A North Yorkshire company which provides reviews and customer satisfaction surveys is planning to expand overseas after securing six-figure funding.

Based in Harrogate Judgeservice Research, has secured £100k from NPIF - Mercia Debt Finance, which is managed by Mercia and part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, to boost its operations in Canada.

The firm, which was set up in 2011 by Neil Addley, employs around 50 staff, and the funding will create a further six jobs.

Neil Addley, Judgeservice Research CEO, commented: “Customer service is increasingly the differentiator in business. We provide in-depth insight to enable them to improve their service and boost sales, as well as independent, verified reviews which are now a central factor in customers’ buying decisions.

“This funding will speed up our expansion into Canada and allow us to develop exciting new products, for example apps to help clients to integrate social media into the sales process and manage reviews from multiple sources, as well as low-cost systems for smaller businesses.”

David Wright, investment manager with Mercia, added: “No matter how much companies spend on marketing, they won’t feel the benefit if the service is poor or the product isn’t right.

“Judgeservice sets itself apart from other review services by the detailed insights it provides into the customer experience.

“The funding will support its growth plans to further develop its digital services and expand its reach, both in the UK and North America.”