6 01732 759725 NEWS The SMB elephant in the room Nearly three quarters (72%) of UK SMBs still don’t consider the PSTN Switch Off a high business priority despite being warned about the impact of failing to switchover before the 2025 deadline. This is according to data from the ‘Switch Off Hesitancy’ survey commissioned by Spitfire Network Services Ltd, a provider of telecoms and IP engineering solutions. The survey of 400 UK-based SMBs also revealed a staggering 42% of businesses aren’t aware of the Switch Off, and the impact delaying a switch to IP could have on their business operations. The ‘Switch Off Hesitancy’ survey sought to better understand the plans of business leaders for the Switch Off, which relates to the end of all legacy analogue and ISDN telephone networks in the UK. With the 2025 deadline fast approaching, business leaders have been warned about how a lack of action or delay in making the switchover could cause major disruption to their business operations. Dom Norton, Sales Director, Spitfire Network Services Ltd, commented: “It has been very interesting to understand where SMBs are regarding the Switch Off – their thoughts, plans and reasoning behind their actions. We have really been engaging with customers and prospects to offer guidance around the Switch Off because we know the impact inaction could have. Businesses could quite literally be cut off. To see that a significant number of business leaders are yet to consider the Switch Off as a high priority is concerning. Clearly more needs to be done to make leaders aware of their need to act.” “There is no escaping the fact that the SMB sector appears to be ignoring the rather large telecoms elephant in the room – the analogue and ISDN Switch-Off, 2025,” commented Harry Bowlby, Managing Director, Spitfire Network Services Ltd. “Our advice is don’t let the Switch-Off creep up on you and leave your business exposed – make the smart move and get the ball rolling today.” For more information about Spitfire Network Services Ltd and the Switch Off, visit www.spitfire.co.uk. Virginia Hayward transforms print processes with Apogee’s managed workplace services Virginia Hayward, the luxury wine and food hamper company, has partnered with managed workplace services (MWS) provider, Apogee Corporation, to upgrade and streamline its print performance. The partnership has unlocked companywide quality and efficiency gains, generating an 80% reduction on man hours and enabling Virginia Hayward’s staff to operate seven days in advance. Apogee was selected to provide its leading-edge, integrated portfolio of print solutions, including managed print services (MPS), creative print, print management, outsourced document services (ODS) and AutoMail. Consolidating these services allowed Virginia Hayward to replace its disparate, multi-brand fleet and optimise print performance, ensuring the timely dispatch of tens of thousands of hampers with high-quality labels. With demand for gift hampers surging in the lead-up to Christmas last year, Virginia Hayward turned to Apogee to enhance the productivity and performance of high-volume print runs. Previous supplier arrangements had resulted in inefficiencies and frequent print jams, interrupting work across the business and forcing dispatch teams to downgrade to basic labelling materials. Alex Walker, Head of Operations at Virginia Hayward, commented: “The commercial benefits of our partnership with Apogee have been enormous. Apogee has provided us with a tailored combination of print services that tightly align with our needs as a high-end business, leading to efficiency, quality and productivity gains across our entire operation. With an exceptional standard of print guaranteed 24/7, we can continue giving our customers a taste of luxury, not just at Christmas but all year round.” Apogee’s MPS has enabled Virginia Hayward to consistently deliver high-quality bespoke labels in line with its luxury brand, with device uptime maximised, labelling workflows streamlined and 24/7 print support readily available when required. In addition to reduced man hours and greater dispatch efficiency, Apogee’s blend of automated print processes and industry-leading outsourced document services has empowered staff to focus on more strategic tasks. This ensures that Virginia Hayward can upgrade its print environment without needing to expand its IT team. Aurelio Maruggi, CEO at Apogee, commented: “We are extremely pleased to have helped Virginia Hayward transform its print environment and achieve such outstanding efficiency gains. The company shares our commitment to the highest levels of service quality and customer care, so this partnership is sure to continue bearing fruit in the long-term.” The partnership with Apogee has also enabled Virginia Hayward to take significant sustainability steps. New high-quality labels have reduced waste and removed the need for plastic envelopes, while the decreased man hours have led to considerable energy savings. For more information, visit apogeecorp.com. Dom Norton
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