‘High quality’ should always be the minimum expectation for a customer of OxTS – and we are relentless in our mission to ensure this is a perception held across our industries. We provide much of our information and support online, via our main website, support website, and webinars for example. OxTS’ IT Manager, Doug Pinnegar, is responsible for keeping the company online. Here he shares a ‘day in his life’:
1. How long have you worked at OxTS, and have you experienced many changes during your time with the Company?
I have been working at OxTS for just over 4 years now and in that time we’ve moved from a single site to 4 separate sites across the UK, US, and China as well as a huge growth in headcount. So, the scenery has changed quite a bit, but the positive people and culture remain the same.
2. What’s a ‘typical’ day at work for you, as OxTS’ IT Manager?
The joy of working in IT is that people will break things in new and creative ways each time, so there is often variety! I act as the bridge between the business and the IT service provider so its rare for a day to pass without working with the external team on projects or issue resolution. I also look after all of our offices so there can often be a requirement to work with landlords or maintenance teams to ensure everything is running smoothly.
3. What’s a work-related accomplishment that you’re really proud of?
When I joined OxTS we had just signed a lease for our new head office in the UK. My first project very quickly became getting the facilities ready for occupation and a full migration from a traditional telephone system to a unified communications platform all before the move date. The work done four years ago actually set us up to make the swift transition to remote working in March 2020 effortless. When I’m assessing new technology or systems, I joke that one of my criteria is ‘will this enable me to do my job from a sunny beach somewhere’ – that thinking pays off in this, much more mobile, world!
4. What’s the most challenging thing about being OxTS’ IT Manager, and how do you manage this?
In the IT world the standard answer to this should be IT being viewed simply as ‘a cost’ to the business. OxTS is completely different, the leadership team see the value that technology can bring to the business and are happy to support new and exciting technology projects that can support the business plan and on-going vision of the company.
5. What’s the best thing about being part of the OxTS team?
At OxTS, you’re working for a company that cares about doing the right thing, for both it’s staff and customers. I’m lucky enough to see this attitude across all the areas I work in. For example, I’ve been part of the OxTS Mental Health First-Aider team for a year now, and this means I’m one of the people that OxTS employees can call on at any time if they just want coffee and a chat – albeit virtually at the moment.
6. What are you most looking forward to in the year ahead at OxTS?
We’ve got some exciting projects signed off in the business plan surrounding some technology platforms. OxTS invest substantially in R&D, to continually evolve the OxTS products, and customers can look forward to some great launches this year. We’ve recently launched the xNAV650, our smallest INS yet. Combining cutting edge MEMS IMU sensors with survey-grade GNSS receivers, it may be small, but it provides performance with confidence. We’re also testing improvements to NAVdisplay; part of the OxTS NAVsuite complimentary software we include with all OxTS products. I’d recommend subscribing to the newsletter and/or checking our social media regularly to be first to hear what’s new.
