Air IT Group’s strategic rebranding aims to transform UK SMEs’ engagement with technology by integrating AI, automation, and cybersecurity into a unified, efficient service model, signalling a new era of growth-enabled support.
Air IT Group has launched a major rebranding and strategic repositioning aimed at transforming how the UK’s 5.6 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) engage with technology. With a focus on automation, artificial intelli...
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gence (AI), and cybersecurity, the company seeks to turn IT from an operational burden into a powerful growth enabler for SMEs, a segment increasingly recognised as pivotal for technology adoption and competitive advantage.
According to CEO Barney Taylor, who joined Air IT Group less than a year ago, the refresh signals a shift towards what he calls “the next generation of managed service providers (MSPs),” blending an omnichannel service platform with an automation-driven operating model. Taylor emphasised that the company has made substantial investments to build true in-house expertise in automation, AI, and cybersecurity, creating “a single intelligent technology stack that gives SMEs the platform they need to grow.”
This strategic overhaul follows a year of integration and cultural transformation within Air IT Group’s nine UK offices and a workforce of 450 employees. After expanding rapidly through acquisitions, the company has unified its diverse service offerings—including cybersecurity, cloud, connectivity, business intelligence, and IT support—under one cohesive structure. Key to the new model is a strong emphasis on automation, supported by an omnichannel contact centre and a self-service automation layer designed to improve responsiveness and efficiency.
Taylor pointed out a significant technology adoption gap in the SME sector, citing UK government data indicating that fewer than half of small firms currently use technology as an integral part of their business. Research from Google estimates that AI alone could unlock £198 billion in productivity gains for SMEs across the UK, underscoring the potential that remains unrealised. By addressing this gap, Air IT Group aims to help SMEs fully leverage technological advancements, boosting both resilience and productivity.
The company’s automation efforts are striking, executing more than 160 million robotic process automation (RPA) actions every month—equating to roughly 60 transactions per second. Chief Automation and AI Officer Pete Pendlebury explained that this scale of automation allows for most self-service IT requests to be resolved within minutes, freeing up expert engineers to tackle more complex issues. Taylor clarified that automation is intended to complement rather than replace human interaction, stressing SMEs still value the option of personal contact alongside scalable, efficient backend systems.
Air IT Group’s rebrand also represents an internal cultural renewal. Taylor noted that employee satisfaction has improved considerably, with a new operational approach focused on enhanced customer experience and automation efficiency. “Our people are enjoying working for Air again,” he said. “This translates directly to better service quality and stronger customer relationships.” The company now measures success not just by traditional service-level agreements, but by customer happiness and the speed at which solutions are delivered.
The refreshed business model is designed to meet growing SME demands for simplified, bundled IT solutions that balance choice with ease of use. Taylor highlighted that SMEs want both personalised service and technology that “just works,” and Air IT Group aims to provide the best of both worlds by combining local, familiar support with the scale and automation of a national MSP.
This strategy also anticipates ongoing consolidation in the UK’s fragmented MSP market, which currently comprises over 18,000 providers, many of them small or microbusinesses. Taylor believes future success in this sector will come from combining local trust, responsiveness, and culture with scalable, automated solutions—qualities that distinguish the company in an increasingly competitive environment.
Industry recognition of Air IT Group’s commitment to automation underscores its market leadership. The firm recently earned the Partner of the Year 2025 award from automation platform Rewst, highlighting its role in driving technology-led efficiencies for SMEs. Automation is especially critical as smaller businesses face inflationary pressures and resource constraints, making streamlined processes and error reduction vital for sustainable growth.
In summary, Air IT Group’s rebrand and strategic evolution reflect a broader trend in technology services: moving beyond simple IT support to become proactive, strategic partners in SME growth. By leveraging automation, AI, and cybersecurity within an integrated service platform, Air IT Group seeks to empower small and medium businesses to compete more effectively and harness the full potential of digital transformation.
Source: Noah Wire Services
