Industry news

Adam Tilson, Director of Direct Response Limited’s call centre business outlines the importance of creating a good first impression…

“Make a good first impression” was my mother’s mantra when growing up and to some extent it has stuck with me into the business world. But often companies overlook perhaps the most important area where they could and should be making a good first impression – the reception. She’s the meeter, the greeter and most importantly the telephone operator. It’s a vital part of company’s operations and getting it right is critical in order to deliver excellent service and effectively represent your organisation’s brand.

But getting a reception right is not easy. One of the main challenges is that calls volumes are never constant. They are variable and unpredictable – there are peaks and troughs throughout the day, week and year. So getting the balance right is key as staffing to cover busy periods is costly yet if there are too few people to handle the calls customers don’t like being left waiting or on hold for lengthy periods.

Secondly, even the most dedicated and well-trained receptionist only has one pair of hands and isn’t able to answer two calls at once, or deal with the important customer who has just arrived simultaneously with a telephone call. Then there’s the receptionist’s lunch break that needs covering (which may coincide with a peak call period), holiday leave and sickness absence. Pulling other employees off their usual tasks to provide cover at such times is not the ideal option and not the best use of their time and expertise.

So what do you do? Employ temporary staff? Yes, that’s an option but it’s a costly one both in terms of wages and training time, not to mention the potential unreliability and lack of expertise. Not ideal, especially when the pressure to reduce costs without compromising on service or ones brand values is ever increasing.

There is, of course, the option to outsource your company’s inbound telephone calls. This can guarantee that callers are not kept waiting and that all calls are handled professionally and promptly. There is the additional benefit that this frees up the in-house team to meet and greet visitors and create a great first impression to people visiting the company.

But selecting the right outsourced partner is the real key to success. It’s vital that the partner is the right one as they will be representing your brand. To get the best results, take some time to brief them on your business, on how you like your calls answered and even who your more important clients are. This will ensure that you have great brand ambassadors at the end of the phone who reflect your company’s values and ethos.

We make it our business to get to know your business, its operations, its products, its people and its way of working. In this way, our call handlers can deliver a seamless service so that clients don’t even know they are located remotely. And the service can be tailored to individual requirements with calls either being diverted or messages taken and relayed via SMS or email as requested.

The service is flexible too – it can be used simply to deal with calls when the inhouse reception is under pressure right through to a fully outsourced service dealing with each and every incoming call.

Or perhaps used to manage calls generated from a particular marketing campaign or new service offered.

Whatever system is chosen, it is all about striking the right balance between reception costs and maintaining excellent standards of customer service that match a business’ needs and brand values. This balance seems best achieved with the help of a supportive outsourced partner. But choose that partner well as you only get one chance to make a good first impression.

The majority of organisations outsource recruitment for new personnel, especially for C level roles, without a second thought, but are they right to do so?

Finding the right candidate has arguably become even more difficult than ever. All the rules to successful recruitment have changed in the recession and whilst it’s true that there are more good applicants available, they are vastly out-numbered by inappropriate candidates, so talent acquisition can often feel like a searching for the proverbial needle in a haystack. Is this the perfect time to outsource or not?

Ten years ago when the market was buoyant, those recruiting for a senior management role rarely needed to look very far. They either had a preferred recruiter or they were able to tap the right contact on the shoulder, either metaphorically or literally, and doors opened quite effortlessly through contacts or personal recommendations. If that didn’t happen, then the next step was to take out an ad with the Sunday Times Appointments supplement, the automatic choice for many high level candidates.

The routes to market have multiplied year on year so deciding upon a strategy can in itself be a full time job. The key to successfully filling vacancies still lies in good contacts, but now all parties need many more than previously to off-set the size of the candidate pool and the limited opportunities available.

Move over print! Recruitment advertisements in all print media have become less popular, not least because of the lead times and cost of placing an ad. In addition, the process seems fraught and cumbersome by comparison with online appointment adverts which can be up and running in less than half a day.

Added to this, there are a myriad of digital channels where recruiters can connect with their audience: Linked- In, Times Online, Executive Appointments, The Ladders, Executive-I, Executives on the Web, etc, etc . Most ‘C’ level execs seeking a new position will certainly be active in investigating these and ensure they’ve built up their own online profile, the same applies to recruiters.

Of course, the traditional search consultancies still exist, from household name brands through to specialist head-hunters, and of course, the new breed boutique niche consultancies like ours which build a reputation for success by adding value in a number of different ways. Before picking a recruitment partner, check they’re as visible and influential as you’d like them to be.

One interesting, if quirky, development is the arrival of candidate agents. These organisations have turned the traditional recruitment model on its head by seeking a fee from the candidate – often in the thousands of pounds – rather than the employer. In return, they promise to provide connections that would be outside the candidate’s existing network.

Personal introductions aren’t always necessary now, and employers can expect to be approached directly by ardent applicants. Many candidates will have a short-list of specific organisations they’d like to work for within their industry. In most cases this is a welcome development as it saves recruiter fees, often running into £10,000s. Common sense dictates that if the candidate is good enough, their name will already be known to your organisation, so there’s little to be gained by asking a third party to perform the introductions – and be paid handsomely for such easy work.

The best approach for both candidates and employers is to actively tend their own internal and external networks, which should of course include individuals outside the ‘circle of trust’ who are nevertheless part of the professional universe. In fact, I’d caution against using too many recruitment partners; it’s certainly worth favouring those which have proven themselves and earned a place in a trusted network or have been recommended by someone credible.

Another fruitful avenue is the networking event. It’s rarely going to result in the hiring another attendee, but unless it’s a poor event it should provide an opportunity for influence and introductions.

Having read all this, you may think that outsourcing to a third party is still the most suitable approach. If so, then it’s wise to check the health and breadth of the agency’s network. Many of the most experienced recruiters have taken flight and moved in-house. Even if you’ve dealt with the agency for many years, it’s unlikely that the same individuals are in place, and if they’ve left they’ve taken their contacts with them.

With the announcement of the scrapping of the current IT curriculum and the development of a course focused on core knowledge, the future teaching of ICT is undergoing a dramatic shift.

The IT curriculum has received criticism from numerous sectors for being unfit for purpose. Many within the IT industry have commented that the IT curriculum has failed to teach students key abilities and does not provide applicable skills for entry into the IT industry.

The chairman of Google, Eric Schmidt, attacked the teaching of IT within the UK last year, saying that the failure to teach IT was “throwing away your great computing heritage.” A study by e-Skills found that respondents viewed IT GSCE as being "so harmful, boring and/or irrelevant it should simply be scrapped".

In the current economic climate, the IT industry has been an example of good news for the UK economy, demonstrating growth and seeing the creation of innovative start-ups. Silicon Roundabout and Tech City have received backing from the government, which views the IT industry as being a key sector in stimulating economic recovery.

New ICT curriculum will promote innovation

The new curriculum will affect both GSCEs and A-level courses and will focus on providing software development and programming skills to students. The government having taken on board concerns from the IT industry and has consulted widely with organisations to ensure that the new curriculum provides the skills that the industry desires. IBM, Hewlett-Packard and Microsoft are just some of the companies that were involved in the shaping of the programme. The new programme is to be a shorter intensive course in order to allow for teaching flexibility.

The new curriculum will be implemented from September 2014, while the current curriculum is to be withdrawn from this September. The removal of the IT curriculum at the end of this year without a planned viable replacement for two years has raised concern. John Harris, head of IT strategy at GlaxoSmithKline, commented: ““We are very disappointed that the government has not listened to our concerns about withdrawing the ICT curriculum from schools before the new computer science programme is introduced in 2014.”

Skills Commission opposes changes to ICT curriculum

The new curriculum has raised concern over the limited numbers of expert IT teachers and the practicalities of delivering the new curriculum when there is a shortage of staff. Prof Steve Furber of the Royal Society said: "We look forward to hearing more about how the government intends to support non-specialist teachers who make up the majority of the workforce in delivering an excellent ICT education without official guidance on lesson content".

The new curriculum programme, while raising concerns over its implementation has been generally welcomed. Education secretary, Michael Gove, has said: "Imagine the dramatic change which could be possible in just a few years, once we remove the roadblock of the existing ICT curriculum.” With the backing of a growing UK IT industry the curriculum has the potential to revitalise IT education and provide students with the skills that the industry requires.

Headlines around the Euro crisis have resurfaced with a vengeance in recent weeks. The uncertainty surrounding the future of the Euro is taking its toll on financial stability and the markets. What is certain is that the resolution of the Euro crisis – however it pans out – will bring with it major and extensive challenges across the industry, as banks implement major systems and process changes to restore trust with their customers, while minimising any financial losses, liquidity pressures and business risk.

The first is status-quo where all the Euro member states successfully implement tighter fiscal integration and none opt out of the Euro. The second is a contracted Eurozone, which will see some members opt out with agreed terms. The third – and most feared – is total disintegration, resulting from the failure to reach an agreement on fiscal integration and will lead to a number of major economies leaving the Euro. Any and all three options will result in significant turbulence.

For most, a status-quo version of the existing Eurozone is the preferred scenario, and the reforms agreed in December 2011 to embrace tighter fiscal rules and monetary expansion, represent a step in the right direction to resolve this crisis. However, based on the challenges that have come with implementing these reforms in some Eurozone countries, the changing political climate, the ongoing weakness of a number of European banks, and the increasing reluctance of stronger countries to ‘bail out’ financially weaker or politically unstable countries, it is very likely that the ‘contracted Euro’ scenario will be the one that becomes reality.

So, what does this mean for banking and financial institutions?

The introduction of the Euro in the late 90s provided a great deal of experience of changing from one currency to another, and provides a strong basis to tackle the challenges associated with any countries leaving the Euro. However, it is clear that a contracted Euro will have a widespread impact on both operational / IT processes and underlying solutions, requiring additional resource and experience to plan and deliver the necessary changes in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The key impacts are market infrastructure, regulatory, customer and operations, resulting in several significant process and system changes.

In terms of customer impact examples, in core banking, client on-boarding and management processes would need to be changed; client accounts would need to be reset to accommodate multiple currencies, and the data migrated. In addition, any changes in account terms and conditions would need to be planned and communicated to clients effectively. The impact on pension funds could be huge. For example, the potential redenomination of long-term assets (such as government or company bonds), which had already been redenominated from the original national currency into the Euro, might pose significant challenges.

In terms of operational impact examples, the withdrawal and reintroduction of new currency notes and coinage (such as the Drachma) will be a particular test for the banks within countries exiting the Euro, and advance contingency planning will be absolutely crucial. Channels such as branch, direct, mobile, contact centres and ATMs would need to be reset and standardised to be able to cope with currency change and make sure customers still receive the service they require without interruption.

In terms of infrastructure and regulatory impact, Agent / Correspondent banking would need to be restructured and payments infrastructures / systems updated in line with new currencies and regulations. There will be a knock-on impact on European regulation such as SEPA, EMIR and MiFID II across all BFS institutions.

If we look specifically at capital markets, in addition to the above examples, financial institutions will be saddled with changes to Risk Management processes (for example, collateral management, margining and asset services) and potential fragmentation of the market infrastructure. Regulatory bodies will stipulate varying demands on how instruments are priced and may demand capital adequacy changes. The fragmentation of market infrastructure will lead to uncertain liquidity availability and hence the need for more complex connectivity. Real-time trade analytics will play an even more important role. The additional cost of setting up new trading desks / centres will add to the cost of operations and regulatory burdens.

All of the above will impact reporting and management information systems at a global level.

The examples above are just snapshots of the potential extent to which financial services institutions will need to change to be able to cope with a contracted Euro. As such, banks need to place an increased focus on assessing and reacting to the changing situation to limit potential financial losses, evaluate new strategies for operating in these markets and develop appropriate risk management frameworks. This will result in several initiatives to address the need for process and systems changes.

In summary, whilst a lot of groundwork and experience was gained in introducing the Euro, it is essential for all financial services institutions with Euro exposure to start putting plans in place now to be able to adapt to market infrastructure, regulatory, customer and operations changes with minimal disruption. Those that do will be the ones that will not only be ready for any disruption / financial impact caused by future developments, but will be in a strong position to benefit from the changing environment ahead of their competitors.

It is time to act, rather than wait for the next stage of the crisis to unfold.

Mandy Watson of Imperial Civil Enforcement Solutions says the process of procurement will determine the practicalities of delivering service efficiencies and savings

Technology-led innovation is already very much today's reality as authorities rise to the challenges presented by the austerity programme. One only has to look at the inroads authorities are making into new channel strategies as digital technologies drive consumer preferences and service improvement at the point of delivery, while also saving costs. Until recently, however, the procurement of outsourced services in some specialist areas has often been viewed from a manpower rather than a technology-led perspective. Thankfully, more and more authorities are now acknowledging that the procurement process itself must reflect this inexorable culture shift.

With technology comes flexibility, responsiveness and a progressive mindset which are all key factors in delivering sustainable service improvements and efficiencies. In the specialist area of civil enforcement, this shift of emphasis in both the procurement and delivery of services reflects the dramatic improvements that have been made in enforcement provision in many areas of mainland Europe.

On the Continent, it has become increasingly common for enforcement activities to be led by advances in digital IT technologies in both the processing and payment of enforcement penalties, as well as new mobile and automated equipment to identify and record contraventions as they arise. As many forward-thinking authorities here in the UK will testify, the efficiencies that have been made as a result of this switch have been dramatic. But, just as important, the new culture is far more future-proof as it leads to much more dynamic, consistent and responsive enforcement fostered by the concept of continuous service improvement.

Here in the UK, one only has to look at the way proven software systems have transformed the former paper-based enforcement back-office and have continued to evolve in line with developments in CCTV, ANPR and GPS technologies. Such systems have now been further developed to provide dedicated verification and review platforms in support of new approved CCTV enforcement solutions inspired by TMA 2004 - not to mention the corresponding developments in new cashless payment systems and new handheld technologies.

At first glance, a catch-all ITT may seem an attractive proposition in terms of single point of accountability for any multi-disciplined outsource solution. However, the move towards technology-led efficiencies on the Continent - and increasingly so within our own major cities here in the UK - suggests a rather different set of priorities are now in evidence. Here assigned responsibility for efficiencies derived from technological advances is very much the driving force as it will shape and influence all other day-to-day enforcement activities. This, in itself, creates clear and unequivocal accountability - without interfering with other in-house or outsourced services - and helps to ensure an enforcement operation is always able to capitalise on opportunities for further efficiency improvements in the future.

Equally, full financial accountability and significant cost savings can be enjoyed with IT-led managed services as it is in the interest of any responsible IT service provider to ensure its systems are always up to date for optimum operational efficiency at all times. Put simply, such continuous service innovation and development help to maximise efficiencies in all areas and at all times, yet the cost of any software updates or system developments are borne by the service provider not by its customers. The same cannot be said where the IT resource and capability is at an arm's length through a third party where improvements are typically client driven which then incurs inevitable site-specific development costs and margins.

What we consider to be efficient today will look inconsequential in the very near future, as the relentless pace of change gathers momentum. However, by embracing technological innovation from the outset (i.e. at the point of procurement), local authorities of all shapes and sizes can reap the very real benefits of sustained service improvement and reduced costs (perhaps with partner authorities) without costly upfront investment.

For those who defer such decisions, the gap will just get wider as the months go by and, further down the line, the leap of faith into the new technological world will be even more daunting, far more risky and far more costly.

IT consortium the Open Group, consisting of suppliers, users and academics, view cloud computing as a vital technology for SME development, however there is widespread confusion among small and medium sized enterprises surrounding implementation.

There is a lack of best practices in implementing cloud services and in choosing the best service provider.

The director of the Open Group’s cloud working group, Chris Harding, commented that “Cloud computing allows you to do things more quickly without having specialist skills in house. And it costs you less”.

Poor communication between central and local government has "exasperated" councils, according to the National Audit Office, a government watchdog.

The government is devolving more power to local councils, while the already contentious Localism Act has paved the way for major changes, such as transferring public health responsibilities from the NHS to local councils in April 2013. But local authorities are "exasperated" by the unsystematic standards and time wasting exercises that make the change difficult, says the audit office's annual report, published yesterday on 13th June.

Loss-making Finnish cellphone maker Nokia plans to cut another 10,000 jobs globally in its biggest revamp in recent history, while it warned the second-quarter loss from its cellphone business would be larger than expected.

The cuts, which include the closure of Nokia's only plant in Finland, bring total planned job cuts at the group since Stephen Elop took over as chief executive in 2010 to more than 40,000

Fashion retail chain O’Neill have carried out wide ranging IT consolidation, in order to reduce 50 different enterprise resource planning (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM) to 5 through a single ERP system.

The ERP system was procured from Lawson M3 and Liaison Technologies in 2011 for €6 million.

Richard Van der Hoek, integrations manager for O’Neill Europe, said “The big benefit is centralised data, so we are now able to inform countries quickly about cancelled colours, etc. The other benefit is all sales orders are also in one system,

The use of mobile optimised online services and applications has seen online growth for Sainsbury’s grow by 20 percent.

The improved mobile website allows customers to easily view Sainsbury’s website for groceries which offers over 20,000 products for purchase.

Sainsbury’s released the mobile optimise site last month, making the website available for Apple iPhones, Android operating systems and other smart phone systems. The first quarter trading results demonstrated a 3.6 percent increase in sales.