altcom
Best known for delivering eCommerce and Content Management System websites, altcom has been based at Penzance since its launch in 1995.
The directors and staff of altcom have a leading edge background in the geophysics industry, having worked together on a multi-million pound geothermal research project.
At altcom, they have now fused their world-class expertise in geophysics with their strengths in software development, creating a unique global business that provides ICT consultancy and software to clients in the oil and gas industries worldwide.
The company runs www.microseis.net, a specialist online news and information service focusing on the rapidly developing technology of microseismic reservoir monitoring. This is a high value service, with subscriptions costing several thousand pounds.
altcom also develops software specifically for the oil and gas industry as well as web content, content management systems, corporate intranets and extranets and eCommerce solutions.
Director John Cowles, says ‘Our client base is truly global. This creates its own opportunities and challenges – and for us, flexible working is allowing us to overcome some of the challenges. For example, most of our clients are in different time zones and so to speak to a client in Japan, for example, we need to get up especially early!’
John continues ‘The actnow flex project has accelerated our adoption of flexible working practices. All our seven staff now have broadband at home and we have a Virtual Private Network, so it is just as easy to work from home or remotely as it in the office. This clearly makes it easier for us to provide a top notch service to clients 24/7.
‘Flexible working is bringing a number of benefits. First and foremost, it is improving the quality of life for all of us. For example, I find that I never stay late at the office now. If I need to work in the evening, I will work on the laptop, sitting in the same room as the children while they watch TV or whatever, or after the family have spent the evening together and they have gone to bed.
‘One of our former directors has recently moved to Tiverton and now works for us as a contractor. He is constantly in touch via the VPN and MSN Messenger – we hardly notice the difference.
‘When one of our programmers broke his ankle, we were desperate and he did not want to be on sick pay – but it turned out that there was no problem. With broadband at home, he was able to VPN in to the office and join in meetings via Skype.
‘Another programmer lives a 40 minute drive away from the office and since being able to access the VPN from home, he only comes in a couple of days a week. In fact, he is considering moving to France – to somewhere with broadband, where he will be able to continue working for us just as effectively.’
John says ‘We have found that by stitching together the various technologies that enable flexible working – especially the VPN and Skype, which have been the two critical elements for us – we are gaining improved quality of life and improved efficiency.
‘Another effect is that flexible working will improve staff retention. Now there is no reason why someone would have to leave the job if they want to move home to another area. In our highly specialised, knowledge based business, retaining our people and their expertise is critical.
‘We are looking at ways we can use technology further to push at the boundaries. For example, we have on trial a software system that allows us to remotely demonstrate from our PCs.
Also, once the quality and accessibility of videoconferencing is improved, we will certainly make more use of that too and it will make flexible working even more effective.
‘To be honest, I have been surprised by the scale of the impact flexible working has had for us so quickly. We have only introduced flexible working in the last twelve months and it has made a very significant difference to the quality of our lives and made it easier to run a global business effectively from Cornwall.
‘The information in the actnow flex toolkit at www.flexible-working.org has been incredibly useful to us and has really helped us speed up the process of adopting flexible working practices.’
