The Business Exchange Swindon & Wiltshire Edition 44: Aug/Sept 2019 | Page 6

BUSINESS NEWS Cover story Systemagic celebrates 20 years in business Twenty years ago, the Systemagic story began at a small office on Windsor Bridge in Bath. Two decades later, the IT support firm has grown in more ways than one with 16 members of staff, over 350 clients, large 4100 sq ft offices in Bradford on Avon, a base in London, and multiple award wins under their belts. June 2019 marked the huge milestone for the company as they celebrated 20 years of trading. As well as celebrating with clients, Managing Director James Eades, who took over the business in 2010 and finished a buy-out in 2015 will be taking the whole Systemagic team to Center Parcs this summer for a long weekend as reward for them hitting industry-leading levels in response and resolution times. James said, “The team have worked so hard over the past 12 months to help us deliver another year of impressive growth. Coupled with consistently delivering great customer satisfaction feedback and 99.9 per cent client retention. I couldn’t be prouder of them! It’s only right that they get properly thanked. Center Parcs will give us the perfect opportunity to relax and celebrate.” Priding themselves on their people- focused approach, all of the services Systemagic provide are offered on rolling 30-day contract terms to demonstrate a commitment to consistent customer service, so these results are key to continuing the company’s growth. Systemagic provides IT support, cloud computing and connectivity solutions to customers including Norland College, Whatley Manor, Halsall Construction and Bath Cats & Dogs Home. A handful of the Systemagic team, from left to right: James Bunting, Scott Cotterell, Becky Land, James Eades, Hayley Dixon and Jack Hayward. “The team have worked so hard over the past 12 months to help us deliver another year of impressive growth. Coupled with consistently delivering great customer satisfaction feedback and 99.9 per cent client retention” Turn to page 29 to find out 20 Systemagic facts, including what radio station helps them close more tech tickets! Milsted Langdon says SMEs still optimistic about growth, but there are barriers to overcome Award-winning accountants Milsted Langdon have said that recent research shows that small businesses remain confident about their growth, despite the challenges they face. Ian Lloyd, General Practice Partner, Milsted Langdon The firm, which works with businesses across the South West and beyond to enhance their growth prospects, has pointed to the latest report from Enterprise Nation, which indicates that 72 per cent of businesses are confident of growth in the coming year. The Small Business Barometer, prepared with the help of Experian and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales – of which Milsted Langdon is a member – also found that 65 per cent of SMEs said they were planning to boost profits by introducing new products or services to market soon. The big topic in the news remains the ever- looming Brexit deadline, but the report shows that a third of businesses are still exporting to the EU, with 39 per cent expecting to export globally over the next six months. When asked about the performance of their business, 48 per cent said that expectations for the year were being met, while 18 per cent said they had exceeded their expectations. 6 THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2019 Of those that reported better than expected performance, around 75 per cent said that new clients or business was the main factor, while nearly a third said that new products had played a key role. The value of UK SMEs to the UK economy must not be underestimated, according to Milsted Langdon, who pointed to a separate study which suggests that the UK’s army of small to medium-sized businesses are now worth £3 trillion – valuing the average SME at around £2.9 million. Ian Lloyd, General Practice Partner at Milsted Langdon, said, “It’s very promising that SMEs are optimistic about growth. We’re seeing more entrepreneurs that want to scale-up quickly with the aim of selling much earlier than what historically tended to happen. Following the exit of a business, many owners go on to invest in other ventures. It’s crucial that SME owners work closely with their accountants and trusted advisers on both short- and long-term plans, as well as looking at important issues such as succession planning. “The South West is a hotbed of high growth companies from a range of sectors, from manufacturing to creative, tech and media, and despite political uncertainly, our SMEs are showing resilience and we should take confidence that there is a keen enthusiasm to grow.” [email protected] 01225 904940