COMPANY PROFILE on close staff relations
in the industry and things are constantly shifting and changing. We see it as our responsibility to help our partners to keep abreast of all these changes and developments and to provide the sales resources and marketing for them to create new business.”
UKFast has embarked on a big recruitment campaign to bring on board high calibre people who value employee engagement. “Our award winning company ethos has driven great interest in us,” observed Jones. “When it comes to recruitment we understand the value of getting the right people on board, so in the first instance attitude is more of a priority for us than skillset,” he commented. “There has to be a culture match between the person and the company values. The right people step up and take ownership over their part of the business. I am constantly impressed by how much dedication and commitment staff show to the company every day.”
opportunities and close the sale rather than leave them to do all of the hard work. It’s a collaborative process that demonstrates how businesses can help each other to grow and expand.”
UKFast’s main channel partners are IT resellers, long-standing IT companies that sell IT solutions to their customers. “To build on existing relationships we take a good old fashioned approach,” noted Jones. “We simply devote our time to consult with them. There are lots of buzzwords
Motivating and inspiring staff is key to maintaining morale and standards and Jones’ particular approach is a blueprint for certain success. “Gail, the kids and I recently spent a month in Verbier and, each week, we had a different group of employees stay for a few days and reap the rewards of their hard work with some skiing, nice food and beautiful surroundings,” he explained. “We also like to keep our staff healthy both physically and mentally, and so we are developing an on-site gym in the new building.”
Daily deliveries of fruit, birthdays off and an extra week of paid holiday in
the year staff get married also form part of Jones’ ‘put people first’ ethos. “We have dress down and beer Fridays where our staff get a complementary beer or soft drink towards the end of the day,” he added. “To demonstrate our appreciation, we also throw an annual all-expenses- paid festival, UKFest, for employees and their families at the outward bounds centre that we have in Wales. Here we have fairground- style entertainment, food and music. Employee motivation is about so much more than just a wage.”
UKFast’s biggest pay day is yet to come as the company advances its five-year growth plan. “By 2018 I want to have expanded the UKFast Campus where we plan to locate the city’s largest data centre,” noted Jones. “We have plans to develop some of the land nearby into sports fields for not only our staff but also members of the local community to use. We have already embarked on a recruitment drive to double our numbers in the space of 18 months, so in five years time our headcount could be anywhere between 400 to 1,000. It’s exciting to look ahead and wonder what might happen. As long as we are still innovating and pushing to the forefront of this industry with new products and services I will be happy.”
Continuing to follow a proven policy based on pressing ahead and turning strategic vision into personal achievement will ensure that Jones realises his long- term ambitions. If past experience comes into play, his ‘incredible journey’ is a long way from being over
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with a number of milestones still ahead. “The journey’s like a fairground ride, definitely an emotional roller coaster,” stated Jones. “Our first data centre was a terrifying move into an unknown arena, spending millions and millions of pounds. The safe bet would have been to simply carry on renting from other people. But there was a gap between what we were promising and what we were able to deliver. This created an unacceptable situation. We either had to drop our service level agreement to our customers which we didn’t want to do, or do it ourselves.
“We made the impossible possible and created a business worth £20 million from nothing, without any help whatsoever. We’ve done it off the back of just blood, sweat, and years of hard endeavour. You have to put your heart and soul on the line. You have to show a level of enthusiasm and energy that is bigger and better than the person that you’re competing with otherwise you’ll come up short. That’s what we’ve done against all the odds. It’s important moving forward that we never forget our heritage and how we have jumped some of these hurdles.” n
Just a minute with Lawrence Jones...
What talent do you wish you had? There’s nothing that I wish I had. I’d just like to keep improving on the ones I do have, like playing squash and skiing.
Name one thing you could not do without in your job: My wife although I’ve had to learn how to adapt as she’s become a mum and a working mum. She’s still a business woman and a very important cog in the UKFast board of directors. I’m also thinking of my retreat in Wales where I’m able to switch off. My Internet won’t work there, my phone won’t work there. I put my walking boots on and I swap the trappings of success in Manchester for my friends in Wales.
Who was the last person to thank you and why? Laura Masaro, the world No 2 squash player. I’m trying to help her get focused on becoming not just No 1 but the greatest player that’s ever lived.
How would you like to be remembered? For helping to make businesses better places for people to work in.
What possession could you not live without? There isn’t one. I mean, it would be a shame to lose certain things. But I had my life taken away from me in an avalanche in 2001 and I realised then that there was no possession that was of any importance compared to the emotion and the relationships you have with your family.
What do you fear the most? Not being able to pay bills.
Give one example of something you’ve overcome. I’ve never enjoyed standing up, public speaking. Over a period of time, practicing and rehearsing in front of a camera I now do plenty of talks. I’m more a person who’d rather be at the back of a room. I’d rather be the orchestra conductor than the lead violinist but I’ve adapted my skills to do what I need to do because it’s something that’s expected of me, but it’s not something that I would have ever put myself forward for.
Hospitality sponsor COMMS DEALER JULY 2013 55
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