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Sector: Manufacturing
Employees: 32
Location: Rotherham
The big idea:- Using new technology to provide a market-leading level of response to its clients
What they do
Martek are world leaders in providing marine safety and environmental monitoring systems to the global marine industry, including an engine efficiency optimization system that allows ship owners to make significant fuel savings and reduces vessel downtime. Established in 2000 with only £6,000 capital, they have grown to achieve a turnover of £6 million.
The challenge
To differentiate the business from its competitors not only through the quality of its products, but also in the level of human and technical service provided. Succeeding in an exceptionally demanding market requires a high level of response to customers who might be almost anywhere in any time zone.
The solution
To evaluate and embrace the latest communications technology, which would enable the company to respond to clients worldwide at any time of the day or night. "We saw it as critical to be able to respond at any time to client needs," says Paul Luen, Managing Director, "So we committed ourselves to an advanced teleworking strategy, embracing appropriate new technologies as soon as they become available."
To achieve the desired level of support, staff needed to be able to interface with the company's core systems from any location in the world. Home offices were equipped with broadband, dedicated phone lines and PCs connected over virtual private networks to the company's central network.
Offices were also opened in the USA and Singapore, eight hours behind and ahead of GMT respectively. Outside of UK office hours, calls are automatically diverted to the most appropriate office, enabling the company to operate a 24 hour service.
Issues arising
The greatest challenge has been to recruit, train and encourage the right staff to create a dynamic, fun and empowered workplace. Martek concentrate on using their network of contacts, and a mix of selection techniques including psychometrics, verbal references and telephone interviews.
Staff were informed of the teleworking strategy and contributed to the development and roll out of the technologies so that they were 'bought-in' to the methodology rather than having it imposed on them.
Investing in new technology is not a solution in itself, it needs to be the most appropriate and cost-effective for the company's needs. Rather than select a computer server suited to a small business, Martek chose a system more suitable for a large corporate. Though significantly more expensive, the benefits in terms of function, response and durability were necessary for the advanced teleworking hardware that staff were to use.
The Outcomes
Results have been spectacular. From a £6,000 start-up, the company now has an annual turnover in excess of £6 million, from 60 countries, and has achieved this without borrowing.
The focus on technology and its contribution to the achievement of work-life balance has paid dividends in terms of staff retention, which is almost 100%.
"Perhaps the single biggest indicator of our internal efficiency and productivity is our calculated net contribution per employee," says Paul. " This is between two and four times greater than our competitors in our sector, going by their filed accounts."
What could they do next?
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