Monthly Archives: January 2022

Marketing, PR and SEO, News

5 ways marketers can optimise their lead generation activities

Lead generation is one of the key pillars of a successful business, yet many still report wasting time on ‘bad leads’ that never convert.  For marketers working for small and medium sized enterprises in particular, it’s often a familiar story: how can efforts be optimised to ensure a limited budget goes the distance?

Christelle Fraysse, CMO of cloud-based CRM vendor Workbooks, reveals five strategies to help marketers boost the outcomes and ROI of their lead generation activities.

1. Become data-obsessed

As marketers, we have access to a lot of data. But too much data will only lead to more questions than answers. Becoming data-obsessed is not about collecting as much information as possible, it’s about collecting the right, high-quality information to serve your purpose – to better engage your audience, for example.

The first step towards optimising lead generation activities is to therefore consider what data is being collected and why. There should be two main focuses when collecting data: demographic and behavioural.

Demographic data is important to truly understand the ideal customer profile for your business. This could include what the organisation looks like, the size of the business, the industry it operates in, where it is located, and the people within it (your core personas, job roles, seniority levels, interests, and whatever you feel is relevant for better targeting and segmentation).

Behavioural information is also key and this includes what your prospects and customers are doing, how they are engaging with you and your content, what channels they are using, and what topics are resonating with them.

The combination of both demographic and behavioural information becomes extremely powerful. It can be used to take personalisation to the next level, and it allows tailoring of communication during the qualification process and beyond to ensure relevant and timely outreach.

2. Grade and score your leads

Not all leads are created equal. Does a lead sit within your target audience and is it right for the business? Is this contact ready to engage with sales or is it too early? The quality of the lead may not always be good enough and this is often the main source of tension between sales and marketing departments. The sales team may feel leads are lacking in quality, while the marketing team say leads are not being qualified or followed up on in an effective, timely manner. Lead scoring and grading can address this and add value.

First, sales and marketing teams must work together on the rules and principles that help to define a ‘good lead’ and ensure time is being spent targeting those of most value to the business. A lead must be graded directly against what your business’s ideal customer profile looks like. Upon collecting data, it is easier to make a direct comparison of the two and ensure a focus for both sales and marketing teams on those closest to the ideal profile.

The second element is to score leads on behavioural information. If a prospect views a blog, it shows some engagement. However, if they also visit the pricing page, this demonstrates greater intent and higher scoring, and – if attending webinars – even higher points can be awarded, as it shows commitment.

Grading leads creates opportunities to nurture them in a bid to upgrade their status. Score them and get them to engage until sales-ready, approaching them differently to those who have shown more interest and intent.

3. Work collaboratively with a common language

The relationship between the sales and marketing departments is often not the easiest to manage. The reality is that without a solid understanding between sales and marketing, the ability to generate quality leads is vastly limited. Is there a common understanding and agreement around what constitutes a sales qualified lead, a marketing qualified lead, and an opportunity entering your pipeline?

Both marketing and sales teams must work on building this relationship by having regular meetings to ensure there is a shared agreement on goals and approach, and that a consistent language is used across departments. Without agreed definitions or consistent management of leads through the sales funnel, the business will be held back. The two departments must not simply co-exist. When collaborative working processes are introduced properly, that is when value will truly be created and the quality of leads will increase.

4. Track everything

As a marketer, you should track everything you do. In a number of organisations, marketing is still perceived as a cost and it’s essential to shift this perception and become known as a revenue generator in your business. Often, marketing budgets are in the firing line when cuts occur, but once you track and demonstrate value it allows the marketing team to be seen as an equal contributor. This will result in more trust and, potentially, access to a larger budget for future activities.

The whole prospect and customer engagement process should be monitored and tracked, from the first click on the website, to the sales funnel, and the final closure. Visibility of when a deal closed and where marketing contributed to initiate or further the engagement and move the opportunity along the sales funnel, demonstrates value to your organisation and changes perceptions. This can help to fuel better relationships across departments and improve sales figures as teams work together.

5. Test, test, test!

The importance of testing should not be underestimated – refining your activities will maximise their value. For example, using AB testing on email layouts to see the impact on click-through rates can help to optimise the best email format, subject headers, and sender information. The same for landing pages on your website. Again, this comes back to data collection. The more data you collect and the more this is analysed, the better the return on marketing activities.

Unlock value with CRM

Access to high-quality data and insight is needed for marketers to optimise lead generation activities, whether you are a larger organisation or an SME. At the heart of this is a robust CRM platform.

According to a survey by Workbooks, the main driver for a CRM initiative for 52 per cent of companies was to better manage data and gain insights. Yet many businesses are still failing to use the technology properly to unlock its true value, with only 47% of CMOs having a framework for data collection.

With the right CRM, it’s possible to optimise and transform marketing campaigns, segmenting and targeting them to the individual needs of a high-value list of prospects based on relevant, real-time data.

Using shared tools across the business ensures a single view of the truth, a consistent process and the most efficient customer journey. Graded and scored leads and targets worked on collaboratively with the sales team increases the chance of closing the deal.

For marketers, the ability to demonstrate true value throughout the engagement process through to the sale is vital to progressing as a revenue generator. CRM may be an investment, but the right solution will offer complete sales and marketing integration to transform lead generation activities and ensure the recognition you, as a marketer, deserve.

Employee Benefits, Recruitment, Recruitment News

Why benefits, wellbeing and workplace culture are as important as a £150K starting salary in law firms says Howden

Recruitment firm Robert Walters reported last week[i] that a shortage of employees was leading to top graduate lawyers being offered starting salaries as high as £150K[ii].

However, Robbie Weston, Executive Director at Howden Employee Benefits & Wellbeing (Howden) warns that employee expectations go beyond salary alone. He says law firms must consider their overall value proposition to new recruits, particularly as the war for talent is heating up.

In the legal sector, vacancies for London-based associates rose 131% year-on-year between January and November last year, according to another recruiter BCL Legal and data firm, Vacancysoft.

Robbie says, “Whilst salary is important, employees’ expectations are changing. The pandemic in particular has shone the spotlight on the need for effective wellbeing solutions, flexible working and a positive work culture in which they can thrive. Employees’ needs are changing and it’s important that employers and benefit strategies keep up.’’

‘’Any benefits programme needs to support employees’ health and wellbeing and in particular, their mental health, especially as the legal profession is recognised as a high-pressure sector, where employee burnout can be commonplace.

A report from legal mental health charity, LawCare[iii] found that legal professionals in the UK are at high risk of burnout, 69% have experienced mental ill-health and 1 in 5 say they have been bullied, harassed, or discriminated against at work.

Furthermore, a report by the Legal Sector Workers United (LSWU)[iv] found that more than 7 out of 10 in the legal profession said their job has a negative impact on their mental health and wellbeing. However, one in four law firms they surveyed had no mental health support available for their staff.

Robbie adds, “Law firms need to proactively support employee health and wellbeing, including mental health, and include this in their wider company offering if they want to attract the right people.

“Law firms may also wish to consider offering flexible working as, since the pandemic, this is something many employees want as a permanent fixture in their working arrangements as well as providing opportunities for career progression; both important considerations for people looking for a new role.”

“The war for talent is likely to grow fiercer this year, so making changes now to improve company culture and ensuring employee benefits are fit for purpose is vital for recruiting and retaining the best people.”

 

For more information, please visit www.howdengroup.co.uk

Logistics

Freight Forwarding From China to Europe – Everything You Need To Know

If you are considering hiring a freight forwarding firm to help you import manufactured goods and raw materials from China to Europe, then it is worth understanding the basics of what is involved. Read on to find out what you ought to know about freight forwarding between the Far East and the West today.

What Is Freight Forwarding?

In short, freight forwarding is a professional service that helps consignments to get from A to B in the most cost-effective and timely manner possible while ensuring the safety and security of the goods involved. To be clear, this means that freight forwarding firms act as an intermediary between the supplier and the purchaser to make sure everything runs properly. Most good freight forwarders will be able to arrange insurance against loss or damage to any goods while they are in transit.

How Can Goods Be Forwarded From China to Europe?

The vast majority of goods are sent to European ports from China via container ships. This typically means items will arrive about six weeks after they are ordered. According to Barrington Freight, a freight forwarding company based in the southeast of England, many British firms import from China nowadays without the need to fill up an entire container because smaller shipments of general cargo can go into the same unit, thereby splitting the costs up between multiple importers. Courier services that run overland or air freight can also be arranged from China to Europe, too. These are faster but more expensive options.

Why Use a Freight Forwarding Specialist to Arrange Importation Consignments?

Mostly, people use freight forwarders because they have expertise in cargo management, helping to lower the costs associated with importing goods by finding the routes that offer the best value for money. In particular, freight forwarding firms should be able to sort out all of the importation documentation including customs declarations and tax issues. Many people who simply rely on their supplier to make the arrangements for dispatching their goods find that customs officials delay their progress because of extra checks and additional paperwork that need to be organised once they arrive on European shores.

Which Suppliers in China Should You Buy From?

This very much depends on the nature of your business and the sector you operate in. In the main, however, choose a supplier that already sends goods overseas on a regular basis and that has a reputation for honesty and fair dealing. Many Chinese western-style manufacturing firms are located in southern China close to some of the country’s big seaports, such as Hong Kong and Shenzhen.

Is Importing to the UK Different From the European Union?

You need to be registered with an EORI number if you want to import to the UK from China. Different customs rules apply in the UK since the British government negotiated the UK’s departure from the EU’s customs union. Further divergence of importation rules may come about down the line for certain classes of goods. Different rules apply in Northern Ireland, however.

 

Team Building & Motivation

3 Reasons Why Business are Turning to Glamping for Teambuilding

Teambuilding is essential, as it gets the team to work together harmoniously. By taking off work and going for fun out-of-office activities, employees can get to know each other in a different light and connect in an out of work setting. The primary purpose of a teambuilding exercise is to teach people some skills that they can apply at their workplace for better productivity. 

Several team building activities cater to different organisations, depending on their priorities and goals. But recently, one of the team building activities that have become very popular among businesses is glamping. Glamping essentially means glamorous camping. So instead of having to bring your tent and set it up yourself, they will put up a tent for you. Plus, the tent will be furnished with beds, allowing you to sleep in comfort even in the middle of the forest!

Here are some reasons why businesses are turning to glamping for teambuilding.

 

  • COVID pushes business into Outdoor Teambuilding

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed how businesses work these days, with most employees working from home. But this does not mean that companies should forego team building activities. In fact, given all the stresses that so many people are facing these days, it’s more important than ever for people to seek out fun adventures and activities.

When it comes to team building activities, health experts recommend choosing outdoor activities, as it minimises the spread of the virus from one person to another. For this reason, glamping has become the number one choice for team building activities lately. With glamping, you get to spend time in nature while participating in fun outdoor activities, a great way to develop your relationship with colleagues.

 

  • More Companies Going Eco 

More and more companies are going eco-friendly these days. In fact, sustainability has become the trend across various industries. So, it’s not surprising why many businesses would prefer to go glamping for their team building activities.

Glamping is a more natural and environment-friendly way to bond with work colleagues. You can choose to stay in holiday eco pods, treehouses, or safari tents, all of which are eco-friendly. Most glamping abodes are made from sustainable materials, such as wood, and come with heating facilities that have minimal impact on the environment, such as the log burner.

 

  • It’s Local and Affordable! 

With more and more businesses turning to glamping for team building, you will now find many glamping options, most of which come with facilities for team building activities. The best part is, most of these are affordable and are available locally, so you do not need to travel far to get to these locations. This can save the company some money on transportation costs and other expenses associated with travelling to some faraway locations.

Perhaps, the biggest benefit of glamping as a team-building activity is that it’s a fantastic way to escape the chaos of work life. The sound of the wind blowing the trees and birds singing, not to mention the chance to partake in some fun activities, are guaranteed to beat all the stress away.

 

News, Sustainability

Ecoserv Group Gains Certified Carbon Neutral Status

Ecoserv Group, the multi-discipline facilities management (FM) company, has achieved certified carbon neutral by offsetting 1,285kg of CO2e. Partnering with Ecologi, Ecoserv Group has offset its 2020 carbon footprint, covering scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, and will maintain neutral status while the company works towards its target of net zero by 2030.

“Our aim is to be Net Zero without the need to invest in carbon removal projects by 2030, but in the meantime this offsetting represents a major milestone in our sustainability journey,” explains Sally Ann Van Blerk, Group Sustainability and Brand Director at Ecoserv Group. “We are proud of the fact that this offsetting covers scope 3 hotspots including all commuting across our workforce and franchise offices, which is rare within the facilities management marketplace.”

Under the agreement with Ecologi, Ecoserv Group will support two climate projects that are directly impacting atmospheric CO2 levels. As a result, the company is making a funding contribution to a wind power plant in Bac Lieu Province, Vietnam, that is generating 372,000 MWh of electricity annually, as well as helping to preserve 27,000 hectares of Amazonian rainforest in Brazil.

“The race to net zero is really gearing up and as an organisation we want to be carbon positive as soon as possible. We will continue to offset where we cannot reduce or reduction remains an ongoing goal, but for us this is only a temporary solution. Last year we took steps to calculate our exact carbon footprint and establish science-based reduction targets, which will underpin our efforts this year to develop and implement effective carbon removal initiatives,” adds Van Blerk.

Dees Maharaj, Chief Sales Officer at Ecoserv Group comments: “This is an exciting development for the business and shows that we are at the forefront of the FM sector in terms of sustainability. However, this is just one small step and we understand that dramatic action is needed if there is any chance of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees. Our ongoing partnership with RSK, means we have a detailed understanding of our carbon footprint, so we can track our progress and ensure we meet our ambitious targets.”

Finance and Banking

As investors lean towards private financing CAMRADATA’s latest whitepaper explores trends and opportunities in Private Markets

CAMRADATA’s new whitepaper on Private Markets asks two key questions: how far the substitution of traditional bank financing by private markets has left to run, and how far private equity remains distinct from public equity.

The whitepaper includes insights from firms including Northleaf, Union Bancaire Privee (UBP), Unigestion, Cambridge Associates, Giants’ Shoulders Capital and Redington who attended a virtual roundtable hosted by CAMRADATA in November.

The report highlights that with repeated reassurance from Central Banks, securities markets have spent the last twelve years rediscovering and reshaping risk.

Commercial banks may have reduced the ambition of both their lending and brokerage, but their retreat has left space open for private equity and private debt houses to fill.

Asset owners such as pension funds have followed the private equity and debt specialists, funding their acquisitions with capital that traditionally would have been lent to sovereign lenders and blue-chip corporates.

 

Natasha Silva, Managing Director, Client Relations, CAMRADATA said, “The fashion among large private equity houses is to cash in by going public. Some giants already have a public listing but more recently we’ve seen the IPO of Bridgepoint in the UK; the planned equity-raising of Antin in France; and the Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) phenomenon on Wall Street.

 

“All these trends however remain dwarfed by and somewhat dependent on the accommodative policies of Central Banks. The feeling is that opportunities via private financing will continue for the foreseeable future, albeit at high prices. Our whitepaper explores these trends and the opportunities for investors in private markets.”

The event began by gauging asset owners’ current allocation to Private Markets and their likely appetite for the years ahead, before turning to the managers on the panel who were asked how much of their firm’s total assets under management were in Private Markets.

The panel then turned their attention to the biggest risks asset owners face when investing in their preferred sections of Private Markets. The panel also covered the distinction between ESG and impact, growth in the private debt market, liquidity and leverage, and how to select a resilient manager.

The event ended with a discussion around the housing crisis and how financing development and constructions of new homes is the ‘S’ in ESG.

 

Key takeaway points were:

 

  • One panellist said there is a trend among some clients to reduce exposure to private equity in preference for private debt, owing to approaching buyout and/ or clients looking for increased income rather than growth. This is also in the context of rapid growth and maturity of the private credit markets during the past decade

 

  • Another said there had been a ramp-up in interest as clients’ perspective had changed and both the depth and breadth of Private Markets had grown. That meant greater diversification and less need to explore other asset classes.

 

  • In the discussion on risk, one panellist said that pension funds’ fundamental risk is not having enough money to meet liabilities or needing to sell to pay.

 

  • Even more important though they said is the fact Defined Contribution (DC) pension schemes are not going to deliver enough for a comfortable retirement. They added “this is going to be a government problem. Climate Change is a huge challenge we are tackling but we are completely blind on DC.”

 

  • ESG alignment is an investment evaluation framework that can be applied to all asset classes and is not an investment strategy. Impact identifies investments with a clear intention to directly benefit the community or environment.

 

  • The private debt market has grown tremendously in the last ten years. The largest, best known section has been direct lending and it is strongly linked to private equity sponsors and leveraged buyouts. Direct lenders have stepped into the place vacated by investment banks in leveraged finance.

 

  • The measurement of risk should be the single biggest area of focus for private credit managers going forward. Private Market’s managers are myopic about single assets. They never talk about fund risk. This would never be tolerated in a public markets discussion.

 

  • When it comes to financing the development and construction of new homes, a panellist said: “It is hard to find better social impact than adding housing.”

 

  • Distinguishing between capacity for development and construction finance from operating finance, they added, “There is no shortage of institutional investors and banks and individuals willing to finance the purchase of completed homes and apartments. But there is a shortage of financing to build them in the first place.”

 

  • The panel ended with one panellist summarising: “Covid-19 has given folk time to think. Maybe even in January 2020, raising ESG issues with trustee boards would not have been engaging. Now pension funds know they need to do something, it’s the most dynamic time we have lived in.”

 

  • Another agreed and made the final point: “This is a call to action for all of us. It’s down to people like us in finance to support growing capital meeting the sustainability challenge.”

 

To download the ‘Private Markets’ whitepaper click here.

For more information on CAMRADATA visit www.camradata.com

News

Entrust Enhances Remote Signing Solution Upon Completion of Successful Common Criteria Evaluation, Enabling eIDAS-certified Cloud Signing Services

Entrust, a leading provider of trusted identities, payments, and data protection solutions, has announced that it has successfully completed Common Criteria evaluation of its Remote Qualified Signature Creation Device (QSCD), to build an eIDAS-compliant solution that combines nShield Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) and the Entrust Signature Activation Module (SAM).

With publication of the final certification expected in March 2022, this solution provides a highly secure platform for the creation of qualified cloud signature and seal services. This enables Trust Service Providers (TSPs) the capability to provide eIDAS-compliant remote signing for their customers. As organizations globally are rapidly seeking ways to enable digital workflows that meet the highest standards for confidence, trust, and compliance, the new Entrust solution delivers easy application integration in a scalable architecture that can cater to different capacity demands. Furthermore, the Remote Signing Solution integrates and supports external identity providers and doesn’t require any changes to an organization’s signing application structure.

The Entrust SAM is a crucial security component of an eIDAS-compliant digital signing service: it ensures that signers keep sole control of their signing keys. The Entrust SAM runs in the tamper-protected environment of the QSCD enabled by the already Common Criteria certified Entrust nShield Connect XC or Solo XC. All signature requests to the nShield XC HSMs go through the SAM first, where it verifies and authorises the signing process.

“The Entrust SAM software on top of the highly reliable nShield HSM has enabled us to build a cloud signature platform fully compliant with eIDAS and national requirements, allowing our development teams to focus on added value and not product certification,” said Pere Barba, CTO at Vintegris.

“We have developed an integration with Entrust SAM and nShield HSM with our remote signing solution that together forms the Type II QSCD. In collaboration with the Entrust team, we have achieved great results with the overall performance. We are excited about its flexibility and transparency. The remote signing solution can be deployed by anyone interested in advanced or qualified infrastructure,” added Roman Cinkais, CEO of 3Key Company.

“Entrust offers a broad portfolio of certified products and services that help enterprises, government institutions, and qualified trust service providers to quickly deploy compliant services,” said Willem-Jan Bruin, Director of Business Development at Entrust. “The nShield XC HSMs have completed the Common Criteria EAL4+ certification to establish a strong root of trust that anchors the security for signing and sealing applications. In addition, the Entrust SAM has achieved eIDAS QSCD certification (CEN EN 419 241-2) in combination with the nShield Connect XC and nShield Solo XC HSMs. The completion of the Common Criteria evaluation for the QSCD builds on this foundation to ensure full regulatory compliance.”

The Entrust Remote QSCD is a logical step in Entrust’s long-term strategy to serve TSPs and Signing System Integrators globally. Through developments like this, Entrust continues to invest in its portfolio, services, and partners, enabling the digital transformation, and protecting the identity and critical data of people, enterprises, governments and (IoT) devices.

 

Additional Information:

Landing page: QSCD for Remote Signing

Case study: Entrust empowers 3Key Company to deliver eIDAS-compliant remote signing solution

Blog: Why You Need a Root of Trust to be an eIDAS Trust Service Provider

 

About Entrust

Entrust keeps the world moving safely by enabling trusted identities, payments and data protection. Today more than ever, people demand seamless, secure experiences, whether they’re crossing borders, making a purchase, accessing e-government services or logging into corporate networks. Entrust offers an unmatched breadth of digital security and credential issuance solutions at the very heart of all these interactions. With more than 2,500 colleagues, a network of global partners, and customers in over 150 countries, it’s no wonder the world’s most entrusted organizations trust us.  www.entrust.com

Employee Benefits, News, News for HRDs, Recruitment

Competition for talent enhancing UK employee benefits strategies: Aon Benefits and Trends Survey 2022

Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, has released new research showing employer actions in response to the competition for talent in the UK.

According to Aon’s Benefits and Trends Survey 2022, employers have adjusted benefits strategies to help recruit, engage and retain talent reflecting an intense labour market, where employee work motivations have shifted in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Forty-one percent of employers said they have found it more difficult to retain staff in the last year, while 44 percent have found it more difficult to recruit new staff. Many employers anecdotally expressed in the survey that they need to pay higher salaries or sign-on bonuses to entice new recruits.

Aon’s annual survey shows trends in employer benefits strategies, highlighting issues experienced by employers and employees. In its 12th year, the survey took into account the experiences of 253 HR, employee benefit and reward professionals from across the UK in a variety of sectors. Seventeen percent of respondents stated their organisation employs more than 5,000 people; 33 percent employ between 1,001 and 5,000 people; 13 percent employ 501 to 1,000 people; 10 percent employ 251 to 500; and 27 percent employ fewer than 250 people.

Richard Morgan, principal, Employee Benefits, Aon, said: “The workplace is now a seller’s market – employees can be, and are being, more selective about who they work for. Younger generations, in particular, put more importance on what an employer stands for – their purpose and brand. They are expectant of flexibility and prepared to go it alone in the gig economy. This all demands deeper thinking from employers on how they navigate new forms of volatility, not least how their Employee Value Proposition (EVP) evolves, how it is communicated and delivered, and how the impact and value it derives is measured and reviewed.

“Pay is clearly under pressure too, with companies paying sign-on bonuses and referral bonuses as well as offering flexible working to help attract candidates.”

The Survey also showed that employee engagement is seen as the most important objective for companies’ benefits strategies, with 80 percent rating it as either one or two out of five in importance as they adjust to changing employee needs and a multi-generational workforce. Employee choice, recruitment and retention were considered the next most important.

Employers have also adjusted by competing for talent in different market sectors. Nearly half (48 percent) have already adapted to this need, while 13 percent expect to change in the next five years. Accordingly, 81 percent said they will need to change their benefits strategy to meet the needs of future generations.

As employers continue to strive to engage employees and candidates, Aon’s Benefits and Trends Survey also found that more employers either have a clear Employee Value Proposition (EVP) or plan to develop one, increasing from 71 percent last year to 81 percent this year. Eighty-five percent of employers believed their EVP positively impacts recruitment, 75 percent believed it positively impacts retention and another 85 percent believed it positively impacts employee engagement. EVP components vary considerably, but key themes are wellbeing, treating people fairly/caring and flexibility as well as establishing clear values and principles. Employers also recognised the need to embed their EVP by communicating it to their employees, which is now at 90 percent.

Companies have continued to adapt to the impacts of COVID-19. With many employees now working from home at least some of the time, it is not surprising that half of companies have an agile working policy in place, up from 43 percent last year.

In addition, over a third (37 percent) of companies provided additional allowances for financial support for the various costs of running a home office, while 87 percent of companies provided the necessary technology including a computer monitor, mouse and keyboard.

Morgan added: “Encouragingly, building a resilient workforce seems to be a core component of many UK companies today. Employers are not only looking at the nuts and bolts of working from home, but many – 84 percent – are supporting their people with maintaining healthy routines, such as ensuring sufficient light and ventilation as well as making sure they take regular breaks.”

More information about the way Aon helps businesses build resilient workforces is available here. To access Aon’s Benefits and Trends Survey 2022, click here.

 

About Aon

Aon plc (NYSE: AON) exists to shape decisions for the better — to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Our colleagues provide our clients in over 120 countries with advice and solutions that give them the clarity and confidence to make better decisions to protect and grow their business.

Job Opportunities, Jobs, News, Pets

New Year, New Career? Homesitters is recruiting new homesitters who love to travel and look after pets

If you are looking for a new career in the New Year, Homesitters Ltd, a leading UK home and pet sitting company, is seeking new homesitters to take care of people’s homes and pets when they go on holiday.

Homesitters expects a big increase in bookings this year. Since the testing rules for international travel were relaxed, holiday demand has surged[i], with EasyJet reporting last week that bookings rose almost 200% compared to the week before.

Pet ownership has also soared. According to The Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association, 3.2 million households in the UK have acquired a pet since the start of the pandemic, meaning the country now has 17 million pet-owning homes[ii].

Homesitters says the ideal home and pet sitters are active retired people who love pets, as well those with a portfolio career who can fit in home and pet sitting around other work commitments.

Successful candidates will have the opportunity to stay for free in gorgeous homes across the UK, spend time with pets and meet new people. They can also boost their income or savings, as homesitters are paid a modest remuneration, including a food allowance and make savings on their own energy bills when they are on assignments.

Benjamin Irvine, Director of Business Operations at Homesitters Ltd says, “We are looking for new homesitters to join our friendly team as we’re already seeing many new enquiries as people start booking their holidays. It’s a fantastic role that suits retired people in their 50s, 60s and 70s or those not working.

“One of the main benefits of working through us is that all our homesitters are employees, and it’s a flexible job that can fit around other commitments. It’s a fun way to visit new places and the chance for animal lovers to look after all, kinds of different pets.”

Homesitters offer a high level of customer service and following a rigorous interview, homesitters are carefully matched with clients, considering their preferences, personalities, skills and experiences. Homesitters can pick and choose their assignments and will almost always visit their client’s home and pets before starting.

Retired couple Peter and Julie Barnes from Gloucestershire have been home and pet sitting since they retired. During his career, Peter spent many years in the Armed Forces, including the Royal Marines, before working in the printing industry. Julie was a swimming coach and a manager at a large leisure centre.

When they retired, they wanted new to experience some new adventures. Peter was keen to get a dog, but the couple also wanted to travel, and thought it would be too difficult with a pet. Homesitting was the perfect solution. One of their favourite parts of the job is travelling, exploring new places and spending time in the countryside.

Julie says, “We do a lot of homesits around the Cotswolds near where we live. Even if we’re only going thirty miles or so from home, it is often to somewhere we haven’t heard of before! There’s a limited amount of exploring you can do while you’re working and we’re really enjoying discovering new places.”

The couple also love to spend time with pets. Peter is a dog lover, while Julie likes spending time with cats and looking after chickens. They both enjoy walking the dogs together, combining a long dog walk in the country with a pub lunch.

Peter says, “We can’t help but fall in love with the pets who all have different characters. We looked after two black Labradors who loved to play in the snow and a beautiful Rhodesian Ridgeback who would sit and watch us read. We even looked after a parrot who would mimic Julie’s voice so I would think she was talking to me when it was the parrot!

The couple earn a modest salary from homesitting which they put towards spending money for their holidays, but Peter says money was the last thing on their agenda – it was the benefits of the role that appealed most.

“We’ve had several customers contact us after a homesit to tell us how relaxed their pets are after their time with us and to thank us for looking after them – that’s reward in itself.”

Anyone interested in becoming a homesitter can apply by clicking here.

For more information about Homesitters Ltd please visit www.homesitters.co.uk

References

[i] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-59905680

[ii] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56362987

News

Nutanix Research Reveals Multicloud Deployments are on the Rise

Nutanix has revealed the results of its fourth global Enterprise Cloud Index (ECI) survey and research report, which measures enterprise progress with cloud adoption. The research showed that multicloud is currently the most commonly used deployment model and adoption will jump to 64% in the next three years. But the complexity of managing across cloud borders remains a major challenge for enterprises, with 87% agreeing that multicloud success requires simpler management across mixed-cloud infrastructures. To address top challenges related to interoperability, security, cost and data integration, 83% of respondents agree that a hybrid multicloud model is ideal.

“While businesses are now viewing and using IT more strategically than ever before, the complexity of multicloud is creating challenges that are standing in the way of cloud success,” said Rajiv Ramaswami, President and CEO at Nutanix. “Solving for these complexities is giving way to a new hybrid multicloud model that makes cloud an operating model rather than a destination.”

This year, survey respondents were asked about their current cloud challenges, how they’re running business applications now and where they plan to run them in the future. Respondents were also asked about the impact of the pandemic on recent, current, and future IT infrastructure decisions and how IT strategy and priorities may change because of it.

Key findings from this year’s report include:

  • Top multicloud challenges include managing security (49%), data integration (49%), and cost (43%) across cloud borders. While multicloud is the most commonly used operating model, and the only one expected to grow, most enterprises are struggling with the reality of operating across multiple clouds, private and public. This reality is not going away, and more and more IT leaders realise that there is no one-size fits all approach to the cloud, making hybrid multicloud, an IT operating model with multiple clouds both private and public with interoperability between them, ideal according to the majority of respondents.
  • The pandemic has changed how nearly all organisations operate, and multicloud supports this new way of working. Well over half of respondents (61%) say they’re focused on offering more flexible work setups because of the pandemic. Most organisations report that while their remote workforces may shrink or grow, they are here to stay for the foreseeable future. Multicloud offers the most agile IT environment for supporting this flexibility by distributing data to diverse geolocations for user proximity, and business continuity.
  • Application mobility is top of mind. Nearly all organisations (91%) have moved one or more applications to a new IT environment over the last 12 months. However, 80% of respondents agree that moving a workload to a new cloud environment can be costly and time-consuming. They cite security (41%) most often as the reason for the move, followed by performance (39%), and gaining control of the application (38%).
  • Enterprises are growing more strategic in their use of IT infrastructure. Nearly three-fourths of respondents (72%) say they believe that the IT function in their organisations is perceived as more strategic than it was a year ago. They also cite business reasons for changing their infrastructure models, such as improving remote work and collaboration (40%), supporting customers better (36%), and strengthening business continuity (35%). Additionally, they’ve begun strategically matching each workload to the infrastructure best suited to it, based on factors such as security (41%), performance (39%), and cost (31%), likely a primary driver behind the proliferation of multicloud.

For the fourth consecutive year, Vanson Bourne conducted research on behalf of Nutanix, surveying 1,700 IT decision-makers around the world in August and September 2021. The respondent base spanned multiple industries, business sizes, and the following geographies: the Americas; Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA); and the Asia Pacific Japan (APJ) region.