Technology solutions used worldwide
Based in the small town of Dunoon on the west coast of Scotland, SAMTEQ develops pioneering technology solutions that are used around the world.
Its 鈥楪enius Family鈥� of management solutions are all about making life easier for customers, helping them streamline their processes, keep on top of reporting requirements, and save time and money 鈥� all at the click of a button.
SAMTEQ is no standard web company. It provides smart web technology solutions for businesses around the world, with its flagship product being the Genius Family management systems. The Genius Family make exceptionally complex management systems beautifully simple for the user.
鈥淭he Genius Family is our main focus now,鈥� explains Director Ken Coley. 鈥淲e offer Distillery Genius, Marina Genius and Task Genius, which is a facilities management tool for hotels 鈥� and we do bespoke management systems, too. We still take on some other web technology projects, but they have to need a bit of extra 鈥榗leverness鈥�.鈥�
SAMTEQ鈥檚 impressive founder is Sam Coley, who set up the business in 2009 while he was still at school. The business quickly went from strength to strength 鈥� and Sam soon found himself employing his father, Ken, an IT specialist with over 20 years鈥� industry experience.
鈥淧eople do sometimes think it鈥檚 odd, but Sam has always been very much the boss,鈥� says Ken. 鈥淪am鈥檚 still involved, but he鈥檚 set up another company down in Manchester, so he鈥檚 focusing on that now, and I鈥檓 looking after SAMTEQ.聽
鈥淲hen we first started out, we needed really technical people to develop our solutions. But our key products are up and running now, so it will be a lot easier to find employees with the skills we need. These days, it鈥檚 more about getting people who can promote and support our products, so we鈥檙e looking for smart, enthusiastic people who we can train 鈥� and that鈥檚 much easier to find. In fact, our latest employee just walked through the door to see if we needed anyone. I always think that kind of motivation deserves a chance, so we鈥檙e taking him on for a placement while he鈥檚 at university.鈥�
Argyll is great as we can expand and grow here much more cheaply as rents and rates are lower than in big cities or further down south. It’s a great place to live, with an excellent standard of living – I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.Ken Coley, Director, SAMTEQ
A touch of genius
The driving force behind SAMTEQ鈥檚 Genius Family is simplicity. SAMTEQ takes complicated technology and makes it easy for people to use 鈥� saving businesses time, money and stress.
鈥淲e developed our first-ever Genius system around four or five years ago for Kilchoman Distillery in Islay. Most of the management systems out there are aimed at massive drinks producers, so they鈥檙e no good for smaller companies 鈥� and they cost a fortune. We designed our system for the small and medium-sized distilleries and breweries that are springing up all over the place at the moment.
鈥淭he reporting required for drinks producers is enormous, so the main function of Distillery Genius is to deal with recording alcohol movement for Her Majesty鈥檚 Revenue & Customs (HMRC). It also manages other aspects like stock, invoicing and assets. It basically enables companies who are drowning in paperwork and spreadsheets to manage everything at the click of a button. We鈥檙e installing loads of them all over the UK at the moment.
鈥淲e then went on to develop Marina Genius, which manages things like yachts, berths and invoicing for marinas; and Task Genius, which makes managing facilities management tasks incredibly easy for hotels.
We also have a member management solution, which helps organisations with lots of members manage everything from people and courses to bookings. And we can develop bespoke systems if someone needs something different.鈥�
The Genius Family isn鈥檛 the only product that the company offers.聽
鈥淓verything we do involves web technology, but it has to be a bit different or interesting or complicated,鈥� says Ken. 鈥淲e鈥檝e even worked for the Queen! We developed the interactive stands at Balmoral Castle visitor information centre. One of us goes every year to check the kit and we always make a day of it 鈥� it鈥檚 definitely not work! We鈥檝e also done all the systems for an interactive walk at an outdoor museum in Auchendryne. So we do lots of different things all over the UK 鈥� and beyond.鈥�
SAMTEQ has Genius Family systems deployed all over the world 鈥� from Australia and Majorca to Rotterdam, as well as across the Highlands and Islands.
WORKING TOGETHER IN ARGYLL
"Being located in Argyll is great as we can expand and grow here much more cheaply as rents and rates are lower than in big cities or further down south. It鈥檚 a great place to live, with an excellent standard of living.
"We're in a 麻豆精选 building in Dunoon, it's a great space for us. We share an office with BC Technologies, and we work together a lot, which works well for both of us. " Ken Coley.
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