AN East Lancashire business that specialises in staff and customer surveys is poised for expansion after taking part in Boost Business Lancashire’s Growth Accelerator pro-gramme.

Altham-based Scancapture is also planning to grow its document scanning and record management services.

Managing director Steve Smith decided to take advantage of the Growth Accelerator initiative, which helps businesses drive controlled high growth, after his company created substantial organic expansion.

Steve said: “We differ from most organisations offering similar services by tailoring survey designs to match the needs and values of our clients.

“Rather than simple data collection, our surveys are geared towards developing the business and act as a blueprint for future strategies, HR policies and marketing plans.

“I was looking to expand Scancapture’s offering with a more focused and targeted approach and was already working with growth coach, Ian Hargreaves at Next Level BD, who told me about the programme.

“Its role in helping companies achieve year on year growth of over 20 per cent had massive appeal to my business, which has real potential to expand quickly with the right strategy in place.”

Growth Accelerator is delivered in Lancashire by business coaching specialist Winning Pitch and enables companies to grow by working with them on key issues including business development, commercialising innovation, and leadership skills.

Steve, who founded Scancapture in 2002, worked with local growth manager Mike Wilson and coach Ian Hargreaves who helped him put together a Scope of Work and three-year plan setting out how the business could grow.

Steve said: “While it’s still early days, just completing the Growth Accelerator Scope of Work and Planning Orbit has already focused my mind on Scancapture’s growth targets, the timescales set and the ways that I hope to achieve them.

“Everything was straightforward from start to finish.”

Boost Business Lancashire is being delivered through a partnership between Lancashire County Council, Community & Business Partners, Lancaster University, Regenerate Pennine Lancashire, University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) and Winning Pitch.

£3.6m of funding has been provided by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).