Paul Reames, Managing Director, Bluecube, who says embracing the full suite of IT services can bring many benefits to resellers – from up-selling existing customer bases to winning new deals with far greater value.
And according to Reames, his launch of an IT services division creates a true business partner that plays a key role in helping organisations achieve their goals. So let’s spend five minutes finding out more about Bluecube’s evolution into a digital MSP.
What got you into comms and IT?
I started working for an independent service provider called Project Telecom back in 1999. It sold to Vodafone a few years later and I spent several years in Vodafone’s sales team before moving to T-Mobile in 2007. This experience inspired me to start up my own business and Bluecube was established in 2008 to provide independent advice and management of mobile services. Bluecube has evolved from a mobile provider to an ICT managed service provider during those 15 years. Our end game is to become a technology partner that can provide and manage all SME tech requirements.
What have been the main turning points?
Bluecube started selling hosted telephony in 2013 – that was a huge turning point. We realised that on-premise equipment wasn’t the way we would grow and succeed so moved to a cloud model. About 18 months ago we decided that, based on feedback from customers, we would broaden our proposition to include managed IT services and support. We then spent time building a team and infrastructure to deliver those new solutions. Now we receive strong feedback from customers using the full suite of services.
What is your growth outlook?
Bluecube’s strength has always been in identifying partners that offer our clients a good balance of resilience and price. And having analysed our existing base we expect a 150 per cent increase in turnover before the end of 2025 – not taking into account writing new business. We have an exciting opportunity to grow.
What are your immediate priorities?
To seek out new talent and grow our team. Recruiting good people is an ongoing challenge but we are slowly winning the battle. Also, security within our own business and protecting our clients is the number one steer around the products we roll out to our customer base. We’re constantly encouraging our clients to work with us on reviewing the security policies they have. Protect, detect and contain is becoming a mantra at Bluecube and something we are constantly challenging our clients to think about.
What market trends interest you most?
Like everyone, we’re keeping a close eye on AI and how we can utilise that internally to improve our own efficiency. Also, native mobile UC solutions are very much on our radar and under review.
What is your biggest opportunity?
Our diversity: We are already in a position to offer UK businesses most of the tools their people need to do their job. But we want to develop our product suite to an even broader range of managed technologies. We have a fluid plan that is constantly reviewed as technology and the economic environment that we operate in changes. Building a great team is super-important to achieving our goals.
What are today’s leadership priorities?
My priority as a leader is ensuring that as we grow we don’t lose that ‘in this together’ attitude. We go the extra mile for each other and for our customers, that’s what makes us successful.
Where do you see Bluecube in three years time?
Our focus will be as much on developing IT services throughout our existing customer base as it is about new business. We don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect a 200 per cent growth in sales over the next 36 months.
What is your biggest career achievement?
Bluecube: We’ve built an organisation that supports hundreds of businesses across the country and has a growing team. Everything before Bluecube now feels like training for the main event.
What would you have done differently with the benefit of hindsight?
I’d have listened only to the positive people around me. Negativity can get inside your head and hinder your performance. I stopped letting that happen a long time ago.
What industry change do you most want to see?
I’m proud of our sector but still look around events I attend and think to myself that we need more women in the industry.
Top tip for resellers
The market is constantly changing and any smart technology company needs to stay agile and change with demand. We are about to see the impact of AI and I would suggest we all carefully embrace its power to create positive change.