Remote work and remote wins: An interview with Stripe OLT
A commitment to bringing enterprise-grade tech to SMEs helped Stripe OLT secure the MSP of the Year award
The Cloud Excellence Awards were Computing's first in-person event in almost two years, and the pent-up demand showed in the enthusiasm people showed as they celebrated their wins.
However, not all of our winners could be present - a combination of busy schedules, distance and, in some cases, jitters about large crowds. But that didn't stop them from celebrating in their own way, says Mark Dale, commercial director and co-founder of Stripe OLT.
Computing: What did you think of the Cloud Excellence Awards this year?
Mark Dale: Cloud computing has played such a vital part in overcoming the challenges faced by organisations in recent years, so having a chance to celebrate the very best of the UK's cloud industry alongside so many innovative organisations would have been a real honour… Unfortunately, the team was actually unable to attend the physical ceremony, which was an incredible shame - particularly when we discovered that we had won an award!
There's always next year though…
CTG: How did you feel when you heard that your entry had won?
MD: When we started out in 2004, as a small development company, I couldn't have imagined 18 years later we would be nominated as the UK's leading managed service provider. It's a testament to the whole team, so naturally we were all absolutely thrilled when we were awarded MSP of the Year 2021.
Our mission at Stripe OLT is to bring the enterprise-grade cloud technology and security products, available in Microsoft 365 and Azure, to our clients in the SME sector. We are committed to this approach and firmly believe that it is a vital element in the survival of businesses in today's environment. As such we are incredibly proud of the positive impact that our managed IT has on our clients, and to have this recognised in this award is extremely encouraging.
CTG: What do you think made your entry stand out?
MD: Our award entry focused upon our turn-key solution, this being traditional managed IT combined with essential cyber security offerings - something we believe is a vital combination for every organisation is today's digital landscape.
However, crucially, we know that it's not all about the technology, but more fundamentally about the people who use it - our average customer satisfaction score is consistently above 95 per cent and I think that says a great deal about our helpdesk team…
We believe the best partnerships are the ones built on a strong foundation, so at Stripe OLT we consider more than just technical needs. Working in tandem with our clients, we strive to understand their people and plans and it's taking this people-centric approach, alongside our strategic offering, that I think made our entry stand out.
CTG: What does the win mean for you, your team, and your organisation?
MD: Winning this award means a great deal for the whole team at Stripe OLT. We have grown rapidly in recent years, and we've always endeavoured to remain true to our core values of transparency and integrity - This award provides us with the confidence in knowing that we have achieved this.
For our organisation, this award will undoubtedly provide further drive and motivation - we want to gain even more accreditations next year (I know the engineers have their eyes on more Microsoft gold competencies), and this will likely push us to try and gain additional awards next year!
CTG: What does the future hold for your organisation - what are the priorities for the next 12 months?
MD: Growth, growth and more growth… With several large-scale partnership wins in 2021, we have been able to invest in a high-quality team, whilst providing the best possible customer service for our clients. We're extremely excited to continue along this path with a clear vision for our clients and for what's to come in 2022.
Our priorities will always be to protect organisations from digital threats, whilst empowering them with cutting-edge cloud technology. The cyber-security market has grown rapidly in the last year, with demand only increasing, meaning the next 12 months will require the further strengthening and channelling of our 24/7 managed security services to support our clients.
Of course, attending the awards ceremony in person next year is an additional priority… watch this space!
