News item (15 Aug 2007)
Being a good guy is key to success
Hull Daily Mail article by John Collingridge, Hull Daily Mail
(c) 2007 Hull Daily Mail
09:10 - 15 August 2007
To succeed in business, you don't have to make enemies, according to Cairn Emmerson. In fact, he said, being one of the good guys can pay dividends.
Using this principle, Mr Emmerson, 35, chairman of Intragroup, has seen the IT specialist group grow rapidly in the seven years since it started. It now provides IT support to household products firm Reckitt Benckiser, with staff on-site to offer instant solutions to computer problems. Of the group's 45 staff, 20 work in Reckitt's Hull factory and at its sites around Europe, supporting about 1,500 PC users. Formed of three main divisions, Mr Emmerson said his aim is to turn Intragroup into a one-stop-shop for IT needs. It is not far off providing that already. Intrasource offers firms computer knowledge and support, Intradev offers customised business software, and Intrahost provides remote hosting services. "I didn't think we would reach this level of success," he said. "It has been a lot of hard work and experimenting with different marketing techniques and improving services.
"I had a very strong vision of where I wanted to go. I did not want to report to anyone else." Intragroup was spawned from Intrasource, which was founded in 2000.
A management buyout headed by Mr Emmerson allowed the company to diversify in 2005. "A lot of our staff are very proud of our work and we have a low staff turnover," he said. "We have still got employees who have been with us from the start." With the environment firmly in mind, Intrahost offsets its carbon emissions, paying for rainforest to be replanted to balance the amount of carbon dioxide it emits. Intragroup's directors also drive small, economical cars. "I like to try to be one of the good guys," said Mr Emmerson.
"Perhaps I would be 10 times more successful if I was not so ethical." Under the already broad Intragroup umbrella, there is also property management company Oakleaf and medical notes transcription firm Netscribe.
And Mr Emmerson is constantly on the lookout to broaden the business. He said: "I'm always looking for new opportunities in various industries, particularly IT. "I identify people that are either managing directors already or have the potential and mentor them.
"We share business and leads throughout the group." Each of the group's divisions was given a main aim when it was formed - becoming profitable within six months. All succeeded. The group now has a turnover of £1.1m and is on target to exceed £1.7m.
"Back in 2000 our aim was to found the largest IT service provider in East Yorkshire," said Mr Emmerson. "We've achieved that and we are now beginning to spread out throughout the UK." Working in IT departments across the region, Mr Emmerson's staff amass increasing knowledge of various systems and networks. "We like to tap into that knowledge," he said. "All IT systems are pretty similar. A lot of the local businesses have used us." With this vast market on his doorstep, the future for Mr Emmerson and Intragroup looks bright.
"I'm quite excited by St Stephen's and the Quay West projects," he said. "They are going to bring several thousand new jobs into the area. "Firms will need PC and server support. Eventually some corporation head offices will start moving into Hull because labour costs are lower. "In five years' time, we will certainly be providing additional services in the group. Anyone with a computer network is in our target audience."
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