Category Archives: Thought Leadership

Marketing & PR, Marketing, PR and SEO, Thought Leadership, Thought Leadership Blogs

Surveys: Are they a total waste of time?

Written by Roger Jackson, CEO of SenseCheck

In the marketing world, traditional research methods like surveys and focus groups often come under fire. Critics argue that these tools offer little more than false guidance, with surveys being particularly vulnerable to scrutiny by some.

As someone with decades of experience in moderating focus groups, I could discuss that point very happily. Here’s a clue: they have to be done well!. But today, let’s focus on the humble survey — an easy thing to be rude about to get overly simplistic nods, yet I will argue remains an invaluable tool in the marketer’s arsenal.

The critical role of questionnaire design

Survey sceptics are quick to highlight the flaws inherent in asking people to complete questionnaires.  And they’re not entirely wrong. A poorly designed and executed survey can indeed yield misleading results. The adage “garbage in, garbage out” holds true—research and questionnaire construction is crucial, but it’s important to recognise that a well-crafted survey, designed with precision and thoughtfulness and executed with care, can offer useful insights.

Let’s think about the basics. The first rule of survey design is to ask questions that your respondents can answer truthfully and easily. These questions should tap into their opinions, perceptions, concerns, motivations, and needs—information that resides close to the surface of their consciousness and things that don’t require a feat of memory or imagination! Tools like choice models, which ask respondents to express preferences between two options, can also be effective in revealing deeper insights. They are easy to answer but rich in depth.

However, questionnaire design requires more than just asking the right questions. It’s also about how you ask them. Here are a few best practices:

  1. Clarify the purpose: Make sure respondents understand the objective of the survey. This motivates them to pay attention.
  2. Simplicity is key: Questions should be easy to understand and interpret, avoiding jargon or ambiguity. What might seem clear to you could be misinterpreted by your audience.
  3. Offer comprehensive options: Provide response choices that cover the main spectrum of potential answers, including an “other” option and a “don’t know” choice. Never force a response, but also don’t feel you have to include every imaginable option!
  4. Keep it brief: Both the overall survey and individual questions should be concise. Attention spans are short, especially in today’s TikTok-driven world, so aim for surveys that can be completed in under 10 minutes.
  5. Prioritise important questions: Place the most critical questions early in the survey when respondents are most focused.
  6. Mind the order: Ask about opinions and perceptions before seeking a conclusion or decision to avoid order effects that could skew the results.

Sampling: the silent influencer

Even the best-designed survey can falter if it’s not administered to the right audience.

Sampling bias is a significant risk, particularly in how respondents are recruited. Firstly, getting the “right” people costs money, and if the sample seems very cheap, there is probably a reason for that.

As way as paying for quality (i.e. getting these people) you then need to recruit the right balance, the right profile of sample. Of course, this must represent your target market well, but there are other things to consider, including purchase patterns. For instance, asking customers of Retailer A about their opinions on Retailer B will likely yield different results than asking Retailer B’s customers about their own shopping experiences. Balanced and representative samples are critical to mitigating these biases.

Today, the rise of bots and click farms presents an additional challenge on sample. Your survey providers must therefore employ advanced screening techniques and incorporate test questions to ensure data integrity, including getting rid of obvious ‘outliers’.

Even with these precautions, you can’t get rid of all “noise”.  So, sample size itself remains the crucial precautionary factor—the larger the sample, the more reliable the results. Put pragmatically, a few percentage of dodgy answers won’t ruin the learnings. Don’t cut corners on sample, it’s always a false economy.

The human factor: navigating bias in interpretation

Just because they generate “facts”, surveys are not immune to interpretation error.

For example, confirmation bias—the tendency to favour information that confirms pre-existing beliefs—can skew the conclusions you may draw from survey data. This bias can manifest in both the commissioner of the research and the agency conducting it.

To counteract this, it’s essential to contextualise data points through benchmarks and norms. A seemingly impressive result might only be average when compared to industry standards. For example, in product testing, an average score of 4.2 on a 5-point scale might indicate market success, whereas a 3.9, though seemingly still positive, could signal mediocrity.

Understanding behaviour: The power of correlation

One common criticism of the survey idea is the claim that “people don’t do what they say”. While there is, of course, some truth to this (one reason we must be careful to ask the right questions), proven methodologies exist to bridge the gap between stated intentions and actual behaviour.

In many cases, by correlating a large body of history of survey responses with real-life outcomes, marketers can gain a more accurate understanding of implied consumer behaviour. This can be very useful, for example for advertising or product testing.

But in general, we must recognise that surveys are not meant to only replicate reality. Rather, they aim to provide insights that inform marketing strategies. They’re a tool for understanding the “why” behind consumer actions, which is just as important as tracking the actions themselves.

Effective surveys contribute to a more comprehensive decision-making process, serving as one of many inputs alongside other data sources, A/B testing, and even informed intuition.

A balanced approach

Surveys are not a magic bullet, but they are a powerful ingredient in the recipe for marketing success—when used wisely.

The key lies in understanding their limitations and executing them with precision. Research should be judged against the alternative—guesswork—not against a mythical standard of perfect understanding.

If surveys could provide 100 per cent accurate answers on actual behaviour, then by implication the role of savvy marketers would be redundant. Instead, in our real-world work surveys should be seen as a valuable tool that, when combined with other methods and your expert judgment, helps guide better decisions.

Surveys offer more than just data—they offer insights. And, in a world awash with information, insights are the true currency of effective marketing.

About the author

Roger Jackson is founder and CEO of SenseCheck

 

 

Thought Leadership

5 Essential Skills Every Business Leader Should Possess

Bradley Honnor, MD of MatchFit outlines traits of impactful leaders and common leadership pitfalls

Bradley Honnor, MD of MatchFit, (a specialist Learning & Development consultancy, focused on delivering sustainable high performance, and employee health & wellbeing through leadership, communication & culture development) is an experienced psychotherapist and close observer of human behaviour, who has over the years learnt to understand the subtle actions that point to an individual’s likely leadership capabilities.

Sign 1: A lack of engagement and interest

Poor leaders often struggle to engage positively with their teams, creating negative experiences during interactions. Their fixed mindset dismisses new ideas with an “it’s always been done this way” attitude, causing team frustration. They frequently appear disinterested and too busy, which are common negative traits.

In contrast, good leaders show genuine interest, actively participate in discussions, and remain open to learning and communicating beneficial insights for the entire team.

Sign 2: Inconsistent or unclear communication

Poor leaders often struggle to communicate effectively, relying on impersonal means such as emails to fire out instructions and tasks. Meaningful connections with team members through personal interactions aren’t established, leading to misunderstandings, poor team engagement and an undermining of a team’s cohesion and effectiveness. While not all effective leaders are inspirational communicators, avoiding common communication mistakes is important for maximising team performance.

Sign 3: Inability to balance leadership priorities

Effective leadership requires balancing team needs, individual development, and task completion—a balance often lacking in poor leaders. John Adair, a leading authority on leadership, highlights this with his model. He argues that focusing solely on individuals undermines team cohesion, whereas emphasising team performance can neglect individual needs. Overemphasis on tasks harms both team and individual performance.

Promoting skilled salespeople or technical experts to leadership roles often results in task-focused leaders who overlook the pressures on their team. Unlike these, effective leaders nurture individuals, develop cohesive teams, and achieve goals while being accountable. Football managers exemplify this balance: they inspire the team, support individual players, and strategise for wins.

Sign 4: Lack of endorsement from colleagues

At MatchFit, we regularly work with individuals and teams to develop their leadership capabilities.  During this process, conversations inevitably occur about their leaders and whether they are having a positive or negative impact on those in the room.

Poor leaders typically lack the respect and confidence of their colleagues, a reflection of their ineffective leadership style. In contrast, effective leaders earn respect through their actions, integrity, and ability to inspire and motivate others.

Sign 5: Inability to deliver results

Ultimately, leadership is measured by results. Poor leaders often preside over declining morale, sub-par team performances, and diminishing financial outcomes. Their inability to create a high-performing culture and achieve tangible outcomes undermines the organisation’s success. Conversely, effective leaders demonstrate a track record of success, inspiring confidence and driving performance through strategic vision, collaboration and accountability.

Assessing leadership, of course, is always complex and rarely clear cut. A leader might excel at team and individual engagement, yet lack vision, clarity, and the ability to lead the team to make a useful contribution to the business. The lesson, then, is one of self-awareness – and the willingness of a leader to continually evolve and develop.

 

News, Podcasts, Thought Leadership

CEO of the World Gold Council – David Tait – speaks candidly about ethics, Everest and his traumatic early life

Former investment banking tycoon, David Tait, has revealed the truth about his abusive childhood, admitting that he has donated his bonuses to the NSPCC since the start of his career.

The candid confessions can be heard in an interview on the Culture de-cooded podcast, hosted by entrepreneur, Charlie Coode.

Launched in January 2024, the show gets up close and personal with prominent leaders, sharing their unique views on success and culture – a topic close to the host’s own business and heart.

Now in its fourth episode, Charlie, sat down with David to discuss his unique business journey, spurred on by a traumatic upbringing – and saved by learning to value ethics.

Speaking about Sulphur and White – the autobiographical film he made in support of the charity back in 2019 – David reveals “It tells my life story from the perspective of an abused child and what it does to that person. But most importantly, it’s what that person does to others”.

Less than proud of the people he fired early on, David admits it was the trauma that allowed him to thrive in such an “elbows-out” environment.

“It was the collateral damage that someone like me was capable of, and the damage I inflicted on so many people over that period”, says David, admitting that the film he made was far from a “vanity project”.

Driven by the desire to change, David admits that he saw his new role as CEO of the World Gold Council as an opportunity to turn things around. And it all started with revolutionising culture.

“I flattened the hierarchy”, states David, explaining how this brought younger, more talented people to the fore. Then, it was a question of encouraging gold miners to care.

“They didn’t really give a damn where it went”, David tells listeners, who successfully brought four disparate councils together, transforming the gold market for the better.

No mean feat for the five-time Everest champion, David reminds listeners that “the only way, sometimes, is to think the impossible” – a mentality that saw him become first man to attempt a double traverse of the world’s most dangerous mountain.

According to David, it was all about cleaning the industry’s act, refusing to accept unethical practices such as the involvement of children in mining – yet another nod to his own difficult youth.

David’s full story – “A journey through investment banking to gold council leadership”, is available to listen to via Culture de-cooded on all major podcast channels.

Host of Culture de-cooded, Charlie Coode, is committed to helping organisations succeed. In 2015, he launched Culture15 – an innovative SaaS platform for the rigorous management and measurement of company culture.

For more information, visit:

https://open.spotify.com/show/3wl6uLivhUrlgWeJFfyved?si=75444fe9b70c4195

https://culture15.com

Apprenticeships, Thought Leadership

The reason why apprenticeship programmes need to be industry-led

Written by Ash Gawthorp, Chief Academy Officer at Ten10

One of the problems with the apprenticeship levy is that it often lacks flexibility and ends up falling short of meeting the needs of the specific industry, for example, tech. It was created with the goal to bring those from a background where university wasn’t considered an option, into highly skilled roles where they are able to have access to a vocational pathway. Those people would then be trained on the job and continue to work their way up within that industry.

The problem is that these apprenticeships are often based on structures that don’t work within a typical business model. For instance, often apprentices need to finish courses at a college or university, and if there are projects that need to be completed within certain timeframes, then it doesn’t work when that person is away 3 days out of the week to finish coursework.

 

According to the educational and skills think tank EDSK, almost half of apprentices don’t complete their courses. Why is that? The problem is that the programmes funded by the levy are government-led, not industry-led. We need more industry input into what works for both employers and apprentices.

 

One of the areas that it is currently failing employers is that the levy is only validated to fund certain programmes. Employers will therefore opt for these because they’re funded. Now, if someone doesn’t finish their apprenticeship it might seem like the employer isn’t losing any money. But irrespective of who is paying for it, there is still investment on the part of the employers; they are investing time and resources into training that person with an expectation that they will continue to work with them at the end. When the person leaves halfway through, they are back to square one.

There are mechanisms out there that do achieve good results, but they’re not accessible through the levy. Companies need to be rewarded on their success factors and what has worked for them, rather than how many people they can push through to an apprenticeship.

 

But it’s absolutely reformable. The idea behind it is right and the way it is funded through the salary bill is brilliant: everybody who is part of the levy contributes to it and has access to the pot. It is how that pot is used and the types of programmes that the levy funds that need to be re-evaluated. One of the issues is the chasm between theoretical training versus the practical. Only a small part of the training is focussed on the practical tasks that actually utilise their knowledge, and too much of it is classroom work: reporting, essay writing and box ticking. That’s not equipping people with the correct skills they’ll need.

This is also why we’ve seen the levy being taken advantage of and funding MBA degrees for top executives when it should be used to equip young trainees with the right skills. This all ties back to having transparency with which programmes deliver the right results, and the current ones are failing to the point we’re seeing 100,000 fewer apprentices apply than six years ago. The levy needs to be led by industry experts and employers, rather than government and academia. We need data where we can see how successful these programmes are in a tangible way: what percentage of people are being placed in roles afterwards? How long are people staying in these roles for? Then we know what yields results.

 

The levy was brought in to help bridge the skills gaps in specific industries. It has the potential to introduce people who might otherwise not have had access to a vocational pathway. It is a chance for someone to earn whilst they learn their trade and get a foot in the industry.

The concept behind it is solid, but we need to address the suitability of certain people for each course. If we’re not accurately putting people in roles that suit their aptitude and abilities, they won’t be able to grow their skills. For example, not everyone will have the suitability for software development. Ultimately it is unfair to both the employer and the apprentice if people are being put forward for the wrong roles just to bump up numbers.

When we have that assessment and that conversation, we are then able to place them in roles that will equip them with the skills they’ll need to make it. This will also give employers the right people they can train to help them build their projects.

 

 

 

 

Business & Property News, Business Advice, News, Thought Leadership

Economic forecasts and recession planning for business leaders

Written by Nick Gold, MD, Speakers Corner

Recession forecasts have dominated headlines recently, following falls in house prices and factory output across the UK. These headlines can be worrying for business leaders and staff members alike — so it’s important that we prepare our teams for these turbulent times.

Research shows that during the 2008 global downturn, the S&P 500 saw a 35.5% decline in stock performance on average. But some S&P 500 companies didn’t see a decline — in fact, companies with positive employee experiences saw a 14.4% gain.

Staying positive and competitive throughout a recession isn’t easy. But if you manage to stay optimistic, you can help your company weather tough economic times while promoting good staff wellbeing (including your own).

Cultivating positivity despite uncertainty

Whether in reality or due to media portrayal, recession breeds uncertainty. People start worrying about their job security and financial stability. This leads to indecisiveness, negative mindsets, and a lull in creativity.

It’s easy to slip into this state when navigating a recession. But your mindset can feed into the culture of your company, making staff feel uneasy and leading to assumptions about the company’s health. So it’s essential that we take conscious, positive actions to protect our staff — and ourselves — from this negativity.

Reframe recession as an opportunity rather than something to fear. During the 2008 financial crisis, the leadership team at Speakers Corner decided to break the mould by giving our whole team the chance to call our clients and find out how we could support them. This kept our teams busy, even if their normal department was quieter than usual, and it also gave them the chance to build relationships with our clients on behalf of our company.

Giving people clear guidelines with limited targets and expectations helped keep them calm and focused. But it also boosted our revenue during a tricky time — and gave us an opportunity to celebrate successes we wouldn’t otherwise have had.

Overcoming short-term hurdles vs achieving long-term goals

It’s easy to hunker down in the face of recession. Economic crises bring plenty of short-term hurdles — so while businesses can grow during these times, successes are the exception, not the rule.

It’s human instinct to protect yourself and what you have. But ultimately, you must stay true to your long-term vision for your business and what you want to achieve. This is how you cultivate positivity among team members, who will ultimately keep your business afloat during a recession.

Instead of hunkering down, take a leap of faith in the people around you. Get them involved and inspire them to innovate. Celebrate mistakes. If you have the means to reassure your workforce that their jobs aren’t at risk and you’ll all sink or swim together, your people will do amazing things.

How to minimise the impact of recession on your business

Staff are the most valuable asset you have. So keeping them onside should be one of your key concerns during difficult economic periods. Try these tips to maintain positive employee experiences at your company:

  • Be transparent — Don’t pretend it’s business as usual, and don’t take action without explanation. Make sure all your decisions are explained to staff, and put certain things up for discussion if you can. This will make people feel valued and involved.
  • Don’t sweat the small stuff — If you need a substantial change in strategy, do it at the top. Don’t get embroiled in teabag rationing and other small matters — this can damage morale, and it won’t save much money in the long run.
  • Discuss the future — Look beyond the recession to how you’ll ramp up once you get through the tough times. This positive long-term mindset can help staff accept certain short-term changes that will get you through the next few months.
  • Prioritise training — Staff development may not feel like a priority right now, but it’s a great way to make people feel valued, improve the skills at your company, and give people fresh ideas for how they can contribute to the business.

All these actions are well within your control as a business leader. So, instead of jumping to cost-cutting measures like redundancies as a knee-jerk reaction, try to take a more positive approach to recession management. This will prioritise staff wellbeing so you have a more productive, contented team to take you through the turbulence and beyond.

Innovation: the key to recession management

Some businesses thrive in a recession because they come up with unique business and marketing strategies that pay off. So, it’s also worth investing in ways to inspire innovation in your own team.

Team building days are a great way to promote positivity during difficult times, especially if you have a hybrid workforce. Hire an external speaker to bring a fresh perspective to your business. They can help you set up an ideas forum that gives staff the opportunity to suggest solutions to see you through the recession.

As people contribute more to your company — whether through upskilling or innovating — offer incentives that empower them in the business. This could include giving them more responsibility, involving them in more decision-making processes, and offering pay increases when possible.

While you might not achieve the goals you set out for the company at the start of the year, you could achieve things you’d never even considered. So take a flexible, positive approach to recession and let your people help you navigate upcoming economic challenges.

News, Retail & E-commerce, Thought Leadership

The emergence of the power of Search

The COVID-19 pandemic created one of the biggest disruptions the retail industry has ever seen, forcing SMEs in the sector to pivot their business models and adapt to new ways of operating. Now a few years on, the lesson has been learnt, for most, that adopting technology is crucial for survival.

Unfortunately, some small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating as retailers are at a disadvantage not having the resources or funding that their larger counterparts do. Due to this, they have to find other ways to innovate, stay competitive and most importantly, survive.

So, how can small retail brands reduce the number of opportunities passing them by?

 

Take the instore customer experience online

While the integration of tech with traditional practices has created a whole new experience for customers, there are elements of in-person experiences that could be better replicated online. Take the development of eCommerce within the retail industry. When shopping in person, you are usually met by a helpful shop assistant, who helps you navigate a well-presented store with well-organised products on display, and clear direction on how to find what you’re looking for.

However, the online retail experience can sometimes feel like a downgrade, despite it sometimes being the only option available to customers. Customers often click through page after page trying to sift through the vast options available, before giving up feeling overwhelmed and frustrated that they were unable to have a pleasant shopping experience. One solution SMEs may overlook is the power of Search. 69% of shoppers use the search bar while they shop, meaning SMEs can risk missing out on catering to the majority of their customers if they don’t have an enhanced onsite Search experience.

This is the functionality that allows a customer to use keywords to find products within the eCommerce shop’s product catalogue. If you think about well known brands such as Zara, or a supermarket such as ASDA, what do they all have in common? Impeccable search results. The success that these brands see is no coincidence. A significant majority (68%) of customers would refrain from revisiting a website that offers an unsatisfactory search experience. Onsite search is an extension of in-person browsing, and should be a critical priority for SMEs who want to see an improved customer experience. Thanks to filters for price, size, colour, and many more categories, customers can see tailored recommendations to products they’re looking for, including products they hadn’t considered previously.

According to a Forrester report, 43% of customers go directly to the onsite search function upon entering a website. By implementing a specialised eCommerce onsite search engine, you are able to provide customers with relevant search results instantly. This will not only give you a competitive edge, but it separates your site from wasting time without aimless scrolling. For example, Mundoalfombra, one of Spain’s largest online rug brands, recently increased its mobile search rate by 400% and reduced shopper bounce rate in its mobile search by 500%.  It did this by acknowledging that many of its customers started their search on mobile, and investing in an eCommerce Search platform that was intuitive and mobile-intuitive, meaning customers had a much smoother experience.

Search and discovery are like trusted companions that uncover hidden treasures and reveal valuable insights. They help businesses understand shopper demand, identify trends, and make informed decisions. They compliment each other well, with Search supporting the finding of specific things that the customer knows they are looking for, and the Discovery element using trends, similar products, follow-on queries etc to see what else is available to them.

Investing in onsite search can create significant benefits to a company’s bottom line. These tools can help SMEs tailor the shopping experience to customers accordingly, creating an increase in sales and a continued build of customer trust and loyalty.

 

Leveraging technology

With the digital age came a seismic shift in the way consumers shop and interact with businesses, and the rise of eCommerce, social media, and mobile technology has only amplified this. Unfortunately, many small retailers venturing into the eCommerce space for the first time may lack the resources and expertise to keep up, resulting in missed opportunities and decreased customer engagement.

The rise of eCommerce will only continue, and onsite search is a critical tool for businesses seeking to enhance their website’s performance, cultivate tailored user experiences, and effectively engage with customers. By harnessing the capabilities of search, retailers can significantly improve the discoverability of their products, align consumer needs and intent with the most suitable offerings, boost conversion rates, drive sales growth, and increase customer satisfaction.

 

Staying one step ahead

Utilising search in eCommerce to enhance the customer’s experience will revolutionise the pace at which a small business retailer can grow. Focusing efforts on building trust through non-intrusive methods, whilst offering an elevated shopping experience and relevant search results will be repaid in loyalty from returning customers.

Leveraging the power of search and truly understanding the way your customers like to shop is crucial to maintaining steady and consistent business growth. Those who choose not to embrace the technology available risk being the ones on the back foot with their competitors.

 

HR News, Leadership, News, Thought Leadership, Thought Leadership Blogs

Tackling Change Fatigue in Employees

Written by Nick Gold, MD. Speakers Corner

Since the Covid-19 pandemic began, businesses have undergone unprecedented change. According to Gartner, the average business planned ten enterprise changes in 2022, compared with two in 2016.

Change is necessary in all aspects of life. If you’re standing still, you’re ultimately going backwards. But when business changes become overwhelming, staff can struggle to cope. 71% of staff say they’re overwhelmed by the amount of change at work. More than half of those employees are considering looking for a new job.

This reaction is known as change fatigue, and it can pose a problem for forward-thinking businesses. While change is necessary to keep moving forward, it can take its toll on your team. Our recent research shows that just 18% of UK business owners consider changes within an organisation to be the main cause of stress.

As business leaders, we must be able to recognise and tackle change fatigue so we can keep staff happy and thrive as businesses.

The post-pandemic boom of corporate change culture

Over the last few years, we’ve had to deal with a lot of significant changes in a compressed amount of time: Covid, Brexit, the cost of living crisis, and the war in Ukraine. In light of this, many businesses are having to redefine and rebuild themselves.

The pandemic changed everything for Speakers Corner. With the live events industry obliterated by lockdowns, we were forced to find a new niche in virtual events. When we realised we had done perhaps more online events than anyone else, we were able to shift our focus and guide our team, clients, speakers, and the whole industry through these turbulent times.

The scale of change demanded from businesses over the last three years is incomparable to previous times. And it often feels like there won’t be a time when things are less hectic than they are right now.

But everything comes in cycles. Understanding that transformation feels all-consuming right now, but we will have time to breathe. In fact, you have time to breathe right now if you manage change in a way that’s practical and sustainable.

Understanding the impact of change on employees

While change can feel overwhelming for business leaders, this can be magnified for employees, who often have less of a say in the changes required of the organisation.

This is where communication comes in. People want to know your vision at a high level. Communicating this to everyone is essential. From there, your management team can take over. They can have further conversations at a team and individual level to ensure everyone knows how these changes will impact them. Processes, timescales, workloads: all of these must be concrete and manageable for each team and staff member.

It’s also important to help staff understand that though your business transformation may take months or even years to complete, they won’t be in a constant state of upheaval. Knowing when changes are likely to affect them can help staff focus their energy and attention in the right place at the right time rather than fielding a constant stream of worry.

This comes down to good leadership and change management. And times of change are an excellent opportunity to showcase your leadership skills. While the transformation may be true to your vision, you don’t have to be the flagbearer of change. You can support other managers to help teams navigate turbulence and ensure staff feel safe and supported.

Recognising change fatigue

The signs of change fatigue are different in everyone. So you must treat your staff as individuals and understand they may have other problems at different times. They’ll also need additional skills to cope with these changes, so you must be willing to invest in these.

As a leader, avoid projecting your own opinions onto your staff. Don’t assume that because you’re coping or not coping, the same is true of others.

Instead, ask people how they’re dealing with the changes. If they tell you they’re struggling, have a plan for how you’ll deal with this. It could involve taking time away or adjusting the way they do their job.

Either way, ensure your change plan protocol will make a difference and give staff the support they really need to adjust to your new vision.

Navigating successful, sustainable business transformation

There are three key ways to ensure successful, sustainable change in your organisation:

 

  1. Treat people as individuals. This helps you understand the unique challenges each team member is facing, so you can create an individual support plan for them.
  2. Be brave. Try new things without succumbing to crisis mode. Don’t be afraid to get things wrong. Your staff and your customers want you to succeed, so be bolstered by this support.
  3. Communicate with your team. Let them know that you’re all in this together and you want to embrace new ideas from people at all levels.

 

These three practices allow you to embed a culture of change in your organisation rather than seeing your current project as a one-and-done affair. Instead of creating an overwhelming, all-encompassing Big Change Plan, view each act of progress as a small wave of change. This will significantly redefine how you and your staff view business transformation for the better.

Ultimately, making change part of the ongoing conversation can help staff feel more settled and adaptable. So they can achieve your vision with focus and positivity, ensuring they thrive alongside your business.

Cloud Migration, Digital Transformation, Technology, Thought Leadership, Thought Leadership

Finding the X-factor in the Cloud

Written by Mark Wass, Strategic Sales Director, UK and North EMEA at CloudBlue

When facing such uncertainty in economic markets, it is important that there is a fundamental shift in how businesses enhance their financial situation during digital transformation. Everything-as-a-service (XaaS) provides an answer, and a way forward, and should be part of the long-term strategy for every business.

Whether it’s software-as-a-service (SaaS), security-as-a-service (SECaaS), or even hardware-as-a-service (HaaS), companies should be striving to diversify their revenue streams with a digital-first mindset.

 

Consumption on demand 

If it’s manual, it’s already broken. Cloud computing will continue to be a cornerstone of innovation and growth, enabling companies to remain agile and scale faster. The research firm Gartner predicts that by 2027, more than 50% of enterprises will use industry cloud platforms.

With XaaS, companies can provide products and services on demand. Subscription and pay-per-use models allow businesses to have a more predictable way to manage revenue, while providing agility for business customers.

Manufacturing has evolved beyond the physical, utilising digital technologies to service customers. Traditionally, manufacturers would build a product, ship that product and be done. Now, manufacturers can maintain a continuous connection with customers through consumption on demand models. For example, one of our manufacturing clients has a software component – basically a SaaS version of their product that they can get to their customers in a matter of minutes. If business customers have to purchase a licensed product that takes weeks to arrive, they’re going to take their business elsewhere.

 

Digital bundling as a solution

Like regular consumers, B2B customers want solutions that are only a click away. Digital bundling adds value to a business – allowing companies to distinguish themselves as providers with a smorgasbord of offerings, while building client retention.

Telcos have jumped into digital bundling. For example, along with a phone and a plan, a telecom service provider might also offer their customers the opportunity to choose Office 365 or DocuSign as an added service. Do customers need security on their end- product? When businesses have partners, they can offer these services in a bundle. This allows Telcos to focus more effectively on creating customer stickiness, deepening per-customer contracts with bundled services.

A good example is Telefonica Tech, which offers a cybersecurity package that includes a physical firewall, SaaS licenses and professional setup services. Customers can order through the company’s marketplace as a single solution that is delivered at a monthly fee.

The important outcome of offering these bundles is that they significantly simplify their business customers’ operations. The more telcos invest in complex automation, the more personalisation they will be able to offer through the automated deployment of packages, such as a complete workplace-as-a-service (WaaS).

 

Resilience in supply chains

Automation across the supply chain saves manpower, while increasing communication and connectivity between business partners. Digital technologies increase visibility across the supply chain, providing data in real time. This vital information allows organisations to identify supply chain chokepoints, track inventory and communicate quickly throughout the supply chain.

The pandemic highlighted how vital it is for companies to invest in digital transformation. The more a business leveraged digital technologies during the crisis, the more likely they were to adapt quickly to rapid change. Zoom and Microsoft Teams are two examples. Organisations that did not have that kind of supply chain resiliency, whether it be from a SaaS standpoint or an integration standpoint, were more likely to struggle because they were not ready.

When building the cloud platform, there is a need for end-to-end integration, automation, and scalability. Companies must decide how they are going to market – direct sales or through channels. The power of a platform is that you’re running on somebody else’s infrastructure, allowing businesses to scale up quickly when needed.

 

Growth via a digital ecosystem

A common mistake companies make is trying to do it alone. It can be a painstaking process for businesses to build application program interface (API) systems as well as manage them. Expanding their reach more rapidly through a digital ecosystem that enables setting up of APIs for products into a catalogue that can be distributed globally. Building out through an ecosystem is less expensive, less time-consuming and helps businesses scale faster.

Gartner’s report on Top Technology Trends for 2023 says worldwide end-user spending on public cloud services is forecast to grow more than 20% to total $591.8 billion next year. The report emphasises the business value of being able to scale vertical solutions and product delivery.

By using hyperscalable XaaS marketplaces, businesses can add solutions to their catalog without increased overhead costs. A global self-service marketplace platform automates all ordering, fulfillment, and billing processes.

A unified view and data integration improve visibility and workflow as well. Subsidiaries are then able to manage their quotes and regional catalogues, as well as curate location-specific listings while the service provision is handled centrally. Scaling these processes with digitisation is critical to reduce costs and free up resources.

A digital ecosystem allows businesses to expand customer growth and strengthen their foothold in the market by diversifying their revenue sources through cross selling a variety of partner products.

Experienced managed service providers (MSP) enable businesses to seamlessly transform their e-commerce shops into as-a-service marketplace ecosystems.  The platform provider handles all the ordering, fulfillment, subscription management and billing flows, including managing multi-tier reseller levels. Companies can easily manage a catalog of third-party vendor solutions to be offered through their own marketplace. They can also deliver their own products and digital bundles by way of multiple marketplaces in any language, currency, and geography.

XaaS marketplaces allow businesses to become better problem-solvers for their end customers. It also enables them to anticipate risks and proactively offer creative solutions. An increase in demand from customers for customised offerings means any ecosystem partner has the potential to thrive in the service economy, where nearly everything can be delivered to customers as a service.

News, Thought Leadership

2023 Prediction: Employees at the heart of progress

Written by Eimear Gunn, UKI Digital Workplace Services (DWS) Practice Leader, Kyndryl

Businesses around the world are about to enter a period of rewiring quite unlike anything we’ve seen in recent decades. The suddenness and sweepingness of the priorities realignment that the pandemic triggered means that, going into what is likely to be a significant global recession, businesses sit at a decision-making crossroads around how they rebuild themselves into a stronger, more inclusive, more resilient form.

Major shifts certainly happened in the decades prior to the pandemic – not least the emergence of endemic information technology – but there was a sense that we could continuously build on our recently-laid foundations to find new growth. Now, amidst the macro pressures of geopolitics, supply chain shifts, and energy scarcity, alongside changing consumer behaviour and a deepening skills shortage, a more incisive change is called for.

As we make that leap, we will also need ways of measuring and demonstrating success which are fit for purpose. That’s why I think that the employee experience will come further into the spotlight this year as a marker of business success. As we create more efficient, flexible technology infrastructure, it is employees who will know first whether tools and platforms are succeeding.

As we upskill and reskill workforces, it is the workforce that will know first whether we are closing the gap on meeting customer needs. And, in a more connected, more aware, more ethically committed world, it is employees who will know first whether growth-seeking business initiatives are also delivering for workers, communities, and the planet.

E-Commerce, News, Thought Leadership

Retail expert shares the top six eCommerce trends for 2023 and why businesses shouldn’t ignore them

There are over 60 million eCommerce users in the UK alone (Source: Statista), meaning the vast majority of UK residents now shop online. When a new generation of tech-savvy kids start shopping, the industry will only expand further, so it’s crucial that online retailers continue to innovate if they want to keep growing too.

James Khoury, eCommerce expert and CEO of fulfilment provider, Zendbox, has shared his predictions of the top eCommerce trends all online retailers should be leveraging in 2023.

1. Omnichannel Shopping

“It’s no longer enough to only have a website; online stores now need to make their goods accessible across a range of selling platforms. Consumers are channel surfing more than ever, often discovering brands on social media before they find their website. People are more price conscious too and will be looking to compare prices for your product, or similar ones, on search engines or comparison sites.”

“Make a list of the channels and platforms available to you and optimise each avenue. Now might even be the time to look into what will potentially be the next ‘super app’, TikTok (Source: VideoWeek), which is beginning to offer an all-in-one solution where consumers can shop and pay for products without ever leaving the app. As part of your omni channel approach, focus efforts on these types of apps in line with your website, social media accounts and, if applicable, your bricks and mortar store.”

2. Mobile First

“It’s predicted that by 2024, mobile sales will reach over £100 billion (Source: Statista), thanks in no small part to Gen Z and the rise of Gen Alpha. It’s more important than ever to adopt a mobile-first approach to retail sales and maximise every eCommerce opportunity.”

“It’s no coincidence that this upward trend in mobile sales aligns with the exponential growth of social commerce. TikTok has experienced the largest increase in the percentage of consumers willing to buy from social media (Source: JungleScout). People can discover your brand on social media and then buy from the comfort of their mobile phone. What’s more, optimising your social media platforms allows you to take advantage of user generated content (UCG), balancing out any additional marketing spend. Developing a mobile-first strategy should go hand in hand with social selling and will likely be essential in 2023.”

3. Green Commerce

“The word ‘sustainability’ won’t be going anywhere in 2023. In fact, more and more retailers will be looking to increase their green credentials. This means offering things like sustainable packaging, more eco-friendly shipping options and carbon offsetting.”

“Alongside green pledges, there may well be an influx of reCommerce sites or outlets. Online second-hand stores and rental services have gained popularity in recent years, and even charity shops now have an online presence. Some existing retailers allow customers to recycle old items in return for vouchers, and others have set up marketplaces as an offshoot, where they resell past season and pre-loved stock. This may well depend on the product itself but, in any case, a circular strategy is mission-critical for businesses that want to stay competitive in 2023.”

4. User Experience

“Consumers are more likely to convert or share data when they receive a personalised experience, with some 80% of frequent shoppers only shopping with companies that personalise the experience (Source: YouGov).”

“Putting the user at the forefront of your eCommerce efforts is paramount to success. Get to know your customers across all platforms, and use any information to create offers and upselling opportunities based on their specific behaviours.”

“Add to this an excellent customer service experience and a range of delivery and payment options. Fuss-free returns will also attract new customers and retain existing ones. With a host of software, plug-ins and analytics now available, there’s little excuse in 2023 to neglect the customer journey.”

5. Inflation

“Not so much a trend as a necessity. The economic downturn has made customers savvier than ever before. Purchases are carefully considered, and choosing which e-tailer to buy from may come down to which one has the most budget-conscious options.”

“Things like free delivery and free returns are very attractive right now. Having a BOPIS option, where users can buy online and pick up in store, can be a good middle ground to reduce overheads for you as a company and delivery charges for your customers. Offering a range of payment options will also help to assuage any buying-related anxiety – for example, buy now, pay later (BNPL) arrangements.”

6. Payments

“As well as offering BNPL, simply having a roster of payment options will encourage more shoppers in 2023. One of the biggest reasons shoppers abandon their cart is due to a difficult payment or checkout process. Digital and mobile wallets now account for around half of global eCommerce payment transactions (Source: Statista) and so implementing this is going to be vital.”

“PayPal now has 429 million users worldwide too (Source: GlobalData), making it hugely popular for eCommerce. There is still space for the traditional card payment but as above, offering payment methods that satisfy different user demographics sets eCommerce stores up to bring in more of the available market revenue.”

“Perhaps the biggest takeaway for eCommerce in 2023 is choice. Users now expect different payment options, flexible returns, sustainable choices and to be able to shop on various platforms. The worst thing any online retailer can do is stay stagnant. Moving with the times is a must.”