Intrinsic hires Didata big gun to verticalise business

Managed service provider says transition will not be easy for its sales staff but will yield 'far greater returns'

Intrinsic Technology has poached Dimension Data sales director John Iandolo to help rejig its salesforce along vertical lines.

The managed services specialist is poised to launch a new-look go-to-market strategy at the start of its fiscal 2014 beginning December that will see its salesforce refocused on specific verticals, beginning with healthcare, local government and professional services.

Iandolo will oversee the transition having joined Intrinsic on a four-month contract. He was previously UK sales director at giant network integrator Didata, before that working at Affiniti.

Intrinsic chief executive Adam Jarvis conceded the change would not be easy for its 30 or so sales staff but would ultimately produce "far greater returns" for the Merseyside-based Cisco, Avaya and Citrix partner.

"This will lead to longer sales cycles but bigger sales cycles with more value in them," he said.

"John has come from a far larger, more mature organisation and has expertise in development of sales teams, which is one of the reasons we asked him to join."

Shadow healthcare secretary Andy Burnham (pictured with Jarvis) this week opened Intrinsic's new office in Haydock, which is 50 per cent larger than the firm's previous two sites combined and sees all staff united under one roof. It also features Intrinsic's first demonstration facilities.

The Labour MP's appearance was partly in recognition that healthcare will form one of Intrinsic's core verticals under its new go-to-market strategy, Jarvis said. While the firm already counts 40 to 50 NHS trusts among its clients, Jarvis admitted its healthcare proposition has been "relatively unsophisticated" and generic, and more about supplying infrastructure than helping the NHS improve frontline services.

Iandolo will look at how to develop Intrinsic's sales methodology and technology offering in healthcare, as well as other verticals.

"IT decisions were previously being made at the IT or finance director level and were about improving staff productivity," Jarvis explained. "We feel that has changed. Now IT decisions are now more about business outturn; for instance, ‘how can I deliver better bedside care through use of IT?' Decisions are being made at the board level and we have to change the way we talk to people."

Intrinsic's transition will not happen overnight, and some geographical sales resources - including in Scotland - will be retained, Jarvis emphasised.

"We are taking an evolutionary approach," he said.

Intrinsic has a long-term aim to grow to £100m revenue and Jarvis - who took the reins last summer - said the firm remains "vigilant but not aggressive" in its pursuit of acquisition targets.

"We are evaluating opportunities at about one a month. The commitment is absolutely still there to make acquisitions," he said.