LDC Top 50 2021
Russell Attwood
Founder
Route 101
“We bring together the best technologies under one platform. That’s our secret sauce,” says Russell Attwood. His cloud-based contact centre company, Route 101, helps the likes of Shell and Holland & Barratt to handle high multi-channel contact volumes and offer an exceptional service.
Demand has soared and turnover will rise from £9.5m in 2019 to almost £15m this year. Russell is a serial entrepreneur. “I’ve been running businesses since I was 17,” he says. Russell sold his last business to Capita but this time, he’s in it for the long haul. “My dream is to employ 1,000 people in 10 years,” he adds.
It would be wonderful in 10 years to employ 1,000 people. Nothing would give me greater pleasure.”
Q&A
Tell me about your innovation strategy?
In today’s world, more and more people want to reach out to their provider through different contact channels. Some might want to phone – but don’t want to spend ages waiting – some may want to email or use web-chat, whilst others may want to self-serve. So, our innovation strategy is simple, we match our clients requirements with the capabilities delivered by leading customer service software providers to ensure we can deliver a “friction-less” user experience. Consumer behaviour is ever changing and so we make it our mission to understand what they are looking for from their providers and ensure we can deliver and support it.
What did you want to achieve when you set up this business?
When I sold my last business, I stayed with the new owners for a year. I wanted to experience what it would be like working for a big business. It wasn’t for me. I took my family on a road trip on the West Coast of America and had a lot of time to figure out what I wanted to do next. I realised I wasn’t ready to retire and that I wanted to create a cloud-based version of the business I had just sold. That’s where the name of the business comes from: driving down Route 101, thinking about starting again from scratch.
What are your ambitions for Route 101?
I love leading this business. I love being in control of our direction and destiny and working with a bunch of people that are up for reaching common goals. It would be wonderful in 10 years to employ 1,000 people. Nothing would give me greater pleasure. I’m 51 now. I’m not ready to put my slippers on just yet.
