Headcount: 13 (+1,200%)
Specialism: MSP
HQ: Basildon, Essex
This organically grown MSP saw average monthly headcount swell from one to 12 between its fiscal 2021 and 2024, accounts indicate.
The Essex-based HP, Dell, Lenovo, WatchGuard, Nutanix and Proofpoint partner has since grown full-time employees to 23, it told us.
Customers still want to talk to a real person and not an AI agent, CITO Keith Bucknall says (see below).
View the wider Fast-Growth 50 here.
Q&A with Outbound Group CITO Keith Bucknall
How have you been able to increase headcount in a flat market?
Our growth has been organic expansion although we are interested in M&A to grow further. Coming from a corporate background, we have built up a network of excellent people that are keen to come and work for us.
What mega trend do you think will most shape the year for your company?
We are also feeling the challenges, as are our customers, which is leading us to come up with creative solutions. Is the AI bubble going to burst or continue to expand? For us, we are looking internally at how our AI can help our operations and benefit our customers. We have been experimenting with AI within the DevOps space which has beneficial, so I would say operational AI will be the key trend.
Which competitor or peer do you respect the most, and why?
The MSP market is highly fragmented and extremely competitive. However, we see ourselves as a different breed of service provider and don’t focus on comparing ourselves to, or modelling ourselves on, any single competitor. As companies grow, many lose the personal touch and level of service that originally set them apart.
Maintaining that personal approach is one of our core values. From the outset, we focus on doing what is right for our customers, operating with respect and honesty in every engagement. Rather than concentrating on what others in the market are doing to correct or enhance their own businesses, we stay focused on delivering the best possible outcomes for our customers.
What’s a fact or quirk about your company most people won’t know about?
We have a Chief Bark Officer, our office dog..! We started the business in the back garden…. Our first office was indeed on top of a garage.
Does the rise of AI and automation make it less likely you’ll continue to add headcount at the same rate in the coming years?
It’s in interesting question and last year at our annual cyber resilience event we covered this same topic, including the mention of Skynet. But in all seriousness we see a hybrid of both. Customers still want to talk to a real person and not an AI agent, however for live chat, support optimisation, reporting and back office I think it will be highly beneficial.
Name one thing you have planned for the next 12 months
AI operations and accreditations.
