Innovation and Ingenuity is key to Commercial success – An Interview with Ian Herbert

This year Vistair has supported the SW region’s ‘Innovator of the Year’ award, organised by the Bristol Post. In an interview, Ian Herbert, Vistair’s CEO, explains why innovation and support for this award is so important.

Why did you decide to support this award?

“Vistair is supporting the Innovator of the Year Award in order to recognise and champion the extraordinary organisations and talent in this region.

Combining innovation, product development, and ingenuity to develop a commercially viable product proposition is not for the faint hearted. Innovators and inventors are often the ones that have to fail multiple times before finding ‘overnight’ success.”

Businesses that are created or supported by such developments are both rare and often exceptional. Thomas Edison provides the most clarity on the time and effort innovation takes with his famous “Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration” observation.”

How does this award relate to Vistair?

“Vistair’s history is built along the same lines and is where innovation and indeed perspiration in aviation technical document services and safety management systems not only made a significant contribution to our business but actually created it.

As a growing Bristol-business of 100+ people, and established only 16 years ago, Vistair now has a client base that stretches across the globe and includes the safest, largest and fastest growing airlines in the world. The work undertaken by the Vistair team for the likes of Delta Airlines, EasyJet, Air Asia and BA contributed to its Queen’s Award for International Trade in 2015, and multiple Bristol Post Business Awards.”

Is innovation still a key catalyst in Vistair?

“Innovation is essential in our business. It was how we started and will remain so now and in the future.

The service solutions developed by Vistair are now used by more than 40 of the world’s leading airlines whilst future product developments are often undertaken in conjunction with the airlines we serve.”

However building a business on an innovation is not always the easy path but it is one that provides huge satisfaction to the team….it is worth the struggle!”

How does an organisation’s culture affect innovation?

“At the heart of great innovation is a culture of flexibility and belief,” Ian said. “For all businesses, Vistair included, innovation and development can only take place if the team understands and in some cases can foresee the future requirements of customers.

Great products lead the market after a period of adoption, but greater products re-develop to stay ahead. It is for this reason that great innovation should be recognised and applauded.”

“Innovation and the ability to develop a market from that innovation is at the core of a growth economy. In the South West region it is increasingly apparent that we have a culture that supports new thinking, environmental awareness, technological progress and cultural harmony.

So what is the next innovation coming out of Vistair?

“Sometimes innovations are small additions to existing products and services we already provide.

For instance the work my co-founder, David Hedley, undertakes with his team for our DocuNet document management service is truly world class. It remains unique in its class and simply incomparable to other market solutions for technical document management in the aviation sector.”

In terms of ‘big stuff’ I do think that our development of Vistair Intelligence as a support for the aviation safety management sector will turn a few heads when it is released.”

In 2015 Vistair was presented with the award for Technology Firm of the Year and Overall Business of the Year, which was subsequently followed up in 2016 with the award for Best Creative and Technological Award.

Read next article about DocuNet Continuous Improvement.