Never Mind the Pain Points: Recent Episodes
Clarasys
Never Mind the Pain Points, hosted by Clarasys, is a podcast dedicated to all the current challenges businesses are facing. Each episode is hosted by a Clarasys employee, that has deep expertise in the subject matter of each episode. The hosts are joined by a variety of fantastic, interesting and knowledgable guests from the world of business and together they discuss pain points that organisations face and what you can do to overcome them!
Whether you are a part of an organisation that face these problems and are looking for ways to overcome them or you just have a strong interest in knowing more about the topics covered, then this is the podcast for you!
In this conversation, Clarasys consultant Ellen Brownings sits down with Informa’s Head of Workplace Colleague Experience, Sheena Vadher, to unpack how Informa has transformed offices across London, Dubai, Istanbul, Singapore and Mumbai into truly people‑first spaces.Rather than treating office moves as a purely logistical, “bricks and mortar” exercise, Informa and Clarasys focused on the colleague experience from day one – involving people early, listening to their concerns, and designing spaces and technology around how they really work.From flexible “orbits” and collaboration zones to escape pods and tech‑enabled meeting rooms that “just work”, the programme set out to create workplaces that are both human‑led and technology‑enabled.Ellen and Sheena explore how they navigated cultural nuances across global locations, brought multiple internal teams and rep groups together, and measured impact with standout results – including 94% of colleagues feeling move‑ready and 100% feeling tech‑ready on day one in Dubai and Istanbul.They also share practical tips for anyone planning an office move or wider workplace transformation, and reflect on what it takes to build a partnership that feels like one team working towards a shared goal.To watch this podcast, or read the transcript, visit our website: https://clarasys.com/insights/thinking/podcast/how-informa-delivered-people-first-office-moves
In this episode of Clarasys podcast, Head of People and Change, Sophie Brazell-Ng sits down with Tom Hart, Customer Lifecycle and Subscriptions lead, to explore what’s really happening in the world of media and entertainment subscriptions in 2026.From the promise of all-you-can-watch streaming to today’s reality of platform overload, rising consumer frustration and fragmented viewing experiences, they unpack why the subscription economy increasingly feels chaotic for both audiences and providers.Together, they discuss how changing customer expectations are pushing streaming services towards more flexible, usage-based models, and why the battle for attention is no longer just about content libraries, but about curation, convenience and value.The conversation also examines the growing role of personalisation, advertising and customer data in shaping what people watch, what they buy and how platforms monetise engagement.Looking ahead, Sophie and Tom explore what AI could mean for the future of subscriptions, from smarter discovery and content recommendations to AI agents that may eventually help consumers manage services, spending and access across multiple platforms.It’s a wide-ranging discussion on streaming, subscriptions and customer experience, with practical insight into where the market may be heading next.Listen here or visit our website for the transcript: https://clarasys.com/insights/thinking/streams-screens-and-subscriptions-whos-really-winning-in-the-world-of-entertainment-media-podcast
In this episode of Clarasys podcast, Principal Consultant and AI Lead Sarah Rigby sits down with Mahbub Gani, Principal Data Scientist at Sage, to explore how one of the world’s leading software companies is harnessing AI to drive business value, transform customer experience, and stay ahead in a rapidly evolving landscape.From Sage’s journey with classical machine learning to the latest advances in generative and agentic AI, Mahbub shares practical lessons on cutting through the hype, designing for scale, and building a culture that embraces change. Discover how Sage balances experimentation with robust delivery, manages the surprises that come with innovation, and ensures high adoption rates across teams. You’ll also hear candid advice for organisations at the start of their AI journey, including why slowing down and thoughtful strategy matter more than ever.Whether you’re curious about the business impact of AI, looking for tips on driving adoption, or want to understand the future of agentic AI, this episode is packed with actionable insights and honest reflections from the front lines of enterprise AI.Listen here or visit our website for the transcript: https://clarasys.com/insights/thinking/podcast/ai-in-action-practical-lessons-on-adoption-and-opportunity-from-sage
A transformation program. Listen here or visit our website for the transcript: https://clarasys.com/insights/thinking/podcast/navigating-post-merger-integration-challenges-and-opportunities
In this episode of Game Changers, we dive into the intricacies of sustainable supply chain transformation and the crucial role of change management in this process. Hosted by Sophie Brazell-Ng, this insightful discussion features sustainability expert Matt Morton, who shares his knowledge on how businesses can adopt sustainable practices within their supply chains.Matt defines key concepts such as sustainable supply chains and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), providing a clear understanding of these important frameworks. They explore a practical example in the fashion industry, illustrating how a traditional supply chain can be reimagined to be more sustainable.Throughout the episode, Sophie and Matt highlight the importance of aligning change management principles with sustainability goals to ensure effective implementation and stakeholder engagement. They address common challenges, including change fatigue, and offer strategies for leveraging stakeholder engagement to foster a collaborative approach towards sustainability.Listeners will gain valuable insights into the future of sustainable supply chains, learning how businesses can not only comply with legislation but also drive meaningful change that benefits both the planet and their bottom line.Listen here or visit our website for the transcript: https://clarasys.com/insights/thinking/podcast/sustainable-supply-chain-practices-and-change-management-integration
In this episode of our "Game Changers" podcast, host Sophie Brazell-Ng explores the power of creativity at work with two distinguished guests — Sarah Partridge, founder and director of The Change Academy, and Rob Cannon, a coach, consultant, and author of ‘Aha! A User’s Guide To Creativity’. This episode seeks to unravel the essence of creativity within the workplace and its profound impact on business resilience and innovation. The conversation begins with a deep exploration of the fundamental definitions of creativity, juxtaposed with innovation, highlighting how creativity sparks novel ideas while innovation transforms these ideas into reality. Sarah and Rob stress the increasing importance of fostering a creative workplace culture, especially in the volatile and uncertain modern business environment, citing the need for resilience and adaptability.Listeners are also introduced to practical challenges and strategies for harnessing creativity at work. The guests emphasise the role of leaders in modelling creative behaviours, establishing psychological safety, and encouraging experimentation to cultivate a vibrant creative culture. Additionally, the dialogue touches on the contemporary relevance of creativity in the context of Generative AI, discussing its potential to both constrain and elevate human creativity.This insightful episode concludes with key takeaways to inspire and empower listeners to embrace their innate creative capacities and implement practices that promote creativity and innovation in their professional lives.Listen here or visit our website for the transcript: https://clarasys.com/insights/thinking/podcast/the-power-of-creativity-at-work
In this episode of Game Changers, Change expert Scott Docherty and AI specialist Krish Kiri from Clarasys are joined by Mick Duthie, Director of Operations and Louise Peers, Head of Contact Centre Services at Crimestoppers. Mick and Louise share their journey into integrating AI within Crimestoppers' operations, maintaining anonymity, and enhancing efficiency.Tune in to learn about AI's applications in crime reporting, the conservative approach taken by Crimestoppers, and the future potential of AI in the justice sector. Gain insights on how new technologies can revolutionise operations and get practical advice on adopting AI while preserving core values.For more information or to read the transcript, visit our website: https://clarasys.com/insights/thinking/podcast/unlocking-ai-the-crimestoppers-journey
In this episode of Never Mind the Pain Points, Robbie Motamed is joined by Jason Sharpe, Advisor, Culture coach and Non-Executive Director at Rebel Energy. Jason brings over 35 years of experience in various industries, including food retail, financial services, and energy. He shares his journey from traditional to transformational work environments and discusses the innovative and progressive approaches adopted by Rebel Energy. Tune in to explore the concept of progressive organisations and how they differ from traditional models. Hear more about Rebel Energy’s journey and the importance of autonomy, agility, and purpose in creating a thriving work culture, and take away practical steps and challenges in transitioning to a progressive organisation.For more information or to read the transcript, visit our website: https://clarasys.com/insights/thinking/podcast/inside-rebel-energys-progressive-approach-to-work
In this episode of Game Changers, host Sophie Brazell-Ng sits down with Flo Akingbade, UK Transformation Director and change management expert, to explore the intricacies of navigating organisational change.What’s in store for you in this episode?Discover Flo's people-first philosophy in change management, where she emphasises the "gift of holding hands" through uncertain times.Learn how to tackle resistance to change, whether it’s from individuals, teams, or entire organisations.Hear real-world examples of transformational projects, complete with actionable techniques to drive adoption, sustain change, and build trust along the way.Gain practical advice on key skills like negotiation, leadership, and adaptability that every successful change manager should master.Whether you’re a seasoned professional, just dipping your toes into change management, or curious about what it takes to guide others through transformation, this episode is packed with insights, stories, and practical tips to inspire and equip you.So grab your headphones and get ready to learn how to navigate change, influence outcomes, and make an enduring impact on those around you.For more information and to read the transcript, visit our website: clarasys.com/insights/thinking/podcast/navigating-change-insights-into-change-management-with-flo-akingbade
In this episode of Nevermind the Pain Points, James Prowting-Lord and Rick Stock, two experts in digital transformation and public sector consultancy, delve into the transformative potential of generative AI in the public sector.From tackling risk aversion to addressing data maturity, they examine how this cutting-edge technology could redefine public service delivery while highlighting the importance of responsible adoption. For more information and to read the transcript, visit our website: https://clarasys.com/insights/thinking/podcast/genai-in-the-public-sector-risks-rewards-and-the-road-ahead
In this episode of Simply Sustainability, we dive deep into the evolving ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) regulatory landscape, where navigating compliance can feel like wading through an ‘alphabet soup’ of new regulations.Host and Clarasys Sustainability Lead Matt Morton is joined by Managing Consultant Rob Gillingwater and Markus Pretzl, ESG/ESH Director at TIP Group, to explore how businesses are rising to the challenge – and opportunity – presented by major legislation like Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).Markus shares firsthand insights on how his team is preparing for compliance, breaking down the complexities of reporting, data governance, and financial modelling. They discuss how cross-functional collaboration is more crucial than ever, not just for meeting regulations but for unlocking business value along the way.Packed with practical tips and strategic advice, this episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to turn ESG regulatory challenges into opportunities for business growth.For more information and to read the transcript, visit our website: https://clarasys.com/insights/thinking/podcast/navigating-the-esg-regulatory-landscape-for-business-growth
In this episode of CX Talks, host Simon Blosse is joined by CX strategy experts Julien Kervella and Loic Le Fouest, to explore the evolving landscape of customer experience. Together, they discuss the transformative power of customer-centric strategies in navigating today's complex market dynamics.From the growing impact of AI and personalisation to fostering trust and community in a world of self-directed consumers, Simon, Julien, and Loic dive deep into the trends reshaping CX. They also tackle the challenges organisations face in embedding CX at a strategic level, emphasising the importance of leadership buy-in, cross-functional collaboration, and sustainable, customer-first approaches.Julien shares his insights on aligning CX strategy with organisational goals, while Loic reflects on the shift from reactive customer service to proactive customer success. This episode offers a roadmap for businesses looking to thrive in an era where every strategy is a CX strategy.For more information and to read the transcript, visit our website: https://clarasys.com/insights/thinking/podcast/future-proofing-cx-trends-trust-and-strategy
In this episode of Game Changers, host and Principal Consultant Sophie Brazell-Ng is joined by Clarasys change expert Scott Docherty to delve into the impact of Generative AI on people.Together, they unpack how Generative AI is reshaping work and creativity, exploring its practical applications, challenges, and the importance of prioritising people in the adoption journey. From fostering innovation and efficiency to overcoming fears around AI, this conversation offers valuable insights for organisations looking to harness Generative AI effectively.Drawing from their experience at Clarasys and their hands-on work with AI solutions, the duo share actionable tips on experimenting with Generative AI, supporting teams, and navigating this rapidly evolving technology.For more information and to read the transcript, visit our website: https://clarasys.com/insights/thinking/podcast/understanding-generative-ai-impact-on-people-and-work
In this episode of Game Changers, host Sophie Brazell-Ng sits down with James Radford, former Chief of Staff at St John Ambulance, and Alex Wilford, Managing Consultant at Clarasys, to discuss the essentials of creating purpose-driven change across sectors.With backgrounds spanning nonprofit leadership and purpose-driven consulting, James and Alex dive into how organisations can align purpose with impactful outcomes, sharing insights on the PAS808 framework and the power of defining “optimal contribution.” They explore purpose from multiple angles—from transforming charity work and fostering community alignment to navigating purpose-driven strategies in business.Drawing from their involvement in Clarasys’s purpose-led initiatives and broader experiences with frameworks like PAS808 and concepts like Ikigai, the trio provides real-world advice on making purpose a central force in strategy, culture, and decision-making. For more information and to read the transcript, visit our website: https://clarasys.com/insights/thinking/podcast/the-importance-of-purpose-driven-change
In this episode of our ‘Game Changers' podcast, host Alex Wilford is joined by Sarah Gillard, CEO of A Blueprint for Better Business, to explore the transformative power of purpose in business. Together, they dive into the key role that purpose plays in shaping not just brands, but entire organisations, and how it can unlock innovation, cultural strength, and new strategic opportunities.Sarah shares her experience working on the purpose re-articulation at John Lewis Partnership and reflects on the importance of authenticity in purpose-led branding. They also discuss how businesses can shift from profit-driven models to ones that prioritise people and the planet, without sacrificing commercial success.For more information and to read the transcript, visit our website:
In this episode of our Simply Sustainability podcast, host Ruth Wilkinson is joined by Andy Brown, Group Chief Sustainability Officer at Anglian Water Group, and Ed Leighton, Director of Strategy and Policy at Ofcom to chat through the intricacies of creating a purpose-led strategy. As active members of the Purpose in Practice Community (PIPC) - a collective of senior leaders who explore innovative ways to put people and the planet at the heart of business and organisational success - Ruth, Ed and Andy discuss their involvement in the community’s collaborative ‘labs.’ These labs dive deep into key topics, offering hands-on experimentation and shared learning among changemakers.In this podcast, the trio pull on their knowledge and experience of facilitating lab three, which focused on how to make purpose core to strategy and performance. They share the five key steps to creating a purpose-led strategy and provide practical advice to drive purpose-led change.For more information and to read the transcript, visit our website: https://clarasys.com/insights/thinking/podcast/how-to-create-a-purpose-led-strategy
In this episode of ‘Simply Sustainability’, host Ruth Wilkinson welcomes guests father and daughter duo Andy and Emily Brown to explore the dynamic interplay between generations in shaping purpose-driven organisations. Whether you’re a seasoned leader or an emerging talent eager to make your mark, this conversation reveals the transformative power of intergenerational collaboration. The trio delves into innovative ideas, the significance of cultivating passion within teams, and how to effectively bridge the gap between experience and fresh perspectives to drive meaningful change.For more information and to read the transcript, visit our website: https://clarasys.com/insights/thinking/podcast/generations-of-change-bridging-ideas-for-a-purpose-driven-future
In this episode of ‘Nevermind the Pain Points’, host Tom Carpenter and guest Phil Boyden from Sojourn Solutions dive into the power of account based marketing (ABM). Whether you're a growing enterprise or an established player looking to refine your approach, this conversation will offer valuable insights into optimising your ABM approach. The duo explore real-world applications, the importance of cross-departmental collaboration, and how to effectively engage prospects at the right time.For more information and to read the transcript, visit our website:
In this episode of the Game Changers podcast, Sophie Brazell-Ng sits down with Wayne Clarke, co-founder of the Global Growth Institute, to explore what it really takes to be a world-class manager. Surprisingly, it’s not about complex strategies but about mastering the basics, investing in your people, and understanding their dreams and ambitions. Wayne shares insightful stories from his experience working with leaders at top organisations and challenges common corporate training strategies that focus on ROI over real value.For more information and to read the transcript, visit our website: https://clarasys.com/insights/thinking/podcast/effective-management-tips-every-leader-should-know
In this episode of “Game Changers" host Sophie Brazell-Ng is joined by Sarah Partridge and Suzie Mossman-Monk to explore how leaders and team members alike can foster psychological safety to drive team success. The conversation dives into practical strategies for building trust, encouraging open feedback, and creating a culture of challenge that ultimately leads to high performance. Along the way, they share personal insights, real-world examples, and actionable steps to cultivate a psychologically safe environment in any team setting.To read the full transcript, visit our website https://clarasys.com/insights/thinking/podcast/practical-tips-for-fostering-psychological-safety-in-the-workplace
In this episode of "The Changemakers," host Sophie Brazell-Ng is joined by Sally Jenner, an experienced change leader, to discuss the intricacies of managing and leading successful organisational transformations. Sally shares her experiences, practical tools, and key strategies for navigating change effectively, ensuring adoption, and measuring success.
In this episode of Nevermind the Pain Points, join host Sophie Brazell-Ng, alongside guests Suzie Mossman-Monk and Sarah Partridge, delves into the topic of Imposter Syndrome in the workplace. Suzie, a chartered psychologist, and Sarah, a leadership consultant, share their professional insights and personal experiences with this common psychological phenomenon.
Join Clarasys Associate Director Tom Carpenter and marketing expert Phil Boyden of Sojourn Solutions as they explore the complexities of MarTech, from automation platforms to AI, to CDPs, and offer practical advice on navigating the evolving tech landscape.
Dive into the transformative world of in-house change management with the latest episode of our podcast. Learn from Lou Robey, former BBC Head of Change and Director of Women in Change, and Stephanie Ho, Senior Consultant at Clarasys, as they discuss innovative strategies for building change capabilities within organisations. Discover the power of community, the importance of people-centred leadership, and how to sustain change initiatives without extensive resources. Whether you're a seasoned professional or new to the field, this episode offers valuable insights into fostering a collaborative, adaptable, and forward-thinking workplace.
In this episode, explore the evolving landscape of hybrid work models with experts Sophie Brazell-Ng, Sarah Partridge, and Dr. Kristina Curtis. Dive into the challenges, strategies, and cultural shifts shaping the blend of remote and in-office work. Tune in for insights on leadership, employee retention, and creating a balanced, productive work environment.
Join Tom Carpenter from Clarasys and marketing operations expert Phil Boyden from Sojourn Solutions in a deep dive into the evolving MarTech landscape. Discover actionable insights on integrating marketing and sales, leveraging existing technologies, and navigating the complex world of marketing automation and customer data platforms. Tune in to learn how B2B marketing is increasingly mirroring B2C strategies for better customer engagement and ROI.
Join us as we explore the critical role that coaches play in unlocking the full potential of leaders. Through insightful discussions with industry experts and seasoned coaches, we uncover the secrets to increasing effectiveness and strategic growth. Tune in to discover how coaching can be your ally in navigating challenges and steering your career towards success.
Discover the transformative trends in B2B buying as digital self-service experiences gain prominence. Join CX experts Tom Carpenter and Simon Blosse as they delve into the changing dynamics between B2B and B2C, the impact of generational shifts on buyer behaviour, and strategies for engaging modern customers, in this episode of CX talks.
In this episode of Knowing Not-For-Profits, Clarasys sits down with Aleema Shivji, the interim CEO and Chief Impact Officer at Oxfam GB. They discuss Aleema's personal journey to leadership in the not-for-profit sector, Oxfam's vital work on the frontlines of ending poverty, and the broader challenges faced by the sector.
In this episode of Never Mind The Pain Points, host Sophie Brazell is joined by guests Sarah Partridge and Dr Kristina Curtis to explore the intricate relationship between leadership, employee satisfaction and organisational culture. Host Sophie Brazell is a consultant at Clarasys and one of our Change Management experts. Sarah Partridge is the Founder & Director of The Change Academy, who brings her extensive experience in coaching and organisational change to the conversation, unravelling the nuances of effective leadership.Dr. Kristina Curtis is a behavioural scientist and expert in applied behaviour change. With a background in public health, Dr. Curtis shares valuable insights into behaviour change models and real-world interventions.Resources mentioned:Dr. Kristina Curtis case study - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335518301657Absentee leadership article - https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/corporate-gaslighting-absentee-leaders-and-emotions-workBehaviour change taxonomy - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23512568/The hippo effect - https://www.corporate-rebels.com/blog/hippo-effectGuest Contacts:Sarah PartridgeThe Change Academy - www.thechangeacademy.co.ukLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-partridge-846b5326/Email: sarah@thechangeacademy.co.ukDr. Kristina CurtisApplied Behaviour Change consultancy - www.appliedbehaviourchange.comEmail: kristina@appliedbehaviourchange.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-kristina-curtis-67395510
In the third episode of ‘Knowing Not for profits’, Sustainability and Impact Lead and host, Sam Maguire, is joined by Chris Macqueen, Associate Director of Strategy and Planning at the Stroke Association, to reflect on the challenges and lessons learned in 2023 within the not-for-profit sector, particularly focusing on the Stroke Association’s experiences. The discussion covers the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the cost of living crisis, and the ongoing challenges in the health and social care system.You can find out more about the Stroke Associate on their website http://strokeassociation.org.uk.
What wellbeing trends have we seen this year and what are to come? In this episode of Never Mind The Pain Points, our Performance Psychologist Suzie Mossman-Monk and Head of People Sophie Andrews delve into the world of wellbeing trends, discussing economic environment challenges, hybrid working trends, wider world tensions, the importance of enhanced employee benefits and support and addressing burnout and overwhelm.
Personalisation is a hot topic, but what does it mean, what are the benefits and what should organisations consider to master the art?In this episode of CX Talks, hosts and customer experience experts Simon Blosse and Tom Carpenter delve into the world of personalisation, unravelling the fine line between customisation and cost-effectiveness. Discover their insights on achieving impactful tailored experiences and the pivotal role of experimentation.
In the second episode of ‘Knowing Not for profits', hosts Tomas Vieira-Short and Ruth Wilkinson chat to guest Alex Davies, current Sustainability and ESG Lead at Cancer Research, about how non-profit organisations can embrace sustainable practices to drive efficiency, engage partners, and make a positive impact on their missions.
The trio explore challenges, funding opportunities, and practical strategies for implementing sustainability within the charity sector.
Join change experts Tanya and Hannah in this podcast episode as they discuss how organisations can sustainably move to a hybrid workforce, and the benefits doing so can bring.
The duo discuss why having a hybrid workforce allows a more diverse workforce, key change management concepts and considerations for organisations to enable a successful hybrid working model and the important part culture has to play in enabling success.
Catherine Stagg-Macey is an executive coach who has undergone a remarkable career transformation. Driven by an early fascination with understanding human behaviour, she transitioned from a successful corporate career to pursue her passion as a coach. Drawing from her own experiences and invaluable lessons, Catherine serves as a trusted mentor for mid-career professionals, empowering them to reignite their spark at work and navigate successful transitions. With a unique journey and unwavering commitment, she guides individuals in achieving fulfilment and fostering professional growth.
In this episode of Never Mind the Pain Points, our in-house performance psychologist Suzie Mossman-Monk chats to Catherine about the art of leading high-performance teams. They explore the essential components of effective leadership and team dynamics, including defining behaviours, fostering psychological safety, and aligning expectations. With a focus on modelling desired behaviours and embracing coaching, Catherine shares valuable insights on creating a collaborative environment that inspires and empowers individuals to thrive within high-performance teams.
Pim de Morree, Co-founder at Corporate Rebels, chats to our in-house performance psychologist about how organisations can set up high-performing teams.
In the first episode of our brand new podcast series ‘Knowing not for profits’, non-profit experts Ed Kemp Sloan and Sarah Rigby chat to Rene Olivieri, current Chair at The National Trust and RSPCA, about his career to date and any trends, challenges and opportunities the industry is facing. They discuss the importance of trust, collaboration and setting small steps in order to achieve goals and the part an innovative mindset plays in success.
In the fourteenth episode of ‘Clarasys presents: Simply Sustainability’, Clarasys’ Harriet Shelton and Jacob Brockman chat with Dr. Merryn Haines-Gadd, Research Fellow at the University of Exeter within the Exeter Centre for Circular Economy.The trio discuss why organisations must consider circular initiatives, the part customers should play in the design process and how organisations can successfully combine the customer-centric mindset with circular ambitions.
In this episode of Never Mind the Pain Points, Simon and Honor discuss the entirety of the customer lifecycle, the evolution of lead to cash, challenges organisations are facing and why a customer-centric approach is imperative for success.
TripShift helps companies, track, reduce, mitigate and disclose transport-related carbon emissions through their automated carbon tracking platform.In the thirteenth episode of 'Clarasys presents: Simply Sustainability', Clarasys' Sam Maguire chats to TripShift’s commercial director, Sebastien Thomas, about why decarbonising transport emissions is so important for businesses, challenges that arise that can cause setbacks for progression and how organisations can start making a difference in this space.
In the twelfth episode of 'Clarasys presents: Simply Sustainability', Clarasys' Sam Maguire chats to Thea Sherer, Director of Sustainability at publishing company Springer Nature.The pair discuss Thea's role in detail, what it takes to be a sustainability lead including tips and tricks, challenges faced, proud moments and the progress Springer Nature Group are making on their sustainability journey.
In the sixth episode of our Snack-sized sustainability podcast, Wilf Stoddart explains the term reverse logistics. Tune in to hear what it means, how it works and the benefits for organisations.
In the eleventh episode of 'Clarasys presents: Simply Sustainability' Clarasys' Jacob Brockmann and Estelle Douglas chat to Sophie Cassidy, Software Engineer from Vodafone and Social Value Consultant at Arup, Holly Crossland about the UN Global Compact Young SDG Innovators Programme which they all took part in this year. The "is an opportunity for participating companies of the UN Global Compact to identify young talent within their organizations to collaborate and accelerate business innovation towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)."1In 2022, Clarasys decided to send four of our team to take part in the programme to accelerate their knowledge around sustainability. During the programme, participants had the opportunity to refine and validate a specific SDG business challenge pertinent to their companies.The quartet discuss the highlights of the Young SDG Innovators Programme and the projects they developed during the ten months of the programme.
In the tenth episode of 'Clarasys presents: Simply Sustainability', Clarasys' Sam Maguire chats to Claire Pearson, Business Development Director at sustainable drinks business Belu about being a values-led organisation.
Belu is a social enterprise in the UK that exists to change the way the world sees water, putting people and the environment first by investing in initiatives that benefit our planet, giving all net profit to WaterAid.
The pair discuss Belu and how they are inspiring others to do business better, offering advice to other organisations.
In the ninth episode of 'Clarasys presents: Simply Sustainability', Clarasys' Sam Maguire meets Emily Jackson, Senior Vice President of Sustainability at global media organisation The Economist Group.
The pair discusses; how Emily landed and shaped her role and what it involves including challenges and achievements, how The Economist Group is committed to sustainability, and advice for other sustainability leaders to be successful.
Our in-house performance psychologist Suzie Mossman-Monk catches up with accredited sport and exercise psychologist Dr Phoebe Sanders to discuss how to develop and maintain high-performing teams.
Phoebe is currently the Culture and Leadership Advisor for UK Sport. She has worked extensively with sports teams across the UK, including England Women's Cricket and holds a PhD in Psychosocial rehabilitation amongst numerous other well-respected qualifications in the field.
The pair discuss what makes a high-performing team, why high-performing teams need psychological safety, how to facilitate and how to approach managing high-performing teams.
Join Sarah, Simon and Ruth in the latest episode of Never Mind the Pain Points where they discuss: 'Does charity transformation ever work?'.
The trio delve into the challenges that the charity sector is facing today, why many charity transformations fail, how agile ways of working can help deliver quickly and why starting with the impact that you are trying to achieve and communicating effectively throughout is the key to success.
In episode eight of 'Clarasys presents: Simply Sustainability', Clarasys' Olivia Birch chats to Dr Rachel Smedley, Senior Lecturer of Geography and Planning at the University of Liverpool, an expert in luminescence dating, a group of methods determining how long ago mineral grains were last exposed to sunlight or sufficient heating, and studier of past environmental change.
They discuss how academic data can predict future climate change patterns and be used to help inform organisational decision-making.
In the seventh episode of 'Clarasys presents: Simply Sustainability', our Sustainability Lead Sam Maguire chats to Union Hand-Roasted Coffee's Head of Ethical Sourcing, Pascale Schuit, who offers some tips and advice about what the value of being purposeful is and how others might be able to take themselves on a journey to being more purpose-led.
In the fifth episode of our Snack-sized sustainability podcast, Sarah Hammond explains the terms circularity and the circular economy.
Tune in to hear what they mean, why they're important and how your organisation can act to become circular.
In the sixth episode of 'Clarasys presents: Simply Sustainability', Ruth and Ben discuss motivations behind becoming a sustainability lead, what it's like to be in charge of the space at Informa, key skills needed for the role, benefits, challenges and opportunities involved, as well as advice and resources for those who are interested.
In episode four of Snack-sized sustainability, Sarah Hammond discusses net zero in under 5 minutes.
Tune in to hear what net zero means, why it's important to achieve it, and why organisations need to start making changes to get ahead of the curve.
In the fifth episode of 'Clarasys presents: Simply Sustainability', Non-profit organisation B Lab UK's Director of Growth and Product, James Ghaffari, chats to Clarasys' Ruth Wilkinson. The pair discuss B-Corp's mission and purpose, some tips and advice to other organisations who may want to undertake a B Corp and a discussion about the challenges that both B Corp and the business world are facing when trying to become more sustainable.
In episode three of our Snack-sized sustainability podcast, Sarah Hammond discusses modern slavery.
Tune in to hear what it is and what it means for organisations, how it relates to sustainability, what should be included in a modern slavery statement and five key things organisations should do to get started.
In the second episode of our Snack-sized sustainability podcast, Sarah Hammond is back to discuss the term human rights, in less than 5 minutes.
Tune in to hear a definition of human rights, how they relate to sustainability and benefits for organisations who assess what human rights mean at their company.
In our latest episode of CX Talks, Clarasys' own Tom Carpenter, Chris McIvor, Lindsay Cameron and Moray Busch explore where to start with tech selection, how to implement it, deal with any external uncontrollable factors, and ensure successful delivery post-transformation.
In our latest podcast, Clarasys' own Ben Lover, Helen Morgan and Moray Busch explore what organisations must focus on during a digital transformation and the four-stage model of change to enable success. Listen here or read on for an edited transcript.
In episode one of our brand new Snack-sized sustainability podcast, Sarah Hammond discusses social value in under 5 minutes.
Tune in to hear what social value is, why it's important, the benefits it can bring to organisations and how you can measure it.
In this episode, Clarasys' own Tom Carpenter, Sarah Rigby and Simon Blosse explore how to consider the business in a digital transformation. They discuss the importance of having a business vision and using it as a starting point for the transformation ensuring it takes the customer into account, aligning your transformation to your business strategy and practical steps listeners can take including mapping, analysing, prioritizing, testing and learning to get you on the right track.
In our latest podcast, Clarasys' own Tom Carpenter, Loïc Le Fouest and Adam Uddin discuss why considering customer experience in digital transformation should be a key focus, some of the actions to take (and questions to ask) in order to prioritize your efforts, the importance of testing and understanding your customer journey, why being agile and iterative helps the process, and the role your employees play in the digital transformation.
In the fourth episode of 'Clarasys presents: Simply Sustainability', environmental charity Hubbub UK's Creative Partner Sarah Divall chats to Clarasys' own Sam Maguire and Sarah Hammond about our partnership.
They touch on; the great initiatives that Hubbub run to create a more sustainable world, why simplifying language around sustainability is so important, why collaboration is crucial when it comes to sustainability, fun ways you can engage your employees and the impact employee engagement can have towards a more sustainable future.
In Episode 3 of Simply Sustainability, Dr Sarah Ivory, Lecturer and Director of the Centre for Business, Climate Change and Sustainability at the University of Edinburgh Business School, joins our Sustainability Lead, Sam Maguire.
The pair discuss why sustainable business is important for a thriving society.
They touch on why business exists, why critical thinking is essential, why leadership is key to sustainable business, what drives leaders towards sustainable business and encouragements, considerations and priorities for organisations to become more sustainable.
In Episode 2 of Simply Sustainability, Clarasys's Sustainability Lead Sam Maguire is joined with Hannah Frost, owner of Frost ESG and member of Clarasys sustainability advisory board.
The pair discuss why it's so important to embed sustainability across your entire strategy architecture.
They touch on why purpose is key in laying the ground rules of what your company stands for, examples of important considerations for organisations to relate to every department when forming a strategy, and why forming strong partnerships with other organisations can be a successful approach to tackling sustainability.
Join Sarah, Steven, and Sam as they kickstart our brand new podcast series 'Clarasys presents: Simply Sustainability'. In episode one, the trio discuss why we are doing sustainability at Clarasys and touch on why sustainability is important to them, why the next generation should be a key motivation to make changes, and why we are the right consultancy to work with for clients with sustainability challenges.
Join Sarah, Rob and Cat as they discuss how you can use employee feedback to improve your CX.
Principal Consultant Sarah Daley is one of our CX experts. Clarasys Consultants Rob Simmons and Catriona McKimmie are part of our internal insights and improvements team.
The podcast begins with a brief overview of what we mean by employee experience and how it links with customer experience. Sarah explains the importance of gathering employee feedback throughout their time at an organisation.
Cat reveals the two types of feedback you can gather, and what we do at Clarasys to get employee feedback. Rob gives his insight on how regularly you should gather employee feedback and who should be providing it.
The trio discusses how employees who interact regularly with customers will have a better view of their needs, wants and challenges.
Cat explains why the maturity of an organisation should determine what employee feedback to gather and how.
They go on to talk about what data is important, how to choose what to capture and how to analyze it once collected, both within the organisation and to drive CX improvements.
Sarah asks how to use employee feedback to make a lasting impact to both employee experience and customer experience.
Listen in to find out more.
Join Matt, Tom and Ben, in this episode of CX Talks as they discuss the four key areas to think about to ensure a successful digital transformation, and explain their importance: 1. Business 2. Organisation 3. Customer 4. Technology
The trio talk about the significance of aligning your digital transformation to your business strategy and why it’s important to have an overarching vision for your business, despite individual and departmental priorities.
Matt uses his experience to talk about a trap that people can often fall into during digital transformations and explains why accepting change is crucial.
They move on to talk about how being honest on the maturity of the organisation and individual customers needs should drive transformation decisions. As well as considering how employees are affected by the change and what impact that will have on customer experience (CX).
Finally, Tom asks Ben and Matt what important things need to be considered relating to technology itself. They explain why being clear on the problem you are trying to solve with a digital transformation will make technology selection easier and why technology alone should not drive the transformation.
We will be delving further into each focus point in our upcoming podcasts.
Listen in to find out more.
Join Steven, Sarah and Loïc as they discuss what good CX looks like in our latest episode of ‘CX Talks’.
Good CX (customer experience) is something that most organisations strive to have, but it’s important to understand what that means.
The podcast begins with our Chief Client Officer, Steven Writer-Maguire, asking the pivotal questions: What does good CX mean and what does it actually look like?
Steven interviews our very own CX experts Loïc Le Fouest and Sarah Daley and the trio draw on their own experiences to help answer these questions.
They go on to discuss what the starting point is for clients to begin improving their CX, the importance of meeting your customers’ expectations, and how this can be done.
The trio also pinpoint some challenges that they have seen clients face with their CX and offer helpful tips and tricks throughout on how to get CX right.
Listen in to find out more.
Clarasys and DataSparq come together in our latest data maturity podcast to discuss the common data problems firms are facing, and how and where to start when using your data.
Join Omar, Director of Delivery and SVP Customer Success at MakePositive, as he discusses how customer experience and employee experience impact one another, alongside Clarasys' own Sophie Di Clemente and Ed Kemp-Sloan.
Customer experience and employee experience are ultimately interlinked, particularly in retail, find out how in our latest podcast.
In an effort to help support organisations, and their people in achieving these goals, Clarasys offers a range of free Customer Experience (CX) workshops around helping clients understand where they are on CX journey & help them to identify what is needed next using tools/techniques and facilitating conversation so that attendees create applicable takeaways to become more customer-centric.
So what have we discovered through carrying out these workshops? What are the current key priorities and trends that organisations have expressed around CX? What are the ways that are currently being used to build a customer-focused mindset? Find out in our latest podcast!
Omdia unifies and harnesses the depth and breadth of expertise from Informa Tech’s legacy research brands: Ovum, IHS Markit Technology, Tractica and Heavy Reading. Today we're joined by Tom, from Clarasys, and Alya, Transformation Director for Omdia and Informa Technology. Together they relate their experience of leading the transformation project at Informa Tech, the rolling out of Omdia.
Welcome to the second episode in our series on data management. In our previous podcast, Philip and Aneesha talked about the challenges faced in the Not-for-Profit (N4P) sector around data management and the steps needed to start a data journey. In this podcast, we will be exploring this further, looking at how people are affected by change as an organisation moves through their data journey and how we can improve change adoption.
Join Will, Suzie and Milan as they discuss how to embed data change, and the key change management strategies necessary to ensure any data changes stick.
At the end of October 2020 Next was outperforming its competitors. They were expecting their pre-tax profits for the year to hit £365 million £65 million more than first expected. They have weathered the COVID storm as successfully as possible. In this podcast we look at how they've managed to not just survive but also thrive during COVID.
In this episode, we will be bringing together our in house experts to talk about all things data. We look at its influence across industries, our companies and our customers, and the culture and mindset needed to bring your people on a data journey.
Today, we will be shining a spotlight on the N4P sector and delving into why data and its management is becoming more and more important for charities, and what they can do to begin their data journey.
Join Milan, Phil, and Aneesha, Clarasys' data "gurus" as they discuss the data difficulties that the charity sector are currently experiencing and how you can take your first steps on the journey to better data management.
Landsec are one of the largest commercial real estate companies in Europe. Have a portfolio of £12.8bn, with a mix of high-quality office, retail and leisure space, primarily in London but with select locations across the UK.
Today we're joined by their CX Director who discusses current trends in customer demand, customer need, and how to meet customer expectations.
After discussing what what makes a great online customer experience in part one of this two-part podcast, we discuss how the browsing experience fits into the end-to-end customer journey, in the second half here.
In part two of our podcast on online shopping, Sophie, Bisha, and Ed as they pick up from part one and discuss how to convert browsers to customers. They look at how can you better understand the conversion funnel and what visitors need in order to convert them to customers, how important it is that retailers recognise that online experience is only one part of the customer journey and that this needs to be optimised.
Whilst drawing on prior experience in the retail sector, the team discuss the checkout experience, how simplicity is key, and why it is essential that your customer gets the right information at the right time, as well as sharing personal examples of how and why retailers have gotten it wrong.
Listen in to find out our views on what makes a fantastic online customer experience and our insights into the online retail industry and its trends, post-COVID.
Join Sophie, Bisha, and Ed in part one of a two-part series, answering the question all retailers have been forced into considering due to Covid: what makes a great online customer experience? In this podcast, the three discuss the acceleration in demand for online retail, with an increase of 33.9% in the UK online retail sales in June 2020. The reflect upon the three key factors playing into an online retail customer experience: website navigation and usability, accessibility, and the overarching online buying journey that the customer embarks upon.
Whilst drawing on prior experience in the retail sector, Bisha and Ed discuss the opportunities that have opened up for online retail as well as the impacts of getting it wrong, giving their insights, advice and examples of what makes the online customer experience outstanding.
With the launch of Amazon Fresh, this podcast focuses on the online retailer, Amazon, and more specifically Amazon Fresh. Join Sophie and Eric as they discuss and consider the question: Will Amazon Fresh make waves in the UK Grocery Market?
Allies are people that show up and stand up for what they believe in. The events of 2020 have shown the continued need for allies in our world. In part one of this podcast, members of the Clarasys team discuss what they think an ally is, in the context of the LGBTQ+ community and beyond. Listen in to find out more!
After discussing what it means to be an ally and how this is relevant in the LGBTQ+ community in part one of this two-part podcast, here we discuss experiences of being an ally and how to be a better ally.
In part two of our podcast on allyship in the LGBTQ+ community, the Clarasys team talk about their experiences of being an ally, situations where they would have liked to have had an ally with them and some tips on how to be a better ally.
Join Tom and Lawrence as they discuss customer loyalty and how your CX can play a big part in either encouraging or dissuading this.
Customer loyalty is something the majority of organisations aim for to ensure that their customers keep coming back, to ensure that their business has a source of sustained, guaranteed income and consistent, reliable buyers, and a reduction in sales cost. So how is this achieved?
The podcast starts by posing the ultimate question: how do you go about keeping a customer loyal, especially in this modern age where it's easy to switch between different retailers, companies, and make the most of the best offer at the time? The pair question and explore what makes an individual come back to a particular brand or organisation. They bring to life the different reasons for customer loyalty and affinity to certain branding types - discussing a range of different brands from 'Tommy Hilfiger' t-shirts and 'Ted Baker shoes', to how we brand ourselves at Clarasys and how different types of organisations can maximise their brand potential.
The pair then go on to discuss Clarasys' recent rebrand. Brand plays a key part of a firm's visual identity and, dependent upon the organisation type, can be a focus point for ensuring customer loyalty. Yet it is not the only reason for customer loyalty and Lawrence goes on to discuss other types of loyalty - such as renewals in subscription services - and they move on to challenge the different types of loyalty as dependent on whether or not your business is B2B or B2C focused.
Listen in to learn more about what makes a customer loyal and tips you can try to enhance your customer loyalty through improved CX offering.
Join Tom and Lucile as they discuss the challenge of ensuring consistent and improved CX for banks, in particular larger, legacy banks. Lucile offers an insight into not only how banks could look to improve their CX but moreover, how they can make this evident and tangible to their customers and ensure that their customers are aware of the improvements. The pair move on to how banks are looking to experiment in more agile ways of working to deliver improvements in their customer service and offering. The podcast touches on the competition between legacy banks and new start-ups, especially relating to customer appeal, retention, and service delivery. Lucile and Tom talk about how banks can build and leverage trust and loyalty with their customers, and how marketing activities can help to play into this. Marketing strategies, the importance of building empathy, and the focus being on ‘helping your customers’ rather than just selling your products can all help with this. Listen in to find our more.
Listen in as Sandi and Taggie discuss the recent celebrations at The Sunday Times 100 Award Ceremony and Clarasys' ranking in the top 20 best companies to work for consistently over the past 3 years. The pair not only discuss the event itself, but also how the award was applied for and won, the culture at Clarasys, and their highlights from working at a company that has continually ranked so highly.
So what does make employees at Clarasys enjoy working there? For Taggie, recruitment co-ordinator at Clarasys, her highlights include the company hypnotherapist, massages at company socials, and the safe environment that is fostered internally for all the employees. For Sandi, a consultant at Clarasys, it's the "fact that it's so collaborative... everyone does really get on as a team, and there's no 'every man for himself' attitude...I think that makes it a really enjoyable place to work attitude". Find our more about Clarasys, their recent award, and the celebration ceremony in this podcast.
Join Mike and Lawrence as they discuss chatbots - how it could affect you, your company, and your customers. They cover everything from 'what is a chatbot?' to looking at how you can create your own chatbot.
The duo discuss the relevance of chatbots in different industries and the purpose behind creating a chatbot: is it to cut costs, or reduce front-line contact times, or simplify a recurring process such as subscription cancellations...?
Mike then talks about how chatbots can be used to facilitate better customer experience, how they can affect customer experience negatively, and what to avoid doing when using a chatbot in your business.
Listen in to learn more about chatbots and find out some key tips on how it could help your organisation!
Join Moray and Tom for our latest episode of Clarasys CX Talks. This week, the pair look at the Rada Business Research Division - How to think on your feet, The art of improvisation in the workplace. They talk through the limits of decision trees, lack of employee empowerment, and the importance of flexibility that limit your workforce. Instead of having strict guides, which encourage these limitations, Moray discusses the potential of ‘guardrails’ as opposed to ‘guides’, and giving employees the potential to choose the ‘how’ of their own working. With key nuggets of advice - such as ‘thinking out loud’ or using creative thinking techniques, such as ‘crazy six’ or ‘crazy eight’ - this is definitely worth a listen to find out how to reinvigorate your workforce and encourage improvisation.
Follow Clarasys on your favourite social media channel for information and to ask questions, alternatively email podcast@clarasys.com!
Episode article link: https://www.radabusiness.com/about-us/news-and-blogs/how-think-your-feet-art-improvisation/
This episode sees Tom Carpenter joined by Global Customer Experience Specialists Ian Golding and Veronika Luxemburg and Clarasys CX expert Emily Jenkins. This discussion evolves from the benefits of the John Lewis 2019 Christmas advert and why there is so much more of a push in the 'Golden Quarter' over any other period of the year.
Ian Golding is a highly influential freelance Customer Experience consultant, Ian advises leading companies on Customer Experience strategy, measurement, improvement and employee advocacy techniques and solutions. An internationally renowned speaker and blogger on the subject of customer experience (ijgolding.com/blog), Ian also served on the inaugural board of Directors of the CXPA (Customer Experience Professionals Association). The CXPA is a global non-profit organization positioned to guide and enhance the growing field of customer experience management. He is a columnist for CustomerThink and has authored a book titled 'Customer What, the honest and practical guide to customer experience'.
Veronika Luxemburg, also a Global Customer Experience specialist, is the founder of CQX - The trivium of Customer Quality Experience. Veronika is a passionate customer experience coach and global facilitator of change for all types of organisations. A people orientated enthusiast thinking in multi dimensions and experienced to deliver on the customer promise and superior experience.
We thank Ian Golding and Veronika Luxemburg for all their contributions to this episode of CX talks!
Follow Clarasys on your favourite social media channel for information and to ask questions, alternatively email podcast@clarasys.com!
‘Vetting, where do you start, really?’ In a conversation between Jennifer Kelly, Head of Safeguarding at The Prince’s Trust, Genevieve Cox, and Andrew McGrath, from Clarasys, this podcast explains what vetting means in the context of the charity sector and how The Prince’s Trust have been implementing a new system for vetting checks for volunteers and staff at the Trust.
The first half of this podcast looks at vetting, the process ensuring that suitable workers and volunteers are employed, based on the relevant needs and vulnerabilities of those who they will be working with. It discusses the various complexities involved in the vetting process, (such as consideration of the requirements behind necessitating a check; organisation size and staff turn-over; regularity of checks; UK, European, and global differences in offering; vetting application to charities.) and how to make such a tricky and ‘messy’ procedure ‘robust’ whilst appearing ‘slick’ to its users.
After this initial delve into defining vetting, with all its complexities, Clarasys and Jennifer discuss the ‘old process’ of vetting at The Prince’s Trust before moving to look at how Clarasys helped in the implementation and roll-out of the new vetting process for the Trust. Whilst The Prince’s Trust would use ‘excel spreadsheets’, manually upload vast amounts of confidential information, and use three different systems and providers, their aim was to turn this into an automated, streamlined, simple, yet tailored process. The second half of this podcast looks at how Clarasys approached this challenge faced by the Trust, concluding with a review of the newly-implemented system.
Please consider subscribing so you don't miss out when we release new episodes. Give us know your thoughts, ask us questions or let us know what you would like to hear in the comments or by emailing us at podcast@clarasys.com.
This weeks episode is a discussion framed around user experience in the healthcare industry. Tom Carpenter is joined by Lawrence Alfred where they talk about designing solutions keeping in mind all those impacted by the solution, not just the users.
We thank Dr Gyles Morrison for his article 'Bad Healthcare UX is Killing People' which invoked a series of discussions around the topic of user experience and people experience.
Follow Clarasys on your favourite social media channel for information and to ask questions, alternatively email podcast@clarasys.com!
Episode article link: https://medium.com/@drgylesmorrison/bad-healthcare-ux-is-still-killing-people-be3270f281b3
On this episode, Tom is joined by Matt Austin in discussing the effects of M&A on customer experience namely the areas board members tend not to consider when going through the merger or acquisition process.
Follow Clarasys on your favourite social media channel for information and to ask questions, alternatively email podcast@clarasys.com!
Episode article link: https://www.cmswire.com/customer-experience/how-to-handle-customer-experience-during-a-merger-or-acquisition/
Tom Carpenter is joined by Lawrence Alfred, a customer experience specialist, to discuss an interesting move by the fast food giant MacDonald's.
Follow Clarasys on your favourite social media channel for information and to ask questions, alternatively email podcast@clarasys.com!
Episode article link: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/332239
Wealth management is one of the most attractive sectors in the Financial services industry due to the greater growth prospects, lower capital requirements and higher returns on equity. However, there is a call for change in the area as a new generation comes into play with new expectations.
On this episode we are joined by wealth manager, Gregg Dennis, from Owl Private Office. After a brief conversation on the state of the industry, Gregg and Daisy get stuck into discussing the effects of an ageing population. It is not just the fact that the average age of a client is 71 years, the investors themselves are getting on and the industry is losing them faster than they can be replaced. The conversation continues with the two looking into the digital world and its effect on the least tech literate sectors in Financial services. Throughout the episode there are calls for change and talk of how organisations can do in light of this deviation from traditional wealth management.
Many thanks to Gregg Dennis for all his contributions to this episode of Never Mind the Pain Points. Don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss out when we release new episodes. Let us know your thoughts, ask us questions or let us know what you would like to hear in the comments, on twitter at @NeverMindthePP or by emailing us at podcast@clarasys.com.
The importance of a great culture is hugely important to the overall health of your company. Cultivating a great company culture is important not only for employee engagement, happiness and retention, but also, solidifying the foundations for a thriving business; regardless of economic changes.
As the Sunday Times Best Small Consulting firm to work for in the UK 2019, we thought we were best placed to share our views on what makes a great culture. But not only does this apply to our organisation, all our clients would agree that it is one of the main reasons they love working with us.
In this episode, Financial Services Lead and Principal consultant, Lucile Knight, briefly shares her views on returning from maternity leave. Lucile talks about how returning from mat leave helped her focus on the stuff that really matters, and that you take a completely different perspective on things. She also talks about the importance of a healthy work-life balance, something that a lot of people neglect, Lucile included at times.
This is the first of many podcasts on culture from us. We truly believe in its importance and are keen that others realise this and learn how to adopt or implement it into their own organisations.
Please consider subscribing so you don't miss out when we release new episodes. Give us know your thoughts, ask us questions or let us know what you would like to hear in the comments, on Twitter at @NeverMindthePP or by emailing us at podcast@clarasys.com.
Agile is no longer a 'new' concept; Agile methods are increasingly well defined and the benefits are more widely acknowledged. As an organisation that is truly Agile from the ground up, we understand the benefits of using this approach, so much so that we have our own- the Clarasys Agile Method (CAM).
In this episode Clarasys CEO Matt Cheung is joined by old friend and Agile specialist Matt Roadnight. The two cover more detailed topics into the Agile approach after reminiscing about a project they both worked on for a complex organisation who had failed their delivery several times before the two got involved. They also discuss Agile at scale, cross functional teams, benefit realisation, a data led approach and 'Amazon vs the Enterprise'.
With over 20 years experience, Matt is a specialist in all things Agile. He is and Agile Coach and Trainer at SprintAgile and a Founding Partner at BeLiminal. Since 2004 Matt has been working on Agile projects for both service providers and corporates. He has extensive hands on delivery experience of distributed Agile projects and programmes using Scrum across multiple teams up to 160 people. And, since 2008 he has coached companies in delivering Agile change across organisations of up to 9000 people and led a team of Agile coaches. He gained his Scrum Trainer certification in 2009 after co-training with Scrum evangelist and author, Mike Cohn. You can often find him talking at conferences between coaching engagements. Thank you Matt for your contribution to this episode of Never Mind the Pain Points.
Please consider subscribing so you don't miss out when we release new episodes. Give us know your thoughts, ask us questions or let us know what you would like to hear in the comments, on Twitter at @NeverMindthePP or by emailing us at podcast@clarasys.com.
Transformation is essential for evolution. This is especially true for enterprise organisations with hundred’s of thousands of customers. But how do you go about delivering a truly successful transformation project?
On this episode Tom Carpenter, a customer experience specialist at Clarasys, is joined by Refinitiv’s Director of Digital Products- David Gallihawk. Tom and David have an in-depth discussion on how they went about delivering an award winning transformation project in an enterprise organisation. The MyRefinitiv team have collected several awards including winning the award for Best User Experience at the Digital Experience Awards 2019. The two start off the discussion by talking about what makes a good customer experience and why other people should care. They then cover off three main areas of the project. The first being how to deliver a large scale customer experience transformation broken down further into how to kick it off, using Agile delivery methods and measuring success. The second is all about how to get buy-in from the rest of the business. And finally, how to implement personalisation into the customer journey.
David Gallihawk is the Director of Digital Products at Refinitiv, a global provider of financial markets data and infrastructure. David has a wealth of experience in all things business analysis, functional architecture, change management and transformation. Thanks to David and Refinitiv for all their contributions to this episode of Never Mind the Pain Points.
It is no secret that customer expectations have changed in recent times and technology has constantly evolved. These days it is often seen as being essential to use this tech to aid in your customer experience. In this episode of Never Mind the Pain Points Managing Consultant Matt Austin is joined by Tom Coppock from Acrotrend in discussing these matters.
Firstly, Matt and Tom talk about how analytics can be a business differentiator and how the times have changed from investing millions into a giant set of infrastructure to one where you can do huge scale data analytics much cheaper and much faster.
There is also discussion around whether the large enterprise organisations are starting from 'further back' due to having to deal with the legacy infrastructure they tend to have.
In their conversation Matt and Tom cover much more including monetising data, fundamental data issues in organisations and why Marketing often leads the way when it comes to using data and analytics to do the right thing for the customer.
Tom is Acrotrend’s Head of Consulting, where he and his team are focused on helping companies make better use of their data to get new business insights, to improve customer experience and to accelerate marketing results. A digital industry veteran with over 20 years’ experience in business consulting, presales and delivery, prior to Acrotrend Tom held senior leadership positions at companies like Adobe, Sprinklr and Marketo.
Don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss out when we release new episodes. Let us know your thoughts, ask us questions or let us know what you would like to hear in the comments, on Twitter at @NeverMindthePP or by emailing us at podcast@clarasys.com.
Ah yes, the insurance industry. One we all interact with and one that people tend to have a negative perception of. Well, it's actually really quite fascinating how they approach customer experience with so few levers they can pull on.
On this episode Head of Direct Marketing and CRM for Swinton Insurance Anthony Mclaughlin joins Clarasys CX specialists Tom Carpenter and Lawrence Alfred in this Customer Experience episode of Never Mind the Pain Points.
Listen to gain valuable insight into the world of insurance where a differentiated CX is notoriously difficult to achieve. Discussions include how the insurance market and customer expectations have shifted in recent times including the significant way in which people buy insurance. Also, the guys discuss how Ant used Customer Journey Mapping and Customer Experience Transformation recommendations in his work over the past couple of years.
Anthony Mclaughlin has worked in Direct and Digital Marketing for over 15 years in Financial Services and Retail Home Shopping Industries. He is currently the Senior Direct Marketing and CRM Manager at Swinton Insurance. Special thanks to Anthony Mclaughlin and Swinton Insurance for their contribution to this episode.
Don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss out when we release new episodes. Let us know your thoughts, ask us questions or let us know what you would like to hear in the comments, on twitter at @NeverMindthePP or by emailing us at podcast@clarasys.com.
At some point in time, most organisations will experience a Cost transformation initiative in their organisation, but being blunt by making cuts and slashing budgets will affect you in more ways than you may realise!
Shahzad Saleem is the CEO at Cost Transformation Consultancy (CTC) and has years of experience in this domain. A notable achievement was leading a £6 billion cost out programme at BT. Alongside Shahzad in this episode is Clarasys PC Richard Hibbert who also has a wealth of knowledge in the area. They discuss the topics of Cost Transformation, Customer Experience and how to balance them. In this episode, Richard and Shahzad talk about balancing cost transformation and customer experience. Areas of conversation include; companies in a distress phase that focus solely on cost transformation tend to take a hit on their customer experience, how slashing marketing budgets tend to cost you more in the long term and that taking cost out of the organisation bluntly is more expensive than you realise and can seriously affect your customer experience!
Special thanks to Shahzad Saleem for coming to talk to us and his contribution to this episode of Never Mind the Pain Points.
Don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss out when we release new episodes. Let us know your thoughts, ask us questions or let us know what you would like to hear in the comments, on twitter at @NeverMindthePP or by emailing us at podcast@clarasys.com.
A lot of you are probably thinking 'Data!? What a boring topic!'. Well, first of all you are wrong. Secondly, whether it be a global financial solutions organisation, a medium sized consultancy or a new hair dresser startup, data is fundamental to the modern day business. And we can tell you for a fact that this episode is well worth the listen!
On this episode, Clarasys CEO Matt Cheung talks enterprise data governance with Kennedy Warwick the former head of customer data at Refinitiv.
Kennedy and Matt discuss the questions most Data professionals are asking including; whose shoulders should the ownership of data fall on? Which companies model a good data organisation system? How do you manage 'data chaos'? Why looking at the 'less sexy' data is as essential as the 'interesting' and 'important' data. and, how can you redesign and reanalyse key data processes to improve your underlying core data?
Kennedy has had over 14 years experience working with Data in global organisations. Previously he was the Enterprise Process Owner (Data) at Refinitiv and has since moved into the role of Director Data Operations at Informa. Many thanks to Kennedy for his contribution to this episode of Never Mind the Pain Points!
Don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss out when we release new episodes. Let us know your thoughts, ask us questions or let us know what you would like to hear in the comments, on twitter at @NeverMindthePP or by emailing us at podcast@clarasys.com.