Axians UK Launches Enterprise Architecture as a Service to Help Businesses Turn Strategy Into Action

Axians UK has unveiled a new Enterprise Architecture as a Service (EAaaS) offering designed to help organisations bridge the gap between boardroom ambitions and technical delivery.

The new service aims to tackle a challenge faced by many businesses: ensuring that technology investments and digital transformation projects remain aligned with wider business objectives. Too often, senior leaders focus on strategic outcomes while technical teams develop complex solutions that can become disconnected from the organisation's long-term goals.

Axians UK believes its new EAaaS model provides the missing link.

By introducing a dedicated architecture layer, businesses can create a consistent framework that translates high-level business strategies into practical, scalable and manageable technology solutions. The service offers access to experienced enterprise architects without the cost and commitment of hiring a full-time specialist.

Enterprise architecture has traditionally been viewed as a resource reserved for larger organisations due to the expense and scarcity of highly skilled professionals. Axians UK’s service-based approach changes that by giving businesses flexible access to expertise when they need it.

Ian Parker, Enterprise Architect at Axians UK, explained that a lack of architectural oversight can create significant operational challenges over time.

“Without a professional architect, every technical solution looks different. It’s like building a street where every house uses different foundations and materials; eventually, it becomes impossible to manage or maintain,” he said.

The service is also designed to support modern business priorities, including cybersecurity and sustainability. Rather than treating security as an afterthought, Axians UK has built the offering around a Secure by Design philosophy, embedding protection into the foundations of technology infrastructure from the outset.

Dan Barton, Head of Consultancy at Axians UK, said the service provides organisations with a clearer route through an increasingly complex digital landscape.

“With this service we are providing a clear path forward for businesses operating in a complicated digital landscape,” he said. “By ensuring the correct architectural approach right from the start, we enable businesses to move forward with confidence.”

Axians UK says one of the key benefits of EAaaS is the reduction of technical debt. By removing duplicated tools, simplifying technology environments and improving governance, organisations can lower operational costs while maintaining performance and flexibility.

As businesses continue to balance cloud-first strategies, AI adoption and growing cybersecurity demands, Axians UK believes Enterprise Architecture as a Service can provide the structure needed to support sustainable growth and long-term digital success.

www.axians.com

www.axians.co.uk

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European AI Lab Unveils VOLTAIC as Challenge to Frontier AI Economics

A European artificial intelligence research lab has unveiled a new AI inference engine that could dramatically change how businesses think about artificial intelligence, energy consumption and data sovereignty.

Today, Verkko Robotics introduced VOLTAIC, a spiking neural inference engine designed to learn continuously, retain knowledge over time and operate at a fraction of the cost and energy consumption associated with today's leading large language and multimodal AI models.

The announcement comes as organisations across Europe increasingly question the sustainability, costs and data privacy implications of relying on large AI systems hosted by major US technology companies.

Unlike conventional transformer-based models that require vast computational resources, VOLTAIC uses sparse neural networks, meaning most neurons remain inactive at any given moment. This significantly reduces power consumption while enabling the system to operate efficiently on private infrastructure.

According to Verkko Robotics, VOLTAIC has delivered impressive results during continual learning benchmarks. The system achieved a catastrophic forgetting rate of approximately 1.2% on Core50 testing and reached 77% accuracy on Split ImageNet-1K, outperforming previous benchmark records by 14 percentage points.

One of the most significant claims surrounding the technology is its potential cost advantage. Internal testing suggests VOLTAIC could process queries at around one-fiftieth of the cost of comparable interactions with leading large language models, potentially offering substantial savings for organisations deploying AI at scale.

The technology was developed by Giancarlo Cobino, whose research focuses on neuroscience-inspired computing and enterprise AI applications.

Cobino explained that the architecture moves away from dense computational approaches in favour of adaptive, brain-inspired mechanisms that allow AI systems to learn continuously while retaining previously acquired knowledge.

This ability to avoid "catastrophic forgetting" addresses one of the long-standing challenges in artificial intelligence. Rather than requiring repeated retraining, VOLTAIC is designed to build upon existing knowledge in real time, allowing information to accumulate instead of being lost.

The launch also aligns with growing concerns around European technological independence. Earlier this month, European Commission outlined plans to strengthen technological sovereignty across the continent, highlighting the importance of reducing reliance on external technology providers for critical infrastructure and services.

Built on Verkko's proprietary Hierarchical Synaptic Consolidation architecture, VOLTAIC is being developed for both consumers and large organisations operating complex technology environments. Sectors such as finance, legal services and aerospace could particularly benefit from systems capable of retaining institutional knowledge while keeping sensitive data within their own infrastructure.

With a planned release scheduled for Q4 2026, VOLTAIC represents an intriguing alternative to the industry's ongoing race towards ever-larger AI models. If its early performance claims prove accurate, it could help reshape the economics of artificial intelligence while supporting Europe's ambitions for greater technological self-reliance.

https://verkkorobotics.com/

"60 Seconds? Too Long!" say many potential customers

Businesses Have Less Than a Minute to Answer Calls Before Customers Move On, Research Finds

New research suggests businesses may have less time than ever to make a good first impression, with many customers unwilling to wait even a minute for their call to be answered.

A nationally representative survey conducted by YouGov and commissioned by telephone answering specialist Answer4u has revealed the hidden cost of missed business calls, highlighting how quickly potential customers are prepared to take their business elsewhere.

The study, which surveyed 2,046 UK adults, found that 37% of consumers would abandon a call within 60 seconds and contact a competitor instead. Even more strikingly, 18% said they would give up in less than 30 seconds.

For businesses that rely on inbound enquiries, whether for sales, bookings or customer support, those figures represent a significant challenge.

The findings also challenge the long-held belief that customers will simply leave a message and wait for a callback. Only 6% of respondents said they would leave a voicemail rather than continue waiting for their call to be answered. Instead, nearly a quarter (24%) said they would switch to another contact method altogether.

The research highlights changing customer expectations in an increasingly fast-paced digital world. Consumers expect quick responses and immediate confirmation that their enquiry has been received, regardless of whether they are contacting a large organisation or a small local business.

According to Stuart Wilson, Director of Operations at Answer4u, the customer experience begins long before a conversation takes place.

He explained to That's Business that even the best products, services and customer support teams cannot help if a potential customer never manages to speak to someone in the first place. The research suggests businesses have a very small window in which to make a positive first impression.

The survey also uncovered some interesting demographic trends. Women were more likely than men to seek alternative ways of contacting a business rather than continue waiting on the phone, while consumers aged between 25 and 44 showed the lowest tolerance for call waiting times.

For small businesses, sole traders and professional service firms, the findings may be particularly relevant. Many business owners juggle customer enquiries alongside meetings, client work and day-to-day operations, making it difficult to answer every call immediately.

However, the research serves as a reminder that unanswered calls are more than a customer service issue. They can have a direct impact on lead generation, sales and customer retention.

In a competitive marketplace, every missed call could represent an opportunity that never returns.

https://www.answer-4u.com

Renapur Refreshes Its Brand While Staying True to Three Decades of Customer Relationships

After over three decades of travelling across the United Kingdom and Ireland, meeting customers face-to-face and demonstrating its products at shows and exhibitions, British care products company Renapur has unveiled a refreshed brand identity inspired by its rich heritage.

The rebrand marks an important milestone for the company, which first launched in 1994 and has grown from offering a single leather care product into a trusted range of leather, suede, fabric and wood care solutions used by customers around the world.

While the business has evolved significantly over the past three decades, Renapur says one thing has never changed, the value of personal customer relationships.

Long before social media marketing, influencer campaigns and online advertising became commonplace, Renapur built its reputation by attending county shows, agricultural events, equestrian competitions, motorcycle exhibitions and trade shows. For many loyal customers, their first experience of the brand came through a live product demonstration rather than a website visit. (My wife and I have bought Renapaur leather cleaner at a number of trade shows.)

Those face-to-face interactions helped establish Renapur as a familiar and trusted name across the UK, creating a loyal customer base that has remained with the company for generations.

As the business approached its latest milestone, the team began reflecting on the company's journey by revisiting old brochures, photographs, advertisements and exhibition materials from throughout the years.

One recurring feature stood out: the distinctive Renapur green.

Although the company's products have become well known for their recognisable white packaging, the heritage green colour featured heavily throughout Renapur's early branding, show stands and promotional materials. Bringing that colour back into the spotlight became a key inspiration behind the refresh.

The result is a cleaner, more consistent visual identity that combines modern branding with the company's long-established roots.

Robin Aspinall, Managing Director of Renapur, said the refresh was designed to celebrate the company's history while preparing it for the future.

"For more than thirty years, shows and events have been at the heart of Renapur," he said.

"We've travelled the length and breadth of the country, speaking directly with customers, demonstrating products and learning from the people who use them.

"As we approached this milestone, it felt like the perfect opportunity to refresh the brand. We wanted a look that celebrated where we came from while helping prepare us for the future."

Importantly for customers, while the branding may have changed, the products themselves remain exactly the same. Renapur says consumers can continue to rely on the trusted formulations that have helped protect and restore leather, suede, fabric and wood for decades.

Pressat and PA Media Extend 14-Year Partnership to Strengthen News Distribution

Pressat and PA Media have extended their 14-year partnership, giving businesses enhanced access to trusted UK media distribution channels and greater press release reach.

Businesses looking to maximise the impact of their media coverage have received some positive news, as Manchester-based press release distribution platform Pressat has announced the extension of its long-standing partnership with PA Media Group.

The renewed agreement builds on a successful relationship that has spanned 14 years and will continue to give Pressat customers enhanced access to one of the most trusted and influential news distribution networks in the UK and Ireland.

For organisations seeking to raise their profile, secure media coverage, or share important announcements, the partnership provides expanded distribution opportunities through the PA Media Newswire and Press Release Hub. 

This allows businesses, charities, public sector organisations and brands to place their stories in front of journalists, editors and media outlets across the country.

Founded in Manchester in 2010, Pressat has grown into one of the UK's leading press release distribution services. The platform supports organisations of all sizes, offering a cost-effective way to share news with the media while providing international reach across more than 170 countries and support for over 40 languages.

The continued collaboration with PA Media represents a significant advantage for Pressat customers. PA Media, formerly known as the Press Association, has been delivering trusted news and information since 1868 and remains a vital source of content for national, regional and local media outlets.

When she spoke with That's Business, Alison Lancaster, CEO of Pressat Newswire, highlighted the importance of the relationship, describing the original partnership as a major milestone for the company. She noted that the collaboration has enabled customers both in the UK and internationally to distribute their news effectively to key media outlets through one of the country's most respected news organisations.

PA Media is equally enthusiastic about the future of the partnership. Alan Marshall, Managing Director of PR and Marketing Services at PA Media, told us the organisation is delighted to continue working with Pressat and to provide clients with the combined benefits of newswire distribution and online content hubs for both written and visual content.

The announcement reflects the continuing importance of quality news distribution in an increasingly crowded media landscape. While creating a compelling story remains essential, ensuring that story reaches the right journalists and publications is just as important.

For businesses investing in public relations and brand visibility, the renewed Pressat and PA Media partnership offers another valuable route to reaching audiences, generating coverage and building credibility through trusted media channels.

http://www.pamediagroup.com

https://pressat.co.uk

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