Collaboration is the driving factor behind Northamptonshire’s new office solutions company – the collaboration of not only two vastly experienced former colleagues, but also with specialists across the sector to ensure the best possible service for customers.
Furniture specialist Jon Bautista and IT expert Matt Dann have teamed up to create Simply Workspace and Simply Techspace – two division of a business that together will offer a one-stop shop for clients.
Within the first month, Matt and Jon have been astonished by the reaction to their new venture and the amount of people who have been in contact to say they want to work with them, from potential employees to suppliers and customers.
Matt said: “Jon and I worked together a few years ago and we’ve stayed in touch since then, working together every now and then, and the idea of business bringing our two areas together made sense.
“We could see a gap for the services we offer and believe there are a lot of people out there who are looking for a reliable local business that will deliver what they need.”
What Simply Workspace can deliver is a whole range of commercial furniture, from chairs and desks to board room furniture and accessories to partitioning and flooring. Simply Techspace, meanwhile, is a full-service IT business, providing hardware, software, cabling, telecommunications, IT support and cyber security.
A circular IT division is already up and running, looking at how businesses can save money by choosing refurbished equipment that not only reduces spend but can also lower their carbon footprint.
The complete solution is available to businesses or organisations of any size in any sector, from an office fit-out for a small company to an entire block for a property developer to a set-up or refurbishment for clients in the education or healthcare sectors. Not all clients will need the entire range of services, some may simply need a telecoms solution, others a range of chairs for a reception or waiting room, but whatever their requirements, they can be met.
Matt said: “We are two separate divisions working in partnership and also developing partnerships with other companies. We are members of the Chamber and we know what a fantastic business community this is and we’re building relationships because we want to use the best in the business. If we’re installing fibre cables and we know a company that has been doing it for years and has a large, experienced team, we’ll bring them in to do the work because then we know the customer is getting the very best service.
“I’ve never taken the view that you shouldn’t talk to your competition, of course you should, you never know when you might need their help. There’s plenty of work out there for everyone, and we can all support one another.
“Bringing more businesses together will benefit the customer and, from the reaction we have had over the first few weeks, I think people appreciate what we are trying to do. I have been approached by suppliers I’ve never even spoken to before, by people who want to work with us. We have had customers approach us who we have never dealt with before but who want to know more about the business, and that’s within the first month. We’ve been blown away by the response. They see it as a breath of fresh air.”
Jon and Matt are hoping that their ethos, of being an open business that isn’t driven by KPIs or placing unnecessary demands on their teams, will encourage people to join them because they want to be in an environment where they enjoy being at work.
The structure of the company will be around ‘pillars’ of expertise, individuals who will help to build the business while at the same time helping others gain the knowledge and experience they need.
“The people who work with us are going to be the lifeblood of this business because our values are different,” said Matt. “We want people to enjoy their work, who know that if they are behind us and they pull in the right direction, then they will get to share in the rewards.
“I’ve worked for a lot of different people over the years and I don’t think I’ve failed to deliver for anyone and I got to the point where I wanted to do something for myself and the people I work with. Jon and I understand one another, and we’ve always got on so we knew we could bring our different areas together and create something that will benefit our customers.
“It’s early days but the response has been amazing and we’re very excited about the future.”
Find out more about Simply Workspace and Simply Techspace on 01604 316989, email sales@simplytechspace.com or info@simply-workspace.co.uk
Visit Simply Techspace or Simply Workspace.
