Search through our UKHotViews and UKHotViewExtra articles plus complete research reports
After our second hugely successful Little British Battler Day in February (see here) we are delighted to announce the publication of the accompanying report, which provides concise snapshots of the twelve companies that we met:
Each snapshot is in the form of a tabular analysis of the company’s background and performance, its market proposition and strategy, and a pragmatic view on its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. We also include a ‘SWOT of SWOTs’ which summarises some of the common issues facing many of the companies we met – and indeed many others of their ilk.
This report is only available to eligible TechMarketView subscription service clients, who may download the report here. Should you not be among the chosen many, then Deb Seth on our client services team can explain the initiation rites.
Posted by HotViews Editor at '08:32' - Tagged: lbb
Xchanging’s announcement that it may lose all or part of its flagship infrastructure services contract with the London Metal Exchange (LME) (see here) is an unfortunate set-back for the recovering business process services provider.
This issue goes to show the level of complexity that lies beneath at Xchanging, and the many moving parts that make its recovery less than straightforward (see Capita and Xchanging challenges on road to recovery). It also highlights the negative impact changing ownership can have on outsourcing deals - either when a client is acquired (as in this case), or conversely when it is the service provider (see BAE terminates HR BPO deal with Logica).
Subscribers to TechMarketView's Foundation Service can read the analysis and implications in UKHotViewsExtra here.
Posted by John O'Brien at '16:00' - Tagged: bpo bps infrastructure
We are yet again looking to expand our portfolio of research services and want to recruit a research director-level analyst who can produce insightful analysis and opinion on the market for software and IT services in the UK financial services sector (i.e. banking, insurance and other financial services).
This is a unique opportunity to join the UK’s most respected IT industry analyst firm at the highest levels. As such, candidates would need to demonstrate profound knowledge of the UK financial services sector and the associated market and supplier landscape for software and IT services. Candidates must be able to communicate their insight and opinion to top management in our client organisations.
Just as important, candidates must be self-motivated and highly disciplined as TechMarketView analysts work from home. But because most of our clients are located within the M25, candidates should ideally live within an hour or so's commute of London.
The rewards, both in terms of compensation and, in particular, market profile make it likely that candidates will have had some ten years or more experience in this or similar roles.
If you think you might fit the bill, please email your CV to our managing partner, Anthony Miller.
Posted by HotViews Editor at '07:00'
With all the drama and disappointment surrounding the collapse of 2e2, we were both surprised and delighted to hear a good news story about how part of the business was rescued from certain demise by a selfless act by one outsider, a leap of faith by another, and an unusual measure of goodwill from those involved with the business.
Though we are not the first to announce the rebirth of 2e2’s Isle of Man (IoM) business as Argon Technologies, I think we are the only ones to give the story behind the story. And it’s well worth the telling.
The beginning of the end
The saga began on Monday 28th January when it became apparent that 2e2 was going to have to call in the administrators (see 2e2 hits the buffers). PwC, who had been advising 2e2 management on the process in London, notified their man in the Isle of Man, Gordon Wilson, that although not included in the administration process, 2e2’s IoM business was unlikely to have enough cash to continue trading, especially as wages were due to be paid that Thursday. Wilson got in contact with Jonathan Camfield, MD of 2e2 IoM to let him know the news. Camfield had moved from 2e2 UK to run the 30-year old IoM business in 2006 after it was acquired along with other ‘offshore’ operations in Guernsey and Jersey.
Hopes of a rescue for company looked bleak. The IoM business was subject to debentures and was a guarantor for vast debts of the 2e2 group in the UK, which would need to be discharged before the business could be sold even if they could find a buyer. And somehow they had to find a way to keep trading till then.
Selfless act and leap of faith
In an astonishingly selfless act, Wilson offered to pay the bulk of the wage bill of the entire 27-strong team out of his own pocket for another week in the hope that this might buy just enough time save the company. To do this, Wilson needed to present a convincing case to the banks to discharge the debentures (which he did) and simultaneously help the company find a willing – and very trusting – buyer who could move quickly.
The latter came in the shape of Ian Fairbairn, a local entrepreneur who had built a successful property management and investment company. Fortuitously, Fairbairn was looking to lease space in 2e2’s IoM offices and to engage them to provide IT services for his firm. To cut the short story even shorter, Fairbairn was convinced not just to buy the services, but to buy the entire business. By the end of the following week the deal was done!
A happy ending and a new beginning
Everybody involved with the business stood by the business. Clients continued to pay their bills – which with the consideration paid by Fairbairn to buy the business was enough to keep the wages flowing and to pay back Wilson’s loan. Staff kept on working; and suppliers kept on supplying. To date, the now renamed Argon Technologies has not lost a single client, supplier or employee.
There’s no doubt that Fairbairn was keen to help save 27 jobs on the Isle of Man. But his investment was in no way philanthropic. Fairbairn sees a real future for Argon as a now Manx-owned and operated business and the only one of any scale on the Isle of Man that can offer a broad scope of infrastructure support and related services. Now Argon hopes to expand its relationships as the local service partner for major IT infrastructure vendors such as Fujitsu, SCC and Phoenix as well as with local businesses and government organisations, a prospect that seemed impossible to conceive just a few weeks prior.
Posted by Anthony Miller at '07:42'
Eligible TechMarketView subscription service clients can download the latest edition of OffshoreViews with our concise review of the UK performance of the major India-centric IT services firms in 2012 here.
Posted by HotViews Editor at '07:38' - Tagged: offshore
The UK general insurance BPS market is at the cusp of major change in 2013. New UK and EU regulations are forcing general insurers and their ecosystem partners to evolve, reducing fraud, driving out cost for the consumer and improving transparency.
Meanwhile, new technologies and services are coming into play such as telematics, self-service and social media, which demand higher degrees of customer intimacy. This is spurring new opportunities and threats for BPS providers focused on the UK general insurance market.
New BPS entrants such as Quindell Portfolio and Parabis are taking advantage of this shift, while incumbents like Capita, WNS and Xchanging are finding themselves in a tough position how to respond. There are many other players across the software, IT and business process services spectrum all vying for a piece of the action in a general insurance BPS market we expect to grow in high single digits over the next few years.
Subscribers to TechMarketView's very popular research stream BusinessProcessViews can read the full report here.
Posted by John O'Brien at '08:57' - Tagged: bpo bps insurance
In the lastest report from TechMarketView's PublicSectorViews team, Georgina O'Toole identifies the leading suppliers of SITS to the UK defence sector, analyses their performance over the last few years, looks at their strategy for growth in the sector, and considers their chances of success.
In addition, we highlight the evolution of defence procurement and its potential to shake up the supplier landscape between now and the end of the decade. Will the old guard survive or will they be successfully challenged by new entrants grabbing the opportunity to take market share?
PublicSectorViews subscribers can download the report - UK defence SITS supplier landscape 2013 - now. If you're not yet a subscriber, please contact Deb Seth and she can help you get access.
Posted by Georgina O'Toole at '09:02' - Tagged: publicsector defence rankings
2013 is shaping up to be a make or break year for cloud computing and the SaaS subsector. The challenge for suppliers is achieving wider and deeper infiltration into the structure of the UK’s public and private sector organisations.
While SaaS is widely accepted in areas like CRM and BI, its next move must be deeper penetration into business critical areas like ERP (for large enterprises as well as SME’s), and to build credibility in areas containing sensitive data such financial management. One of the many consequences of this move will be increased scrutiny around SaaS supplier profitability - or rather the lack of it. It will also have implications on how suppliers tackle the market, in terms of sales operations, as well as the types of applications and supporting services provided under the SaaS banner. In our view suppliers need to work the ‘services’ component in SaaS sooner rather than later.
The report also looks at the structure of the UK cloud market, specifically UK headquartered providers and their SaaS progress. Subscribers to the ESASViews research stream can access the Cloud UK 2013 report here. As always, if you have not taken a TechMarketViews subscription, Deb Seth will be happy to take you through the sign-up process.
Posted by Angela Eager at '16:27' - Tagged: saas cloud software
2013 will be a “Make or Break” year for many firms operating in technology and IT services, including those in the IT support services market. Indeed, consider the devastating start to the year experienced by 2e2! Below the top tier of well-known names that include Computacenter, SCC and Phoenix there are a large number of firms varying in size and capability providing support services to the UK market. In this research note, Kate Hanaghan, Research Director for Infrastructure Services, highlights some of the players who operate below tier one and the challenges they face. Subscribers to our hugely popular InfrastructureViews research stream can read the analysis here.
If you would like to become an InfrastructureViews subscriber and gain the best insight into the UK’s infrastructure services scene, please contact Deb Seth on dseth@techmarketview.com.
Posted by Kate Hanaghan at '18:12' - Tagged: supportservices break/fix
February was a busy time in the SITS market so the TechMarketView analysts were busy bringing their insight on the latest moves. If you’re interested in who’s buying and investing in whom, then IndustryViews Venture Capital 2012 Review and IndustryViews Corporate Activity 2012 Review should be high on your reading list. And while we’re on the subject of investment and divestment take a look at Capita Buying Northgate MS puts spotlight back on ITS from John O’Brien and Sage cuts around the core from Angela Eager to see what two stalwart UK suppliers are doing and why.
In the infrastructure sector, Kate Hanaghan’s views on EMC: The big brand that’s yet to go top 20 and Dell’s cloud hurdles provide insight into the changes and challenges facing these two players. InfrastructureViews subscribers can also check out the developments in the IT support services market with Can A&O shake up the IT support services market? and see how co-lo data centre provider Telecity is facing up to the new financial year in Telecity’s confident start to FY13.
If it is comparative assessments you are after look no further than Atos and Capgemini FY12: under the covers, and Defence contractors: SITS progress from Georgina O’Toole, and Capita and Xchanging challenges on road to recovery from John. Elsewhere in HotViews Extra you’ll find TCS to open Liverpool delivery centre, Channel shift driving customer contact BPS, and Unit4 public sector wins: pushing SaaS into the enterprise.
As usual, the team has been in demand by the media. Highlights include Richard Holway’s views on Microsoft’s status and Steve’s Ballmer’s contribution in The Times and his comments in the Guardian (and other media) on the buggy Times iPad app upgrade that has had users venting their displeasure. FT.com quoted Angela Eager in a piece on how tech developments are increasing the threat of cybercrime.
The Capita/Northgate MS deal was a hot topic with John quoted by UKAuthority.com, Channel Biz, CRN and PublicTechnology. Computerworld also quoted John in articles on Capita’s part purchase of Northgate as well as Whitbread’s deal with Steria, and Carphone Warehouse outsourcing customer service to Capita. Georgina and Tola Sargeant’s UK Public Sector SITS Supplier Landscape 2012-13 report also generated significant coverage including in ComputerWorld UK and Spend Matters while InformationAge picked up on Tola’s excellent report on telehealth. TechWorld looked to Anthony Miller on Daisy’s appointment to manage 2e2 data centres, as did The Register and ComputerWorld UK.
If you’re not a TechMarketView subscriber this is just a snapshot of how much you are missing out on but you can rectify that by contacting Deb Seth.
Posted by HotViews Editor at '22:53'
We have had chance to consider in detail the full year 2012 results from Capita (see Capita delivers 3% organic growth in FY12) and Xchanging (see Xchanging FY12 shows signs of recovery).
Both players are now returning to better times following difficult periods. However, there are some interesting similarities and differences in the performance of these top three UK business process services (BPS) providers, and how they are approaching opportunities for growth. Both players have their respective challenges and operational issues that still need addressing.
Subscribers to TechMarketView's Foundation Service can read the analysis in UKHotViewsExtra here.
Posted by John O'Brien at '09:45' - Tagged: bpo bps
