Q1 2021

137 | Q1 2021 Jan21438 Harnessing Technology To Better People And The Planet Founded in 2004, Digital Detox is a humanity-led digital product agency, specialising in design, full stack development, delivery, and digital transformation. Following its well-deserved success in the Business Elite Awards 2021, we caught up with Digital Detox’s MD, Liam Snelling, to find out more about one of the best strategic design and development agencies in London today. Based in London, Digital Detox is made up of nearly 50 strategists, creatives and engineers who build digital products to bring clarity to complexity, while making clients happy and more productive. Their ultimate goal is for a world where tech and humanity work in perfect harmony. To begin, Liam provides a brief overview of the business and offers more insight into its clientele. “As a strategic partner, we consult, advise and tailor our services to each individual customer. Some of the things we make include interactive websites, highly performant and scalable apps, enterprise applications, code component libraries, development communities and so on. With everything we do revolving around people, the planet and technology, we are passionate about doing the right thing for our customers, the environment, and the world around us. Typically, we work with clients from multiple sectors and industries and are proud to have partnered with some of the world’s leading corporates and first-class start-ups. Here at Digital Detox, the ultimate goal is to leverage the latest technology to best service humanity, sustainability, and growth.” Across the city of London, there are a number of strategic design and development agencies, however, as Liam informs us, its focus on people, planet and technology, along with educational and charity projects has allowed the team to distance itself from the crowd. “Recently, we led one of the largest digital transformation projects in the education sector to help millions of students improve their English reading skills for Oxford University Press. Alongside plugging the design, prototyping and development skills gaps for the like of Visa, LV, and the AA, this has helped us build our collective skills and bring new ideas to the table to showcase our creative capabilities.” Since its establishment in 2004, the firm’s employees have played a crucial role in the success of Digital Detox, as Liam explains further. “By promoting an honest, open, and collaborative culture, our staff are able to focus on refining problem-solving skills and innovating for our clients. With the experiences we create impacting so many people, it’s crucial our people buy into our culture. The team has always been central to success at Digital Detox.” Despite the outbreak of COVID-19, the firm has managed to adapt and thrive during these difficult and uncertain times. “Currently, we are very busy as a lot of organisations are fast-tracking their digital transformation journeys” Liam highlights. “Under COVID-19 conditions, our strong culture and autonomous team have helped support the company by adapting to a remote environment and providing great flexibility. Whilst we have missed the in-person interactions, less travel time has led to many team members feeling more productive at home.” Drawing the interview to a close, Liam discusses the firm’s approach to recruitment before outlining some of its plans for 2021 and beyond. “Here at Digital Detox, we love to welcome new people to the team with different ideas and experiences, strongly believing that a diverse and supportive culture leads to excellence. Over the past year, the team has grown exponentially with us welcoming 15 new staff members in 2020 and eight so far this year. “Moving forward, we will be helping our clients continue their digital transformation journeys whilst creating a more sustainable world by adopting a pragmatic approach to design and development. Secondly, we want to raise awareness of the impact of digital technology and promote corporate digital responsibility. Lastly, our final goal is to focus on building more autonomy and become a B Corp certified company.” Company: Digital Detox Contact: Liam Snelling Website: www.digital-detox.co.uk