2 minute read
Last Word
The Last Word
Paul Kaye
CEO and founder of IntelliQA
I’m the founder and CEO of IntelliQA, an award-winning consultancy that focuses on improving IT delivery for retailers using advanced test automation and robotics. Q Who do you work for?
I established IntelliQA in 2011. We excel at removing IT delivery bottlenecks using advanced technology developed by ourselves and our partners. For example, we have overcome point of sale test bottlenecks for leading retailers using advanced test automation, robotics and artificial intelligence (AI). Essentially, we’re a niche company that operates in a niche market. We are a small company that works with leading enterprises. Q Why did you join the
Chamber?
We joined the Chamber at the start of the pandemic because we wanted to get to know local businesses better. Q What do you get from it?
We’ve benefited in several ways. The Chamber opened doors which allowed us to meet several retailers including one of the biggest in the country. We’ve also forged a link with the university and have now moved into one of their buildings. This connection will help us to embed cutting-edge research within our business and give us access to bright graduates who are coming through the ranks. Being a Chamber member has also given us an insight into the challenges that other companies are facing and how they’re navigating them. Q How has it helped your network?
It has enabled us to grow our network and make connections that ordinarily we might not have made. I suppose it’s like having a Yellow Pages; the Chamber points us in the direction of various businesses that specialise in different areas.
Q What advice would you give someone starting out in business?
Do your research to ensure that the market is there, then make sure you have a unique selling point that differentiates you from the competition. Innovation is essential to provide a competitive edge. That’s what we’ve done and it has enabled us to grow the business.
Q What’s the biggest challenge in running and growing a business?
Probably the level of effort that it takes to get a business off the ground. If you want to start a business, you have to be prepared to put in the hard work.
Q What support do you want from government?
We’ve had research grants from the UK government, which has been useful for us. I’d like to see a strong national technology strategy that supports innovative tech firms and facilitates their growth.
Q How confident are you that your business will grow in the future?
I’m very confident. Our customer base is growing and we’re changing the way retailers think and act. Our turnover is in the low millions, I believe that figure will rise in the future. We’re continually searching for more innovative ways to deliver solutions into other countries. With travel restricted in the pandemic, we’ve focused on creating online training and video demonstrations so we can deliver solutions to customers in far-flung places.
