What is Cybertill’s mission statement?

The world of business is making a wholesale shift to cloud technology, enabling retailers – from SMEs and start-ups to international outfits – the opportunity to develop, grow and internationalise more dynamically.

Cybertill delivers tangible cloud-based solutions which allow retailers to do just this through its end-to-end enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. By giving retailers a single view of their stock, it means they can manage their entire supply chain centrally, underpinning their capabilities for growth.

With retailers’ requirements at the heart of its offering, Cybertill looks to deliver a solution which addresses tomorrow’s retail needs, today.

Where are you headquartered?

Cybertill is headquartered in Knowsley, on the outskirts of Liverpool, which provides the benefits of a good transport network of motorways, mainline railways and international airports. Its office space is situated in a series of converted barns on Lord Derby’s Estate, so the working environment is second to none. However, as its technology is cloud based, this means that not only Cybertill but also its clients are unrestricted by location to do business.

Who do you think will be the most influential figures (or companies) in FinTech, in 2015?

This year, virtual currencies will continue to challenge the market. Fuelled partly by the rise of Bitcoin, cryptocurrency will continue to be a disruptive influence as it remains outside of the control of central banks and governments.

The main challenges for these firms will be any legislation brought in from governments to regulate their products, as well as getting greater traction in the market place.

However, with the continuing – and widely documented – currency struggles of the Euro and the Russian Rouble, consumers and economic states want safe currencies to invest in – the recent boost in value of the Swiss Franc following its abandonment of the Euro cap being a poignant example of just this.

And it’s not just at the macro-level where these firms and brands will impact – the concept of virtual currency could also have huge implications in the retail space, but only if retailers are brave enough to embrace it.

What kind of year do you foresee for your company, and the industry as a whole?

Cybertill is looking – and expects – to double turn over in the next three years. The forecast for this year is one of growth, as enterprise retailers, who may have been holding off updating their retail technology assets over the last few years, reconsider investing in technology thanks to the green shoots of recovery the retail industry is experiencing.

This mind-shift is also being fuelled by the sheer change of pace within retail technology itself. With concepts, such as mobile retailing and the Internet of Things, coming to fruition and widely adopted in the psyche of the mainstream shopper, retailers know they need to stay ahead of the curve. Offering customers a convenient and seamless shopping experience, has never been more important and retailers are realising the role which technology plays in delivering this.

FinTech specifically will also continue to evolve in the consumer space, again, driven by the ‘consumerisation’ of mobile phone payment technology. And, with the US market moving to EMV this year, further opportunities for growth in this market will be created.

What are your key targets for 2015?

2015 sees Cybertill looking to consolidate its market growth in the charity retail sector, where it has already delivered solutions for the likes of the British Red Cross and Cancer Research. It is also looking to grow our positioning in the enterprise retail space with our ERP solution. Its ambitions also span across the pond, having recently entered the North American market, Cybertill is looking to expand opportunities in the US through a strategic partnership with Mercury Pay.

What are the most important opportunities for FinTech in 2015?

International growth outside the Euro Zone will be one of the key opportunities for 2015.

What are the key hurdles for growing your business this year?

Developing a base in North America is a key focus for Cybertill in 2015 and represents a significant – and exciting – opportunity. Cybertill has already consolidated a team in the market place with the objective of developing our relationships with resellers. Cybertill will also be channelling its efforts in raising its profile within the US market through strategic partnerships and solution implementation.

What are your thoughts on the current state of FinTech?

While it’s a new industry, it is already evolving at pace. This speed of change has the potential to impact not just industries but also disrupt at a macro-level.

FinTech is challenging the status quo of payments but we have only seen the tip of the iceberg – it has the potential to enable technology to be harnessed in a revolutionary way.