VENDOR JOB CARD: Rusada

Neil Hargreaves shares the customer relationship ethos of listening and the focus on first class software that have been the key to Rusada’s success

Neil has spent over a decade as part of the Rusada team, having joined from former UK airline Thomas Cook. He spent much of his earlier tenure managing the company’s Client Services teams, and his role has expanded over the years to incorporate the functions of IT, Customer Support, and Product Development.

Aircraft IT: Your name, your job title, and the name of the business?

Neil Hargreaves: Neil Hargreaves, Chief Operating Officer at Rusada

Aircraft IT: How did Rusada get started?

NH: Rusada began its journey over 30 years ago as Russell Adams, an aviation and MRO consultancy business. After successfully developing our first software solution in 1987, we set the standard in the market releasing the first version of our ENVISION software solution in 1993. Today, with over 150 staff in offices around the world, our software is used to manage 2,000 fixed and rotary wing aircraft.

Aircraft IT: What is the guiding business principle that drives Rusada?

NH: Our guiding business principle is to understand our customers and ensure we maintain progressive, positive relationships. We acknowledge that our customers are fundamental to our growth, as are we to theirs, so we aim to deliver the highest level of customer service at all times.

Aircraft IT: What has Rusada’s greatest business achievement been to date, and why?

NH: The fantastic team that we have put together over the years is the greatest achievement in my opinion. Establishing a team of colleagues who you can rely on, who go the extra mile, have a passion for the service we offer and an interest in our customers is vital to our success. Achieving this is not easy but when you are able to sit back and be confident in the talented aviation enthusiasts around you, then it’s something to savour. The proof of this is provided by our customers’ feedback.

Aircraft IT: What have been your disappointments and what have you learned from them?

NH: The COVID pandemic has caused untold heartbreak on the world, both with people’s personal and working lives. Our focus as a company has been to ensure we offer all the

“We listen, collate and understand what our customers’ pain points are, which consequentially allows us to offer a premium, integrated solution, expertly implemented by our aviation specialists.”

“We spend as much time as we can learning about our customers’ processes and challenges, to then turn that insight into useful functionality.”

support we can, assisting colleagues and customers who have been affected. From an industry point of view, aviation was one of the sectors that was hardest hit, which has resulted in everyone working together to support one-another, but sometimes leading to extremely disappointing conclusions with some airlines unable to stay afloat. If these last few years have taught me anything, it is that close, connected workforces, and open and supportive supplier/customer relationships are key to helping overcome the challenges of life, and business.

Aircraft IT: In a sentence, how would you summarize what Rusada does for aircraft maintenance customers?

NH: We listen, collate and understand what our customers’ pain points are, which consequentially allows us to offer a premium, integrated solution, expertly implemented by our aviation specialists.

Aircraft IT: What do you feel will be the next big thing in maintenance Aviation IT?

NH: Native app solutions are in full force, and Rusada is leading the way with offering flexibility, portability and rich functionality. This area of maintenance aviation IT systems will continue to grow over the coming months and years. Further ahead, the use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) for predictive and prescriptive maintenance is something we’re very excited about and could prove transformational for the industry. So, there’s lots to look forward to.

Aircraft IT: What do you want your customers to say about Rusada?

NH: I hope that they would say, ‘The Rusada team really understand how we tick’. We spend as much time as we can learning about our customers’ processes and challenges, to then turn that insight into useful functionality. But, as I mentioned before, this is only possible because of the close, collaborative relationships we create and foster with them and that comes from our staff.

Aircraft IT: Neil Hargreaves, thank you for your time.

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