When Should You Automate Services?
There is a common drive for most businesses to automate services and reduce the cost to serve. The question these days isn’t whether it can be done, it is more about when you should consider it and for what services. This question often drives businesses towards a range of potential technology solutions in the hope […]
The Problems of Being a Nice Manager
As Consultants we often go into businesses and encounter managers who are just too “nice”. They are friends with their teams and wouldn’t say boo to a goose, so dealing with underperformance and confrontation is a total no-go. Obviously this is not good news for the business, or ultimately the employees if the business fails. […]
Management vs Leadership
It’s an age old question; what’s the difference between a manager and a leader? Can you be one without the other? Both terms are often interchanged and intertwined, however many simple definitions will show obvious differences. Management is described as completing tasks through other people (the fine art of delegation!) whereas a leader is generally […]
Mis-Managing Customer Expectations
Why is it that even when faced with the thought of having to phone a call centre, one is filled with dread and the anticipated level of frustration starts to surge upwards? In the nineties and early noughties there was a huge decline in UK based call centres, as large organisations off shored their customer […]
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss?
It’s time for contract renewal, the bid documents are being published, final selection is going to be made and on May 8th there will be a new dawn with the winner (or winners) taking over for the next 5 years. One bid team will be celebrating, the others will be back to doing whatever it […]
Symptoms: Inertia, tunnel vision, inability to focus? Time to see the consultant
The use of internal performance improvement teams versus the use of external consultants is a debate that continues to divide the boardroom. Can internal performance improvement teams truly provide the change that will deliver bottom line cost savings and drive sustainable performance improvements across your operation? This blog attempts to address this question by analysing […]
Customer Experience Measurement – how important is this?
According to people-focused research firm Maritz, there are 3 dimensions to Customer Experience – customers, insight teams, and managers and employees taking action. Measurement and success is derived from understanding the value of each customer experience by leveraging linkage and analysis, improved engagement with front-line staff, effective communications driven by customer feedback and the provision […]
How do we improve communication in the workplace?
The Oxford Dictionary defines communication as “The imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium” and “The successful conveying or sharing of ideas and feelings.” Such a concise definition, yet business press is littered with stories of breakdowns in vital communications and resulting issues in today’s business. Where do you […]
Technology – does it solve all your headaches?
Technology is evolving so fast that if you blink you’ll miss it. No one can argue that the abundance of advanced and adaptable technology we have available at our finger tips today is anything other than incredible. We have seen this proven both in the past and present day. It was estimated in 1957 by […]
Picked off the low hanging fruit? What next?
When times get tough, it is easy for businesses to focus on survival. In most cases, this begins with a frantic endeavour to cut costs by way of a number of quick win initiatives. The best quick wins provide an immediate, visible benefit to the company, are easily discoverable and cheap to implement. It is […]
