Many successful companies claim that people are their most important asset. In the case of a consulting services company like Axon, that claim is undisputable.

Our clients’ experience of Axon is through our people and their achievements. The experience and track record which causes clients to trust us and buy from us is embodied in our people. The actual deliverable which our clients pay millions of pounds for is created by our people. The relationships which cause our clients to return to us year after year are held by people. So Axon is people, no more and no less.

Axon people are:

Innovative
Imagination and ambition lead to innovation. Throughout our company, our people have devised novel approaches in response to the challenges and opportunities they face. Many people talk about new ideas, we are very often the first to do anything about them.

In our client relationships, we have pioneered contracts in which we share risks and benefits, guarantee service levels, share profits in a new business - we have even created a completely new company as a joint venture with a client.

The platform on which we deliver most of our projects is SAP and in the UK we delivered the first SAP BW implementation, the first SAP CRM implementation, the first Public Sector SAP Portal implementation and the first SAP eBusiness application. Innovation is an important Axon value in all parts of our company.

Delivery focussed
We make things happen. From the first meeting a client has with Axon, they notice an enthusiasm to get started. And of course once we get started, all we want to do is get finished.

Two of our favourite client quotes are:

• "Never before have we been driven so hard, or achieved so much, so quickly"
• "I can think of a million and one ways in which Axon people went the extra mile"

Driven by customers
We don’t lose sight of why we’re doing what we’re doing. We recognise that our work is a means to an end, and achieving that end is the only valid measure of success.

Another couple of favourite client quotes:

• "Axon’s approach is hugely refreshing. They have a genuine focus on delivering business benefit, rather than simply an IT system"
• "Axon were world-class in everything from system delivery and support to business benefit realisation. They worked seamlessly with our team, with a total focus on our aims."

Winners
Throughout our history, we have had to beat some pretty stiff competition. Every new client that we win and every new consultant that joins our company has made a choice between us and some very large and successful alternatives. More than any of them, we need to be different and excellent.

We have won wide recognition for the quality of our projects, the satisfaction of our customers and the success of our company. For example, we have won the Financial Times New plc of the Year award, the NatWest New Business of the Year, several SAP Partner of the Year awards, the Best Business Application of the Year award, the Virgin Sunday Times Media Impact Award, and many other more specialist awards in particular industry sectors or project types. Whilst we are not here to populate the mantelpiece, it’s good to be recognised.

Diverse, motivated and interesting
Amongst the team at Axon, we have 26 people who have run a marathon, 33 PhDs and several racing drivers. Between us, we speak 32 languages. There are people at Axon who have sailed the Atlantic, written books, coached the UK Olympic team and raised millions for charitable causes. We don’t forget that being part of a great company is only one part of realising your full potential.

Axon is people
The Observer newspaper in the UK runs a series called "20 Questions" in which they try to understand the secrets behind very successful companies. When they interviewed Mark Hunter, the founder and CEO of Axon, Question 20 was: "Do you have a business philosophy?" His answer: "Get fantastic people. The end."