Ignite Technology: Building for What’s Next
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
What was The Starting Point?
Ignite Technology is a Cambridge-based enterprise software specialist with an impressive mid-market and enterprise client base spanning the UK, Ireland, Northern Europe, and the Middle East. The business operates across two high-growth technology domains: workload automation (Broadcom Automic) and project and portfolio management (Planview & Broadcom), with deep technical expertise and a delivery track record that consistently earns positive client feedback.
Like many specialist businesses navigating a rapidly shifting market, Ignite’s leadership recognised that the commercial model that had served the business well needed to evolve. The automation market is growing at 7 to 10% CAGR. New technology categories are creating demand that sits squarely in Ignite’s technical wheelhouse. The Middle East is expanding. And within the existing customer base, significant untapped potential remained unaddressed.
The question was not whether to grow. The question was how to build the commercial engine to do it properly.
Why the CEO made the Decision?
Ignite’s CEO, Roger Tunnard, made a deliberate and significant decision: before investing in training, tooling, or headcount, commission a rigorous independent assessment of the commercial function. Understand what is working, what needs strengthening, and where the real opportunity lies.
This is not a common decision. Most businesses move straight to solutions. The willingness to diagnose first, and to do so with genuine rigour and openness, reflects the kind of leadership discipline that separates businesses that transform from those that simply iterate.
“We wanted a full review of our commercial operation and needed someone who not only understands this world, but also has a proven commercial background. It still felt like a bit of a leap considering how important this review was to us.”
Roger Tunnard, CEO · Ignite Technology Limited |
Kaizen-One was appointed to conduct that assessment, selected on the basis of direct peer recommendation and a client reference.
What did The Engagement look like?
Over four weeks, Kaizen-One conducted a comprehensive evaluation of Ignite’s commercial function, encompassing 15 structured stakeholder interviews, three management committee observations, and analysis across five data workstreams: CRM pipeline and deal data, financial performance, customer base composition, marketing metrics, and behavioural diagnostics.
The methodology combined quantitative analysis with Kaizen-One’s proprietary Curiosity Deficit Diagnostic, a structured behavioural assessment measuring sales curiosity across conversation patterns, discovery outcomes, and organisational enablers.
Deliverables included an 80-page assessment report, a CEO supplement, an executive presentation, and a 23-recommendation transformation roadmap with phased implementation sequencing.
What the Assessment Found?
Ignite has genuine foundations to build on. A renewals function delivering a retention rate north of 90%. Enterprise sales talent whose curiosity diagnostic scores benchmark above the external dataset for technology sales professionals. A CTO who combines deep technical knowledge with genuine commercial awareness. Principal consulting expertise with 30 years of domain credibility. And a team that, across every interview, expressed the same consistent message: the commitment and the capability are here. What is needed is structure, clarity, and direction.
The assessment also identified a significant incremental revenue opportunity within the existing customer base, before any new logo activity is considered, across both technology practices and territories. The ingredients are there. What was missing was the commercial engine to unlock them.
What Comes Next?
The assessment has given Ignite’s leadership a clear, evidence-based picture of where the business is, where the opportunity sits, and what needs to happen to unlock it. Ignite now has a structured 23-recommendation transformation plan covering strategic identity, go-to-market structure, sales process, pipeline discipline, CRM effectiveness, and marketing positioning, sequenced by impact and built around the team already in place.
Ignite has confirmed Kaizen-One to spearhead the delivery of that transformation, ensuring the rigour of the diagnostic phase carries through into execution. No speculative investment, no generic playbook. A programme designed specifically for Ignite’s market position, customer base, and growth ambition.
“What really surprised me was the energy and pace at which Neil works. Based on this experience we have engaged Neil to also help with the implementation of the recommendations.”
Roger Tunnard, CEO · Ignite Technology Limited |
What does this mean for Ignite's Partners?
Ignite’s vendor and channel partners are working with a business that has made a serious and evidence-based commitment to commercial excellence. The assessment process, the quality of the diagnostic work, and the structured transformation now underway represent exactly the kind of partner investment that strengthens joint go-to-market activity, improves deal velocity, and builds the commercial discipline that long-term partnerships require.
Partners choosing to work with or refer to Ignite are working with a business that knows where it is going and has a credible plan to get there.
CLIENT TESTIMONIAL “Ignite Technology sells software and services to large and enterprise clients. We wanted a full review of our commercial operation and needed someone who not only understands this world, but also has a proven commercial background.
We looked at various options for this, but ultimately settled on Neil Plant based on a recommendation from a previous colleague and a reference call with another CEO. It still felt like a bit of a leap considering how important this review was to us. However I am very happy to say that Neil more than met my expectations. He is very knowledgeable of our business sector, worked well with our team while being challenging and enquiring, and has produced a very valuable report describing the current status of our commercial function.
What really surprised me was the energy and pace at which Neil works. Based on this experience we have engaged Neil to also help with the implementation of the recommendations.”
Roger Tunnard, CEO · Ignite Technology Limited |
Kaizen-One is a specialist commercial transformation consultancy. Our approach is forensic assessment before prescription. We do not recommend what we have not first evidenced.
This case study has been published with the approval of Ignite Technology Limited.
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