BJSS is one of the most well-established companies in Leeds, and over the years has grown to be an extremely influential player in the City’s tech scene. We spoke to Mike Buck, Head of Delivery with BJSS, to find out more about what this IT and Business consultancy has been up to and what its plans are for the future.
“Leeds is a thriving digital city,” said Mike when we met him. It’s an area he’s well-placed to comment on because BJSS has delivered some of the UK’s largest and most important IT systems and digital innovations.
The company, which was established in 1993, is one of the largest technology employers in Leeds. BJSS is an IT and business consultancy where staff members like Mike focus on a wide range of different areas surrounding digital trends and emerging technologies.
“BJSS works with large household names across various industry sectors,” Mike said. “We work closely with our clients, helping them with some really cool contemporary stuff – everything from initial discovery, and service design, to physically delivering, running and managing their software.”
An organisation like this has to stay on top of the newest and most exciting developments the sector has to offer. One that Mike wanted to highlight is the work the company is doing surrounding AI and chatbots.
“These aren’t just the kind in the ‘chat with us now’ buttons that you see on a website, and ask you simple questions”, he said. “The chatbots that BJSS is working on are really quite advanced. They are based on machine learning and artificial intelligence, and they interface to the various services you need. We see a lot of potential there.”
This, Mike believes, is a beneficial route for companies to go down. “There are lots and lots of opportunities for our clients in the medical sector, in the financial services sector, in commodities; in fact, everywhere. It’s a genuinely good way of engaging with consumers and giving them what they need.”
As part of its leading position in the City’s tech scene, BJSS is one of the top sponsors of the Leeds Digital Festival. The company operates across the UK and is growing its presence in the USA, but Leeds is where it was founded 26 years ago, and the City is home to BJSS’ largest Delivery Centre.
“I’m really proud of where I live and I want to put it on the map,” said Mike. “We’re really proud of our heritage, too, and we want to make sure everybody else understands that. Leeds is a great city, and I’m really, really keen personally to make sure everybody else knows that.”
Mike also thinks that the City’s thriving digital scene is set to become even stronger. “You can see that in the Digital Festival itself,” he explains. “I think one of the core strengths of Leeds is its collaboration. It’s great that as part of the Digital Festival we can work with other leading organisations to showcase the digital expertise that exists here. That’s why Leeds Digital Festival is so beneficial – it drives many tech events that are hosted by communities and organisations across Leeds. Certainly, organisations like BJSS would struggle to do anything on this scale by itself.”
It’s clear BJSS is a big backer of digital in Leeds, and with the company’s support, the tech scene looks set to become even bigger and better than it is now.
To find out more about some of the great work BJSS are doing, visit their website.
You can see details of the full programme of Leeds Digital Festival events here.
