01732 759725 INTERVIEW 20 In 2023, PrintIT Reseller is celebrating ten years in print. In a series of exclusive interviews over the next year, we’re inviting industry veterans to share their experiences over the past decade, what they’ve learned, and the highs and the lows of our unique and challenging industry. Here, Shaun Wilkinson, Managing Director, UTAX UK shares his thoughts A decade in print PITR: What was your first job? SW: Working as a shop assistant in a local DIY store. It was very much like Arkwrights, and I loved every minute of it. PITR: What has been the high point of the decade? SW: There are two. One is seeing the team develop into the high performing, customer-first team it is today. The feedback we get from end-users about the service they have received from our engineers, and the team as a whole, is always fantastic. In 2022, 97.5 per cent of those who gave us feedback said they were very satisfied with the level of service they received, and 100 per cent said they would recommend us to friends and colleagues. We can’t really ask for more! The second highlight was gaining recognition for our excellent A3 colour MFPs by winning a PrintIT award, being awarded one of the ‘industry voted’ categories is a humbling admission for the products and services we provide. I’ve always known the products, solutions and services we offer are exceptional, and am so pleased the rest of the industry agree with us! PITR: And the low point? SW: COVID. PITR: What (or who) has had the greatest impact in the sector in the last 10 years? SW: I think the answer to this is COVID again. It gave us time as a business to completely rework our internal operations to bring about greater efficiencies. The pandemic also brought about a massive change in working practices that are once in a generation. Hybrid working is here to stay so the way we work, the way we engage with our customers and the way our products are used have all had to change. Not only have we had to change the way we work, but we’ve had to adapt our sales, service and marketing strategies to accommodate the changes our endusers have experienced. PITR: If you could change one thing about the last decade, what would it be? SW: Stopping the war in Ukraine from starting. PITR: What has been your proudest moment of the past 10 years? SW: Seeing my daughters grow up to be awesome adults. Being a working parent is always tough, but running a business while raising two children is a lot to manage. Now my daughters are grown up, it’s the greatest reward to see the wonderful women they have become. PITR: Sum up the decade in three words. SW: Where’s it gone!! www.utax.co.uk PrintIT Reseller (PITR): You’ve been working in the print and IT industry for more than ten years. What led you to enter the sector? Shaun Wilkinson (SW): It was a pure accident. I was heading up the IT/EPOS division of a Japanese manufacturer based in the UK, when I was approached about the job at UTAX. By some miracle I managed to blag my way through the interviews and here I am. Mark Ash
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