Content Guru

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Content Guru Ltd
Company typePrivate limited Company
IndustryTelecommunications
Founded2005; 19 years ago (2005)
FoundersSean Taylor and Martin Taylor
Headquarters,
Area served
The company provides services in approximately 60 countries
ProductsStorm CONTACT
ServicesCloud communications software, cloud contact centre software
Revenue£ 56.7 million (2022)[1]
Number of employees
400 (2022)[2]
ParentRedwood Technologies Group
Websitewww.contentguru.com

Content Guru is a cloud communications provider based in Bracknell, UK.[3] The company provides services in over 60[4] countries[5] through its cloud Contact Centre as a Service solution, storm. These services are provided directly to customers and with partners such as Vodafone, Cinos[6] and Rakuten.[7] Clients include the National Health Service[8] and Serco.[9]

In April 2016, Content Guru received a Queen's Award for Innovation.[10] For work with the National Health Service (NHS), Content Guru has won several awards, including the Crisis Management Innovation of the Year at the IT Europa Awards (2022)[11] and the Best Innovation in Customer Service at the ECCCSA Awards (2021).[12]

History[edit]

Content Guru is made up of a number of wholly-owned subsidiaries of Redwood Technologies Group across North America, Asia-Pacific and Europe.[13] The vast majority of the revenue generated by Redwood Technologies Group comes from the delivery of cloud services, provided and supported by Content Guru.[14]

Content Guru was founded in 2005 and provides cloud-based customer engagement and customer experience services and cloud contact centre products.[15][16][17] The company has offices in the US, Japan, Singapore, the UK, the Netherlands,[18] Germany, Ireland and Italy.

In 2010, storm was used by ComRes on behalf of ITV News to provide live audience polling for the first televised election leaders' debate in the build-up to the UK 2010 General Election.[19]

In 2013, Content Guru co-founded Berkshire Community Foundation (BCF)'s Business Philanthropy Club (BPC), which enables businesses in Berkshire to provide funding for grassroots organisations and projects in their local communities.[20] Content Guru has been a sponsor of the Pride of Bracknell Forest Awards since 2016,[21] along with its parent company Redwood Technologies. Content Guru supports several local and national charities.[22]

In March 2017, the company announced that it would be delivering services to the United States.[23]

In January 2018, a minority stake of Content Guru and its parent company, Redwood Technologies Group, was sold to Scottish Equity Partners in a £25 million cash deal.[24][25][26]

In February 2018, Content Guru announced a partnership with Rakuten Communications to deliver services to Japan.[27]

In 2019, Content Guru became a leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for CCaaS (Contact Centre as a Service), Western Europe.[28][29]

In June 2019, Redwood Technologies Group acquired Weston Digital Technologies for its screen recording and quality monitoring functionality.[30]

In early July 2020 Content Guru announced that its product could integrate with Microsoft Teams.[31]

In July 2020, Content Guru was named as a supplier in Crown Commercial Service's Spark Dynamic Purchasing System.[32]

In November 2020, Content Guru was positioned as a Challenger in the 2020 global Gartner Magic Quadrant for Contact Centre as a Service (CCaaS).[33] In August 2021, Content Guru was positioned as a Challenger in 2021 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Contact Centre as a Service (CCaaS).[34] In August 2022, Content Guru was positioned as a Challenger in the 2022 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Contact Centre as a Service (CCaaS).[35] In August 2023, Content Guru was positioned as a Challenger in the 2022 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Contact Centre as a Service (CCaaS).[36]


In April 2021, Content Guru's parent company Redwood Technologies acquired US-based Potomac Integration and Consulting (PIC).[37]

Controversy[edit]

The company came under fire for its role in the Manchester Arena bombing of May 2017 during which Storm failed to operate. This resulted in those affected by the attack not being able to contact police or emergency services.[38][39]

Vodafone had subcontracted its services out to Content Guru for providing the National Mutual Aid Telephony system. However, when they tried to use it they found an "inability to amend the recorded message and technical difficulties with the server. It took until 0300 GMT on 23 May, four-and-a-half hours after the attack, which took place just after 2230 GMT on 22 May, before a restricted local telephone number was running. "[40]


This suggests there was an inadequate level of knowledge or expertise within Vodafone or its sub-contractor Content Guru."[41]

Vodafone and Content Guru continue their partnership, with Vodafone marketing Content Guru's product under the brand Vodafone Storm.[42]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Redwood Technologies Filing History, Companies House".
  2. ^ "Content Guru Commits to Developing New Talent to Support Global Expansion". ContactCentreWorld. November 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  3. ^ "Stephen K Amos presents Bracknell-based cloud provider with top IT award". 27 November 2015.
  4. ^ "Content Guru". NFIA. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  5. ^ SEP: A leading cloud contact centre and customer engagement solutions provider
  6. ^ "KPN & Content Guru go Dutch with storm".
  7. ^ "News : Rakuten Communications & Content Guru Announce Strategic Partnership". ContactCenterWorld.com. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  8. ^ "NHS 111 takes home top award at UK Cloud Awards 2017".
  9. ^ "Serco-Content Guru Alliance to Offer Contact Center Platform in Public Sector". 9 May 2017.
  10. ^ "Queen's Awards for Enterprise 2016 - Press book" (PDF).
  11. ^ "IT Europa Channel Awards Winners 2022".
  12. ^ "Home".
  13. ^ "REDWOOD TECHNOLOGIES GROUP Ltd - Filing history (Free information from Companies House)".
  14. ^ "REDWOOD TECHNOLOGIES GROUP LTD - Filing history (free information from Companies House), Group of Companies Accounts, p.3". beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  15. ^ "Content Guru Reviews, Ratings, and Features - Gartner 2021".
  16. ^ "Content Guru". 4 February 2019.
  17. ^ "Home". contentguru.com.
  18. ^ "Content Guru".
  19. ^ "Comres And ITV News Deliver First Results Of Leader Debates".
  20. ^ "Berkshire Community Foundation Launches Business Philanthropy Club - Blandy & Blandy Solicitors". www.blandy.co.uk. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  21. ^ "Redwood Supports Annual Pride of Bracknell Forest Award | Comms Business". commsbusiness.co.uk. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  22. ^ "Community and Voluntary". Content Guru. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  23. ^ "Content Guru to storm America on Three Fronts".
  24. ^ "SEP invests in Redwood Technologies Group".
  25. ^ "Berkshire-based Redwood Technologies Group gets £25m". 16 January 2018.
  26. ^ "Scottish Equity Partners has completed a £25m investment in Redwood Technologies Group".
  27. ^ "Rakuten Communications & Content Guru Announce Strategic Partnership".
  28. ^ "Content Guru in Magic Quadrant for Contact Centre as a Service - Contact-Centres.com". Contact-Centres.com. 1 November 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  29. ^ "Who's Leading Gartner's CCaaS Magic Quadrant 2019?". uctoday.com/. 17 October 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  30. ^ Heggie-Collins, Sam (6 June 2019). "Redwood Technologies Group Enhances Quality Monitoring Expertise with Weston Digital Technologies Acquisition Directors Club® News Directors Club® News". Directors Club® News. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  31. ^ "storm Integration with Microsoft Teams". Content Guru. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  32. ^ "Content Guru Named as a Supplier on Crown Commercial Service's Spark Dynamic Purchasing System -". uktechnews.co.uk. 15 July 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  33. ^ "Content Guru Positioned as Challenger for Contact Centre as a Service". Contact-Centres.com. 12 November 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  34. ^ "Content Guru Named in 2021 Magic Quadrant for CCAAS". Contact-Centres.com. 16 August 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  35. ^ "Content Guru Named in 2023 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Contact Center as a Service". finance.yahoo.com. 10 August 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  36. ^ "Content Guru Named in 2023 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Contact Centre as a Service". Contact-Centres.com. 11 August 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  37. ^ "Redwood Technologies bags US consulting firm". comms-dealer.com/. 8 April 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  38. ^ "Manchester Arena attack: National Mutual Aid Telephony system failed". Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  39. ^ "Manchester terror attack: why did the Vodafone telephone line fail?". iNews. 27 March 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  40. ^ "Manchester Arena attack: National Mutual Aid Telephony system failed". 27 March 2018. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  41. ^ "Kerslake_Arena_Review_PROOFED.docx" (PDF). The Kerslake Report: An Independent Review into the Preparedness for, and Emergency Response to, the Manchester Arena Attack on 22nd May 2017: 140. 27 March 2018.
  42. ^ "Vodafone Global Enterprise Storm". 16th of November 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2018.