Bytes on a roll in 2010

Despite missing an Buying Solutions framework spot, LAR is flying high after celebrating best April 'ever'

Neil Murphy: We are Microsoft's second largest UK reseller

Bytes Technology Group is celebrating its 'best ever' trading month and has slammed rumours that it has shed staff.

Managing director Neil Murphy told CRN the firm celebrated a strong 2009 year end, with turnover at £132m and net profit at £3.8m for the financial year ended 28 February 2010. This is compared to net profit of £3.6m in financial year 2008.

“March was actually our best March ever,” Murphy said. “April was even better - we hit £12m turnover last month compared to £8m last year.”

The firm is also recruiting regularly, particularly as it looks to expand both its dedicated mid-market team and its fast-growing SME team.

“We are looking to recruit for our SME team,” he said. “We have 15 guys at the moment and want to get to 25 by the end of June. We are definitely not getting rid of people, quite the opposite.

“We are now Microsoft’s second-largest UK reseller and sales of Oracle, Symantec and Citrix are extremely strong,” he added.

The firm has also doubled the headcount in its York office to "keep rivals on their toes", said Murphy.

Despite missing out on a place on the recent OGC Buying Solutions framework deal, Bytes is on the verge of signing a partnership with another Microsoft LAR that did win a place on the framework. Murphy was unable to name the LAR at this time.

“We have to keep growing so we are in a strong position when the tendering process for the framework comes around again,” he said. “Partnering with this LAR means we can transact with customers under the framework as we did before.”

He said the company is not ruling out acquisitions and is in a cash-rich position.
“We have been in talks with a couple of companies, but nothing has come of that,” he said. “If something takes our fancy then we will look at it.”