DCD Consulting, Loughborough
DCD Consulting is an IT and web consultancy based in Loughborough specialising in offering small businesses and start-ups access to high level IT skills that they would normally not be able to find or afford. Managing Director David Dobson tells us about how the introduction of fibre broadband has opened up a world of opportunities for his business.
What were the challenges?
I work mainly from my home office and on a good day my internet speed was only 0.5 MBps. Just to upload client files or a new website that I’m developing for a customer was incredibly difficult and very frustrating. I had set up a local server to facilitate local web development but the flip side of that was that at some point I had to upload all of that data and I just couldn’t do it. I would literally have to leave the office to drive somewhere with a better connection just to get the job done.
How did you get upgraded?
I’ve been part of a campaign group in Loughborough trying to get faster speeds in the area. It’s fantastic that the Superfast Leicestershire Broadband project got our cabinet updated to fibre. The upgrade process was quite straightforward. I’ve only had fibre broadband a couple of months but it’s already making a difference.
What difference has fibre broadband made?
The main thing is that I don’t need to leave the office to upload content. I can now stream media which is
important for uploading client videos to their websites.
In the past I’d had to participate in online training and seminars from elsewhere but now I can not only
participate from the office but I can also deliver my own webcasts.
What other improvements have you seen?
I have one or two clients who find video conferencing very useful and prefer it to purely telephone
conversations. Using Skype without any drop out of video or audio is a massive plus, it’s almost as good as a face to face meeting. Although my main area of focus for the business is in the East Midlands, I’ve recently been able to complete a project for a client in America. The technology has really opened up new opportunities as I know I can now commit to doing things online quickly and efficiently.
Have you attended any of the Chamber’s eBusiness Club workshops?
I’ve been on around 6 workshops on a variety of subjects from the Social Media Masterclass to a
session on Converting Web Visitors to Sales. I found them very valuable and they have all been free so far. The presenters were good. I was able to ask detailed technical questions and the quality of their response confirmed to me that they know their subjects well. They also knew when to draw on the expertise around the room. As an experienced IT professional I was apprehensive about how much I would get out of the workshops, but I wasn’t disappointed. At least 50% of the course was new content for me and the rest was a useful refresh of my knowledge.
How have you put the learning into practice?
If I want to offer a good service to my clients it’s important to keep myself up to date and learn from
experts in their field. I’m able to provide added value to my services in the confidence that I have the latest information.