Please note: This post was written by Highlander prior to their rebrand to FluidOne Business IT - Sheffield.
In a move that has sent a few ripples through the industry, Highlander has been acquired by the FluidOne Group, a leading network connectivity and communications solutions company. This strategic acquisition marked a turning point for both companies as we joined forces to unlock new opportunities, and leverage our respective expertise to drive innovation and growth in the ever-evolving tech landscape.
Combining our strengths
We’ve long been proud to offer our customers quality IT services, specialising in cloud solutions, managed services, and IT infrastructure support. We’ve earned a strong reputation among our clients of all sizes in a huge range of industries. Equally, FluidOne has established itself as a frontrunner in network connectivity and communications, providing reliable and scalable solutions that enable seamless connectivity for businesses.
In joining forces, we’ve created a partnership that combines the best of both worlds. The acquisition opens avenues for offering end-to-end technology solutions, covering not only robust IT services, but also reliable network connectivity and communications infrastructures. Our combination of capabilities cements us as a comprehensive technology partner, equipped to meet the evolving needs of businesses in the digital era.
Expanding our portfolio
One of the immediate benefits of this acquisition is expanding the portfolio of solutions that we offer our customers.
As a result, our clients can expect a more comprehensive range of services to support their digital transformation journeys, from IT infrastructure optimisation and cloud migration to secure connectivity and unified communications such as mobile managed services and IoT (Internet of Things). We’re also deepening our cyber security services in partnership with CSA, who we’ll introduce you to at an event later in the year.
Working with FluidOne Group, we’re better equipped than ever to address the full spectrum of technology requirements.
What’s more, the integration of expertise and resources enables a seamless delivery of our solutions. We can offer a more streamlined experience, with a single point of contact for all technology needs. Our knowledge and experience combined with that of FluidOne will ensure a holistic approach, enabling businesses to achieve greater efficiency, scalability, and competitiveness in an increasingly digital world.
Driving innovation and growth
As technology continues to evolve at an accelerated pace, our acquisition into the FluidOne group helps us deepen our commitment to harnessing innovation. We now have access to a broader talent pool and wider range of resources, helping to facilitate the development of cutting-edge solutions that anticipate and address emerging industry trends.
By pooling our resources and expertise, we’re positioned to explore new avenues of growth, both organically and through our strategic partnerships.
Client-centric approach
We remain committed to delivering exceptional customer service and maintaining strong relationships with our clients, but also recognise that we can only stand by this promise when we are able to assess and measure the experience we deliver.
To this end, both Highlander and FluidOne are utilising Net Promoter Score (NPS) to measure customer satisfaction and identify ways we can improve.
NPS is a widely recognised metric that gauges the loyalty and advocacy of customers towards a company, giving us a systemic approach to gather the valuable insights of our customers, and helping us drive our business further and ensure we keep focused on what our customers need.
Over the last 12 months, we’re proud to have maintained an average NPS in the 80s, while the industry average sits around 40. Through our commitment to understanding and addressing customer needs, we’ll continue to leverage NPS as a valuable tool to foster long-term relationships and deliver exceptional service experiences.
Our culture
We’ve always been committed to doing what we can to give back and support charities and good causes, both close to home and across the UK. We’ve established strong partnerships and are proud to support various charitable organisations across the country.
Working with organisations such as Weston Park Cancer Charity, Support Dogs, Save the Children, Cavendish Cancer Care and Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice we give our time, donate resources, and leverage our extensive networks to raise awareness and support for some remarkable and important causes.
Alongside this, we also work closely with educational institutions, such as Sheffield College, where we work with the next generation of talent at the Highlander Employer Skills Academy. The academy has 20 students on the Highlander higher education ‘Computing for England’ course which we ran for the first time in 2022-23 and we look forward to continuing this into the 2023-24 term. Our commitments in this regard sit at the very heart of our culture, and we’re dedicated to maintaining them.
There’s been a lot of change for us over the last six months following our acquisition, but we’re confident it ensures that we’re able to serve our customers better than ever before. To quote Steve Brown, our MD: “The acquisition of Highlander into the FluidOne Group marks a pivotal moment in both companies’ journeys. The goal of this acquisition is to strengthen our services, broaden our capabilities, and provide an even better experience for our customers. By retaining talent, continuing services, accessing enhanced resources, and leveraging synergies, both companies are committed to ensuring that it’s business as usual in delivering top-quality IT services and solutions to meet the needs of our clients in an ever-changing technological landscape.”
If you want to know more about us, or how this acquisition has extended our ability to help your business, get in touch with us via business@highlanderuk.com.
