Monthly Archives: June 2021

Law, News, News from Wales

North Wales solicitor challenges “flawed” drug-driving convictions

Hundreds of convictions for drug-driving may be unsafe, according to a leading criminal solicitor.

Dafydd Roberts, Head of Criminal Law at Gamlins Law, is acting for several clients who may have been convicted as a result of flawed testing procedures.

One client, Callum Flynn, lost his job as a civil engineer after being banned from driving for a year, forcing him to find temporary work just to meet his mortgage payments.

Mr Roberts, who is based in North Wales but acts for clients across the UK, says the issue concerns a number of different testing providers.

Following an independent review by The Forensic Science Regulator involving analytical data from a Section 5A Road Traffic Act 1988 case involving Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) at one lab, “a number of issues were raised in relation to quality control and evaluation of data”.

UKAS, the national accreditation body responsible for accrediting labs carrying out forensic toxicology work, is currently conducting a review of the sector to see if improvements to testing processes need to be made.

In the case of Callum Flynn, he was stopped by police close to his home in Towyn, North Wales, while driving to his local shop in July 2019.

Five months later on December 2, he discovered that he had been charged after test results claimed to show that he was above the legal limit for THC.

Callum said: “The whole thing was an horrendous experience. I hardly drink let alone do drugs, but the impact on my family life was enormous.

“I lost my job as a civil engineer because I was no use to my boss unless I could drive and I had to take a series of temp jobs just to be able to pay the mortgage. Without them, I would have lost my home.

“It also had an impact on my daughter who suffers from autism and needed to get to hospital in Liverpool for treatment.

“Thankfully, I’ve now got my old job back because my boss knew I was a grafter, but I’m still suffering with things like car insurance which has gone up because of the conviction.”

Dafydd Roberts said: “It is apparent that this is potentially a very big problem with the veracity of test results from several labs in question.

“We are currently acting for a number of clients whose lives have been turned upside down as a result of allegedly flawed testing procedures but the true scale of the problem could run to hundreds of cases.”

Over 11,600 people were found guilty of drug-driving in 2019, according to Government figures – an increase of 20% on the previous year.

 

News

Growing businesses almost twice as likely to be run by a tech-savvy leader

  • Growing businesses are significantly more likely to be run by a tech savvy leader, have a tech proficient board and discuss tech matters on a regular basis, than businesses not predicting growth.
  • UK businesses rate themselves highly for tech maturity, but in fact discuss key technology issues far less frequently than their overseas counterparts.

Growing businesses are led by leaders that know about – and regularly talk about – technology, according to new findings from Thoughtworks, a global software consultancy, in a new report, ‘Tech proficiency: The new imperative for business growth, leadership and agility.’

Surveying 969 CEOs and CIOs across 12 different countries, the research revealed that among businesses that anticipated growth in 2021, three-quarters (74%) were led by leaders that kept fully up-to-date with the latest technology developments, compared with 42% of leaders of companies that were not predicting growth.

Meanwhile, leaders of non-growing businesses were more than twice as likely to rely on the tech expertise of others instead (55% vs 25%).

The leaders of growing businesses were also significantly more likely to say their management team’s knowledge of new technology developments was ‘good’ in relation to key areas of business technology. In particular, their digital proficiency was superior in areas including digital transformation (47% of growing businesses vs. 37% of non-growing businesses), cloud computing (39% vs. 29%), data strategy (44% vs. 32%), and software platforms (34% vs. 26%).

The big discussion
Growing businesses were also ones that discussed tech issues at board level on a regular basis. Among growing businesses, over half (52%) had board level discussions around digital transformation at least on a monthly basis. This fell to 40% amongst non-growing businesses.

Businesses that admitted being held back by their tech capabilities were four times less likely to have board-level discussions about digital transformation and operations each month than businesses that described themselves as technologically advanced. They were also half as likely to discuss customer experience, and were 30% less likely to discuss enterprise modernisation.

Among those respondents who did not regularly discuss tech issues at board-level, the reasons included: not understanding the problems (39%), not knowing how to implement or manage them (33%), or a feeling that they were not a priority (50%).

UK businesses discussing key tech issues far less frequently
Businesses in the UK were more confident about their tech abilities than those in most other regions. More than three quarters (76%) of business leaders in the UK said their enterprises were using technology to gain a competitive advantage. Only China had a higher proportion (at 83%) among the 12 countries surveyed.

There was also a correspondingly high proportion of business leaders who said they kept fully up to date with latest digital innovation and trends. In total, 76% of UK senior executives put themselves in this group – a far higher proportion than the global average of 65%. Only the USA and Brazil had a higher proportion.

However, despite these impressive figures, the number of times that core technology issues are discussed in UK management and leadership meetings was less than the global average.

Over half (56%) admitted enterprise modernization was discussed every few months, once a year, or never. By contrast, more than half of businesses in the USA (56%), Australia (57%), and Brazil (71%) said enterprise modernization featured in senior level discussions either monthly or more frequently.

A similar pattern was seen in UK businesses for digital transformation (53% discussing every few months or less), and customer digital experience (51%).

Ruth Harrison, managing director at Thoughtworks UK commented: “Talking about technology matters. Boards that regularly discuss how technology can help improve all aspects of their business are better placed to make decisions that will improve competitiveness, make them agile and more resilient in the face of unpredictable and changing economic conditions.

“Technology isn’t just about hardware or software products that can be plugged into to solve a problem. It is about the culture of an organization – and that culture starts at the top. Today’s CEO needs to be as well versed in data strategy, platform capability and engineering excellence, as they are about sales, marketing and accounts. These will all have an influence on future business performance.”

These findings give further support to the notion that technology, data and software are so integral to business success that these issues need to be central to business thinking. The gap between those that do and those that don’t will become more apparent as the world re-emerges from the pandemic.

For more information on the new ThoughtWorks report, country-specific research findings, infographics or to arrange interviews contact:
Jim Follett / Guy Bellamy / Jemima Woods
elephant communications
07766 775216 / 07908 551571

The research surveyed over 969 C-Suite decision makers, comprising of CEOs, CIOs and CTOs across 12 countries, all markets where ThoughtWorks has a significant market presence and can provide market commentary (USA, UK, Germany, China, Australia, India, Brazil, Singapore, Italy, Romania, Finland and Netherlands) and across seven sectors. The research was carried out online by Maru/Blue.

Additional tables

Table one: Business leaders’ tech proficiency by business outlook

Total The business is growing No change / staying the same Negative growth
Fully up to date with the latest technology developments and technology is central to strategic and business thinking 65% 74% 42% 42%
Aware of the key tech trends in the industry but defer to experts to make decisions on how tech can best help the business 33% 25% 52% 55%
Behind with the pace of technology change/struggle to keep up 2% 1% 5% 3%

Table two: Management team’s technical knowledge or proficiency rated as ‘good’ by the CEO by business outlook

Total The business is growing No change / staying the same Negative growth
Digital Transformation 44% 47% 37% 41%
Enterprise modernization 31% 31% 30% 28%
Platforms 32% 34% 26% 24%
Cloud 36% 39% 29% 33%
Customer Experience 45% 46% 41% 49%
Products 41% 40% 41% 45%
Design 32% 32% 30% 29%
Data Strategy 40% 44% 32% 22%
Engineering 31% 33% 26% 30%
Analytics 36% 38% 31% 41%
None of the above 2% 1% 4% 1%

Table three: Proportion of companies discussing tech issues at board level at least monthly

Total Growing businesses Non-growing businesses
Customer experience, product and design 49% 51% 36%
Digital transformation and operations 49% 52% 38%
Enterprise modernisation, platforms and cloud 46% 49% 34%
Data strategy, engineering and analytics 47% 53% 31%

Table four. Who is talking about tech? Table showing the percentage of companies that discuss these issues at a board level on at least a monthly basis

Enterprise modernisation Digital transformation & ops Cust Exp, product & design Data Shortage of talent % of companies forecasting growth
Brazil 68% 71% 68% 66% 48% 82%
USA 52% 56% 54% 55% 47% 89%
Romania 53% 46% 49% 51% 46% 57%
Netherlands 45% 48% 46% 54% 40% 71%
India 42% 42% 51% 44% 47% 86%
UK 44% 46% 48% 49% 39% 76%
Italy 49% 47% 44% 47% 35% 62%
Germany 43% 42% 51% 43% 40% 62%
Australia 37% 57% 45% 38% 42% 65%
China 39% 48% 42% 49% 26% 73%
Singapore 37% 34% 38% 41% 32% 59%
Finland 37% 43% 33% 28% 32% 68%

Table five. Where are the most tech-proficient companies?

Business proficiency Personal proficiency
We fully use our technology advantage to win business, run efficient systems and attract the best people I keep fully up to date with the latest technology developments and technology is central to my strategic and business thinking
China 83% 70%
UK 76% 76%
USA 75% 82%
India 70% 74%
Netherlands 70% 52%
Italy 67% 68%
Brazil 66% 78%
Australia 63% 54%
Finland 62% 47%
Romania 61% 62%
Germany 53% 47%
Singapore 51% 61%

About ThoughtWorks
We are a software consultancy and community of passionate purpose-led individuals, 8,000+ people strong across 48 offices in 17 countries. Over our 25+ year history, we have helped our clients solve complex business problems where technology is the differentiator. When the only constant is change, we prepare you for the unpredictable.

For more information visit: www.thoughtworks.com

Website: www.elephantcommunications.co.uk
Follow our social newsroom for latest insight reports & exclusive content: http://newsdesk.elephantcommunications.co.uk/

Privacy Policy: You can view our privacy policy on our website http://elephantcommunications.co.uk/privacy-policy. Please contact us in writing if you wish for your business contact information to be removed from our lists.

Flexible Working, News

Steve Herbert, Head of Benefits Strategy, Howden Employee Benefits & Wellbeing, considers the implications of flexible working ‘as a default’

Steve Herbert said, “Much has been made of the Conservative party 2019 manifesto commitment towards making flexible working the “default” for employment.  Yet flexible working is a far wider animal than just working at home – and in pre-pandemic world the commitment was almost certainly intended to encompass changes in working patterns and hours to support employees as they balance home and work commitments as much as (or more than) a change to home-working locations. Nevertheless it is clear that after 16 months of home working many (predominately office based) employees feel that they have demonstrated that they can indeed be trusted to work from home and remain as productive – or even more productive – as they were in their pre-pandemic jobs and locations.  Indeed a CIPD survey published in September last year found that 81% of employees expect to work from home at least 1 day a week post-lockdown. 

 “Employers recognise the benefits of this approach too.  The same survey identified that 70% of employers were intending to expand or introduce working from home.  And official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published in the last few weeks suggest that employers see the benefits of reduced overheads, increased productivity, wider recruitment reach and – importantly – both reduced sickness levels and improved employee wellbeing too.

 “Yet home working does bring new challenges for employers – one of which is how you identify and/or support employees who are struggling with their physical, mental, or financial wellbeing.  The key here is to ensure that suitable support is available wherever the employee may be based.  It follows that the trend towards digital and remotely accessible tools seen prior to the pandemic will continue and accelerate, and employers should seek to ensure that all their benefits support workers wherever they may be based.

 “The other key component of the debate is ensuring that benefits provided are equally attractive to home and location-based workers.  Providing benefits with a “geographical” bias (for instance free membership of a gym situated next to the employer’s head-office) might be a nice perk for those based there, but conversely could be seen as a disincentive for those that are not able to use it.  So the provision of flexible benefits will help ensure that all workers can see the value of their benefits package wherever they may be working from.”

interior design, News

The Post-Pandemic Neon Boom Lighting Up the UK’s Cities and Towns

As the UK’s businesses open their doors once more, our high streets are set to be brighter than ever according to custom made neon sign specialists, Neon Creations, which has reported a surge in enquiries, as business owners turn to the ‘optimistic interiors trend’ to entice customers back to their premises.

It was social media platform, Pinterest which first heralded the neon boom at the end of 2020, with an 800 per cent increase in searches for ‘neon room’ over the last 12 months. The platform predicted that the popular design trend was set to be bigger than ever as we emerge into a post-pandemic world on a quest for interiors that not only look great but make us feel good too.

Despite a tough 12 months for UK business owners, custom neon design specialists, Neon Creations is predicting a record year for sales as shops, bars, restaurants and even home owners look to inject some fun, personality and a warm glow into their interior design to attract customers and keep them in their venues.

According to Catherine Spink, co-founder of Neon Creations, consumer desire for fun escapism and optimism are driving the emergence of a number of sub-trends within the sector, of which neon sits front and centre.

Catherine explains: “Neon is an interior trend that has been around for decades, but it is really starting to gain in momentum this year in both commercial spaces and residential homes.

“Neon is fun, vibey and colourful and can inject a lot of personality into a space, making a big impact design statement and insta-ready photo opportunity that can create huge social media appeal. Ultimately customers, especially younger clientele, want optimism, colour and fun when it comes to the places that they are socialising in and this trend is rippling through the hospitality sector as establishments look to outshine the competition.

“As bars and restaurants have started to gear up to welcoming people back into outdoor and indoor spaces, we have started to see a number of key trends in the way that neon is being used in commercial design. Here are four key ways how it’s driving modern bar and restaurant design trends in 2021.

 

The return of retro

The retro design trend often sees a resurgence every few years and, after a tough 12 months, consumers are demanding fun, personality and nostalgia from bars and restaurants – and retro themes align well with this stream of consciousness. Of course, retro doesn’t mean having to go all out 1950’s diner – broadly speaking, retro can encompass design from the 1930’s to the 1960’s opening up a whole range of inspiration. Business-owners are not only using signage to capture this fun, retro vibe – neon artwork can also add a subtle vintage feel to an establishment.

 

Make it personal

Bars and restaurants are increasingly using design to make their offering as bespoke and personal as possible. Handmade and custom-made furniture and décor are being used to successfully combine relevance and references to the past – and neon has a role to play here. Drawing on local phraseology and working with artists and designers on artwork, murals and design features is an extremely popular way of creating an uber personalised space. As is requests for signage using handwriting which is growing in popularity in commercial spaces.

 

The insta-ready backdrop

Commercial interior designers have been creating spaces with social sharing in mind for a number of years, but as bars and restaurants compete to win back business, now more than ever having visual appeal is at the heart of interior design choices. An iconic Instagram picture opportunity can drive widespread appeal across the social media platform, with customers keen to capture a landmark picture for their feed. When it comes to using neon for Instagram appeal, the key is knowing and understanding your audience and creating a visual that will appeal to them. Cheeky phrases, fun quotes and straplines are going to more shareable than branding and practical messaging in this instance. Business owners should also think carefully about the positioning of the sign too. It needs to be somewhere that is easily accessible for a picture, whilst not causing obstructions and the background needs to be as insta-ready as the sign itself. Toilets are a popular Insta-haven and we are seeing more bars and restaurants creating signs specifically for this space.

 

Design-led practicality

Just because neon signage is widely used as a design feature, doesn’t mean that it can’t be practical too. The hospitality sector has been through a seismic shift and now more than ever, clear signage and signposting is crucial to the customer experience. Neon is turning this from a formality into a design statement.

Takeaway is now a huge part of the sector’s offering and many restaurants and eateries are set to continue to rely on this valuable income stream as they open up their restaurant spaces. With this in mind, we have seen a marked increase in enquiries and orders for signage which differentiates a takeaway offering – signposting people to a pick up kiosk or other dedicated space. This type of zoning is going to be crucial to the future of restaurant design as business owners run an upscaled takeaway offering, alongside their usual in-house experience.

“The flexibility of this design trend is one of the crucial factors in driving it forward in 2021 as business owners look to make a long-term investment into the aesthetic of their bar and restaurant. Whilst LED signage and off the shelf designs, can offer a cheaper alternative, there is a growing desire for handcrafted and authentic neon creations – with small business owners supporting and respecting the skillset required to create a truly bespoke design.

“The second half of 2021 is set to be a significant time for the UK hospitality industry and it is clear that design is set to play a huge role in reshaping the industry as it emerges from a year of disruption and evolution.”

Construction, News

Plant and machinery theft continues to rise – a year after biggest spike ever

SMEs most at risk according to industry experts

While the UK construction sector has been one of lesser impacted industries in the pandemic, it is being hit by another ever-growing malaise – theft of plant machinery is at an all-time high according to new research.

Since shocking statistics revealed that plant and tool theft increased by 50% in the first few months of the pandemic shut down periods1, according to leading GPS vehicle tracker installer Trackershop construction businesses are continuing to face increased levels of plant and machinery theft; and more businesses are now taking matters into their own hands to stop the thieves in their tracks by installing state-of-the-art tracker technology.

Faced with shocking figures which show that on average less than 10% of plant machinery is ever recovered (if not fitted with a tracker)2, and with statistics showing thefts are on the rise, Trackershop-uk.com has seen enquiries rise by 80% over the past 12 months3.

In a further survey by the company, more than three-quarters of Trackershop customers said that they think machinery theft is more of a threat now than before the pandemic, and two out of three say the problem is showing no sign of decline. According to Trackershop owner Shaun Carse, this is forcing plant owners into safeguarding their equipment with sophisticated trackers rather than relying on law enforcement or other previously used security measures, which are not proving effective.

He commented: “Plant machinery theft has always been a huge issue for the construction industry, with some reports claiming more than £400 million worth of machinery is stolen in the UK every year. But the events of the past 12 months have created a perfect storm – giving organised crime gangs more opportunity and impetus to target construction sites, which can often leave themselves vulnerable compare to, say, sports vehicles of the same value.

“Rather than the number of thefts decreasing since lockdown has eased, we are hearing that this continues to be a growing problem and the industry is struggling to protect itself from criminal activity.

“Plant machinery is hugely expensive, easy to sell for profit and, historically, has been difficult to track and recover. Thefts within the sector are seen as a relatively low risk gamble due to the pitifully small percentage of equipment that is ever recovered.

“The Police do a brilliant job in trying to retrieve stolen vehicles and having the correct identifying marks, installing CCTV and tight security are all good measures to reduce loss of equipment, but adding a tracker means there is an immediate response activation – and with advancing technology this is fast becoming the most effective way to combat burglaries of this type.

“Trackers with in-built immobilisation heightens security further than any other safekeeping measure. It enables the customer to immobilise their machinery remotely from their tracking app at any time. They then override it through the same process when they need to use it again. Many customers implement this when they are leaving plant/machinery on-site or in storage unattended. If anyone moves equipment illegally (by lifting onto a flatbed or towing away with the ignition off) site owners receive an instant notification or automated phone call to alert them.

“Thankfully today’s technology means that we can win the war on organised crime gangs targeting the industry, but more still needs to be done to make sure that businesses are not leaving themselves vulnerable to theft.

“Overall, it’s estimated that the UK construction industry loses more than £800 million per year due to machinery theft, taking into account all associated costs. These include the cost of plant replacement, hire of replacement equipment, loss of business and increased insurance premiums.

“While theft has a detrimental effect on all size of business, given the knock on – it’s smaller to medium sized enterprises that face the biggest risk, often leaving them struggling to survive.”

Trackershop customer, a construction and groundworks company based in the South East of England, explains the impact of machinery theft on his business: “We didn’t anticipate how the pandemic would make our plant machinery so vulnerable. On the day that we downed tools and shut our site during the second lockdown, we had a digger stolen. In fact, CCTV later showed that the thieves had entered our site within five minutes of us locking up and leaving- they were clearly waiting in anticipation of us vacating. As this kit did not have trackers installed, we had absolutely no way of recovering them.

“We have, however, had Trackershop trackers in our fleet of vans for over five years now. This is mainly for monitoring from a logistics standpoint during the working day. What has proven to be invaluable is the additional security they bring – as we were recently able to recover two stolen vans instantly, using the live tracking information.

“Based on the success rate and effectiveness of our Trackershop devices used in our vans, we are in the process of rolling out the same trackers across all of our new plant when they arrive next week.

“Plant trackers were just never something that we had considered before now. However, it now seems thieves are making a beeline for diggers and plant in general.

“Due to our success so far, and the overall quality of service we have received from Trackershop, we will feel a lot better about leaving our machinery unattended now with tracking devices installed.”

Shaun continues: “When you consider that plant machinery trackers start at £54.00 with a rolling monthly subscription of less than £10 per month, it is clear why this is fast becoming the go-to security measure of the industry with the potential to save businesses losses that could amount to hundreds of thousands of pounds.”

References

  1. In April 2020, The CEA (Construction Equipment Association), owners of the CESAR scheme, reported an estimated 50 per cent increase in construction site theft as opportunist thieves took advantage of the sudden closure and scaling back of constructions sites leaving them vulnerable to theft.
  2. Trackershop web enquiries between April 2020 and April 2021
  3. Trackershop customer survey between December 2020 and May 2021
Case Studies and Partnerships, Data, Data & Analytics, Fashion

Vivienne Westwood Selects Mapp to Deliver Customer Personalisation

Mapp, the international provider of insight-led customer experiences, has announced it has been appointed by global fashion brand Vivienne Westwood to provide the company’s Customer Data Platform (CDP). This platform will drive its digital communication strategy forward while delivering personalised and targeted customer communications.

Vivienne Westwood, one of the last independent global fashion brands, is about more than producing clothes and accessories. With a forty-year heritage, the company is as renowned for raising awareness of environmental and human rights issues as it is for its imaginative designs. The company now has stores in 63 locations around the world including a strong presence in the UK, 19 stores in South Korea and a further 12 in both China and Hong Kong.

Constantly engaged customers

Vivienne Westwood is a forward thinking, customer first business and as a result has gone to great lengths to ensure it has a progressive CDP to help serve its customers.

The company selected Mapp Cloud as its Customer Data Platform not only because of the technology offered but the high level of support and expertise on hand to drive the digital communication strategy forward. Vivienne Westwood understands the value of its customers and the importance of effectively engaging with customers online as well as offline in its stores. As a result, it has implemented Mapp partner Eyos (formerly yReceipts) to handle its instore digital receipts. As a by-product of all transactions taking a digital receipt, Mapp Cloud receives valuable store transactional data and has a direct channel for obtaining customer opt-ins. This helps build the personalisation story and tailor marketing communications.

True personalisation based on insights

Vivienne Westwood has a strong business focus on personalised and targeted communications, and as a result, is now using all aspects of Mapp Cloud including its onsite behavioral tool to deliver personalised product recommendations, as well as key revenue driving campaigns such as abandonment. Vivienne Westwood is also taking an insight led approach to its strategic decisions and as a result has implemented the Mapp Intelligence solution to drive actionable retail insights and tailor cross-channel marketing communications accordingly. This aligns the business against KPIs as well as providing a detailed analysis of channel performance and building tailored RFM models against its customer set.

Ilaria Morelli, Digital Marketing Manager, at Vivienne Westwood said: “Since working with Mapp Cloud we have seen excellent results. We can now unify all our customer data from previously disparate sources and with Mapp Intelligence we are getting insight-led customer data at our fingertips which is driving business change. We look forward to developing our activity with Mapp over the coming months and years.”

Hyper-personalised communications at scale

Vivienne Westwood has dramatically reduced the cost of its inhouse design team and has reduced the time needed to create emails. It now also has more data against its customer base than ever before. This includes real time web browsing, offline store purchase data as well as all eCommerce transactions.

Key campaign mechanics such as Open Rates are now upwards of 38% and drive large customer engagement with a clickthrough rate of over 5.8%. These figures are testament to its segmentation strategy and relevance to its customers.

The Vivienne Westwood team is able to identify nearly one in three of all visitors to the website and as a result can successfully target customers who are in market and serve hyper-personalised communications at scale. With a high average order value (AOV) of over £140 per transaction, it is vital that customers have the best customer experience, not only to initially convert but also to return and become repeat advocates of the brand. This is testament to why actionable insights are crucial to its long-term strategy.

Victoria Stephens, Customer Success Manager, at Mapp said: “As a business, we love working with iconic brands and it has been hugely exciting to leverage the full Mapp Cloud technology for Vivienne Westwood which has accelerated revenues coming through its digital channels. We are continuing to innovate and implement programs that are tailored to Vivienne Westwood’s customers based on intelligent insights and have many exciting plans upcoming. Watch this space!”

About Mapp

Marketers and data specialists should always be able to focus on their core business instead of spending their time taming the technology behind it. With the insight-led customer experience platform Mapp Cloud, marketing decision-makers have more time for the essentials and can place their brand messages in the best possible way. Through customer intelligence and marketing analytics, companies easily and effectively gain cross-channel customer insights from data, which in turn enable highly personalised marketing activities. Mapp’s customers benefit from customized and self-optimizing cross-channel campaigns based on AI-powered predictive models. Automated messages can thus be sent in the ideal marketing channel, at the optimal time and with the right contact frequency. Thanks to powerful one-to-one personalisation, maximum engagement as well as long-term customer retention are achieved.

Mapp operates offices in seven countries. Mapp’s digital marketing platform helps over 3,000 businesses stand out from the crowd. Mapp’s clients include Vivienne Westwood, Argos, Ella’s Kitchen, Expert, Freesat, Lloyds Banking Group, MyToys, Pepsico, Quint and The Entertainer.

IoT, News, Telecoms

EMnify launches eSIM for developers, kick-starting end-to-end IoT CPaaS development in minutes – instead of days

Leading cloud communication platform provider for IoT, EMnify, today announces the release of eSIM for evaluation customers, enabling IoT developers to sign up and develop with the EMnify API immediately, anywhere in the world. The eSIM lets users install EMnify’s global SIM profile on a compatible device in seconds without having to order and swap physical SIM cards. With the eSIM option, EMnify aims to speed up time-to-market of IoT projects and make life easier for developers.

Until today, IoT developers could sign up on the EMnify platform and order a free evaluation package with IoT SIM cards and a prepaid balance to try out network services and all available platform features for 60 days.

Leveraging 10T Tech’s eSIM Cloud Solution for remote SIM provisioning, EMnify’s eSIM now provides a new option to download an EMnify subscription profile over the air on a supported device, to significantly simplify and shorten the process. eUICC has been at the cutting edge of SIM technology, giving users the flexibility to easily activate and switch between different SIM profiles as needed.

The combination of eSIM technology and EMnify’s global cellular coverage allows IoT developers to:

  1. Bypass the shipping fees and delivery time of the physical SIMs.
  2. Immediately access and explore all EMnify platform functionalities including Cloud Connect, Data Streamer, and OpenVPN, at no cost.

Knud Kegel, VP of Product at EMnify, explains: “User experience is at the core of our product. EMnify constantly strives to make it as easy, fast, and seamless as possible for IoT developers to get started with our platform and APIs. The eSIM speaks to the self-service capability of the EMnify cloud platform. Until now, SIM cards have been the only non-cloud-native component in our offering. Now, with the eSIM, we give developers the opportunity to kick-start their projects in minutes.”

Fredric Liljestroem, CEO at 10T Tech added: “We’re very excited to be working with EMnify to make the world more accessible through eSIM connectivity”.

The eSIM profile can be downloaded on the latest eSIM-compatible devices – by scanning a QR code delivered on the web portal after sign-up. Users then have all platform services at their disposal for a 60-day trial period or until the prepaid balance has been used up.

With the vision to transform complex cellular connectivity into an easy-to-consume cloud offering, EMnify provides powerful APIs and robust services that enable low-code integrations and let IoT developers easily automate their operational processes and workflows. To download the eSIM and start developing with the EMnify platform, go to: https://portal.emnify.com/sign/up

 

Data, Fashion, News

PANGAIA deploys Board to transform sales reporting and analytics

Board’s BI analytics solution helps Pangaia deliver greater insight and visibility over the brand’s sales, stocks and returns at a glance

Board International, the leading provider of the #1 decision-making platform, has today announced that UK’s sustainable fashion brand PANGAIA is successfully leveraging Board for sales reporting and analytics.

Trendy, biotech fashion house PANGAIA, selected Board in 2020 to transform the brand’s sales reporting process, consolidate multiple data sources and enhance its analytical capabilities to better drive decision-making. Thanks to Board, Pangaia is now able to gain greater visibility of the key value drivers underpinning the sales process, collect significant information relating to customers’ buying behavior, and thoroughly understand the evolution of sales opportunities. Moreover, they  are now able to create and distribute personalized, interactive, stunning reports across the organization.

“Board’s powerful decision-making platform gives us a single version of the truth to oversee our sales, stock and returns data, and has allowed us to shift away from manual Excel-based reporting. Board also connects to our Google Analytics, allowing us to monitor success and improve our decision-making from a marketing and sales perspective.” said Daniel Smith, Head of Analytics, at PANGAIA. “Board’s versatile platform will also drive further value as we seek to transform our line planning and WSSI as part of a wider strategic transformation project,” continues Smith.

“We are delighted to support PANGAIA on their vision for sustainable clothing. PANGAIA’s desire to expand the use of Board by connecting business intelligence to their planning processes will inevitably better, strategic decision-making, and we look forward to accompanying them along this journey of continuous improvement,” said Gavin Fallon, Managing Director for Northern Europe, Middle East, India & Africa at Board International.

Logistics, Telematics

Bdelite Enhances Commercial Fleet Proposition To Brokers With Video Telematics From Visiontrack

BDElite, a leading add-ons insurance and assistance service provider, has teamed up with VisionTrack to offer next-generation video telematics that helps to reduce insurance claims and costs, improve road safety, while combating fraud for commercial vehicle operations. With demand growing for advanced vehicle camera solutions, this partnership will significantly enhance BDElite’s Fleet Protect proposition, which already offers a comprehensive range of fleet products, services and tailored solutions, distributed via a network of over 400+ insurance brokers.

 “We are continuously innovating to create valuable and differentiated propositions, so our brokers can meet the evolving fleet insurance needs of their clients, while growing their businesses,” explains Julie McKeown, Managing Director at BDElite. “Our joint proposition with VisionTrack brings together our insurance and claims management service with a proven video telematics solution and an award-winning IoT platform to create a class-leading, end-to-end fleet offering.”

Brokers will be able to take advantage of a range of comprehensive solutions to suit all types of commercial vehicle, including the new VT3000 forward-facing camera with 4G connectivity. This next-generation device has been designed to speed up first notification of loss (FNOL); protect against exaggerated claims, crash-for-cash scams and insurance fraud; and effectively monitor driver behaviour. It can also capture an additional view – with an optional driver, side, rear or cargo facing camera – for increased visibility and peace of mind.

“This latest development is a powerful addition to our fleet services solution, providing undisputable video evidence and supporting data that helps to safeguard both the driver and client’s business, while also reducing the time, cost and effort of resolving insurance claims,” added McKeown.

BDElite will also take advantage of VisionTrack’s comprehensive range of vehicle camera systems to help fleets comply with London’s Direct Vision Standard (DVS). These video solutions ensure fleet vehicles over 12 tonne, entering or leaving Greater London, meet the requirements of the road safety initiative, which aims to eliminate blind spots in larger commercial vehicles and is backed-up by fines of up to £550 for each transgression.

 BDElite’s Fleet Protect allows brokers to customise their client offer through a modular approach, offering protection whilst supporting lower operating costs. The solution combines a suite of complementary products and services including legal expense insurance, claims management, specialist repair management and breakdown cover. BDElite has also added support for electric vehicle fleets as part of its expanding proposition.

Adam Wild, Partner Manager at VisionTrack commented: “Developed in partnership with leading insurers, brokers and fleets, our video telematics is proven to tackle some of the most complex challenges faced by the fleet and insurance sectors. For example, we have seen one fleet insurer achieve an average reduction in claims frequency of 24% and an average 34% decrease in claims cost. Our partnership with BDElite will further differentiate our offering and make our solution available to more brokers than ever before, so we look forward to working closely with them moving forward.”

Food and Drink

Taking Wales to the world in a virtual way . Welsh food and drink companies seeking to enter the Far East market

An international export cluster programme for Welsh food and drink businesses is underway as part of the Welsh Government’s strategy for the food and drink sector to develop and access new markets in new ways overseas.

The Welsh Government’s Food & Drink Export Cluster Lead Generation programme is intended to support suitable companies who are interested in exporting, and setting them up with buyers and distributors by product category in order to develop and strengthen business, trade and export relationships.

This export cluster lead generation programme aims to support efforts to develop and harness vital partnerships for the Welsh food and drinks sector with chosen target markets in Japan and, for the first time, in Taiwan and South Korea.

This week(21-25 June) the programme will focus on South Korea, with 15 Welsh companies taking part in the virtual visit to South Korea with 80 meetings planned throughout the week with 28 buyers. Participating companies have a webinar scheduled for the first morning where they will have an introduction to the South Korean market and gain an understanding of buyers’ expectations. Samples of products from the respective companies have already been sent overseas and planned meetings throughout the week will offer the opportunity to discuss in more detail.

The Welsh companies participating cover a broad range across the food and drink sector, from dairy, drinks, fine foods and pet foods.

Daniel Jones, Head of UK Sales & Marketing of Daioni Organic is one producer taking part,

“This virtual export visit to South Korea provides us with a great opportunity to build contacts and access new markets.

“Securing new and maintaining current export markets is crucial to our ambition for 2021 and beyond, so we can continue growing Daioni’s international footprint.”

Another company embarking on the virtual visit is Cradocs, producers of vegan and vegetarian friendly savoury biscuits. Commenting ahead of the visit owner of Cradocs, Allie Thomas says,

“There is no easier market than the one on our doorstep, but that is not available to us, therefore we need to do what we have to in order to access new markets.

“We are a small company and are thankful to the Welsh Government for giving us this opportunity, and for the many meetings they have managed to arrange for us. I am very excited to see how it will work and look forward to dialling in next week to talk with potential buyers – and hopefully making some deals.”

COVID-19 has made for a very challenging environment for business. In addition, businesses have also been faced with the end of the EU transition period, which has proven to be a source of major disruption with trading partners.

Unlocking new markets brings even greater opportunities for Welsh food and drink businesses to not only showcase the quality produce around the world, but also generate more revenue and increase profits. With Wales’s reputation and provenance, there is a strong platform for further growth that will benefit everyone.

Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd Lesley Griffiths MS believes that with Wales’s reputation and provenance, there is a strong platform for further growth that can benefit everyone.

The Minister said: “Virtual trade visits are a great way for many of Wales’ food and drink companies to showcase their excellent products and capabilities to international audiences in a format that is suited to the current climate.

“This is the third virtual visit in this export cluster programme the Welsh Government has supported and provides businesses with a chance to explore accessing new markets. I wish them every success.”

This virtual visit follows on the back of visits to Japan and Taiwan earlier this year.

For further information about Food and Drink Wales please visit www.gov.wales/foodanddrinkwales