Tag Archives: Data

COVID 19 Business Stories, COVID-19, News

Business revenues down by a third ahead of key holiday season

Despite announcements of additional government support and positive early signs on a variety of potential vaccines, businesses concerns rise ahead of a challenging holiday season. The latest figures from the ongoing ‘Coronavirus – The Impact on Business’ survey – conducted by the Data & Marketing Association (DMA) – suggest the optimism felt over the summer months may have dissipated slightly.

The estimates of revenue decline amid the pandemic had improved over the summer, from a low of almost half (-47.2%) in May to around a quarter in September (-27.9%). However, these early signs of recovery appear to have slipped as new restrictions have meant revenue decline has risen to around a third (-34.2%).

In November, the majority (79%) of organisations surveyed reported the economic impact of the pandemic as being negative – with a quarter believing (25%) it will be extremely so. Key concerns about cashflows (76%) and cut-backs (53%) continue to lead the way, but there is also rising sentiment about the burden of social distancing (41%) and restrictions disproportionately impacting certain sectors (38%).

Moreover, 59% of businesses expect to see overall budgets decrease in the coming year, with staffing (59% expect the budget to decrease), marketing (57%), and capital expenditure (56%) expected to be worst hit.

“Across the data and marketing industry, trading remains extremely difficult for many businesses. Revenues remain significantly below pre-pandemic levels and budgets for the coming year look set to be similarly reduced,” says Chris Combemale, CEO of the DMA. “Even as news of positive progress on vaccines offers a beacon of light, many businesses will have to make difficult decisions over the coming months. We welcome the government’s unprecedented support for business and will continue to represent our industry, ensuring it has the assistance it needs.”

Three-quarters (75%) of professionals surveyed reported they are continuing to work from home and avoid unnecessary travel, a rise from 66% in September. They also increasingly expect to remain in this home working environment well into the New Year – on average respondents expected to work from home for around 50 days, up from just under 40 just two months ago.

However, there are some concerns about the ability to continue to serve customers effectively in this environment. Over one in three of the organisations that responded to the survey said their ability to serve customers’ needs was becoming harder (43%) and to carry out marketing was also getting worse (35%).

For full details on the DMA Coronavirus Survey, visit:
https://dma.org.uk/research/coronavirus-november-2020-the-impacts-on-business

News

A third of consumers have video called brands or want to

According to new research from the Data & Marketing Association (DMA), Collinson, and dotdigital, 1 in 10 (12%) consumers have video called a brand and nearly a quarter of consumers (23%) are interested in brands using video calls to engage with them in the future.

The ‘Customer Engagement: How to Win Trust and Loyalty’ report highlights a number of changes to consumer behaviour and brand engagement since the survey was last fielded in 2018.

As periods of lockdown and social distancing have become part of daily life during the pandemic, consumers have had to turn to digital channels to maintain daily essential communications. Almost half of consumers (47%) are making video calls weekly.

Consumers are also open to and taking advantage of presence-free communications when engaging with brands. In addition to video calls, half of consumers (52%) have used chat customer service and would do again, or they are interested in doing so in the future.

“Clearly, our lives are all different today than they were a year ago. Coronavirus has accelerated many key trends we’ve been tracking in recent years, such as digital-first routes to brand engagement. While digital engagement with brands is a more viable and needed option for consumers during the coronavirus period, we expect the experiences of living through the pandemic will increase willingness to engage with brands remotely in future,” said Tim Bond, Head of Insight, DMA.

Despite the pandemic disrupting habits, half of consumers (51%) remain ‘Active Loyals,’ compared to 49% in 2018, according to the DMA’s long-running customer loyalty segmentation. Meanwhile, ‘Habitual Loyals’ – those who are loyal to brands the engage with more regularly – have increased to 17% from 13% previously.

“Brexit, Coronavirus, and all the other challenges 2020 has thrown at people has not changed the core principles of trust and loyalty as much as some may have thought. In fact, despite the pandemic disrupting so much of our lives, half of consumers remain actively loyal to brands,” added Bond.

Brands must show compassion during the pandemic
Most consumers (77%) agree that brands should show compassion during the pandemic – 66% want brands to communicate how they are helping customers and 58% want to know how they are supporting staff.

The majority of consumers (76%) expect brands to be flexible about cancellations during this time – a form of practical compassion that could also hold some long-term benefits for brands, as 56% of customers agree they are more likely to stay loyal to brands that are able to offer flexibility in the current climate.

“Compassion is something we have heard about a lot in recent times, but this in connection to a brand is still relatively new. Over time, we have seen that the ethics and credentials of brands are becoming an important part of the consideration phase for many consumers, and this is a natural extension of that during these difficult times. This is definitely something for brands to consider,” said Scott Logie, Chair, DMA Customer Engagement Committee
& Customer Engagement Director, REaD Group.

Zoë Senior, General Manager, Agency, Europe, Collinson: “During the coronavirus period, the retail industry has been under huge pressure. The high street has seen a significant drop in footfall and according to the ONS, clothing and footwear retailers are suffering even more than most. Unsurprisingly, we have also seen a huge jump in online shopping as consumers have moved online to buy everything from weekly essentials to luxury goods. Encouragingly, despite all this change we see some of the fundamentals of loyalty have remained solid. The basic loyalty segmentation has remained relatively consistent with levels of those who are actively loyal and those actively disloyal broadly unchanged since 2017.”

Gavin Laugenie, Head of Strategy & Insight dotdigital: “Trust plays a significant role in the relationship we have with our customers. However, consumers’ trust is not quickly earned. It has to be developed over time, and with each interaction we make, carefully choosing the right channels to direct and manage that interaction. When we earn that trust from a consumer our jobs become more straightforward, so we need to nurture that trust by rewarding existing customers regularly. If not, we’ll find ourselves in a constant battle to win them back as they will put their loyalty aside to try something new and different.”

Further information can be found on the DMA website: https://dma.org.uk/research/customer-engagement-how-to-win-trust-and-loyalty-2020

Jobs, News

Number of new jobs in the UK continues to grow, despite economic uncertainty

Job vacancies increased 17% in the week ending 20th September, with the number of roles advertised up 34% when compared to the last week of August as the UK adapts to the ‘new normal’. That’s according to the latest real-time statistics from the world’s largest network of job boards, Broadbean Technology.

Vacancies in the capital dominate, while northern cities report sharp increase

According to the data, London continues told hold the lion’s share of the UK’s vacancies, with 15% of all jobs advertised hosted in the capital – a 20% increase week-on-week. This upward trend in vacancies was also reported in numerous cities across the UK, with Manchester and Birmingham seeing an uptick in jobs of 32% and 22% respectively week-on-week. This is indicative of a continued attempt by businesses to ‘return to normal’ as more employers adapt to an extended period of remote working.

IT vacancies bolster hiring

Broadbean’s statistics also revealed that across the sectors, IT vacancies remain high, accounting for 9% of all jobs advertised for the week ending 20th September. This represents a 39% increase week-on-week in the lead up to the Prime Minister’s announcement that employees should return to remote working where they can. With predictions that this home working rule will remain in place for a possible six-month period, this demand for tech experts will likely continue on this upward trajectory in the immediate future as businesses seek the tech expertise to manage and update IT infrastructures.

Alex Fourlis, Managing Director at Broadbean Technology commented:

“While there’s a level of uncertainty still, September’s figures suggest that the UK is adapting to this ‘new normal’, with job numbers remaining at promising levels. Although in the lead up to Boris Johnson’s announcement of further remote working requirements, the idea was simply a prediction rather than a certainty, the increase in IT vacancies at this time suggests employers across the UK were keen to get ahead of the game this time around and prepare as far in advance as possible.”

“We are still facing tough economic times and we are by no means out of the woods yet. However, these promising signs indicate that for some employers at least, resilience remains intact. And with the Chancellor announcing further measures to not only secure jobs, but also extend loan schemes for businesses, we hope that this positive trend in recruitment continues in the immediate future.”

Appointments, News

Pulsant boosts management team with two senior appointments

Pulsant, a leading UK provider of regional data centre and cloud infrastructure services, has announced two new senior appointments.

Rob Spamer has joined Pulsant as Director of Data Centres and Demyon Wright has been appointed Head of Service Management.

As Director of Data Centres, Spamer is responsible for the management and leadership of Pulsant’s network of regional data centres, including driving best practice and standardisation and enhancing the company’s environmental strategy.

With almost 20 years of experience in the data centre industry, Spamer joined Pulsant from Equinix where he held the position of Operations Manager. Prior to this he worked as Data Centre Operations Manager London for Telecity Group UK. Spamer joined Pulsant at the end of 2019 in the role of Interim Director of Data Centres and has now assumed the role on a permanent basis.

As Head of Service Management, Wright is tasked with strengthening service management across Pulsant’s customer base. With over 15 years of experience in leading service management teams, Wright will be responsible for all areas of customer satisfaction and ensuring Pulsant provides the optimum levels of capability, capacity and best practice to customers.
“I’m pleased to welcome both Rob and Demyon to Pulsant,” adds Pulsant CEO Rob Coupland. “Both have a great track record and will play a pivotal role in continuing to drive improvements in our infrastructure and customer services. Rob has already had a huge impact as Interim Director of Data Centres and Demyon brings a wealth of experience that will have an enduring positive impact on our customer relationships.”

The appointments are the latest in a string of new hires for Pulsant, including Stephen Ball as Chief Sales Officer (CSO) and Simon Michie as Chief Technology Officer (CTO), and form part of Pulsant’s wider growth strategy.

News, Recruitment

APSCO: Vacancies in the UK down 46.1% year on year in June as Coronavirus stalls hiring

Professional vacancies in the UK were down 46.1% year on year in June as hiring continues to be impacted by Covid-19. That’s according to new research from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo), the trade association for the recruitment sector.

The data, provided by business intelligence specialist Vacancysoft, also revealed that hiring activity was impacted as early as Q1 this year, with professional vacancies down 31.3% in the first quarter, as concerns over the virus started to manifest. As lockdown took effect, volumes in Q2 dropped 69% when compared to the same period last year.

London least impacted

The statistics also indicated that the drop in recruitment has been more marked regionally than in London, which was down 39.8% year on year. In comparison, the East Midlands saw the greatest annual fall in vacancies, with volumes down 57.2%, with the South East also hard hit, with hiring seeing a decrease of 49% year on year.

Demand for IT professionals dominates UK hiring

While hiring across IT is down 37% year on year, it remains the most in demand profession, accounting for 31.5% of the country’s vacancies. This is indicative of the vast number of businesses that are still seeking IT infrastructure support as remote working continues to be implemented.

Despite all professions reporting a drop in hiring activity, demand for banking professionals also remained relatively resilient, with volumes down by just 28% year on year, indicating the continued need for financial expertise across the UK’s businesses as budgets were impacted by Covid-19.

Ann Swain, CEO of APSCo comments:

“As we entered 2020 most of us in the recruitment profession had our focus fully set on Brexit, but none of us could have predicted the events which would eventually unfold across the UK and the rest of the world as Covid-19 changed our lives completely. We all knew that hiring would take a hit as a result of the lockdown, so to see jobs down overall for June is perhaps no surprise for many staffing company owners.”

“However, every business and every industry are different. Some sectors have remained resilient and are beginning to show signs of positivity as we emerge from lockdown bleary eyed and eager to get back to the grind once again. Other sectors will, however, feel the impact of the pandemic for far longer. As we enter the summer months and more businesses begin to once again open their doors for staff, we certainly hope to see professional recruitment get the much-needed boost it deserves.”

COVID-19, News, Recruitment

Hiring in the UK has halved in the last year as Covid-19 halts recruitment

Hiring across the UK has almost halved in the last year as Covid-19 impacted recruitment, with the number of new vacancies added in June down 49% when compared to the same time last year. That’s according to the latest real-time statistics from the world’s largest network of job boards, Broadbean Technology.

Hospitality figures show profound impact on hiring

The data also revealed the extent of the impact on hiring across the hospitality sector, with vacancies down 72% year on year in June. This is in line with reports from the UK Hospitality trade association which revealed that revenue in the sector dropped 87% from April through June. However, early indicators suggest hiring is beginning to pick up again as more businesses reopen, with Broadbean Technology’s statistics revealing that the number of jobs posted in the first three weeks of July were already up 7% on June’s figures.

Construction showing promising signs

Construction is beginning to show promising signs once again, with new vacancies up 53% month on month at the end of June – the first monthly increase in hiring since March – as more sites begin operating again. However, while this is the first upward trend reported for construction since lockdown, job numbers are still down 37% from the beginning of the year.

Alex Fourlis, Managing Director at Broadbean Technology commented

“As the UK continues to emerge from lockdown, we’re beginning to really gather some insight as to the longer term impact the pandemic has had on hiring in the UK. We are still seeing pockets of resilience and some sectors are once again recruiting, but the year on year figures certainly indicate that the UK has a long way to go before we fully recover. It’s certainly no surprise to note that the impact on hospitality has been profound, however, it certainly looks like the sector has reached a turning point at last and we hope that the early signs of companies in the sector once again hiring continue throughout the rest of the summer.”

Jobs, News

Jobs in London up 14% for June

Professional vacancies in the capital increased 14% month-on-month in June, indicating that London’s businesses are slowly starting to re-hire as lockdown measures continue to ease. That’s according to new research from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo), the trade association for the recruitment sector.

The data, provided by business intelligence specialist Vacancysoft, also showed that by the end of June the number of professional vacancies being created per day was up 54% when compared to April. While this indicates a positive move for hiring as more companies re-open offices, the number of new jobs being added each day currently sits at just half the numbers that would normally be reported in London, suggesting there is still a long way to go before the capital recovers.

Amazon bolsters the capitals hiring

Looking at top hirers in London, Amazon continues to dominate recruitment, with almost three times more vacancies added by the firm throughout June than the second most active employer, Citigroup Inc. This is perhaps unsurprising given the demand for online shopping that has grown over the course of lockdown. GSK was also listed as one of the top ten firms recruiting, making the list for the first time in three years, as the firm continues to drive research for a Covid-19 vaccine.

Accountancy and HR professionals in demand

The data also showed a 28% increase in accountancy vacancies month-on-month between May and June, indicative of more companies streamlining costs and tapping into support funds as the pandemic continues to impact profits in the capital. HR vacancies in London also noted an uptick, increasing 12% month-on-month as more employers faced juggling a variety of employment contracts, with the furlough scheme extension seemingly leading to an uptick demand for Human Resources staff.

Ann Swain, CEO of APSCo comments:

“June signalled significant change for the capital’s businesses. With lockdown measures gradually being eased, it’s encouraging to see hiring creep up. We are, of course, still a long way off normality, but we’re certainly heading in the right direction, with online retailers bolstering the capital’s recruitment. We don’t expect to see hiring for companies like Amazon and GSK to decline for the foreseeable future, but as more organisations continue to open their doors again, we are predicting a continuation of this upward trend in recruitment.”

“With the furlough scheme extension being used by some while other businesses are seeing staff return to work both full and part-time, it’s perhaps unsurprising to note an uptick in demand for human resources professionals to manage the array of employment contracts the many businesses currently have in place. However, this increased need for accountancy professionals suggests that despite the efforts being made to get London back up and running again, financial aid remains a top concern for company owners.”

News

UK jobs on the up: sales and education vacancies rise 26%

Demand for sales staff and education professionals spiked in the week ending 5th July as hiring across the country saw the first positive increase in weeks, with the number of jobs posted across the UK up 20%. That’s according to the latest real-time statistics from the world’s largest network of job boards, Broadbean Technology.

Sales staff and teachers in demand

The beginning of July saw the number of sales and trading roles advertised rise 26% week-on-week as more brands began to open their doors to customers and organisations continued to get back to work. However, Broadbean Technology’s data further revealed that the average number of people applying for sales roles has doubled so far this year, with around 65.5 candidates applying for each position. This is indicative of the number of people out of work in the sales arena since the pandemic forced many businesses to close.

The data also revealed that education and training saw a 26% increase in the number of vacancies added in the week ending 5th July as schools continue to struggle sourcing enough teachers ahead of the mandatory re-opening of all education institutions in September.

Permanent vacancies increasing

While all contract types saw an increase in hiring, permanent vacancies are up for the first time in three weeks following the Prime Minister’s ‘build, build, build’ speech. In light of Boris Johnson’s unveiling of plans to soften the economic impact of Covid-19, the number of new permanent jobs being advertised rose 19% week-on-week, indicating an uptick in positivity across many UK employers.

Alex Fourlis, Managing Director at Broadbean Technology commented

“It’s incredibly encouraging to once again see vacancies growing across the board. The uptick in permanent jobs in particular indicates a level of positivity in the UK economy that is welcome news for businesses and individuals alike. With more companies able to once again reopen, and shops and schools welcoming customers and pupils back, we certainly expected to see some demand for new staff. However, while this is good news, employers in these specialisms face different challenges. For education institutes, the on-going shortage of teachers is still hampering hiring, with the number of jobs being advertised remaining relatively high throughout the crisis. Before lockdown began, headteachers were reporting that they were struggling to find enough staff to keep schools open, and this increase in vacancies suggests the problem is prevailing as they gear up to welcome all pupils back in September.

“Those employers seeking sales and trading staff might welcome the news that more people are applying for jobs, but this poses an additional problem of finding the right individual for the role. With an abundance of candidates putting themselves forward, the challenge for employers now lies in ensuring they find the person with not just the right skills, but also the right fit with the company so they don’t make the costly mistake of hiring the wrong person in the long run.”

News, Recruitment

Skills divide evident as white-collar job openings rise

Despite recent job cuts announcements from John Lewis, Boots Rolls Royce, job opportunities for the professional sector were up month on month in June highlighting the major skills divide in the labour market. Permanent and contract vacancies increased 38% and 31% respectively, marking the first positive signs for professional recruitment since the crisis began. That’s according to the latest monthly Recruitment Trends Snapshot report from The Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo).

Gap in year on year hiring closing

The data, provided by growth analytics platform, cube19, also revealed that while year on year hiring is down 46% across permanent and 36% in contract, these figures represent a smaller annual decrease when compared to May when these figures stood at -66% and -56% respectively. The same trend has been noted in placement numbers which although down 59% for perm and 50% in contract year on year, are far better than figures reported in May, suggesting the UK jobs market is taking small steps towards recovery as lockdown measures ease.

Daily tracking shows an increase in interviews

This uptick in positivity can also be seen in the daily tracking data which revealed that by the end of June, interviews were up 63% compared with the beginning of the month, which is indicative of more employers seeking extra resources to meet a growing demand as businesses continue to reopen.
Apprenticeship Levy – more flexibility needed

Ann Swain, CEO of APSCo comments:

“The monthly increases across vacancies, placements and interviews are certainly encouraging for white collar workers as we finally begin to see glimmers of positivity in the UK market. However, it also highlights the major skills gap that the labour market faces. We were disappointed that the Chancellor, in his Summer Statement, did not introduce more flexibility around the Apprenticeship Levy – we believe that the way in which levy funds can be used should be broadened to help re-skilling opportunities and facilitate the ‘skills pivot’ we will need to get people back to work. Currently the scheme can only be used to upskill employees on formal apprenticeship programmes so agency workers are excluded and the levy can’t be used for shorter term training, which would have been so useful during furlough.”

Joe McGuire of cube19 comments:

“We can see some positive signs that the recovery is in motion. Vacancies, jobs and sales are all up from May, and it is encouraging to see that average perm salaries are continuing to increase. With more industries opening back up and lockdown easing, we hope to see this upward trend continue on the same trajectory. It will take some time to get back to pre-COVID levels, but there is a big opportunity for the recruitment industry during these times.”

Marketing, PR and SEO, News

Clevertouch releases “Love Martech” resource to help senior marketers develop a better marketing technology strategy

Clevertouch Marketing, Europe’s leading marketing technology consulting and service provider, has today released its online resource, LoveMartech.com. The domain is a dedicated source of information for senior marketers to understand and learn more about the marketing technology market, using resources which allow them to build and deploy a better marketing strategy.

Utilising the latest figures from their annual surveys and reports, the resource provides access to statistics and insights about the state of marketing technology, and acts as a single source of education for senior marketers.

Clevertouch’s State of Marketing Technology report reveals that 68% of marketers have a marketing technology stack that isn’t fully connected or integrated. Since some marketing technologies are more important than others, Clevertouch established the concept of the Martech Spine™ to help CMOs focus on optimising the most important technologies first, before building out their wider marketing technology ‘stack’. With this approach, marketers are able to provide a greater impact in and on the business, and are able to build and report a better customer experience and greater insight for the Sales department.

Less than a third of senior marketers (28%) believe the marketing department is seen as a change agent and driver of new thinking within their organisation; the ambition of Love Martech is to help marketers improve this through the development and optimisation of a better marketing technology strategy.

Other key statistics include:
● Only 12% of marketers are running campaigns that are aligned to their customer’s journey and interests
● Less than a quarter (21%) of marketing teams provide sales with most of their collateral and use marketing technology to drive better results
● An overwhelming 69% of marketers said sales and marketing were not equally respected within their organisation
● Only 22% of marketers admit to operating in a data-driven culture
● Just 1 in 5 marketers described themselves as source of sales leads
● Majority of marketing leaders (72%) have struggled to hire martech skills
● 57% are looking to change their marketing technology platform

This new resource will continue to evolve with the business landscape as the team at Clevertouch continue to provide fresh information on the market and the latest trends that industry professionals need to be aware of.

For more information please visit https://clever-touch.com/