We’ve come a long way since 1987!
a proven track record
We’ve come a long way since 1987!
The name Quiet Storm could have been subliminaly influenced by the Sade song ‘Sweetest Taboo’ released in 1985, but wherever it came from, people liked it and it stuck. It’s hard to imagine a time when mobile phones had to be powered by a car battery and there was no business internet or email. Today our business is primarily focused on creating clever websites, business management tools and engagement activities – but our journey has involved some incredible people, brands and adventures, see for yourself!
Operating as a sole trader and working from a rented studio above a screen printers in Coalville, our clients were a mix of advertising agencies, PR companies, printers, and training organisations. We provided them with graphic design, artwork, and numerous creative solutions for marketing, employee communications, and training applications. Our reputation grew by ‘word of mouth’ as we developed a reputation for doing what others could not.
In our first two years our client base grew rapidly on recommendations and transitioned from agencies to direct contracts. We now worked with multiple household brands and sector leading companies like Christian Salvesen plc, Wilko Stores, Hotpoint and Xpelair amongst others. The business soon out-grew our rented studio, and in order to expand, we purchased premises at Ashby de la Zouch. With more space we were able to invested heavily in the latest digital technology. The next decade gave us a real commercial advantage – as we controlled everything from concept designs to digital artwork, Photoshop reprographics, film separations and industry standard colour proofing. This meant we had absolute creative freedom and total control over the timescales to deliver any projects we took on.
The year 1994 marked a pivotal moment in the history of the internet, as it was a time when the World Wide Web was just beginning to gain traction and reach a wider audience. While it had been around for several decades, it was primarily used by researchers, academics and government institutions. Accessed via dial-up modems and websites, the internet in 1994 was largely text-based and became available for organisations outside education. 1994 was declared the ‘Year of the Web’ and the first international World Wide Web conference was held at CERN in May. It was the year the BBC’s first website went online and Jeff Bezos launched Amazon.com – initially selling books online.
By 1995 websites were big news, but as very few people could access the internet in the UK, nobody really knew what they were for. As we were recognised as pioneers in the new field of ‘digital creative’ by those we worked with – the more visionary clients asked if we could build a website. At a time when organisations were trying to decide if a website was an IT or marketing responsibility, we worked colaboratively to help several clients develop their online presence in very basic HTML. (On the 27th April 1995 WHSmith took the UK’s first secure online order – a little known fact!)
Bass were expanding with European brands like Grolsch, Staropramen and Hooch Alcoholic Lemon Brew. This is because they had signed licensing agreements which meant these brands were all now being produced by Bass at their Cape Hill, Birmingham facility for the UK market. Due to our investment in the latest digital creative technology, we were able to turn around projects rapidly, which gave us an edge on the competition. As a result we produced the branding and imagery on all the new Grolsch cans, bottles, cluster packaging and bar fonts. We also developed the branding guidelines for multiple other brands within the Bass portfolio.
Many of the companies we worked with had annual conferences and exhibited regularly. They wanted our digital graphics incorporating within how they projected themselves, and to incorporate video into their presentations to deliver more powerful communications. However, many companies operating in the video, exhibitions and events space were slow to adapt to the new ‘digital creative’ age. As a result they found themselves on the backfoot and struggling to compete creatively or deliver within the ever shortening deadlines. As a result we invested in more equipment – and expanded our services to accommodate this growing demand.
Google’s arrival in 1998 revolutionised the internet landscape with its innovative search engine that prioritised relevance and accuracy, transforming the way people accessed and navigated information online. PageRank was created by Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page in 1997 when they were at Stanford University, and the name is a reference to both Larry Page and the term ‘webpage.’ Unlike its predecessors, Google’s PageRank algorithm considered the authority and credibility of websites, providing users with more relevant and trustworthy results.
Many of our larger clients had expressed their preference to work with us as an incorporated limited business. Going ‘Limited’ also enabled the business to allocate shares to key employees helping drive the businesses growth. It was a time of rapid change as more businesses were digitising the way they communicated their products. Whether by converting product directories to CD ROM, launching websites or having videos produced – digital was definitely the way to go! With the approach of a new millenium, it was an exciting era and we continued to grow. The marketing world had finally gone digital and websites were fast becoming the new ‘must have’ communications tool. We employed our first programmer and were able to develop code based sites for the first time.
Flint Managing Director, Carl Barton was so impressed with the work Quiet Storm had done in transitioning their paper based catalogue (affectionately referred to as the brick) into a user friendly CD ROM, he presented Quiet Storm with an award for being a outstanding supplier.
Moveyourpallet.com was the UK’s first ecommerce site ‘selling a service’ – and Quiet Storm created it! Businesses could book and pay for transportation of palletised goods throughout the UK. Even by today’s standards it was complex and ground breaking. Ecommerce sites weren’t commonplace, so it promoted both phone and online payments and had a two tier pricing structure. If you phoned the call centre, an operator processed your order and payment. Because we knew the IP address of the call centre, the invoice generated added an automatic supplement for the ‘telephone assisted’ processing. It also pointed out the savings if booked directly via the website. It was a multi-award winning trailblazer site, and within the next decade moving palletised goods via internet booking became mainstream.
Quiet Storm were appointed to develop a ground breaking communication solution for Worcestershire NHS Trust. It was a challenging project, as the system needed to operate on a ‘Local Area Network’ (LAN). It was hosted on a ‘web-server’ within the NHS Trust’s infrastructure and content would be updated by their IT department on a daily basis. Users would navigate it like a website across a leased line infrastructure connecting the hospitals and supporting offices within the Trust. The result was the bespoke intranet enabled a network of the NHS Trusts’ facilities to remotely collate and access critical information on everything from clinical governance to recording patient mealtime menu selections.
The move to our current Whitwick offices started with the purchase of a car showroom and sales forecourt in March 2000. After £100,000 refit taking nine months, we left our Ashby de la Zouch offices for the festive break December 2000, and started 2001 in our new premises. This move also marked a transformation in the way we worked, with the launch of VISION. Developed in-house, the combined CRM ERP managed companies and contacts digitally, automatically linking them to the relevant jobs. The ERP also gave us a digital platform to record and schedule our work via electronic job bags. VISION enabled us to move fully into the digital world, managing everything from enquiries, quotes, orders, job bags and client archives electronically – providing instant access to current and completed work.
Culina Logistics, owned by Müller, needed a way to share its distribution centre pallet movements to clients using their time sensitive logistics services. Having created their website, we were tasked with creating a client portal which could share the relevant data from their bespoke warehouse management system. Working closely with their IT team, a dashboard was developed to share the inbound and outbound goods on a ‘client by client’ basis in real-time. This was an industry leading development and became a key sales tool for Culina in acquiring new short shelf-life chilled produce clients. This also led on to the development of a bespoke CRM for the UK division of Müller. 2002 was also the year we first registered with the ICO and obtained a Data Protection Registration Certificate.
Global giant LG awarded Quiet Storm two contracts. Contract 1: Design their new showroom (budget £170k). This was awarded as recognition of our commercial creativity and successful track record managing their exhibitions and events for several years. Contract 2: Design an event to re-engage LG with independent retailers across the UK (budget £240k). The independent retailers had felt unsupported by LG, as large ‘electronics discount stores’ sold product for less than they could buy it. Working with the directors, our solution combined the two contracts, it was radical, and practically demonstrated the change in the support LG provided. We developed a special ‘one-off’ discount on bulk purchases resulting in orders exceeding £450k. LG rolled out the model across Europe with great success.
The Rail Delivery Group measures it’s ecommerce sales in £millions and website visits in hundreds of thousands per calendar month. After being recommended to ATOC (now called The Rail Delivery Group) by East Midlands Trains in 2003, we produced the website for Travel Agents. This resulted in the development of a bespoke e-learning, assessment and qualification process for Travel Agents in 2004 – resulting in greater uptake, and turning an overhead into a profit generating activity. In 2005 we were asked to produce their Railcard ecommerce websites. This included the Disabled Persons Railcard, which adheres to the most stringent accessibility requirements. All sites also needed bespoke data integration with RDG’s third-party ‘physical card/App’ suppliers to provide a seamless user journey.
In 2003 Quiet Storm developed and launched a process driven approach to marketing, initially called SatNavMarketing, it was designed to share the recipe for creating highly effective campaigns. The pilot was hugely successful and based upon the feedback, the paper and CD based product was refined, delivered online and renamed Storming® in 2007. The marketing methodology was embedded within the Quiet Storm products and services, and it was nominated for the Wilson Family Business Awards, where it was awarded Highly Commended.
Derbyshire Community Health Services needed a solution to prescribe and manage fitness programmes in collaboration with local sports facilities. The Web Application we produced enabled GP’s to prescribe exercise at a participating leisure facility. The patient could choose the most convenient centre, and the doctor would recommend a suitable activity. The activity, swimming, badminton, etc, was booked as a number of sessions for a specified period, after which the patient would return for an examination to see if the activity had helped. The system enabled the participating centre to mark the participants attendance and score their effort, providing valuable feedback for the return consultation.
Culina Logistics had experienced rapid growth since our initial data integration project back in 2002. This time we would need to integrate several complex proprietary warehouse management systems into a single, easy to view portal. The contract was successfully delivered on time (within a 12 month project plan) and on the agreed £200k budget. It provides multiple data views depending upon user rights. It dynamically generated reports on anything from a client’s eye view of their products within the network, to an operationally segmented view of the whole estate for managers. The project saved millions, as the business could run the incumbent software across its infrastructure and provide an absolutely consistent, user-friendly management, employee and customer view.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) wanted to make the 14th Summer Paralympic Games, hosted in London, a showcase. A part of this plan was to produce a professional website for each participating country. The criteria was the websites needed an easy to use ‘content management system’ (CMS), as each country would be tasked with updating their own content. Quiet Storm were shortlisted, and after several visit’s from the IPC communications team based in Bonn, Germany, – we were awarded the contract. The participating nations Storming® websites were produced and launched throughout 2011. All were live and actively promoted the 14th Summer Games which took place from 29th August to 9th September. The London Games are said to have set the benchmark for all future Paralympic Games.
Born out of a frustration of the media’s obsession with bad news and lack of visibility for local businesses to celebrate their success – Love Business was launched on Valentines Day 2012. It’s now the regions largest business event and the only digital media platform to share positive news for free. Its highly engaged community pulls together the regions business support organisations and connects the audience with a host of local charities to develop CSR opportunities. Love Business is a showcase of Quiet Storms’ organisational skills, ecommerce and ‘web application’ solutions as well as our marketing prowess. It was the UK’s first ecommerce exhibition stand booking and delegate management system – exhibitors can book a stand location, specify options and pay – plus much more.
After being approached to solve their search engine optimisation issues and producing a new website in 2012, RISK challenged us to help streamline their operations. The system involved creating an ecommerce website which promoted and sold their training courses, managed the profitability, delegate communications, tutor allocation and expenses. It also provided agents and corporate partners with a portal where they could book their delegates on account. The resulting site enabled the business to be more sales focused as it released people from administration tasks, whilst at the same time provided the management with a real-time view on profitability.
Dr Jo Helcke is one of the UK’s leading experts on pregnancy fitness and nutrition. To scale her business she needed to deliver her courses online. The challenge was the courses were tailored to the individuals pre and post natal status and needed to be delivered by video. Quiet Storm developed an ecommerce website which enabled the user to select their pregnancy and post natal status. It then delivered the appropriate remote video exercises weekly – keeping them in tune with the clients pre and post natal needs. The videos were security protected, so they could not be shared, ensuring only those paying could access them.
In late 2017 Davidsons Group commissioned Quiet Storm to develop operational software which optimised and digitised their processes across a number of areas. The project involved several deliverables which were embedded within the operations of site managers, sales managers and the management team. The result was a bespoke cloud based web application which measurably improved their quality standards, optimised build schedules and provided real-time operational visibility. As a result we were presented with their ‘Consultant of the Year’ award at ‘The Best of Davidsons Awards’ – the home builders annual event to recognise and reward suppliers who have gone above and beyond.
RISK Health & Safety Training Limited, entered their ecommerce website and ERP into the East Midlands Chamber Business Awards. Managing Director, Mike Adams MBE, says the work by Quiet Storm on their website strategy and digitisation of their training business transformed the company.
The pandemic catapulted elearning from niche to necessity and elearning platforms boomed. However, the subscription-based elearning LMS options resulted in operational frustrations. Recurring costs, hidden fees, vendor lock-in, limited customisation, control over data security measures and compliance with regulations like GDPR. These were the key issues highlighted by clients wanting seamless integration between their internal systems and their LMS. Quiet Storm developed a fully customisable LMS offered with a perpetual license and no hidden fees. It has enabled organisations like AIM Qualifications and Assessment Group to sell their elearning courses globally. Other clients simply have everything available within a single login, as their LMS now fully integrates with existing systems.
Vision247 is Quiet Storms’ cloud based ERP. It’s an integrated enquiry to invoice, no-code workflow, business management system. It’s a scalable solution, and at entry level it combines sales pipeline functionality with a GDPR compliance framework and CRM. It is fully customisable, integrates with XERO accounts and any other software with an API. It provides the perfect foundation for bespoke web applications as they can be integrated within the framework of the software.
Breaking from the tradition, the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust presented Quiet Storm with an OSCA. The annual event is to recognise the achievements of staff and volunteers – Quiet Storm are the first and only supplier to be awarded an OSCA. We helped the NHS Trust create the initial branding and event format for the OSCAs awards ceremony back in 2008 – and have helped them manage the event since then.
Midlands Enterprise Awards, run by SME News, awarded Love Business this prestigious accolade in recognition for our work bringing together thousands of businesses from across the East Midlands region. The Love Business Expo has grown into the biggest and best annual showcase of the regions business success, whilst Love Business News helps businesses, charities and organisations promote their good news and gain valuable exposure for free.
Davidsons VISION receives Natural Entrepreneurship Award for Technical Innovation. VISION is their bespoke cloud based web application which digitised and optimised their business process and communications. The concept of VISION was based around everyone in the business having clear visibility on process, performance and people.
Every client’s challenges are unique. Which is why the first step is understanding you and where you want to be. Our discovery workshops take about 45 minutes and can be by video or over a coffee at our offices.