Industry news

Business process outsourcing provider Arvato has expanded its award-winning partnership with Renault UK, securing a new three-year contract to deliver the manufacturer’s back-office customer service in the UK and Ireland. Arvato, which has operated front-office customer services for the automotive group’s Renault and Dacia brands since 2011, will now handle all customer complaints across telephone, email, web chat, SMS and social media. To read more, click here.

Newark and Sherwood Council has boosted customer service, saved valuable hours of admin time and increased revenues collection since implementing OPENRevenues self-service technology with Civica, a market leader in critical software applications, digital solutions and managed and outsourced services. Civica’s OPENRevenues provides council tax and business rates administration. This includes a ‘citizen portal’ where customers can view their account and claim information, and retrieve e-bills online, removing the need for paper bills. Click here to read more.

Related news: Abritas fully integrated into Civica

Business in Britain is feeling increasingly confident according to two new surveys. The Federation of Small Businesses has found that confidence among small business in London is at its highest level in a year. The British Chamber of Commerce found that a greater number of firms believed that their turnover would increase in the next 12 months.

Related news: UK Consumers Show January Cheer

New research suggests that the rise of the gig economy may be limited as workers look for more stable employment. A recent survey would suggest that only 13% of workers would consider a job in the gig economy. Clear salaries, benefits and career progression remain the key factors supporting a stable job. Join the GSA for the Future of Work in the Digital Age Conference this May, click here to learn more.

The Global Sourcing Association (GSA) is today calling on the sourcing industry not to overlook the growing threat of cyber-attacks amidst the tsunamic push for digital enablement currently sweeping the industry. John McAfee and Dr David Bray will keynote at the UK Symposium in June to highlight how the acceleration towards becoming digitally enabled must not be pursued at the expense of putting in place the proper safeguards against potential cyber threats.

To read the full press release, click here and book your place today.

The cost of cyber-crime on the value of a firm’s shares has been calculated in a report by CGI Global and Oxford Economics, the damage is calculated to be a permanent fall of 1.8% after a breach. 87% of FTSE 100 companies now state that cyber security is a ‘principal risk’ and increasingly investors take into account cyber security readiness before investing. The GSA are focusing on cyber security at their Symposium this June, click here to learn more.

Leading global business process outsourcing and customer experience expert Webhelp, has announced plans to expand its business with the addition of a new site in the capital of Latvia, Riga. With 40% of the population in Latvia speaking fluent Russian, this move allows Webhelp to offer an additional non-European language capability from a base in the EU. To read the full story, click here.

Related news: Webhelp Acquires Ocon Office Concept GmbH

Heathrow airport reported its best monthly cargo growth for over five years as volumes increased by nearly 13%. Mexico, Brazil and India were the big growth markets for trading volumes as the UK government prepares for Brexit negotiations.

Related news: Best of Brexit

The UK unemployment rate has remained at 4.7% however inflation is beginning to wipe out wage growth. The ONS said in a statement: "Average weekly earnings for employees increased by 2.3% including bonuses and by 2.2% excluding bonuses, compared with a year earlier. "However, adjusted for inflation, average weekly earnings grew by 0.2% including bonuses and by 0.1% excluding bonuses, over the year, the slowest rate of growth since 2014." You can read more here.

Related news: UK Inflation Holds Steady

Innovate Finance, the fintech industry body backed by the City of London is moving from Canary Wharf to the heart of the City. Innovative technology is at the forefront of the future of London enterprise with plans for faster broadband part of a plan to bring Fintech to the City. Increasingly tech giants are moving to the City as rents in the traditional tech hub of Shoreditch have risen. The GSA is hosting a Future of Work in the Digital Age Conference in Manchester which embraces innovative technology and its impact on work. Click here to learn more.

Related news: London Still Fintech King