For more than 6 years I have been a member of the Air Cadets, learning how to fly and shoot with the lifestyle of the RAF. With this knowledge I joined the Royal Air Force with the aspiration of becoming a Helicopter Pilot in either the Chinook or Sea King. In March 2009 I became seriously ill, losing nearly 10kg of weight in just a week, putting me in hospital for a further week. This medical condition meant that I was no longer medically fit to join the RAF or any other Service and I was left to find another way to make a living.

So it was more by luck than judgement that I enrolled at the Telford Zenos IT Academy, after seeing a small advertisement for open days at the bottom of the jobs page in my local paper. I was drawn to the challenge of getting a fistful of IT qualifications in just 5 months, and the lure of the Zenos Trainers saying that it would not be easy was what made me decide I would apply for an interview. I think more than anything Zenos taught me that if you put the effort in to what you’re doing then you will get the desired results and that it is always good to have something to aim towards, having seen what happened to others who didn’t take their opportunity seriously. One of the best aspects of the course was the way in which we practiced doing real support requests and using a basic call logger in our work so that we understood the underlying concepts and got working environment experience before starting a job.

In January 2010 I finished my 5 month course at Zenos learning how to be a desktop support technician and began working for JamesCash.co.uk, providing IT Support in Birmingham.

I applied to work with JamesCash.co.uk whilst I was still at Zenos finishing MCDST. Both James Cash and Richard Tubb of JamesCash.co.uk came to the academy to interview me and others for the job. Before I went in I had visions of RAF style interviews , and I was extremely nervous. By the end of the interview I had calmed down a lot and came away feeling that I had left a good impression. Shortly afterwards I was asked to come down to Dudley to the JamesCash.co.uk office for a trial day to work alongside a technician and watch how things were done. I’m glad to say I was offered the role, and I have been working for over a month now and I am really enjoying myself. Every day is a learning experience and I constantly find myself pulling up on knowledge gained doing the MCDST and CompTIA A+ courses at Zenos. I am hoping to keep the learning constant throughout my career to continually push myself forward and achieve the best I can. I am particularly enjoying the pro-active approach to our support as it means I always have something to do and we don’t have to wait for things to go wrong.

Outside of work I have a keen interest in Cricket and Rugby, and when I can find the time I am a bit of an artist as well. I still miss the military environment of the RAF but I feel much better knowing that I took my second chance and made the best possible fresh start.

Matthew Benson is the subject of CompTIA’s first Career Success Spotlight – check it out!

You could spend a day at Silverstone racing a Ferrari, a day relaxing in a luxury health-spa, enjoy a weekend break for two, or treat yourself with £200 of high-street shopping vouchers.

How does the referral scheme work?

Refer someone to us and, after we meet them, we’ll send you a voucher for £50. If they become a customer of our IT support services, we’ll send you a further £150 in vouchers. The vouchers can be used in a wide range of high street shops or you can exchange them for a variety of experiences and activities.

To see the wide range of potential benefits visit the following website: http://www.capitalbonds.co.uk

What type of referrals are we looking for?

We’re looking for small to medium sized businesses in Birmingham and the West Midlands area. Ideally they’ll use between five and fifty computers, and will be open to a no-obligation meeting with us to discuss their IT support requirements.

What’s the next step?

Simply email the details of the person you’d like to refer to james@jamescash.co.uk and ask them to mention your name when we contact them.

We are looking for a vibrant and energetic individual to join our IT support team. The aim of the role is to proactively maintain our clients’ networks and effectively deal with clients’ support requests.

Our aim is to grow our business through positive word-of-mouth, as a result of providing extraordinary service, and are looking for someone who will contribute strongly in that aspect.

Principle Duties and responsibilities

• Respond to client support requests via email or telephone
• Resolve clients’ requests remotely or in-person at the client site
• Work with team members and third-parties to resolve complex issues
• Respond to proactive monitoring alerts and resolve issues as required
• Manage a list of outstanding tickets and prioritise workload without supervision
• Deal with people at all levels within client organisations
• Occasionally represent the company at business events

What we’re looking for

• A positive attitude is a must
• Good communication skills are essential (writing and telephone)
• Must be comfortable dealing with people at all levels within client organisations
• High level of IT literacy
• Excellent problem-solving and troubleshooting skills
• Ability to prioritise workload and work unsupervised
• Good team player
• Willing to help out in other areas of the business when necessary
• Will go the extra-mile for clients when necessary

Further Information

This is a graduate level position and previous IT support experience is not essential, but may be beneficial.  Full training will be provided.

Starting salary: up to £18k
Additional benefits: Laptop and iPhone
Working hours: 0800-1700 Mon-Fri with 1 hour break per day
Holiday entitlement: 20 days + 8 bank holidays.  A time-bank is in operation to provide some flexibility to working hours

In the first instance, please send a c.v. and covering letter to: jamesATjamescash.co.uk

You can view Richard’s blog here:
http://tubbweb.spaces.live.com/blog

If you like Richard’s blog, you can vote for him here (category 2):
http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2009/11/03/238190/vote-in-the-computer-weekly-it-blog-awards-2009.htm

As a result of our merger with Netlink IT, we’re delighted to welcome Richard and Sharon to the team at JamesCash.co.uk.  Here’s a brief introduction:

Richard Tubb – Operations Director

Since founding Netlink IT in 1999, Richard Tubb has amassed a decade’s worth of experience in providing IT consulting services to small and medium-sized business, charities and educational establishments throughout the UK.

Before starting his own IT consulting firm, Richard built a solid background in IT support at companies including GE Accident Assistance, Ernst & Young, NHS Information Authority and ITnet. A former pupil of Shenley Court School in Birmingham, Richard is also a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer and a Member of the British Computer Society.

Sharon Howard – Office Manager

An Office Manager wears many hats, and Sharon’s diverse experiences and interests will be invaluable in her role at JamesCash.co.uk. Her past positions range from a school governor at Frankley High School to a casework assistant at Forensic Science Service. She is currently a charity trustee with the non-profit Link-Upp Birmingham, where she previously served as vice-chair.

Currently pursuing a degree in Health Studies from the Open University, Sharon also received a University Certificate in Autistic Spectrum Disorders from the University of Birmingham.

The Netlink IT team have relocated to the JamesCash.co.uk offices in Dudley, which have recently been extended.

For more information contact James Cash or Richard Tubb on 01384 880660.

• FREE Web Hosting
• FREE Telephone Advice
• FREE Business Technology Assessment
• FREE Monthly Newsletter

Club membership is open to genuine small businesses (2 to 100 employees), with at least two computers, located in the area shown on the map below:

Terms and conditions apply. Click here for more information.

Since we joined, HTG has been of massive benefit to JamesCash.co.uk and we’ve been able to benefit from the experience of our peers in a variety of ways.  For example, we were able to quickly select Connectwise as the platform on which to run our business, and we have worked closely with other members to get up to speed and obtain a faster initial return on our investment.

A typical meeting goes like this:

Day One

08:00 – 10 Minute Update: Each company presents a ten minute update on the last quarter including a review of the goals that were set at the last meeting. Failure is not an option.

10:30 – Business Plan: Each company presents a one page business plan that was developed in advance of the meeting.

12:00 – Lunch & Learn: This is sponsored by a vendor who will have around an hour to make a presentation to the group.  Vendors play a key role in the funding of HTG and cover the majority of costs.  Vendor sponsors include Connectwise, Zenith Infotech, HP, Sonicwall, Microsoft, Level Platforms and Emerson Power at the Platinum level.

14:00 – Sales Mastery: Each company shares their processes and answers to discussion questions around the area of sales.

15:00 – Employee Benefits: Each company shares a list of their employee benefits and answers to discussion questions.

16:00 – Challenges of a Difficult Economy: An open discussion around the challenges of a difficult economy.  Each company shares information about how they are changing their approach.

17:00 – Meeting closes for the day.

19:00 – Dinner: Sponsored by a vendor who attends and participates in discussion.

21:00 – Work continues in the bar!

Day Two

08:00 – Best Practice Idea Exchange: Each company presents a written best practice idea that has made/saved money involving a new technology, product, vendor or practice.

10:30 – Comparative Bidding: Each company presents a proposal completed before the meeting, based on a given scenario and specification.

12:00 – Lunch & Learn.

13:30 – Managed Services: Each company shares their best practices.

15:15 – Goal setting: Each company sets three goals to be completed by the next meeting.

17:00 – Meeting closes.

It’s easy to see from the agenda how this benefits JamesCash.co.uk.  We’re seeing rapid improvement in the way we operate and that’s in large part down to our involvement in HTG11.

As HTG11 is a new group there are a couple of spaces still open for new members.  If you are another IT company reading this, and you have five or more employees, and you’re interested in participating, please call me on 01384 880660 or email james@jamescash.co.uk.

JamesCash.co.uk recently played an active role throughout the first annual Heartland Tech Group (HTG) Summit in Dallas, Texas. HTG attracts industry thought leaders, experts and peers from across the globe. HTG members recently converged to participate and share knowledge, build on proven best practices and leverage the talents of all members. Built on its mandate of execution and accountability, HTG provides positive interaction throughout the entire technology industry by holding each other accountable to all members’ commitments.

JamesCash.co.uk participates in HTG11, the first group outside of North America, alongside other group members who serve as a peer board of directors. Individual peer groups drill down and focus on overall effectiveness across operations, marketing, sales, finances and overall health of each member. By focusing on industry standards including business planning, process development, financial benchmarking and education, HTG members strive to maintain a competitive advantage over those other service firms that do not participate in peer activities.

“Participation in the HTG Summit benefits our company and our clients by exposing us to leading ideas, technologies and industry peers,“ said James Cash, Managing Director of JamesCash.co.uk Ltd. “We bring back proven ideas we can use immediately and a longer-term plan for greater success in the future. Plus, our peers hold us accountable for achieving our goals.”

Focused on only the best small and midsize technology firms, HTG spans the entire technology ecosystem. By leveraging leading technology manufacturers and vendors who provide sponsorship and interaction with HTG members, members are now equipped with the tools and knowledge to provide an increased level of service in their communities. HTG members are better prepared and understand the importance of positive interaction across all levels of the industry. This includes how disruptive and breakthrough IT solutions will influence their clients with laser-focused training from their peers and leading industry experts.

“HTG member companies benefit from having JamesCash.co.uk join us at our event and participate in our peer groups,” said Scott Scrogin, President of HTG. “Our members have a passionate commitment to change and improve their businesses and their lives. Great technology matters, but we know that relationships and execution matter more.”