Richard’s smart move reaping rich rewards

AN entrepreneur from Oldham is enjoying the surge in the popularity of Smartphones, which has led to the expansion of his digital marketing agency Tecmark.

Oldham-born Richard Heyes, (38), set up Tecmark in 2008 with business partner Kevin Jones and the company is experiencing huge growth in demand for its mobile application technology (apps) from clients in the North-West and across the UK.

Based in Manchester city centre, Tecmark has seen turnover almost double in the last 12 months.

Specialising in the design, development and delivery of apps, specifically for iPhone, iPad and Android Smartphones, the business also offers bespoke Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) services.

Since the end of 2009, apps have become more and more popular due to the number of people using Smartphones and Mr Heyes, raised in the Alt Lane area in the early 1970s before settling in Royton, and Mr Jones recognised a gap in the UK market and expanded out into app development.

“Ofcom research shows that the usage of Smartphones is up by 81 per cent from 7.2 million users in May, 2009 to a massive 12.8 million in May, 2010. In June, 2010, over a quarter of people in the UK said they had a Smartphone, more than double the number two years previously,” the former Breeze Hill School pupil said.

Around 23 per cent of the UK’s mobile phone users now use their handsets to access the internet. As the uptake in these handsets increases, so too will mobile internet usage, highlighting the growing importance of internet marketing companies such as Tecmark.

To meet this increase in demand, Tecmark has added three new staff to its growing technical team. The new recruits will help drive the company forwards as it continues to expand its apps development and SEO services in the Manchester region and throughout the UK.

The new recruits take the total number of staff to 11.

The number of new clients increased significantly during 2010, with an impressive 85 per cent of existing clients buying additional services and increasing their spend with Tecmark. Turnover currently stands at £750,000 and is forecast to reach £1.2 million by the end of this financial year in March, 2011.

The three recruits will be based in the city centre offices and will spend time in the satellite office in London as the business expands nationally.

Managing director Mr Heyes, who studied Business and Finance at The Oldham College and whose father has had an electrical contracting firm in Oldham since 1972, concluded: “It’s refreshing for our clients to know that we handle everything ourselves and that any questions they have can be dealt with here in the UK in a matter of minutes.

“Our business is growing at a rapid pace as the demand for app development is at an all-time high. We are handling an incredible number of inquiries every month and to meet this demand we have taken on our three new recruits.

“This is such an exciting time in our industry, offering huge potential for creativity and further development.”