PETERBOROUGH-based small business, Spiratronics, has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Nectar Business Small Business Awards 2012. Spiratronics is just weeks away from being told if they will pick up the accolade, which will be judged by a panel of experts including leading businesswoman and star of BBC1’s The Apprentice, Karren Brady.
Chris King, the company’s founder, entered Spiratronics for the Best Use of Technology of the Year Award, a new category for this year’s Nectar Small Business Awards. After proving their worth by creating technology solutions throughout the business to drive efficiency and successfully making it through the rigorous shortlisting process, Spiratronics is in with a chance of winning the top prize of £2,000 cash, 50,000 Nectar points, £500 worth of office supplies to be spent on the business and, of course, the prestigious title. If successful, Chris King will also win a seat at the Nectar Business Small Business Awards roundtable event, hosted by lead judge Karren Brady in September.
Chris started Spiratronics, supplying electronic components to consumers who enjoy building and repairing electronic items, to tap into the largely untargeted consumer market worth £45m+ annually in the UK. The business was initially set up in March 2010 when Christopher converted his garage into a small stock room and started selling products on eBay. The business now sells through multiple sales channels, including Spiratronics’ own ecommerce website.
In order to overcome challenges typically associated with fulfilling a high volume of low value orders, Chris applied technology to every area of the business to increase efficiencies. He created bespoke order processing and inventory management computer systems and technology based solutions, which range from purpose-built, automated pick trolleys, to an end-to-end barcode tracking system that enables same day order shipping and postage savings by sending multiple orders for a single customer out together.
Chris King commented: “The Nectar Business ‘Best use of Technology’ award is the first and only award to have ever appealed to me. The strength of the Nectar Business brand coupled with the credibility of the judging panel would mean that winning would be a huge achievement and endorsement.
“Although the decision to create a bespoke computer system from the ground up was daunting, I believe that the implementation has been creative, resourceful and efficient, from the simple requirement to pick accurately, to the complexity of creating tailored product data sheets to enclose with each order, I feel we have delivered a truly differentiated offer to the 29,000 customers who have purchased from us in our first two years of trading.”
Joining Karren on this year’s Nectar Business Small Business Awards judging panel is Nectar Marketing Director James Frost. James says: “The standard of entries for the Best Use of Technology category in the Nectar Business Small Business Awards was incredibly high, especially taking into consideration that this is a brand new award category. We introduced this award to move beyond online commerce and recognise the innovative businesses that are applying technology solutions to challenges or opportunities. We’re looking for a business that is able to demonstrate how the use of technology has facilitated the company’s success. We wish all the shortlisted candidates, including Spiratronics, the very best of luck.”
For full information on the awards please visit www.nectar-business.com/sba2012