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30 years of Cobus

With his company Cobus Communications having recently celebrated 30 years of being in business, Michael Smith spoke to Rick Lyon about the key to success, coping with the impact of Covid, and what the future holdsTalking with Michael Smith in the boardroom at Cobus Communications’ headquarters in Hull, it’s clear he has a lot of time for people.As the owner of the telecoms firm, which recently celebrated 30 years of being in business, he’s obviously a very busy man, for whom time is precious.But he’s in no rush because he believes giving people time is important, not just in business but in life.“I like spending time with people and I like helping them, if I can,” he says. “I think it’s very important.“In business, we always take the time to talk to our customers to find out if we’re meeting their expectations.&nbsp;“We’re constantly talking and listening to our customers and re-evaluating what we do based on what they tell us.“Giving people your time in business is important but it goes beyond that. We all give our time to help a number of causes outside of work because that’s massive for me and for all of us.“I want to help people and I want the rest of the team here to help people.”Taking the time to really listen to people is one of the traits Michael and his 16-strong team share which he says is crucial to their ongoing success.&nbsp;Michael joined the company in 1991, the year of its inception. He brokered a management buyout from the original owner in 2007 and then, in 2013, bought the company outright.As a fully independent business, with no shareholders or investors, Michael has overseen continued growth ever since.Cobus Communications currently has a regular customer base of 500 businesses a month, along with approximately 200 more who contact the team for a specific job.The key to this success, says Michael, is a simple concept but difficult to achieve.&nbsp;“One of the biggest challenges is to attract, recruit and retain quality staff. That’s what we’ve managed to do over the years,” he says.“Everyone has a defined job and knows what that is, and we have very hard-working people here. I also think honesty is very important and we’re all honest people.”That work ethic is an essential quality for anyone in the Cobus Communications team.“The perception by many people is that we’re a much larger organisation than we actually are, and that’s because of what we deliver,” says Michael.“We’ve built the business with blood, sweat and tears, graft and pain.”That building of the business, which supplies, installs and maintains communications platforms and technology systems for businesses of all sizes and sectors, has seen it grow steadily over the last three decades.Covid could have derailed that growth, as it has for so many businesses, but Cobus Communications has come through the other side stronger than before.“There have been very, very difficult times over the years, including the last 18 months,” says Michael.“It’s been tough but we haven’t had it as bad as some. We’ve traded all the way through and, although we’ve had people on part furlough, we haven’t laid anybody off.&nbsp;“During Covid we’ve actually had a six-fold increase in hosted services. It’s been a massive growth area for us.&nbsp;“We can offer a bespoke solution because we’re independent, which is a great strength we have. We’ve got the choice of providing whatever we want to deliver the best, most compatible, tailor-made solutions for our customers.”Despite his and his business’s success to date, Michael is still highly ambitious and wants to achieve even greater things.&nbsp;It won’t involve him selling Cobus Communications though.“I get letters every month asking me to sell, and I put them in the bin,” he says.“I like being here and I want to be here. I like spending time with the people who work here. I enjoy work and I want other people to enjoy work.&nbsp;“We’re looking to expand and grow, and we could do that through acquisition.“Currently, we are quite a lean team and we’re working on a three-year growth strategy alongside other businesses, which involves us coming together and sharing ideas and experiences.”Key to that strategy and growth is Sales and Marketing Manager Emma Waudby. Michael is proud of his whole team, and is keen to stress the part they all play in the success of Cobus Communications, but he reserves special praise for Emma.“Everybody along the way has played their part in shaping this business, in some way,” says Michael. “Emma really is my sidekick though. She’s definitely earned her stripes after being here for five years and she’s very, very important to what we do.”As Michael says, the time he and his team devote to other people goes beyond the workplace and extends to helping a number of causes.He set up the charitable arm of the company, the Cobus Foundation, in 2010 to ensure a greater focus on supporting local charities, community groups and amateur sports teams across Hull and the surrounding area.Its current nominated charity is Hull4Heroes, which it has supported since 2018 with fundraising activities such as parachute jumps from aeroplanes and parasailing down the city’s K2 building.Cobus Communications has also been a big supporter of Paul for Brain Injury, raising money and awareness through a range of events.Michael, who is Chair of Governors at Francis Askew Primary School, says: “I’m very passionate about making a difference. I want us to be able to help people.&nbsp;“For the size we are, we probably do a disproportionate amount of charity and community work, compared to others.&nbsp;“But it’s a massive part of what we are about. We’ve built our company and are continuing to grow – if we can help others along the way, then that’s even better.”<a href="https://www.thehullstory.com/allarticles/michael-smith-cobus-communications">‘We’ve built the business with blood, sweat and tears - now we’re helping others’ — The Hull Story</a>

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&nbsp;Name:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Mr Michael SmithJob Title:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Managing DirectorCompany Name:&nbsp;Cobus Communications GroupMy Story:…as I approach my 45th birthday and almost 30-years at the Cobus Communications Group, since leaving school in 1991, I take a look back over the years and reflect on the good [what’s worked out well!], the bad [what’s not worked out quite so well], and the ugly [any mistakes that I’ve made along the way!] both in and outside the workplace!I can clearly remember my first day at work – following my first ever job interview at the age of 16; I started a few days later and was thrown in at the deep end! I already had a keen interest and natural flair for anything electronic and although I didn’t yet appreciate the complexities of business I was quietly [well, maybe not so quiet!] confident about the technology of the day and basically anything with a wire hanging out of it. I was thoroughly excited by the prospect of work and even after my first day not finishing until around 8pm I loved it and could not wait to get stuck into the unknown challenges that laid ahead.&nbsp;Having quickly proved myself to be more than capable and knowledgeable regarding the ‘electronic’ elements of the role I was keen to expand on my skill set and learn more about the other areas of the business so that my value and worth would extend beyond that of the electronics trainee/apprentice that I was at the time. Working long hours and weekends was standard – it was a fledgling company and it needed all the help that it could get in order to establish itself, I remember it being tough, challenging, yet rewarding at the same time – I’ve always liked working and getting stuck-in and never had a problem with Monday mornings as I felt lucky that I was doing something that I enjoyed doing, and I even got paid for it!Outside work I was interested in sports and actually did my work experience at a gym, I was considering a career in the forces and had enquired with a friend about the royal marines before ‘this’ opportunity presented itself. My chosen sport was rugby league that back-in-the day was huge in Hull, I played for HKR and enjoyed the professionalism of playing all over the country and some appearances on Sky TV. I was not the best player as I wasn’t naturally talented, but I was committed to being the best that I could be and had good strength, speed, and fitness that earned me my place in the starting 13.&nbsp; &nbsp;As the years progressed I continued to upskill myself in any and all areas that presented themselves and never let an opportunity pass me by, obviously I attended endless technical training courses that enabled me to carry out my primary job role – whilst striving to achieve nothing less than a 100% distinction at all times. In addition I actively pursued further personal development by attending night school/college and day release to become qualified in business development and leadership, finance and accounts, as well as sales and marketing while not loosing focus on my technical abilities and needs.My interest in rugby and fitness in general, along with my increased social elements, did present themselves as a real challenge as I often struggled to make training and sometimes even missed important games due to work commitments. I really struggled with this as I was totally committed to my work and developing career, but I was also committed to my chosen sport and did not want to miss out or let the team down! Unfortunately, I had to learn that sometimes difficult choices had to be made and quite often this meant missing rugby for work.What initially started off with just the proprietor, supervisor, and myself, had now grown to a capable size and with a positive work ethos, grit and determination, we’d established a decent reputation, customer base, and credibility of a small but more than capable communications company. Over the years I became embedded in all aspects of the business and in 2007 I brokered a management buyout that resulted in me becoming a director and shareholder with the founding proprietor retiring. Fast forward to December 2013 and I completed a total share acquisition to become the sole shareholder and managing director. What followed was compounded year-on-year growth across all departments and business sectors resulting in a strengthened balance sheet and increases in gross profit as well as bottom-line net profit.I’ve learned a lot of skills, and picked up a lot of knowledge over the years, and I’m a strong believer in that there is no substitute for experience but that it still needs to be balanced against academic qualification/formal training. Have I made mistakes along the way? of course I have, but like most, I just don’t like to admit it – but I can say that I strive for excellence and that ‘trainee or MD’ I’ve always judged myself against myself in that if I don’t gain a 100% pass rate I judge me against me, not others. One of the most difficult things in business is that you need to accept, more than accept - you need to embrace, is change because the only constant in life/business is change! You need to assess/plan/do/review and ensure that you are continually aware of the potential changes and other factors that could affect the business performance from an operational and/or financial perspective, ideally reacting before it happens as delays can often mean that it’s then too late to mitigate losses.Once I felt that the business had reached a level of financial security I found myself spending time on other projects such as my charity and community work as I felt both a degree of obligation and a feeling of reward from helping others. I set-up the Cobus Foundation in 2010 and find the support provided to others returns a great feeling of self-worth as its good to give something back to others that have experienced real difficulties and challenges in life and need a helping hand – for the past few years the Foundation has supported Hull4Heroes, amongst others, that help support veterans adjust to civilian life. As a Chair of governors at a local primary school for the past 10 years I’m tasked with providing support via constructive challenge to make sure that the school are accountable and that the children, from all backgrounds and abilities, are given the best possible start in life and the ability to achieve their dreams – and quite possibly become the business leaders of tomorrow.Unfortunately, I often see the youth of today, that I was once - and it really does not seem that long ago, quit far too early in their endeavours of achievement. Unless you have received a significant ‘leg-up’ then it’s going to take a degree of hard work and some personal sacrifice to achieve something that is a bit better than the average. Life doesn’t simply owe anything to anybody – if you want that bit more then you’re going to need to roll up those sleeves and be willing to give more, do that and I promise that over time efforts will be rewarded, as mine were.&nbsp;Be willing to work hard, be disciplined, be patient, be honest with others and yourself, be firm but fair, and remember to give something back …do these things and you’ll give yourself the best possible chance to succeed in work and in life! …good luck.&nbsp;Yours sincerelyMichael SmithManaging DirectorCobus Communications Group

Letter to my younger self

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VoIP is changing the way many businesses use their telephone services and is now highly recognized for the additional benefits that’s offered.Delivering real cost savings, flexible options, ease of installation, and instant scalability, the service is quickly becoming the norm as the traditional ISDN Network providers [KCOM/BT/Others] are already working towards an accelerated and planned phase-out by early 2027.Choosing a VoIP/Hosted provider may initially seem like an easy decision to make as there’s a vast array of available providers, with many offering what seems to be too-good-to-be-true offers, so beware! There are several key factors to take into consideration before jumping-in and moving your communications services over to VoIP.An essential aspect when choosing any phone provider is the quality of the service. VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol meaning your calls are made over an internet connection rather than the traditional digital and copper lines, so reliable connectivity and voice optimisation is a must! Call quality and resilience can be just one of the consequences when opting for a cheaper, less reliable service so it is imperative that you choose a well-established and experienced telephony company as your communications provider, who can then guide you through all your available options.There are basic voice services available, but in a world where we are fast becoming a digital-first world, there are a plethora of comprehensive features to choose from so you can increase productivity and efficiencies and work collaboratively. Features such as video conferencing, call recording and presence are becoming an expectation or if it’s a more basic set-up, hunt groups, auto attendant, call forwarding, and voicemail are often the minimum.Thanks to smartphones, tablets, and laptops, the ability to work flexibly, remotely or hot desking is more important than ever so with a VoIP solution you can create a bespoke telephone system solution that works much better for your business.Whilst the concept of VoIP is relatively easy to implement, choosing a well-known, experienced telephony company to advise you on the best solution will ensure you get the best out of your chosen telephone system. Here at Cobus our fully qualified and experienced teams offer a consultative approach to providing the right solution to every customer from single business users to SMEs and large multi-national organisations. And with prices starting from as little as £9.99 per user per month, don’t delay in finding out how VoIP can work smarter for your business.Cobus MD and telephony guru, Michael Smith's thoughts about the ever-changing technology and communications landscape: “After over 33-years in the industry I’ve seen just about all there is to see regarding the history, new technological advances, latest buzz words and industry lead trends” …but the advances in provision and rollout of high quality, high bandwidth connectivity has been a game changer in the accelerated growth of VoIP/Hosted tech, it’s not for everyone but it’s now a proven and viable product” …Contact one of my team and let them work with you to recommend the right solution for your business needs, you’ll be glad you did!”Contact the Cobus team today on (01482) 225666.

Choosing a VoIP provider

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We are thrilled to announce our continued sponsorship as a Platinum Partner for the Hull &amp; East Yorkshire Powerchair Football Club (HEY PFC). This partnership reflects our commitment to supporting local sports in our community.HEY PFC is a remarkable team that embodies the spirit of determination and teamwork. Powerchair football offers individuals with physical disabilities the chance to engage in competitive sports, and the dedication shown by the players and coaching staff is truly inspiring. The team has consistently pushed boundaries, and we are proud to contribute to their journey.We look forward to seeing HEY PFC continue to grow and achieve new heights in the world of powerchair football. We are proud to be part of their journey and excited to support a team that makes such a positive impact on the lives of its players and the wider community. Our commitment to this partnership remains strong, and we are eager to witness all the success that lies ahead for Hull &amp; East Yorkshire Powerchair Football Club.Cobus MD, Michael Smith presented the team with their new training wear during a recent visit to a training session at The Allam Sports Centre, Hull University.

Continued Support for Hull & East Yorkshire PFC

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