Palatine-backed FourNet strengthens customer experience and AI capabilities with strategic SVL acquisition

FourNet, the customer experience and AI transformation partner backed by our Buyout Fund, has announced the strategic acquisition of Glasgow-headquartered SVL Business Solutions.

The acquisition creates a combined business with more than 230 people, over 450 customers and revenues of around £65 million. The two businesses have worked alongside each other for nearly a decade.

SVL is a contact centre and customer experience transformation specialist with a highly experienced team of 41 employees.

Over the past five years, its longstanding expertise in interaction recording, analytics and workforce management has broadened into wider customer experience transformation and AI. Its customers operate across financial services, utilities, public safety and other enterprise markets, where reliability, regulatory compliance and continuity of service are essential.

Both businesses serve many of the same sectors and work with many of the same technology partners, including global technology provider NiCE.

SVL brings additional specialists and complementary skills to FourNet's consultancy, customer experience, AI transformation, cybersecurity and operational capabilities. It also expands FourNet's customer base in financial services, an area of growth for the business.

The acquisition is Manchester-headquartered FourNet's fifth since 2020. We have backed FourNet since 2021. The deal increases FourNet's capacity to help customers move AI out of pilots and into everyday customer service: identifying where AI will make the biggest difference, redesigning customer journeys and processes, and implementing the technology on secure, resilient and well-governed systems.

SVL customers will continue to work with the same people, while gaining access to FourNet's wider team and capabilities.

James Painter, Partner at Palatine Private Equity, said: "SVL represents a highly strategic acquisition for FourNet given the complementary customer base and technology partnerships. It brings specialist expertise which strengthens FourNet's customer experience transformation proposition into mission-critical sectors.

"This is FourNet's fifth acquisition since 2020, and we are delighted to continue to support Richard Pennington and the management team as they build a unique platform in the sector through a combination of organic growth and carefully selected acquisitions."

Richard Pennington, co-founder and CEO of FourNet, said: "We have known SVL and worked alongside its people for nearly a decade, so we know exactly what we are getting: talented specialists who provide an excellent service to organisations where services simply have to work.

"This acquisition is about three things: people, customers and technology. SVL's team shares our commitment to customers and culture, its customers operate in many of the same sectors as ours, and we work with the same technology partners, with complementary skills and services.

"Joining forces with SVL deepens capabilities FourNet already has and gives us greater capacity to help more customers transform.

"Organisations are now moving AI out of pilots and into everyday customer service. They need help proving its value, redesigning the customer journeys and processes around it, and implementing it safely."

David Kindness, CEO of SVL Business Solutions, said: "Our customers stay with us because of our people, our expertise and the quality of service we provide. Joining FourNet protects those strengths while giving our customers a much larger team and a broader range of capabilities behind them.

"We have worked with FourNet for many years and share the same approach: employing specialist people, delivering excellent service and doing what is right for the customer.

"This gives our people greater opportunities to develop, gives our customers access to additional expertise and investment, and provides a strong platform for SVL's continued growth."