Matthew Brown - Connect Telecom

Year: 2012

Category: Emerging

Sector: telecommunications, technology

Connect Telecom was founded in 2007 when Matthew and his fellow directors identified a unique opportunity within the telecoms delivery market.

  Based in Belfast, this telecoms provider offers a complete range of telecoms solutions and business mobilisation across mobiles, landlines, systems and data services but, crucially, sets itself apart from the competition by managing its customer accounts on a ‘face-to-face’ basis.

  By moving away from its competitors’ streamlined, office-based approach to account management, Matthew and his fellow directors at Connect Telecom have adopted a hugely successful, back-to-basics, consultative approach to customer service.

  As one of the only telecoms providers in the market that not only appoints a dedicated Account Manager to each of its corporate clients but delivers regular, face-to-face account management to each customer, the business has carved out a niche to become one of the leading telecoms solutions providers in the UK market.

  This focus on the delivery of a highly-effective and personal form of customer service has proven to be extremely successful; over the past three years the company turnover has increased ten-fold, with projected turnover to hit €6m in 2012.

  Connect Telecom’s position as one of the UK’s leading telecoms solution providers has resulted in the company successfully securing a national partnership with BT and is the first telecoms business in Northern Ireland to become a Vodafone Gold Partner.

  Following this success in Northern Ireland and recent commercial success within the Welsh market, Brown plans to further expand the business into England and Scotland over the coming months.

  Services: As mobile technology increasingly becomes an essential element of everyday life, the telecoms industry is one which is undergoing constant evolution. Both the business user and non-business consumer are increasingly relying upon such technology based methods of communication, and need a trusted partner to clarify the often complex telecoms offering.

  Connect Telecom work upon developing a partnership with each of its customers and establishing their mobilisation needs.

This approach ensures that every telecoms offering is tailor-made and fully clarified, allowing customers to feel empowered and enabled to boost productivity and reduce costs specific to their own business offering.

  Customers:   Connect Telecom has established a strong customer base in Northern Ireland, from SME through to the Public Sector, and a range of blue-chip companies that include Mascott Construction and Hastings Hotels.

  The steady growth of the business, coupled with its extremely high level of customer retention, are qualities that Brown and his team look forward to bringing to the British and ROI market in the months and years ahead.

  What are the biggest challenges you faced when starting up and how did you overcome them?   Starting a business in the worst recession in years proved to be a huge challenge, particularly due to the lack of availability of working capital. In order to overcome this challenge, we had to manage our cash flow exceptionally well, and make sure that every penny spent had a definite return on investment.

    What are the biggest challenges you face now?   Sadly, the lack of working capital to assist expansion is still a challenge, particularly when, as a business, we are on a defined growth path and continue to invest heavily back in the business.

As we seek to expand throughout Ireland and GB, the need for financial discipline remains.

• EOY Team Cycle Dublin to Galway for Soul of Haiti Foundation

Tweets by @EOYIreland