INTERVIEW


Change is in the Air for strategic partner


Technology has always been a key enabler of business success and it has never been more evident just how reliant we are on it as it is today. As one of the region’s leading managed service providers, Chamber strategic partner Air IT has been helping businesses get the most from their technology for the past 15 years. Its Chief Executive, John Whitty, talked to Business Network about the role technology will play as the economy emerges from coronavirus lockdown.


John Whitty has seen first-hand just how important technology is to everyday life. Throughout his career, he has been involved in IT and


communications technology and understands the vital role they play in helping people stay connected and in ensuring that organisations – from small enterprises to big business and everything in between – function effectively. Technology, in the form of IT and communications, is the


cog upon which the entire economy is built. But the landscape looks a lot different to the way it did


when John made his first tentative steps on a career journey that has seen him serving in the Army to working for some of the best-known IT providers across the region. He said: “I started off joining the Army as an apprentice engineer with the Royal Signals when I was 16, and I stayed in the Army for about 18 years. “While serving, I was working in communications and


realised at a very early age just how important communications and computer systems were and in fact how mission critical they are for making sure that the organisation is successful. “I left the Army and joined industry, working for several


companies within the East Midlands and Yorkshire, predominately running technical capability to provide businesses with the opportunity of communicating with each other, with their staff and most importantly with their customers and prospects. “I’ve wanted to work with Air IT for a number of years,


this is because as I got to know them I had admired their adoption of technology, their approach to service and their excellent reputation, and I was fortunate to be able to join the company as Chief Executive at the beginning of the year.” So, what was it that made Air IT the most likely


destination for John to start the next phase of his career? He continued: “Air IT has been around for 15 years. We


employ almost 100 people and are based in Sandiacre, near the junction of the A52 and the M1. “Although we now have national customers, we


predominantly serve the East Midlands business community. “We specialise in serving SMEs and offering our clients a


complete managed solution covering all their IT and communication needs from supply and installation to support. “We aim to support all our client’s technology needs ensuring systems are reliable, up to date and secure, whether they wish to fully outsource or complement an in- house IT team. “Our mission is to help our clients transform and succeed


using technology, so they can become more productive and efficient while gaining an operational advantage over their competitors.


30 business network May 2020


Air IT's Nottingham headquarters


“The main differentiation of Air IT, and one of the main


reasons I joined, is because we want to become part of the customer's team and deliver a first-class service experience. “We don't pretend to know how to manufacture, how to


perform accountancy or advise people on legal matters or anything like that. What we do know, and know better than most, is about technology and how to identify the needs of our customers, deliver it and then ensure it’s always available. “So, our role is to become, or enhance, the IT team


within our customers' businesses. “That means really getting to know the business that


we're going to be working for, understanding their culture, how their people want to work and their approach to technology and change. “Once we understand that, we'll bring the right


technology to them that will deliver the best outcome at the right time and at the right value for money. “And if we do that, we can take away all of their


problems and worries associated with their IT systems, so they can get on with doing what they're really good at and know that they've got us to support them with what we do. “And we always try to do that with a personal touch, so


that our staff get to know them and their people, enabling us to deliver the best service and support for their specific needs.


“Importantly, we have a trusted relationship whereby


we're open and honest, so if we say we can do something, our clients know we can deliver. If we can't do something, we tell them that as well. “That sort of openness and honesty, I think, is a really important part of the relationship.”


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