Not yet 12 months old True Telecom has already displayed a remarkable knack for driving growth having already made big strides in the small business sector, and according to CEO Stuart Griffiths the company is aiming to make an even bigger stamp on the market this year.
Griffiths had fanned his entrepreneurial flame in a number of ventures before settling on telecoms having spotted a gap in the market to offer SMEs low cost business rates with hands-on service and support. Launched in late May 2013 True Telecom left the blocks in a cloud of dust and has grown from a standing start to approximately 2,500 customers, offering a range of telecoms services to the lower echelons of the SME sector. "Small businesses need the extra care and attention that they sometimes do not receive from the bigger carriers," said Griffiths. "But our investment in skilled staff alongside our enhanced offering enables us to position True as an alternative provider."
The company has grown its headcount from 25 to 100 in just 10 months and currently retails in the region of £150,000 each month. "Our projections include building the client base by approximately 30,000 next year and gaining an additional 7,000 business customers by the end of this calendar year, achieving over £500,000 turnover per month," added Griffiths. "We plan to recruit between 150 and 200 more staff members to support this growth."
These impressive figures will be augmented by a channel push this year following investment in additional infrastructure to support the launch. "Our channel strategy is simple," explained Griffiths. "We understand that the market can be a challenging environment and it is our job to ease businesses and partners along a natural progression towards the future, helping them to make these transitions as seamlessly as possible."
The evolving dynamics of the comms market is reflected in the way True has built its offering from the base upwards. "We have reacted at the right time to future proof the success of True, its customers and partners," said Griffiths. "We have added value to our products and portfolio while still doing what we do best. We have taken huge strides to drive the business forward which is demonstrated by our expansion into a new head office as well as our operations in Kent."
Data, big data and the delivery of data is defining the way not only telecoms but the world in general is now operating. "We live in a world where smart technology and applications rule, and new ways of communication such as social media and instant chat have taken the world by storm," added Griffiths. "It is the communications industry that has to react to this evolutionary spike in technology, finding new and innovative ways to respond to the huge rise in demand for data and data management. It's imperative that VARs and SIs continue to adapt by keeping up-to-date with the latest telecoms advancements and taking an intelligent look at which elements fit best with their existing proposition."
To align its portfolio with the evolving market True Telecom has also reviewed its broadband and mobile offerings and is adding value with new hosted and SIP services. "SIP is the gateway to enable future growth and value added applications and technology," commented Griffiths. "SIP and hosted are clear growth opportunities driven by the demand for value added applications and the management of data. With traditional products such as CPS and WLR in decline - last year 11 per cent and six per cent respectively - and IP telephony growing by 20 per cent per year alongside cloud growth of 44 per cent last year, these are growth areas that we can count on for some years to come."
Also in the mix is the creation of a winning culture, pointed out Griffiths. "A company without a culture is just a group of people," he commented. "We have always had a strong ethos and if staff come in smiling and leave at the end of the day smiling, you know you're on the right track.
"It is a great achievement to have been able to create such a great team which I am privileged to be a part of every day; and the energy and positivity that drives and flows through our business is a joy to see. I enjoy every day of my job, which is testament to the fantastic group of people we have at True, and is the biggest factor in our ongoing success."•