Insider View
The biggest benefit of joining a group like Constellation Dealer is being able to work with like-minded individuals, sharing ideas and best practices, whilst still operating as an independent business and having the freedom to develop yourself, your colleagues, and as a result, grow the business resulting in increased opportunities and job security for everyone involved.
What led you to pursue a career in the software industry?
My background is technical, but over the years I was recognized as having an aptitude for learning new systems so had frequently been seconded to software projects. As I got involved in more software projects my technical knowledge aged and became less relevant. I found with software there are opportunities to meet more people and have a greater impact on their working lives, introducing positive change and ultimately making their lives easier.
How has your role evolved since joining Constellation Software?
Having started with Ibcos Computers as a Consultant before the acquisition by CSI, in 2012, my role didn’t change a great deal initially, but having then been selected to move into the position of PSG Manager in 2017 I had the opportunity to work with several colleagues in similar positions across the Dealer Group and ultimately the wider Perseus Group of companies. This helped me to progress in my career and to get involved in areas of business I’d never considered before, like being assigned as the Integration Manager when Catalyst Computer Systems was acquired in 2020 and being made the Customer Services Director for Dealer Group UK. A few years later, I was given the opportunity to lead Catalyst Computer Systems as the General Manager.
What was it like moving from Ibcos to Catalyst and stepping into the Managing Director role?
Having been at Ibcos for nearly 16 years it was quite a change to no longer have a daily focus on that business, and of course, a lot of my knowledge centered around Ibcos, its products, and its customers. But as is the Constellation way, I continue to collaborate with colleagues at Ibcos and on occasion still chat with their customers. I had already been working closely with the Catalyst business since the acquisition in 2020, so I knew the team well, but my focus had to change from PSG and Support to the bigger picture. This has been very rewarding and has allowed me to further develop others within Catalyst. We have a great team, and being relatively small, people can get involved in areas of the business that they may have previously not considered possible.
Can you describe a pivotal moment in your career that significantly impacted your professional growth?
Becoming a Software Consultant for Ibcos opened my eyes to the wider world of business; having customers look to me for answers and trusting in not only my product knowledge but also the knowledge of their industry and how I could make positive changes in their business. My confidence grew as a result, and of course, I also learned a lot through being exposed to thousands of people in all different positions, and hundreds of businesses over the 9 years I was a Consultant.
How do you envision the industry evolving in the next five years, and how is Catalyst Computers preparing for those changes?
We saw a huge change through the COVID years with businesses and consumers shifting from office environments and in-person retail to remote working and online shopping, and I see this trend continuing. At Catalyst we are focusing on mobile and Cloud solutions, with people moving away from being tethered to a desk. We want to allow our customers to engage with their own customers in more ways, eCommerce, online payment processing, forecourt, and offsite sales transactions. Our customers customer’s are also wanting to self-serve more, so providing tools for the end customers to be able to book their own service slots, make payments to accounts, or retrieve copy invoices are all being considered.
What qualities do you believe are essential for a successful leader in the dealership industry?
You must know your customers and clearly understand what they are looking for from your product and your business. We can all produce good software, and we have a lot of amazing people in our R&D teams, but good software is not necessarily suitable for the target audience so listening to the customers, understanding their industries, and being able to stay ahead of industry trends is essential. Looking internally, you need to be able to communicate effectively with your team, sharing with them what the business is wanting to achieve in the next quarter, year and even further out. Any leader is only as good as the team they have supporting them, so you must trust them and to have them trust you, you should all be working towards the common goal and wanting to support each other whilst delivering on that goal. Trust is key, if your team doesn’t trust you, and you don’t trust in your team, then you will not succeed.
What’s the biggest benefit of joining a group of companies like Constellation Dealer Group in your mind?
The biggest benefit of joining a group like Constellation Dealer is being able to work with like-minded individuals, sharing ideas and best practices, whilst still operating as an independent business and having the freedom to develop yourself, your colleagues, and as a result, grow the business resulting in increased opportunities and job security for everyone involved.
What advice would you give to a software business owner in the dealer industry who is thinking about selling their company?
Understand any potential buyers, thoroughly investigate them, and how they manage other businesses they have acquired before. Talk to other business owners who have gone through the same process, or staff who are still with the business following their acquisition, and then gauge from them how you and your staff would be impacted by the acquisition, and what the future would hold for your product and your customers.
