Festive Focus: Bdaily speaks to Simon Warnes of Sharp Business Systems UK

Can you introduce yourself and your business to our readers?

“I’m the head of corporate, bid management and partnering for Sharp Business Systems UK (SBS UK). SBS UK is a part of Sharp Corporation, a global technology manufacturer with a very diverse portfolio of products and services. Although I’m based in Wakefield, my team is made up of four regional managers whose teams look after corporate customers across the country.

“One of the main things we provide for businesses is managed print services, but our day-to-day is less about printing and paper than you might think! A large part of what we do is helping businesses understand the document lifecycle within their organisation, including how this can be made more efficient through the use of integrated technologies.

“Obviously, the world is a changing place; ultimately, we try to help our customers navigate that change by offering the right technology, services and support.”

What was your company’s biggest achievement of the year?

“I am really proud of the way Sharp has embraced change in 2018. Everyone from the ‘boots-on-the-ground’ sales teams to C-suite management understand that digitisation is altering the way businesses operate, meaning we also need to adapt and diversify as result.

“This culture has existed at Sharp for some time, but I do think there has been a noticeable acceleration over the last 12 months – particularly when it comes to the number of new and innovative products we’re launching.

“Part of the reason this has been so successful over the last year is that Sharp has been very open to developing and introducing new products, delivering innovative technologies to the market.

“A fantastic example of this is the Skywell atmospheric water generator product which turns the surrounding air into fresh, clean drinking water, without the need for a water supply. It is completely different to anything else Sharp sells in Europe and has been met with huge interest among corporate customers, largely because of its environmental and sustainability benefits. Products like this have really helped Sharp to stand out from the competition.”

How would you approach 2018 differently, given the chance?

“I think the speed at which Sharp has diversified its offering and brought new products to market in 2018 has been overwhelmingly positive, but there have been challenges that we can learn from.

“For example, ensuring that our staff are trained and upskilled at the same pace as new product launches has been a learning curve, one that we will benefit from going into 2019. As a business it’s really important to invest in people as well as products.

What are your company’s plans for the New Year?

“We have some really exciting new product launches coming up in 2019. I’m particularly excited about the Windows Collaboration Display (WCD) Sharp will be launching in Spring 2019. The WCD is the first of its kind, it combines Sharp’s award-winning touch display screen technology with Microsoft’s leading software suite and integrates fully with Azure’s cloud offering.

“It also has sensors that remotely monitor the meeting room environment for humidity and temperature comfort, which is really cool. This is exciting because it feeds directly into the wider concept of ‘smart buildings’, which has the potential to improve the way businesses are managed, energy is consumed and much more.”

What’s your favourite Christmas song?

“O Come All Ye Faithful. I like the classics!”

Looking to promote your product/service to SME businesses in your region? Find out how Bdaily can help →