Small Business Q&A: Pat Keogh from Arema Connect
We are a 24-hour contact centre. For small business it would be to divert the flow for themselves either in office hours or through 24 hours. Arema was originally called Key Answering Systems and then Call Management. We changed the name because the Key Answering Systems was too much of a mouthful. That worked well for us over the past 12 years, but we recently rebranded to Arema Connect. The new brand was brought in mostly because we have evolved massively over the past decade. As well as call answering services, we provide market research, database management and call management.
Yes, well it initially started with one of our clients. We have a UK-based client who wanted a telephone answering service in which we worked with them to provide the best service. At the time they had their email answering service outsourced to another company. However, over time they became dismayed at the service they were getting with that email service. So, they knew the quality of work that we provided in call-answering systems and so suggested that we take over the email service as well. So, from that, the same client asked for live chat, call verification and other services which we now offer to all clients. Our willingness to grow matched our client’s ambitions as well. Over time, Call Management as a name became obsolete and we needed something fresh and new. The name Arema, itself, doesn’t necessarily mean anything but it provides the basis of an easy-to- remember name that doesn’t get lost in translation when we deal with clients and customers from Ireland, the UK, the US, France, and Australia.
Well, the most recent large client that we got was based in London. They do property management in the London, Belfast and Edinburgh areas. They specifically chose an Irish contact centre for their answering services. They wanted an Irish accent because they felt that it was reassuring. They deal with premium clients who pay a lot for their services, so in turn they wanted to offer their clients assurance and accessibility in return. So they chose us based on our ability to provide all of what they were looking for. So I would say that UK clients, in particular, find that the Irish connection gives people a measure of calm and belief that their query is being dealt with.
Our focus over the next few years will be on the international market. We already have clients from several countries and continents, so our push in the coming years will be to gain more ground in this area. We have 45 staff here, at the moment, and I’d hope we’ll at least double that over the next two years. I doubt we’ll go higher than that in the short-term as it is very difficult to integrate new staff into what we do and how we do it.
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