Simon Bethel

What were you doing prior to working at the Change Organisation?

That was around 22 and a half years ago now. At the time, I was working in IT security. Before that, I had also worked at Morrisons.

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How has your role changed or evolved since joining?

Originally, I started in sales. Over the years, my role changed multiple times as the company evolved. At one stage, I moved into purchasing and stayed there for around three and a half years before moving back into sales again when they created an entirely new role for me. That role involved supporting sales operations and helping new starters who were coming into the business. At the time, sales was extremely challenging, so the role was designed to help support and develop people coming into the department. Eventually, though, I moved back into sales once again. Looking back, the company has always tried to adapt roles around people's strengths and keep valuable staff within the business.

What elements about your role in particular and the company in general do you enjoy most?

What I enjoy most about my role is the opportunity to work closely with clients, helping them achieve their business goals and seeing the positive impact our solutions can have. I particularly enjoy meeting clients face to face, understanding their challenges, and building genuine, long-term relationships based on trust and mutual success. No two days are ever the same, which keeps the role interesting and rewarding.  From a company perspective, the culture is a huge reason why I'm still here after more than two decades. During that time, we've faced economic downturns and some genuinely challenging periods for both the business and the industry as a whole. What has always stood out is the resilience of the people and the strong sense of teamwork that helped us come through those times together. Having experienced that journey firsthand has created a real sense of loyalty and belief in the company. The business has evolved significantly over the years and, in many ways, this feels like the strongest version of the company we've ever had. We've grown considerably while maintaining a close-knit, supportive culture. The business is forward-thinking, invests in its people, and encourages continuous learning and development. There's also a much better atmosphere today than when I first started, although with more colleagues now, it's a lot harder to get away with blaming someone else when the biscuits disappear!

What factors do you feel differentiate the company from other businesses?

The biggest differentiator is built into the company name itself. We are “The Change Organisation Ltd” aiming to create that change in an industry where many customers can feel like they are a number and not a business partner.  This was evident in the industry back when Graham started it, as businesses grew larger, customers often became just that - another number, and he never wanted this company to operate that way. Even now, despite the company's growth, there's still a huge focus on maintaining relationships and consistency for customers. Customers still have direct points of contact and real relationships with people in the business rather than constantly being passed between departments. Although we now have dedicated customer service teams and support structures, customers are still treated personally rather than transactionally. That's something the company has worked hard to preserve as it has expanded.

What's been the most significant change or development in the business since your time here?

The scale of growth has been enormous. When I first joined, the business was incredibly small. There were no additional brands, very few departments, and the company was heavily focused around HP products. Now, the company operates across multiple brands, departments, and service areas, and the overall scale of the business is completely different from what it was in the early days. The growth over the years has been one of the biggest transformations.

What do you see for the future?

I only see positive things ahead for the company. The foundations are now in place for the business to continue growing significantly, but I think future growth will happen in a much more measured and controlled way. During periods of rapid expansion in the past, the company sometimes had to grow extremely quickly and bring people in fast simply to keep up with demand. I think the business learned a lot from that experience. Now, growth feels more strategic and sustainable, which is probably the best approach long term. Even during difficult periods in the market, the company has always managed to come through challenges successfully, and I don't see any reason why that would change moving forward. Overall, I think the future is very positive, and the business is in the strongest position it's ever been in.

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