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MBO signals new era
at Armstrong
While it was not Sally Stothard’s intention to rise through
the ranks when she joined Armstrong in 1998, she
now plays a leading role in the company and was a
central figure in last month’s management buyout.
tothard’s credentials are This is now an independent business
S
impeccable. She joined and supplier of telephony software
Armstrong in 1998 and applications to other resellers,
during her time at the and the MBO resulted in Donovan
company has gained valuable being able to move to Xarios full
insight into all areas of the business time as its Managing Director.
having worked in accounts,
engineering and sales. After The cash deal sees Paul Tobin
managing the engineering arm of take an equity stake in Armstrong.
the firm Stothard has now moved He has a track record of growing
to the role of Managing Director. businesses in the IT sector, initially
Sally Stothard
as Managing Director of CSAR
Established in 1995 by Steve Computers, followed by JM through VMWare accreditation, technical ability with Microsoft
Donovan and Bob Cory, Computing (now trading as jmc. believing that supplying tin will and Cisco gives us a first class
Armstrong Communications it). Tobin developed JM from become a thing of the past. “Most understanding of contact centres.”
underwent a management a niche market supplier into enterprises are now considering
buyout spearheaded by Stothard a rated IT company. Stothard virtualisation even if they don’t PCi compliance is Armstrong’s
in February, that saw the MBO commented: “Our intention is to implement it yet, and Mitel’s MiCD hot new product, which enables
team acquire Cory’s 50 per cent significantly increase the size of solution will be a big part of our the recording of calls to be
shareholding. This facilitated a the business through acquisition future,” said Stothard. “We focus stopped and started, avoiding
change from an owner managed and organic growth. Paul will on the Mitel 5000 when fitted with the recording of the cvv number.
to a team managed business, provide considerable expertise in Callview, now called Customer “This is a hot topic at the
and gave the people working in these areas which will enable me Service Manager, and Xarios Phone moment in any company taking
the business a greater share of to focus on customer service.” Manager for CRM integration, payments by credit card over
its success. “We are of the firm while at the high end Mitel 3300 the phone,” noted Stothard.
opinion that shareholders need Now entering a new era, fitted with Syntellect CIM. In
to be operational and should be Manchester-based Armstrong both cases we supply Xarios Call Before joining Armstrong
adding value to the business on employs 23 staff and boasted a Recorder with speech analytics. Stothard’s career began
a daily basis,” said Stothard. “We turnover for financial year end The key issue is delivery. With an in operations working for a
now have a strong management August 2009 of £2 million. Its target exclusive Mitel strategy we can Ferranti GTE dealership in 1985.
team in place focused on a market is contact centres, where it focus on technical excellence and She then moved to an Avaya
growth plan which will take the can demonstrate a clear return on actually make the technology do dealer where she sold SDX and
company to the next level in investment from staff productivity, what the customer expects of it.” Index systems. Not surprisingly,
terms of size and capability.” and potentially realise its big her deep understanding of
ambition to be Mitel’s top contact Armstrong’s inherent skill in the communications market
In 1996 Donovan decided Inter- centre reseller in the UK. “This is CTI and its knowledge of the has placed her firmly in the
Tel would be ideal for developing based on our previous experiences contact centre industry puts it in convergence camp. “It is crucial
computer telephony, its open with contact centres. We can a position to become the natural to own the customer end to end
architect interface allowing provide outstanding support to selection for Mitel contact centre including local and wide area
Armstrong to write software anybody who measures response customers, believes Stothard. “As networks,” Stothard said. “Voice is
to enhance the base product times in terms of minutes, not virtualisation continues to grow technically just another application
and provide customers with hours or days,” added Stothard. as a key business requirement we along with video, mail etc, that all
bespoke applications. Software “Armstrong has always been intend to be first out of the blocks use this common delivery method.
development became a business in clear on the fact that we are with a solution and the enterprise Our future depends on our ability
its own right and was spun out into exclusive suppliers of Mitel.” to deliver,” said Stothard. “Our to evolve into a combined voice
a separate company called Xarios. Armstrong is currently going focus on one product set and our and data supplier.”
n
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