“Sorry, you’re not getting in tonight mate”
Formed just over a year ago, in November 2022, Zappie are a Southampton-based telecommunications company that’s making a serious splash.
With 24 employees already on their books, with plans to grow to 32 by the end of the quarter, Zappie have built a customer base of 200+ customers. Their growth has been astronomical and they currently sit as the fastest-growing telecoms brand in the UK.
But where did it all start?
To answer that, we have to jump back to the nightclub doors of Southampton where a friendship was forming between two bouncers.
Jamie Pidgley and Mike Connolly met in 2016 whilst working for the same security firm, and both forging a career in telecoms. Mike had an excellent career behind him in sales and would later start his own telecoms company.
Jamie had taken a telecoms engineer apprenticeship out of school and was dedicating himself to the trade. Determined to propel himself forward in his career, Jamie rose quickly and soon became the youngest-ever Director at a growing Southampton telecoms company.
In 2022, Jamie and Mike decided to take the leap. Zappie was formed and the rest, as they say, is history.
With Jamie’s business acumen and Mike’s sales expertise, Zappie quickly established itself as a force to be reckoned with in the telecoms industry. From Jamie’s kitchen table to a formidable player in Southampton’s tech scene, the journey is a testament to the power of ambition and hard work.
Join us as we sit down with Jamie, unravelling the secrets behind Zappie’s success and gaining insights into the mind of the Rising Star business leader of 2024.
Jamie, congratulations on being named the Rising Star businessperson of 2024 by Business Awards UK! How does it feel to receive such recognition at the age of 24?
Thanks a lot! It’s honestly surreal. Mike and I started Zappie with a rough plan on how we’d like thing to go. What came next could never have been expected and it’s incredible to see the hard work and achievements recognised.
Going from a startup to a disruptor in the telecoms sector is no small feat. What's the secret behind Zappie's success?
I think it boils down to a combination of service, hard work, and an amazing team.
Our focus is on continuously improving our service and delivering beyond expectations.
The telecoms industry has faced criticism before and rightly so. There’s a lot of sharks out there who screw over their customers in preference for profit. We were determined to be different and put customers first.
Our brand identity is built on service and our team is a big part of that. From the operations department to sales to marketing to finance, we’ve recruited incredibly well. Everyone pulls in the same direction and we’ve got so much hungry talent in the office.
We’ve brought people in who have experience and an appetite to learn, which makes things easy when it comes to buy-in. It’s a really motivated environment, with everyone sharing the same goal of delivering for our customers.
How would you describe Zappie to those who haven’t heard of you?
So Zappie is a telecommunications brand in Southampton. Our core product offering is telephone systems and superfast business broadband.
In terms of our products, we only provide the best. We’re dedicated to keeping customers at the forefront of innovation by providing the very latest communication technology. From Elon Musk’s Starlink broadband router, to telephone systems that come with all the bells and whistles that you’ll ever need.
Zappie is a brand that strives for excellence in everything we do. We are a fun dynamic team that provide a service that goes beyond expectations.
For example, we have a 14 minute resolution time and policy in the office that we won’t let the phone ring more than 4 times. I’ve tested that policy recently when I’ve been in sales demonstrations and the guys in the office haven’t let me down yet!
Our service is reflected in our reviews and we’re proud to say that we have 5 stars on both Google Reviews and TrustPilot.
The growth we’ve seen is amazing but we’re really committed to our customers and ensuring their communications are as seamless as possible.
What's next for Zappie? Any exciting plans for the future?
Absolutely! We’re aiming to expand our services and reach new markets in 2024.
We’ve got plans to be a team of 32 by the end of Q1 and we’re moving into an incredible new office in the centre of Southampton. That’ll be in March sometime and then we want to expand even further by opening a Manchester office in the back-end of the year.
We’re heading to the Evening Standard SME expo as well which will be a fantastic opportunity to meet likeminded business people.
For the team, we’ve got a really cool incentive planned for late March. The entire team has an opportunity to go to Iceland to see the Northern Lights!
It’s something I’ve never done before and I’m really excited as are the team!
Lastly, any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, especially those in the telecoms industry?
Stay curious, be adaptable, and surround yourself with a fantastic team. The telecoms industry is evolving rapidly, so staying ahead requires a combination of knowledge, innovation, and a bit of daring. Believe in your vision, work hard, and don’t be afraid to take risks.
