Innovation and visionary leadership are essential to success; embodying these qualities distinguish companies and leaders from the pack, which in turn gain recognition that validate this excellence.

Recently, our very own Ian Austin, CEO of Blindata, was recognised with a prestigious ‘Most Influential CEO’ award by CEO Review.

A legacy of dedication

Ian’s journey in the window treatment sector began in 2017 working on the market-redefining shutter ordering platform for Tropical Blinds. His time within the sector has, from the very beginning, been one of a consistent commitment to innovation, customer satisfaction and industry definition.

Under Ian’s leadership since Ascend acquired Blindata in February, Blindata has – with a renewed energy – continued to push the boundaries of what’s possible.

Setting the gold standard

The accolade of ‘Most Influential CEO’ is no small achievement. The recognition Ian has been given is a testament to the standards his leadership sets.

Ian’s vision is transforming the way we and our customers think about and approach software for window treatments, making them more than just background or functional pieces, but immersive experiences that become vital components which contribute to the overall success, efficiency and performance of the businesses we support worldwide.

A focus on sustainability

One of the cornerstones of our leadership – past and present – is an unwavering commitment to sustainability. Recognising the potential environmental impacts of the industry as a whole, we have for years spearheaded initiatives focused on sustainable production processes and waste reduction through manufacturing optimisations.

This approach has not only benefited our planet but has also set a benchmark and standard for our customers to enjoy and leverage.

A visionary leader

To be influential requires more than just business acumen and presence; it demands foresight, empathy and an unwavering commitment to the betterment of an industry and community at large. Ian’s recognition as the Most Influential CEO is a testament to his vision, passion and relentless pursuit of excellence in what we do for the global Window Treatment market.

What’s next?

With the accolade under his belt, Ian remains committed to and focussed on steering Blindata towards even greater heights as we navigate through and deliver on our transformation strategy over the coming weeks and months ahead.

Whilst awards are a wonderful acknowledgment of past achievements, they serve to the whole team as further motivation to continue setting new standards and exploring innovative possibilities. The entire Blindata team extends our congratulations to Ian for this well-deserved recognition and remain excited about the future under his direction.

Thank you to all our clients, partners and team members around the world for your continued trust and support. It is with your backing and belief – in the journey we’re embarking on together – that gives us the incredible levels of confidence and reassurance that we will achieve the goals we have set out and can strive for even greater results in the future.

Ian Austin, CEO at Blindata

Blindata is a leading software in the window treatment industry, known for its innovative designs, quality products, and commitment to customer satisfaction.

We are pleased to announce that as of August 1st 2023, we will be transitioning our current Redmine support portal to our new platform, Jira Service Desk (or Jira, for short). We believe this move will enhance our service capability, streamline operations and provide a better overall user experience for you.

What you need to know

• Switch-Over Date: Our current Redmine support portal will stop accepting tickets from August 1st and our new Jira support portal will take effect.
• Account Setup: You don’t have to worry about setting up your account on the new platform. On the day of the transition, we will send an email with detailed instructions on how to set up your new account, including how to create a password.
• Data Transfer: Rest assured, all your existing tickets from the last couple of years will be transferred over to the new platform to ensure a smooth transition.

We recognize that change can be challenging, but we are confident that the move to our new platform will provide you with improved performance, an intuitive interface and additional features to help us better serve you.

Make sure to add jira@ascend-agency.atlassian.net to your safe senders’ list, as we’ll be sending your account set-up details from this address. If you don’t see our email in your inbox, please check your junk folder(s).

How will this change benefit you?

Jira allows us to enhance your customer experience by introducing intelligent prompts to our request system. These prompts will ask you qualifying questions to gather both necessary and supplemental information right at the onset. This proactive approach aims to accelerate resolution times, especially for complex or detailed queries. Prompts also vary based on the nature of your request, which is aimed at significantly reducing the number of tickets that require additional information before work can begin.

Additionally, this change is of benefit to you as it bridges the gap between our work schedule and ticketing systems. They will now coexist within the same software, as opposed to functioning independently. This consolidation will make both systems more manageable and streamlined.

What is Jira?

Jira, developed by Atlassian, is a robust IT service management tool designed with the intent to revolutionize customer support. Its ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) certification means it aligns with the set of detailed practices for IT service management (ITSM) that focus on aligning IT services with the needs of our business and you, our customers.

One significant advantage of the Jira is its seamless integration with other Atlassian products, such as Confluence and GitHub, enhancing its functionalities and providing a comprehensive solution to project management, development and customer service needs.

How does it differ to Redmine?

Redmine by contrast is an open-source project management tool that provides a flexible platform for multiple projects. Redmine specifically is focused on a couple of primary features: supporting multiple projects and providing a dynamic issue tracking system.

What made us choose Jira over Redmine?

Jira is the software of choice for Ascend, which has been at odds with the Blindata team since its acquisition in February. Whilst both software development teams in each business have found both Redmine and Jira highly beneficial, the integrations offered by Jira for documentation and development make it an obvious choice.

A selection of Jira’s premium, paid features enhance its functionality, making it a more resilient and future-ready choice for us to use moving forward, whilst also aligning both development teams under one software.

Ascend, one of the country’s leading tech-startups and a proven digital transformation specialist, has successfully acquired Ball Software; and with it, Blindata – the industry leading Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) tool for the window coverings market.

The acquisition of Blindata is a key part of Ascend’s ongoing strategy to expand its digital offering to supply a global audience. With the addition of Blindata’s team and expertise, Ascend is now better positioned to offer its customers a more comprehensive range of both online and offline technology solutions.

“We are excited to welcome Blindata into Ascend. Their expertise in Windows development and hardware integrations are highly complementary to our existing web-first capabilities. We are already seeing that this acquisition is enabling us to better serve our customers across the sectors that we operate within.”

Ian Austin, CEO at Ascend

As part of the acquisition, Blindata’s employees join the Ascend team too. The two groups of highly motivated and talented people will continue to work together as we have done over the last few years since we first started integration work with Blindata in 2017. Now though, as one team rather than partner organisations.

“We are thrilled to be joining forces with Ascend,” said Alistair Ball, Founder of Blindata. “We share a common goal of delivering effective solutions to our customers, and we are excited about future opportunities we’re going to bring to the market.”

Blindata’s customers can expect to continue receiving the same high-quality service and support they have come to expect, with the added benefit of access to Ascend’s broader yet more bespoke range of entirely Internet-based, web-first solutions.

Ascend is a progressive agency, specialising in digital transformation, enabling companies to develop bespoke online software and system integrations to overcome business challenges.

Blindata (Ball Software) is a window blinds software provider, delivering a leading ERP solution for manufacturers and retailers. With a reputation for excellence and a commitment to customer satisfaction, Blindata has established itself since 1997 as a market-leading product.