Our story

Learn more about the exciting things that have happened to the Roq team as we've been on our journey.

Roq was started back in 2009 to address a really simple problem. How can we make the client feel important again?

This may sound strange, but the Quality Engineering and software testing market was very different back then. A lot of large service organisations had sensed an opportunity to provide low-cost, commodity-based services in this market, and many client organisations had snapped it up. Unfortunately with scale and low cost, came poor service. We wanted to address that.

So, Here's how we did it

We put quality in our name, Roq (Return on quality) from the very first day and have never looked back. We have built a business that very much focuses on the outcome of our client delivery, the happiness of our clients and the feedback they give our incredible team.

This supports our very simple business ethos of focusing on two key things: How happy are our employees? And how happy are our clients? We measure the happiness of both groups regularly and share the results with the wider world as often as we can.

Back to today

We wanted to refresh our look and feel, and have identified an amazing opportunity to pioneer in the Quality Engineering marketplace. It will provide us with many more opportunities to support our fantastic clients, and help develop the skills and experience of our entire team.

We know our approach is different to others and we love that. In fact, so much so, our strap line is “like no other”.

We have created a little video to explain our new look and feel. We hope you enjoy it.

PLAY

Key moments in our story

2023

We achieve the prestigious IIP Platinum accreditation, ranked number #2 in technology companies across the UK, and we welcome our first Quality Engineering Academy Apprenticeship intake.

2022

Service portfolio expanded to cover a wider Quality Engineering portfolio, along with our exciting new brand launch.

2021

Our next-generation Test Engineering Academy was launched.

2020

New services and accelerators launched to meet the needs of our clients and showcase our expertise in all areas of testing.

2019

Roq’s 10th birthday celebrated.

2018

Achievement of Investors in People (IIP) Gold accreditation and shortlisted for national award.

2017

Featured by Gartner and Forrester in several prestige research reports.

2016

Through rapid expansion, our new purpose-built 150-seat Test Lab is opened.

2015

Awarded Best Medium-Sized Business in Lancashire at the BIBAs.

2014

We team up with North West universities to establish our graduate programme, and welcome the first intake.

2013

Relocation from Preston to Chorley, doubling the capacity of the Test Lab to more effectively meet the needs of our expanding client base.

2012

Roq’s first Test Lab launched in the North West

2011

A seasoned IT professional and entrepreneur, Clive Grummett is appointed as Chairman.

2010

At our inaugural company Summer Event, our company values are defined. These remain the cornerstone of our culture.

2009

The originally named
ROQ IT is founded, based in Preston, to redress the balance in the market and offer a client-led approach to service delivery.