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Chris Ibberson

We partner with clients typically in the supply chain who are looking to digitize processes and transform their business using technology. We work as a heavily integrated consulting partner embedded in the organization to identify and measure opportunities and challenges. We then have our own proprietary software, Q3, which allows us to rapidly build internal applications, utilities, and integrations to support these initiatives faster and with less cost than traditional development. We also partner with key software vendors to deliver our services more cost-effectively. From cumbersome, time-consuming workflows, errors, revenue growth, cost savings, deferring of hires, consolidating expenses, and improving access to and use of data – 3merge is your digital transformation partner.

Tell us about yourself?

My background is in technology and digital marketing. I have past experience starting, buying, scaling, and selling a Managed IT Services firm, telecommunications and network infrastructure services, and for over a decade ran a digital marketing and custom application development agency that served more than 500 companies across North America.

I have always been fascinated by the impact of technology and favour its transparency and measurability, in addition to its ability to scale revenues, decrease costs, aid in growth, retention, and more.

Aside from my own businesses, I have also sat on many boards of startups and SaaS companies and worked as an integrated partner with several software companies moving into the Canadian market.

If you could go back in time a year or two, what piece of advice would you give yourself?

I would be more focused on saying “no”. Often, effectively coaching clients and keeping alignment requires pressing back sometimes. It takes time to get the timing and approach right, but it’s critical to consulting and project management disciplines.

What problem does your business solve?

We help companies identify error-prone, time-intensive, manual processes and digitize them using impact-focused frameworks and tools, proprietary software and tools to help, and deliver it using integrated management consulting.

What is the inspiration behind your business?

My partner and I have been working with technology, digital sales, and marketing, and in areas like manufacturing and distribution for over a decade and a half, and along the way, we have seen firsthand the power of automation, AI, data, and digitization can yield and the impact it can have in growth, operations, customer experience, and more.

What is your magic sauce?

We built a consulting and development firm concretely focused on business improvement through technology with a framework and technical foundation that gets companies off to a running start due to our industry and subject matter specializations. For example, our Q3 platform allows us to respond faster to custom app and utility requirements, integrations and more – standardizes them and centralizes their maintenance and management. We keep the focus on the impact and on the process and work to manage with the most modern and powerful technology as a service.

What is the plan for the next 5 years? What do you want to achieve?

As we continue to drive impact and ROI by systematically digitizing new processes and workflows with our client partners, we’re increasing more sizeable investments in R&D, key integrations, integrated vendor partnerships and the evolution of our proprietary software – all in efforts to bring better results faster and with more efficacy.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?

The pandemic was a unique combination of forcing change in some regards while also bolstering our initial focus. We set out on day one to impact businesses through a better way of custom-building internal tools. Along the way, leveraging our expertise more fully, we have become more integrated in identification, ideation, measurement, and more as we’ve articulated and developed our consulting offering more.

How can people get involved?

We’re looking for small to mid-sized companies in Canada in areas like manufacturing, distribution, logistics, and warehousing, and service-focused companies – typically with 49 to 249 employees, who are looking for a dedicated, integrated partner for continuous improvement and digital transformation leadership, self-service initiatives, and digital process automation.

For more information, reach out to us at 416-855-2450 or email info@3merge.ca, and we can set up an initial consultation with one of the partners.