Hear from Ben Hosie, Commercial Director at sfG. Ben shares his thoughts on the business landscape in the Highlands, how technology is helping organisations work smarter, and what makes sfG different from the typical IT provider.
Tell us about your role at sfG. What does being Commercial Director look like day-to-day?
As Commercial Director, my role is to help drive the growth of the business while making sure we’re delivering real value to our clients.
That means I spend a lot of time talking to business owners and leaders, understanding their challenges, spotting opportunities, and helping shape how sfG supports them. One day I might be discussing a client’s technology strategy and pain points, the next working on marketing campaigns, partnership opportunities, or exploring how new services could benefit our customers.
The way I describe it is simple: my job is to connect what businesses need with what sfG can deliver. Ultimately, it’s about building relationships, solving problems and making sure we’re helping clients achieve their goals, not just selling technology.
How would you describe the current business landscape here in Inverness or the Highlands, and how has it shaped sfG’s approach?
The Highlands has a brilliant business community. People genuinely want to help each other succeed, which isn’t something you find everywhere.
At the same time, businesses are facing the same challenges as everyone else: rising costs, recruiting good people, cyber threats and pressure to do more with less.
It’s shaped our approach because we’ve never believed technology should be technology for technology’s sake. Our goal is to be completely honest and transparent – every recommendation we make has to answer one question: “How does this help the business?”
Whether that’s better security, exploring AI, more efficient systems or bespoke software, the goal is always improving outcomes, not just adding more tech.
For anyone who doesn’t know yet, who is sfG, and what services do you offer?
We’re an IT and software development company based in Inverness.
For some clients, we act as their outsourced IT department, looking after everything from day-to-day support to cyber security and strategic planning.
For others, we develop custom software that helps them solve problems, save time and create opportunities that off-the-shelf systems can’t deliver.
Ultimately, we help organisations use technology to work smarter, stay secure and grow with confidence.
What do you think sets sfG apart from other IT providers?
We genuinely care about understanding the business behind the technology.
A lot of IT providers focus on fixing problems once they’ve happened. That’s important, but we prefer helping clients prevent problems and spot opportunities before they appear.
We’re also not afraid to say, “You don’t need that.” If a solution won’t add value, we’ll say so. Building long-term trust is far more important than selling another product.
And, of course, we’re local. We understand the challenges of operating in the Highlands because we’re doing it ourselves.
What’s the biggest misconception potential clients have about sfG, or about outsourced IT providers in general?
The biggest misconception is that outsourced IT is only for businesses that can’t afford an internal team.
In reality, many organisations choose outsourced IT because it gives them access to a wider range of expertise than they could realistically hire in-house.
Another misconception is that IT support is just about fixing computers when they break.
Good IT should help a business become more secure, more efficient and better prepared for the future. If we’re only being called when something has gone wrong, we’re not doing our job properly.
What does sfG’s ideal client look like?
Our best clients aren’t defined by size or sector. They’re organisations that want a technology partner rather than just a supplier. They’re ambitious, open to new ideas and understand that technology is an investment, not simply a cost.
They don’t need to know anything about IT. In fact, some of our best conversations start with, “I’m not sure what’s possible, but…” That’s where things get interesting.
What are you most excited about for sfG’s future?
The opportunity to help clients take advantage of technologies that were previously out of reach. AI gets a lot of attention right now, but what’s exciting isn’t the technology itself. It’s what it allows businesses to do.
We’re also seeing huge opportunities where our IT support and software development teams work together. We already have trusted relationships with clients through support services, and now we can help them build custom solutions that solve bigger challenges and create new efficiencies.
The line between IT provider and growth partner is getting smaller, and that’s a really exciting place to be.
Is there a project or campaign you’re particularly proud of?
Honestly, the projects I’m most proud of are often the least glamorous ones. It’s the moments when a client says, “I can’t believe how much easier that is now,” or “I wish we’d done this years ago.”
I’m proud of how we’re changing the conversation around IT. Rather than talking about servers, backups and technical jargon, we’re talking about growth, efficiency and solving real business challenges. Technology is just the tool. The impact on the business is what matters.
Outside of the day job, what do you enjoy getting up to?
Outside of sfG, life is mostly controlled by our two children, who are 11 and 14 and somehow have busier social calendars than I do.
I enjoy travelling and recently went on our first cruise. I went in as a sceptic and came back as a convert! Whoever invented the concept of unpacking once and waking up somewhere new every day deserves a medal.
I also enjoy cooking, keeping active and playing football. I’ve played for years and still enjoy it, although the recovery time seems to be increasing at an alarming rate. These days it’s less about the result and more about being able to walk properly the next morning. Retirement may not be far away.
