Why the G-Cloud purchasing framework is high on my agenda
Managing director at Fordway, Richard Blanford, explains to Real Business readers why much of his time this month will be spent on submitting for a public sector procurement framework.
Why we need to talk about technical debt as well as financial debt
With ransomware attacks affecting more and more UK organisations, Richard Blanford asks why many owners remain too afraid to accept that their firm’s IT systems may not be up to scratch.
I feel like social media for business is a double-edged sword
As Richard Blanford increases his use of social media for business he’s learnt the benefits of a controversial post and perils of social engineering.
Business messaging – People only “get it” after seven attempts
Not someone who whose natural skills set lends itself to business messaging, Richard Blanford has been canvassing opinion for a new strategy.
Turning vision and values into practical actions – an entrepreneur’s account
A year after his article on developing company vision and values, Richard Blanford explains how they have been distilled into key behaviours that all Fordway staff are asked to exhibit.
Cutting through IT complexity means stepping back
Richard Blanford reflects on IT complexity and why tech infrastructure is like plumbing – it must support the services required in the locations desired.
There’s a lot that businesses can learn from the mentality of cyclists
As Fordway’s Richard Blanford recovers from the Ride London cycling challenge, he considers what he’s learned and what all business people can learn from the Tour de France.
Why the summer holidays are a good time to sell
It may be counter-intuitive but entrepreneur Richard Blanford finds that the summer holidays are a good time to sell – but you have to know products.
How 300 emails a day helps develop our technology roadmap
Despite being immersed in IT every day, Richard Blanford explains why his technology roadmap is heavily influenced by not burying his head in the sand.
Experimenting, failing fast and moving on has worked wonders for me
A surprise accolade confirms Richard Blanford’s view that continued innovation is the way forward, while failing fast is no bad thing if quickly abandoned.
Improving customer focus actually means more business
Every organisation talks about the importance of customer focus, but how do you put this into practice? Richard Blanford and his team at Fordway are seeing results from a series of changes across the organisation.
The business innovation challenge: A case of Perspiration vs. inspiration
An article caused Richard Blanford to reflect on the importance of business innovation and hard work, and why getting your processes right is so vital.