25th anniversary
ESP is delighted to announce that, on 1 Nov 2017, we celebrated our 25th anniversary
ESP Growth
We produced a managed services offering that was directed towards putting the customer first
In the midst of the 1992 recession, school friends Darren Richardson and Mike Harling spotted a gap in the market for a customer-focused IT services company. At this time, the personal computer market was just starting to take off, but was already gaining a poor reputation and had little trust from customers. We knew we could make a difference!
Our ethos was simple and has always stayed the same. We produced a managed services offering that was directed towards putting the customer first - something that was sorely needed in the marketplace. As the organisation evolved, we saw that the aviation industry needed the same focus, and this triggered a shift in emphasis for the services and solutions we provided.
By the end of the 90s, ESP had won our first airport support contract at Gatwick and, in a few years, we became the pre-eminent service provider for UK airport common use environments.
Following the sun
As our reputation grew, our aviation industry customers wanted us to provide services outside the UK
As our reputation grew, our aviation industry customers wanted us to provide services outside the UK as well, which began with placing staff at key customer locations in Europe and quickly grew to building teams in the Caribbean and Asia Pacific. This expansion triggered the opening of offices in Trinidad and Hong Kong. These regional offices enabled us to spawn our ‘follow the sun’ service delivery methodology: where our customers have a point of contact in their working day, wherever they are in the world.
This model quickly grew in popularity. Using a combination of direct staff and like-minded partner companies, we were soon supporting IT systems in most countries across the globe.
Global IT
We became experts in delivering IT services that focus on what is important to any global business
Just like the aviation industry, many businesses that are global by nature have complex requirements. Most global companies have multiple locations within a country, are present in various countries and require different service levels according to location. Some locations need staff onsite, while others only require a field service. They need technically qualified, security-cleared staff who understand the need for timely and precise IT services.
Making our global services local
We soon started winning business outside the aviation industry
We soon started winning business outside the aviation industry, fuelled by our programme of localisation. This involves identifying key strategic geographies where we can open an ESP office and have engineers employed directly. Now, at the start of our 26th year, we have direct staff in 16 countries, with more being added all the time. Significant investment is also being made in other geographies to further strengthen our 500-strong global team.
So, there you have it: the story of how ESP grew into the company it is today. In 2017, the ethos and vision of ESP remain the same as they were in 1992: to delight every customer, every time, by having the best people delivering the best service – anywhere in the world!
"The ethos and vision of ESP remain the same as they were in 1992: to delight every customer, every time, by having the best people delivering the best service – anywhere in the world!"
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