An interview with the Managing Director of 01T, hosted by Simon Mewett from TECHNEDs.

We sat down with Alex, to find out about his journey with 01T.

AL: At 01T we are frustrated at the way things are done now and powered by a belief they can be done better.

The telecommunications industry has for years been dominated by monolithic organisations that work on the basis that customers have to work with them, rather than working to make them want to. This approach has led to the industry having one of the worst average NPS ratings.

01T operate an agile business model with a culture based around precision, care and collaboration:

Precision – we are accurate, with an unrelenting focus on attention to detail.

Care – we take a genuine interest in the needs and requirements of others, applying empathy to our decisions and actions.

Collaboration – one of our customers recently stated that 01T ‘are like an extension of our internal team’. We work with our customers and suppliers as true partners, ensuring the best possible outcome.
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SM: So, did you do you know what profession you would like to go into when you were at college or university?

AL: I studied Economics at the University of Bath, but always had a passion for technology. I never liked the idea of working for a large corporation, so was hoping that my studies could be applied to helping me setup my own business one day.

It turned out that much of my first year was a repeat of the topics covered during my A-Levels, primarily the theory and history of Economics, which really didn’t interest me! I therefore put my spare time to good use and took up a part time job supporting a local telecoms business in Dorset. I’d been exposed to technology and specifically telecommunications for much of my childhood as this was the industry my father worked in. The work experience couldn’t have come at a better time. Hosted Telephony was just beginning to emerge, a new technology allowing multiple sites to communicate as one by leveraging a highly available cloud-based system. A telecommunications revolution was about to begin, and I wanted to be a part of it.

Shortly after starting my second year I decided to leave my studies and setup 01T!

SM: What’s the most valuable lesson that you’ve learned from your time at 01T?

AL: Surround yourself with exceptional people.

01T is a customer focused technology business. We compete with some of the largest, most innovative corporates in the world. In order to maintain a competitive edge, whether that be through technological innovation or customer service, we need to maintain a drive and passion for what we do. In my time at 01T I’ve had the pleasure of working with some truly exceptional people that have pushed both myself and 01T every step of the way.

SM: Which professional accomplishment are you most proud of?

AL: Adapting 01T to the ever-changing technological landscape.

Technology is constantly changing. 01T started out life as a specialist hosted telephony provider, working with local SMEs to transform their office communications – today, we are a global network operator, with a core network (GNX) powering some of the world’s leading content providers. Just last year, the Champions League final was broadcast over our network! This would not have been possible if we weren’t able to evolve the business over the years to keep up with market changes and to meet the demanding needs our of customers.

SM: Away from work, what causes or what things are you passionate about?

AL: Simply put – sports and tech! I’m always one for efficiency, so a passion of mine that combines the two, and makes the ultimate winning combination, is F1!