The AFD Group is a group of privately-owned and managed businesses, based at the exciting Mountain View Innovation Centre near Ramsey, Isle of Man. Operations began in Scotland in 1983 as a home-based operation, largely involved in the supply of computer systems and office equipment.
Our current operations include the development and supply of Address Management Software, Children’s Animated TV & DVD Series, Holiday and Events Facilities as well as Property and Facilities Management.
In 1997 the business HQ moved to Ramsey, Isle of Man, and due to continued growth, has moved three times since arriving on the Island, establishing the Isle of Man’s first Technology Park at Mountain View in 2015. We also operate our businesses from other locations in the UK, Western France and Texas, USA.
The AFD business has been profitable since 1985, and
together currently turns over more than £10 million
per annum across the various businesses
in the group.
It gives us one less thing to maintain and worry about. We had the option for an installed or hosted solution and went down the hosted route to ensure our customers can still place orders in the event of our own systems failure.
Whilst address validation is great, errors in the entry of the data or address selection are more likely to creep in on a mobile device. To overcome this and shave a few more seconds off the checkout process, we worked with AFD Software to implement AFD’s new Geolocation address lookup. This allows a customer to press a button, then select their address. Two button taps and all the address data is entered accurately.
We've relied on AFD’s Address Lookup solutions since the turn of the century. After a recent review, we confidently decided to continue with AFD Software– their solutions are robust, reliable and bug-free – they always work. We are fully satisfied that AFD is delivering the best value for money and a solution that is proven to deliver on our regulatory and customer needs.
The PFA quarterly magazine ‘4 The Player’ is sent to all PFA members. Before we signed up with AFD, hundreds of these magazines were being returned as “undeliverable” due to the poor quality of the address. The magazine is an important part of the member benefits package and we had to do everything possible to ensure each member received it, so we looked for a better solution.
We have to ensure that our systems are not a cause of failure when an individual is completing a membership application. To facilitate this, our systems have been designed to make that initial joining experience as smooth and pain-free as possible. Introducing an error is very easy to do, especially when reading an account number and sort code from a card and typing them in.
The Centre has a data quality policy in place, part of the outworking of this policy is validating patient details within the PAS. This means any staff at The Centre who use the PAS and register patients requires the functionality to validate contact data at the point of entry. We would recommend other trusts to sit down with AFD and see how they can improve their data quality processes.
Without the AFD element, a route planner would have to plan the route by manually locating it using mapping software and dropping a ‘pin’. This would be a relatively quick process in isolation, but we have over 1600 vans distributing from over 100 depots. This job is done in a time-pressurised environment and, without the quality data that AFD provide, it would quickly lead to frustration for the route planners and needlessly slow down the process.
For us, the biggest driver was the time saved by not having to key in data manually. On average we would make between 4 and 7 address checks on any new case, taking between 2 and 3 minutes to enter all the address data per case. On average we receive 2000 cases per month. That translates to a saving of between 4,000 and 6,000 minutes, 66 and 100 hours each month!
We deal with lots of suppliers so we know what a good supplier looks like! We see AFD as a partner rather than supplier. There is a can-do attitude that we get with everyone at AFD, nothing is an issue, promises are kept and pricing is fair that demonstrates a clear return on investment.
When contacting students, we found multiple instances where the email addresses and phone numbers provided were wrong. Each student studying at the college provides us with £5,000 per annum of vital funding, whilst students over 18 provide £2,000. Preventing one or two students from slipping through the net, because they would otherwise miss a key communication and fail to enrol, more than covers the cost of email and phone validation from AFD.
AFD Software, The Postcode People are best known as the go-to specialists in the development and sale of rapid, accurate address validation software. This technology helps computer users quickly enter address and banking data into all sorts of applications, databases and web sites – not only saving time, but ending up with much more reliable data. Thousands of organisations use our solutions to save them time, money, and to provide the best possible service for their customers and clients.
You’re likely to find software like ours in use on web sites when you order online, when you ring up for an insurance quotation, when buying or selling a house or when making a holiday or theatre booking. Schools and colleges use our products in student administration and hospitals to help keep patient records accurate. Charities rely on AFD products to help them efficiently manage their donor records and banks use them as part of “Know your Customer” procedures.
Our products and services make any data which includes addresses, people or banks vastly more efficient and reliable.
You can find out more about other AFD Group companies on the following websites:
There are lots of reasons why people work – and they are not all about earning money! It’s fair to say that working for AFD is challenging – we set ourselves very high standards – but it’s also rewarding: financially, in personal development and the knowledge of a worthwhile job done well. AFD places great value on its staff; there is no doubt that they are by far our most important asset.
Anyone can rise to senior roles with or without specific qualifications. Put simply, our staff get to do what they are best at, and no-one needs to be promoted away from this in order to get recognition. AFD’s culture is based around honesty, integrity, hard work and making happy customers. Staff have a genuine interest in serving our customers and finding solutions to their needs – and our customers love it!.
Training and mentoring are key benefits to working at AFD. With staff development being a core business objective, your skills and abilities will grow both in and outside of work and your Line Manager will guide you on this well-walked path. We invest heavily in our commitment to life-long-learning and personal development – in which AFD encourages on-the-job, distance-learning and off-the-job training for all its employees, covering training costs and expenses for approved courses.
Being a technology company, AFD Software utilises the latest innovations and available technologies to help staff get the job done. By investing heavily in our hardware and systems that keep it working well we make sure our customers keep receiving our services and our staff are always able to serve them.
The AFD business is founded on objectives which recognise its role in society – local, national and international – and takes an active role at all levels. In just one initiative, at the end of each year in November or December, AFD holds its Annual Charity Event which celebrates staff-nominated donations to a range of charities, with each annual event typically celebrating AFD donations in excess of £1 million per annum. These donations go to support a wide range of local, UK and international charities, including those involved in medical care and research, disaster relief, youth work and work amongst those with disabilities.
AFD Staff enjoy a generous salary and benefits package. Not only are our salary rates highly competitive, we offer:
In addition, Isle of Man employees may enjoy additional benefits available under Isle of Man employment legislation, including:
We know how to have fun! Twice a year, our entire team spends a week together at Mountain View for staff meetings and team building activities. With some of our team spread across the UK, it is essential to create stronger bonds and working relationships with different teams. AFD recognises great value in these times – and has organised a range of events – from treasure-hunts to go-kart derbies, raft building to a litter-picking competition – and team members’ families often get invited too. Our Charity night is a personal highlight for many in the team who themselves are involved in the charities benefitting – closely followed by our staff Christmas party and, of course, the “Secret Santa”!
Making the change to working for AFD, a company with a real sense of community and caring, has allowed me to flourish and grow as an individual, which is a great feeling. This job excites me: every day there’s a new challenge or something new to learn and I always feel like I’m being given the opportunity to reach my full potential.
I really enjoy the positive and supportive work environment and especially the company culture which promotes collaboration and innovation. Closer to my heart is the amazing privilege to nominate a charity and share some of our profits to support the lives of those who need it most.
AFD have given me a role where I have been able to mature, progress and succeed. As an ambitious and driven individual, the role provided has allowed me to grow as a person inside and outside of work.
AFD Software gave me the opportunity to progress into a Team Leader. It also comforts me to be a part of a loyal and friendly team, which generously supports charities along the way. I also benefit from the electric car scheme and company pension.
In my time since joining AFD, I have enjoyed fulfilment in my role and been given the opportunity to learn new skills. Helping customers learn how AFD can solve their problems is very satisfying.
Working here is like being in a family. Seeing people grow, develop and being a part of that is a pleasure.
Having enjoyed over a decade at AFD now, I like that you're always given the freedom to explore different roles and learn new things. I enjoy the problem solving side of my job, being able to provide good solutions and products for customers.
As a graduate, I was uncertain of what I could achieve in my working life. AFD have helped me take my skills and passion so I could progress from my original role into field sales in 2 years.
In August 2020, I celebrated 15 years with AFD Software and am very happy in my role here. I enjoy the variety in my job as well as the working conditions offered. My house move was made easier with the help of the Staff Mortgage Scheme.
I think it's a privilege to work here. I get to be part of some life changing moments for people. To be involved in these is a truly humbling experience.
In addition to organised get-togethers, AFD staff regularly meet socially outside of work as groups of friends or department teams.
We’re not all just about fun and games, though – the UK team also gets together to help a local charity in Bradford, we support staff involvement in approved charities with company resources, and regularly provide staff time, venues and other resources to help encourage and mentor the next generation in their education.
Sometimes we just cry together. When you’ve lived and worked together for decades, tragedies do sometimes come along. It is nice to know that your workmates (and employer!) are there as a listening ear – or ready to lend a practical hand when the going is tough, illness strikes or family members are under pressure.
The Company has appointed a company chaplain to be available as an additional independent listening ear for our staff.
The site is home to Babbage’s licensed bistro, dedicated fitness facilities and recreational area. including a pool table, table tennis and other table games. The developing gardens and landscape at Mountain View has a variety of walks and paths for those who want to exercise outside – or just taken in the fresh air – and there are showers on site afterwards! Mountain View has ample space for car parking on site set in 25 acres of green space with wonderful open views to the hills, and a set of staff allotment beds. AFD encourages employee families to share all these spaces at mealtimes and for family events.
We serve thousands of organisations and a network of hundreds of partners across multiple industry sectors, enabling them to have full confidence in their contact data.