Ambition
Ambition
Ambition can mean different things at different stages. Early on, it might be about gaining experience and finding your place; later, it becomes more about creating something with purpose and longevity. For me, ambition has always been tied to building a business that delivers real value; to clients, to colleagues, and to the wider community. That mindset has shaped my own career path, the evolution of Hub NI, and how we approach the future of the contact centre industry.
My own journey began when I returned from University to join the family business, the Belfast franchise of Message Pad, which later rebranded as MPL Contact. From the outset, we built a strong reputation for reliability and warmth, qualities synonymous with Northern Ireland’s service-led culture. We became a trusted name locally, working with a wide range of businesses in almost every industry sector who valued responsive communication and quality support.
In August last year, we took the next step in that journey by breaking away from the group and relaunching as Hub NI. This wasn’t just a change of name; it marked a bold step forward; the same experienced team, the same location, but with enhanced technology, expanded services, and a renewed ambition for growth.
Today, Hub NI supports a diverse client base ranging from SME’s to large organisations and public sector bodies across the UK, Ireland and beyond. We provide everything from overflow receptionist services, 24/7 helpdesk and escalation lines, lone worker monitoring, and customer service, sales and order lines. Our omni-channel capabilities now include voice, email, live chat, SMS, WhatsApp and AI integration. This enables us to support our clients’ customers wherever, whenever and however they want to.
I’ve always enjoyed working with businesses during times of change. Whether they’re scaling up, streamlining, or adapting to new economic pressures. Right now, the most common challenge I hear from clients is the rising cost of staffing. Many are trying to balance high service expectations with tighter budgets. I take real satisfaction in sitting down with them, understanding their pressures, and offering a solution that helps maintain service levels without the immediate need to hire more people. It’s not just about saving money, it’s about helping businesses remain agile, resilient, and customer-focused, even in a challenging environment.
Technology and pricing are only part of the story. We don’t believe in off-the-shelf solutions. Every engagement starts with a conversation. We sit down with our clients to understand where they’re struggling. Whether it's a complete outsource, overflowing what would be missed calls, after-hours coverage, or a surge in seasonal enquiries, we design bespoke solutions to fill those gaps.
This people-first ethos also guides how we approach technology. There’s no denying the contact centre industry is undergoing profound transformation. AI and automation are becoming core to service delivery. For many of our clients this is not suitable particularly for industries where human contact has long been central. For other clients and industries, we see these technical tools as enablers, not threats. By automating some of the more manual, repetitive or transactional tasks, we allow our people to focus on where they add real value: the complex, emotional, or high-stakes conversations that demand empathy, judgement, experience and personality. This blended model of tech plus talent is the future of the industry, and we’re proud to be among the providers leading that change.
The vision for Hub NI is clear: to be a trusted, agile, and ambitious partner to businesses navigating an increasingly complex communication landscape. Whether it's helping a sole trader manage their daily calls or supporting a national helpdesk operation for a public sector body, we bring the same focus, professionalism, and drive.
Personally, I’m incredibly excited about where we’re headed. The team’s depth of experience, our commitment to innovation, and the trust we've earned in the market gives me every confidence in our trajectory. At a time when many industries are grappling with change, we're leaning into it, not just to survive, but to thrive.
In our view, ambition is not just about getting bigger, it’s about getting better. Better at serving clients, better at supporting staff, and better at adapting to the world around us. At Hub NI, we’re building a company that not only keeps pace with the industry’s evolution but helps to shape it, with integrity, innovation, and Northern Irish resilience at its core.