ENTERPRISE & INNOVATION


FEATURE


RDS Global's new Black Box product can gather data that can help businesses


Why innovation must serve a purpose


By Phil Harvey, Managing Director at Chamber patron RDS Global


We hear the term “innovative” a lot, especially in business. Innovative projects, innovative businesses, innovative ideas; they are all the rage. And why not? How innovative a business is says a lot


about them and how successful they are. Innovation suggests dynamism, a forward-thinking mentality, aspiration, ambition; the list goes on. Nick Skillicorn, a renowned author and public speaker,


defines innovation as: “Turning an idea into a solution that adds value from a customer’s perspective”. The key words here are “customer” and “value”. Yes,


innovation is great but it must serve a purpose – it must be used to enhance a product or service to the benefit of those using it. That’s how we take ideas, evolve them and maintain a sense of progress and development. Progress and development are two words that are


imperative for the sectors RDS Global operates in. We are a Derby-based IT support and cyber security audit provider which supplies IT solutions, telephony, physical security and cyber security solutions to our clients across multiple sectors – including automotive, retail, construction, care homes, hotel and hospitality, and professional services - with an emphasis on delivering the best long term value. We have a very real sense of place and know Derby has


long been lauded as a manufacturing heartland – with some of the biggest companies in the world, such as Rolls- Royce, Bombardier and Toyota which we are very proud of. Due to our forward-thinking approach in the above sectors, we believe Derby can also be very proud of the


flourishing IT sector we have here. The vision is simple – we have enough experience within the local community to collaborate and make a difference through meaningful innovation. Since being founded in 1997, we have seen huge changes


in the sector. Innovation has occurred at breath-taking speed, so much so that we’re now in the eyes of many in the midst of a so-called ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’. There is no doubt innovation in IT makes this an


extremely exciting sector to be in right now; however with that comes challenges. Today’s innovation can become yesterday’s news and we have a duty to ourselves and our clients to stay ahead of the curve – striving to innovate but with a clear reason for doing so. How are we going about this? From a holistic


perspective, we give our talented staff the freedom and scope to explore opportunities, put forward their ideas and use their skillsets to make positive changes and develop new business openings. This is just as relevant for the enthusiastic workers of tomorrow, through our RDS Global Technology Academy, to our experienced senior employees. We don’t just do it all ourselves either – nobody has all


the answers. We collaborate closely with those in our sector and in our local and regional business community. We have, for example, worked closely with the Chamber in a number of areas, including sponsoring flagship events such as the Cyber Conference and the Employability and Skills Summit. Events such as these are great


business network October 2019 67


Phil Harvey, Managing Director at RDS Global


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