .
Choosing and trusting an IT supplier can be a daunting prospect and the potential for buyer ’ s remorse in the first few months of a contract is high , especially when your Managed Service Provider ( MSP ) is not delivering .
IT and managed services , like many professional industries , tend to ‘ lock in ’ customers to three , four , even five-year contracts .
But as consumers have become increasingly savvy and service level expectations have grown significantly , we advise you to question these longer-term contracts .
The world of technology moves too quickly to make a long-term commitment from the very beginning , both in terms of sophistication and price .
A fixed price which is fair now may be outrageously expensive a few years into your contract but you have already committed .
Suppliers often become complacent within the safety of longer-term agreements and we see increasing cases of businesses being trapped in contracts . Breaking contract is not only a complex and time – consuming process , but also an expensive one .
At razorblue we offer flexible contracts . We have confidence in our capabilities to provide the best service possible to our clients , so we don ’ t feel it is necessary to lock them into long contracts .
Our method has worked extremely well for both ourselves and our clients , many of whom have chosen to work with us for over a decade . Mark Wilkinson Commercial director , razorblue
The magazine for Aycliffe Business Park | 9