The origins of GOSS

Since 1999, here at GOSS our focus has been on reshaping how organisations deliver public services and handle their business processes using innovative digital solutions. Over the past two decades, our dedicated team has worked tirelessly to refine the GOSS Digital Platform, providing our clients with a robust tool to address their digital challenges.

From the start, our goal has been consistent, aiding organisations in reaching their digital and online objectives by fostering relationships with their customers, automating manual business processes, and ultimately saving both time and money. In this blog post, we explore our journey from inception, highlighting how GOSS has evolved into a prominent player in digital transformation and self-service solutions throughout the UK.

Originally named Merglan, GOSS had its beginnings in the late 1990s when British Yachtsman Pete Goss embarked on a mission to circumnavigate the globe in record time. The GOSS system was initially conceived to monitor Pete's state-of-the-art carbon fibre catamaran, providing real-time updates on its position and progress via the internet. This early adoption of content management and location tracking technology played a pivotal role in establishing GOSS as a trailblazer in online information and service delivery. At a time when such technology was groundbreaking, GOSS led the way in leveraging these innovations to enhance operations for various organisations.

Despite the unfortunate incident where Pete Goss had to abandon his world race due to a storm-related hull failure, the technology developed for Merglan lived on. It was around this time the Merglan team decided that the technology developed for the catamaran project could also be repurposed and sold as a web solution for businesses across the UK. It was this diversification that ensured the Merglan technology persisted, and the broader business thrived despite the setback in the catamaran race. Evolving into its own entity, Merglan was renamed to GOSS Interactive, and the business went on to focus on optimising internet capabilities and crafting diverse websites for organisations.

During the 2000s, GOSS witnessed substantial growth in its content management portfolio, attracting an increasing number of clients, particularly within the UK local authority and wider public sector space. The 2000s were a time dedicated to websites, a solution sought after by GOSS clients to inform their customers of the latest information and updates surrounding their business. Approaching the 2010s, and with many of GOSS's client public sector-based, changes in the economy and political spheres began to affect these organisations, which in turn would go on to influence GOSS.

With many public sector organisations being affected by austerity measures and budget cuts, cost-saving measures and an intensified focus on customer satisfaction meant new ways of delivering customer services were required. This dynamic environment spurred the adoption of digital transformation strategies within the public sector, aimed at optimising service delivery through online channels to achieve both efficiency gains and cost-effectiveness. In response to this evolving landscape, GOSS strategically redefined its business model, surpassing the confines of content management. GOSS diversified its offerings to encompass a comprehensive array of digital and online solutions, coming together to form what is now known by the GOSS Digital Platform. These solutions empowered organisations to provide seamless online self-service options, automate intricate business processes, and elevate overall operational efficiency.

Through persistent refinement of this adapted model, GOSS has emerged as a leading digital transformation partner in the UK. The company has played a pivotal role in helping a substantial portion of the UK public sector bring their digital transformation objectives to life. This trend has not only endured but has strengthened well into the 2020s, solidifying GOSS's position as a key facilitator of progressive digital evolution within the public sector landscape.