Member Article

Ten years of great custom software systems from the Yorkshire Dales!

A Richmond based software company is celebrating its tenth anniversary in November – and proving that with today’s technology location need not be a factor to servicing markets that are not always local. IT Accessed specialises in writing bespoke software systems for manufacturers and their supply chains – which are not to be found in great numbers on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales!

However this has not prevented the company from successfully growing its client base not only across the north-east and Yorkshire, but also in the north-west, the midlands and the south-east. Face to face meetings are essential at some times, but on-line meetings, document sharing and other communication tools are often more convenient – even if the client is just down the road!

IT Accessed creates bespoke software systems. Many companies want to do things their own way and not be forced into following a software package. With modern IT development techniques and technology, bespoke systems are more than ever a cost effective way forward.

The company has created systems for very large industrial companies and very small organisations, they include:-

• production control; • order fulfilment; • plant or machine maintenance scheduling; • performance analysis/communication; • document assembly/generation; • systems for use on PCs, tablets and large industrial touch screens.

Training for users to operate their systems safely and efficiently is always made available.

The business was founded in 2004 by Allyson Cole, who after a career in manufacturing and IT- reaching director level and travelling the world – decided to strike out on her own. Allyson would like to see more women in IT and says: “Women in technology are actually rarer now than they were 20 years ago. I really don’t understand why. If you are creative, design-oriented and can communicate, IT is a great career for women”. The company works with a variety of other associates and believes their business model is great for people who wish to work from home.

In 2009, her husband Craig Archibald was made redundant from his marketing job in the packaging industry, and while looking for a new position, was persuaded to help out his wife by taking over the sales and marketing of her business, along with the finance and general administration. Five years later, he’s still there!

Craig says: “The key to our business is that we specialise in software, and decided not to spread ourselves too thinly by moving into other areas of IT which are more than adequately covered by other companies”. Allyson added: “We are a tech company but our business is all about communication, making sure that both we and our clients know what their business needs, by listening and not getting bogged down in technospeak. This is made easier for us by our experience as managers in manufacturing companies that has made us very aware of how business systems work and most importantly how they must integrate with the employees”.

IT Accessed can be contacted via email at info@itaccessed.com or telephone 01748825426.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by IT Accessed Ltd .