The design side of our business was selected by Virginmedia for a Case Study of how our small business adapted; our newly opened showroom was immediately closed by Government lockdowns and so we had to adapt to an alternative way of operating.
Passionate about providing quality lighting design, Neil Tomkinson was inspired to take his niche knowledge and experience gained working within the industry and go solo. Establishing Lumen Designers in 2015, Neil, now heading up a small team of three, has spent the last eight years working with developers to create bespoke and complex lighting features for a variety of projects. Specialising in solutions for those living with dementia, autism, and epilepsy, Neil’s expertise is invaluable when designing projects that transform quality of life.
The evolving landscape of traditional working environments, paired with the rapid development of digital solutions has allowed Lumen Designers to embrace more remote ways of working. A recent tender saw the team complete all pre-contract documentation remotely and electronically for the first time, an exciting new step for the business. Embracing digital by meeting with clients online, performing large data transactions through file transfer services and using cloud-based tools has cut-out the necessity of long distance travelling, and allowed the team more visibility and control over their business plans.
Whether it’s a small scale residential site, or multi-million pound commercial development, every project can pose a unique set of challenges for Neil and his team. Factors like the darker-skies initiative require careful consideration of the environmental impact of lighting in protected areas, from preserving the well-being of both people and wildlife, to exploring ways in which the project might reduce energy consumption. Extensive planning sessions with developers to meet such requirements demands the team’s ability to communicate quickly and effectively, making a great broadband connection absolutely essential.
With their shift towards digital and working remotely, the success of Lumen Designers operation is more dependent than ever on the speed and reliability of their broadband. Having experienced major connectivity issues with a third party provider in their previous premises, Neil chose Virgin Media’s business broadband for Lumen’s new office space. Already familiar with the capabilities of Virgin Media, having it in place at home, Neil felt confident in choosing the service:
“I looked at the business package and thought it was a no-brainer. We have plenty of bandwidth to operate our communications; Virgin Media’s supply is continuous and reliable.“
Neil Tomkinson, Director
Supported by Virgin Media’s fast and reliable business broadband, Neil is able to run Lumen Designers’ VoIP phone system and cloud hosting seamlessly. And with the business’ essential design software beginning to offer new digital functionality, such as much anticipated online sharing features, their demand for a super fast connection has never been greater. But with Virgin Media’s flexible business broadband packages, Neil knows there will always be a deal to suit his business’ needs.
As a small business, Lumen Designers are certainly ahead of the technology curve, often approached by others within their field for assistance in levelling up their own digital capabilities. What’s more, thanks to the increasingly digitised nature of the industry, the cost of pitching and tendering has been significantly reduced, allowing Lumen Designers to compete with larger industry players. Neil and the team now have even more opportunities to bring their expertise and experience to bear, helping organisations across the country by building better light.
We hope you enjoyed reading about some of the incredible small businesses that we work with. Find out more about Lumen Designers, or explore our business broadband solutions to see how we could help you transform your small business.