Digital firm in Bognor Regis boosts jobs

Digital television is proving a switch-on for new jobs at a fast-expanding Bognor Regis company.

Digital and Satellite Services has grown in just a year to become the largest office-based firm in the town centre.

It already has another 20 vacancies in call centres and administrative jobs alongside the existing 70 staff.

Further vacancies exist among its team of ten engineers.

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Company founder and boss Stephen Tucker fully expects the number of workers to soar as the national switchover to digital television gathers pace to provoke wider interest in the subject along with the recent launch of the Freesat service.

"The business is going ballistic," he explained. "It's going to get even busier in the next few years.

"We have 50,000 customers so far and that number is increasing by 600-700 a week.

There's room for an extra 20 staff at my offices and I'm looking to recruit another 10-20 engineers in the next few months."

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Guaranteed growth is coming the way of his company, usually known as Digisat, because of an exclusive tie-up with John Lewis, Argos and Comet.

Every digital equipment customer between Bournemouth and Kent and up to the M4 and around the M25 of those retailers will have it installed by Digisat.

This is thanks to its membership of the Total Support Group national network of digital installers.

Digisat also boasts of being the UK's only one-stop digital shop to provide products, installation, servicing and technical help.

All from a set of anonymous offices above the High Street.

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"I positively chose to come to Bognor town centre because of a number of factors," said Mr Tucker (44), who has recently moved from Walberton to Brighton.

"The offices have bus stops outside for the staff to use and the railway station close by. There are also shops and food places around where they can go during their breaks."

He also cited the flexibility of the property's landlord in enabling them to quickly expand into four rooms to cope with the growing demand and the willingness of another tenant to switch floors as further helping the company's dramatic growth.

This flexibility, around the opening hours of 8am to 8pm, enables him to recruit workers who might be unable to fill nine-to-five hours.

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He also ensures it is combined with a customer-friendly service having spent 11 years with the Body Shop as a retail development manager.

Mr Tucker is determined this approach should be used to rid the industry of any dodgy traders.

He has been working with respected author and broadcaster Sue Cook to try to help consumers see through unscrupulous and unqualified traders.

"Research shows that there is still much confusion in the market place regarding the digital switch-over and the effect it will have on individual properties.

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"We are also aware that the digital switch offers opportunities to rogue traders who might take advantage of the lack of engineers available around switch dates and the vulnerability of people who have more limited understanding of what they need for digital," he said.

All Digisat's engineers are Criminal Records Bureau checked and qualified to Registered Digital Installer level to ensure high standards.

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The digital switchover will happen in Bognor in 2012. It will see the current analogue TV signal replaced by digital transmissions.

These will offer more channels but will mean analogue equipment will be obsolete without adaptations.

The change is already happening, with houses sprouting digital aerials alongside satellite dishes.

For the longer-term future, Mr Tucker expects Digisat to remain busy after the change with servicing work.

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