IT
Teamwork – The Bondgate IT team celebrates 25 years in business .
People first – Some of the Bondgate IT team .
Director of operations Damien Harrison explained : “ With a lot of IT service providers , their response is measured on , ‘ We ’ ve got your ticket , we ’ re working on it ’. Then you get an email saying , ‘ It ’ s done ’. We pick the phone up and speak to people ! People don ’ t want to be sitting waiting for an email coming through – they want to know what is happening straight away .
“ We want engineers who can actually communicate with people . Technology can be scary really . We want to stop it being scary – the only way to do that , in our opinion , is to talk to people about it and put people at ease . For us , it is just common sense .”
Garry said the business has always taken a “ people first ” approach .
“ We approach people differently . For example , we work really well with what you might call the ‘ softer ’ industries – the not-for-profits , the healthcare providers , and the veterinary services – because we have shared values with them .
“ But we ’ re also not scared to roll up our sleeves and challenge people , which is why we also work well with the likes of the professional service , and manufacturing industries . We ’ re not just going to turn up and sell them some shiny technology , we ’ ll take them on an IT journey – we talk about an IT strategy with them , we talk about risks and real business impact , we help look at their budget and advise how they can get the best out of their investment .”
Back in mid-2018 , MD Garry Brown laid down his vision of what Bondgate IT would look like at 25 years old .
From there , Bondgate IT grew the team upon its core business values – the values the firm embraces to this day , as it continually strives to “ embrace digital disruption and challenge thinking ,” and which are proudly displayed in the Bondgate IT office and on all documents related to its people .
The company ’ s customer-obsessed approach has set them apart in the market , as it aims to be partners in their clients ’ success rather than simply technology providers .
Indeed , Bondgate IT – led by a senior leadership team comprising of Garry , operations director Damien Harrison , finance director Rebecca Bishton and technology director Gavin Brown – has consistently reinvented itself over the years to stay ahead of the curve , constantly innovating , disrupting and improving processes to deliver excellent customer service .
The company also continues to invest in its employees ’ development through programmes such as a comprehensive onboarding process and a mentorship programme for knowledge sharing and skills development , investing in best-ofbreed training programmes and working closely with Baltic Apprenticeships to nurture young talent .
And in 2021 , it extended its position in the UK managed service provider sector by acquiring Stockton-based subsea and marine sector specialist MCWare IT Solutions .
Since Garry set out his vision in 2018 , the business feels it ’ s largely achieved what he set out to do . Technology has changed significantly and Bondgate IT has changed with it , reinventing itself many times over its history as the evolution of technology has continued to accelerate . But one thing that has always remained consistent is its customer-first approach .
Fast forward to today and the cyber security challenge has never been greater in its 25-year history , but Bondgate IT has evolved to protect clients from this
modern day business threat . Twentyfive years ago , security was as simple as having anti-virus on your PC but now anti-virus is old hat and security needs a multi-layered approach , delivered by cyber protection experts .
With that in mind , Bondgate IT has just announced a partnership with the North East Business Resilience Centre , naming Garry Brown as a regional cyber expert – an impartial , not-for-profit organisation that operates as part of a national network to help protect businesses from the growing issue of online risk and fraud .
Police-led and resourced , its approach to cybersecurity is aimed at increasing online protection for businesses of all sizes – and it all fits perfectly with the Bondgate IT ethos of putting people first .
Garry said : “ Twenty-five years has gone by in the blink of an eye ! Celebrating this anniversary is an incredible milestone that represents our dedication , innovation and resilience over the years .
“ We have used technology to solve problems and overcome complex challenges that our clients have experienced . We ’ ve remained at the forefront of technology by having a progressive and passionate team and I know we had a positive impact on many local and national businesses . I am humbled by the many people who have been part of our business journey and I am excited by the opportunities and challenges that lie before us .”
Visit bondgate . co . uk
The voice of business in the Tees region | 129