I spent over a year documenting work processes for every role within BITS. This was very granular – how does someone receive a job, what do they do and how is it then passed on? I also wrote a framework of requirements for every job role, so that core competencies and the skills required were known. This helps to give the role holders the tools to perform at a high level and a job specification when it comes to recruiting people into roles in the company.

This work has helped shape the monthly reporting documents that exist between ourselves and our customers regarding service and delivery, and which underpin the integrity of the working relationship.

As well a project work, I am responsible for customer software compliance; ensuring licences are relevant and that there is accurate record keeping. I am also the company’s Technical Librarian.

I also led Bespoke IT Solutions through their successful application for Investors in People and we achieved the Standard Accreditation in December 2019. This certificate will show our clients the friendly, relaxed and non-hierarchical culture at BITS which is why we can offer such a flexible and reliable service.

Finally, I am working on gaining ISO27001 for BITS. This is a valued certificate for IT contracts as it deals with security of all types of data held by firms (financial, personal, client, contractor and asset) it is understood that anyone who attains this can manage, store and process data to a high standard. We have our first assessment on Friday 18th September 2020, this will be followed up on 5th, 6th and 9th November 2020 with the decision being provided at the end of the day on Monday 9th November.

Here at BITS, all of the expertise to provide the managed IT service for the customer is in the company. There’s so much more scope to learn and so many more areas of IT to experience. I am part of the Applications Packaging team currently working on the Outlook 365 roll out project. I test to make sure that the application packages work as they should on the new hardware. We make changes necessary so we can be sure that when users access and experience the applications, they operate exactly as the customer intended.

I find the working environment and culture here really refreshing. If I come up against a problem that I don’t know the answer to, the attitude from my manager is OK, let’s try and fix this together. Once fixed then let’s share that know-how across the company, so that someone else will know what to do if the same issue arises elsewhere. That for me is an example of a collaborative and friendly company. Tally, the owner believes strongly that IT can be taught (and she is unbelievably knowledgeable) but important to being successful is bringing people in with the right mentality. That means a willingness to learn and an appreciation of the link between teamwork and client service.

I’m excited about the future for this company. I feel like we are in a lift on the ground floor and we’re going up!

I work in the Application Support Team as an Application Support Developer. I work in a group of 5. I do day to day BAU work which includes SharePoint tickets to helping out with other applications.

Working for the company as a whole has been such a great experience because I have learnt so much, this is all due to the way that the company is structured. Everyone in the company no matter what team you are in is always helping each other to the best of their abilities. Whenever you need help you can go to management and ask for help which is something greatly appreciated.

I joined the BITS team in February, just a couple of weeks before lockdown. Prior to that, I worked for a large energy company where for 19 years, I had numerous roles in IT Service Delivery – Service Management. I have come to BITS as the Problem, Change and Major Incident Manager. This means that when a high priority Incident arises, it is managed effectively in order that the service is restored to the customer as quickly as possible; a retrospective Change may be required to do this. A Problem ticket is then raised so that root cause can be investigated and fixed, so the chance of a reoccurrence is effectively minimised. Other types of Changes are also raised for planned work in order that IT and the Business are fully aware of the Risk and Impact of work being done on the Production systems. The windows for this work must also be at a time agreed with the client, especially if part of their service needs to be taken down first. Managing Incidents, Problems and Changes regularly require clear communication with the client.

I didn’t know about BITS before finding the vacancy via LinkedIn. When I attended the first interview something clicked the moment I arrived. Steve (Newton) and Jade (Macfarlane) put me at ease immediately. Jade and I are from the same part of Scotland so that was a fab early ice-breaker. I got a really ‘good vibe’ from them both. The job they wanted someone to do, was the job I wanted and am very passionate about. Another advantage is the office is a lot closer to home than where I used to work.

A lot is written about the lack of women in senior positions in IT, especially on the “techie” side. So when I met Tally, who is the Owner and Enterprise Architect, I knew that this was a company that I would enjoy working with. It was brilliant to spend time with her and hear about her story and plans for growing the company which I knew I would be a valued asset for.

Working at BITS feels like working with your extended family. The team have each other’s backs, people never give-up and everyone understands their role clearly. This culture is derived from the Cadet Forces background that many in BITS have as well myself, as I am ex-Royal Navy/WRNS.

Since joining, I have taken on line management responsibility for two members of staff, plus an Apprentice. Due to the Covid restrictions, we have all adapted to be more flexible in our approach to helping our clients. For example, we have daily check-ins with our largest client in order to effectively communicate project and BAU activities.