Barry Dyer

The Crosbie Show - Nationwide’s 'Fairer Share Payment': Is It Fair or a Step Toward Demutualisation? Nationwide Building Society, known for its core values of mutuality, fairness, and customer focus, recently announced a £100 'Fairer Share Payment' for customers with both an active current account and a qualifying savings or mortgage product. This move raises questions about fairness, as it excludes customers with only one type of account, potentially benefiting higher-income individuals more and exacerbating inequality. While this scheme might increase customer retention and encourage cross-selling, it doesn't fully align with Nationwide's commitment to fairness and inclusiveness. There is speculation among staff that this could be part of a covert strategy towards demutualisation, converting Nationwide into a shareholder-owned entity. This shift could bring significant financial gains for senior executives, including CEO Debbie Crosbie, through share options and other incentives. Nationwide's recent ventures into business banking and interest in acquiring Virgin Money suggest a transformation into a conventional bank. This change could signal a departure from its mutual roots, aligning more with growth and profitability than member-centric service. Some might speculate this is a strategic move by executives to control member assets, potentially compromising Nationwide's mutual values and the interests of its longstanding members. #Banking #Nationwide #CustomerFocus #Demutualisation #FinancialServices

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Policing is a #partnership – not just between police and public but also between police and technology providers. This partnership can unleash policing’s true potential, transforming operations and making the public safer and increasing confidence

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So, when does 'Managing expectations' become pure shoddy customer services? A recent experience as a customer has re-affirmed to me the value of CX when selecting suppliers and partners. Below is an automated reply I've received in response to a very generic invoicing query I needed an answer to. 5 Working days - so a week. A WEEK! Oh and btw, I called them after receiving this and it took about 45m to reach an agent. This is also not the first time both of these things have been an issue. This was not 'just a bad day / week'. Given the plethora of tech that's available in the CX space, surely this is a conscious decision to disregard customer satisfaction? ARVAL UK LIMITED - do better. I have plenty of CX professionals in my network that I'll happily introduce you to 😉 (not a pitch, I'm just nice like that).

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Reed - Technology BT estimates that ‘tech paralysis’ — where companies delay tech investment due to the stress it might bring — could cost the U.K. economy £11.79 billion by 2030. While rapid digital transformations can result in many business benefits, a new study has revealed that they also take a toll on mental health. Nearly nine out of 10 UK business leaders say they suffer from tech-related stress that’s severe enough to disrupt their sleep. How does your organisation prepare its workforce for new tech? https://bit.ly/4bntJeB #ReedTechnology #Technology #Tech #ChangeManagement #Business

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The old ways are not dead. Today, a conversation with a colleague reminded me of the missing standards in modern business and why some people stand out. I reflected on my time as a consultant for a small IT firm in Milton Keynes, visiting clients from London to Leicester and seeing up to six clients a day. Three clients, in particular, left a lasting impression. The first was a managing director of a medium-sized enterprise. I called him when I was seven minutes away to ensure reception was ready to receive me. As I arrived, the MD greeted me in the lobby stating, "7 minutes exactly." After quickly conducting my business, he handed me his card and said, "If you ever want a job or need anything, call me." The second client had flown in from Sweden for a security assessment of his newly acquired company’s IT infrastructure in Northampton. I completed the assessment quickly, provided a verbal summary on-site, and emailed a detailed report that night. He requested my presence twice more for additional security assessments with his bespoke software. During my third visit, he asked if I was employed by the consultancy or freelancing. When I said I was a freelancer, he offered me a job and asked me to come up with a figure for a retainer. I declined to respect the consultancy-client relationship, but he gave me his card, urging me to call when the time was right. The third memorable client was a hedge fund manager who asked me to visit his home, a common request in the early 2000s when many smaller companies had backup servers at the directors' homes. After setting up a VPN and MS SQL replication, he had me visit his office and perform several trivial tasks, such as moving Outlook mailboxes. From then on, I was his sole consultant that visited his office. What I didn’t realise then was that every interaction was an interview, and it was the small things that made a difference. Always calling ahead, following up with emails to confirm my understanding of conversations, sending detailed reports for any work done, standing and presenting myself when someone entered the room, and silently closing doors behind me were all gestures clients appreciated. While none of these things are unusual, and would have been considered basic 20 years ago. They are often overlooked in the name of speed or cultural change. However, those who maintain these standards in today's fast-paced environment, stand head and shoulders above the rest.

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As a #Somerset business, can you help shape Somerset's economic future? Have a read, become part of the conversation 👇 Michael Cahill

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Is your #board pressuring you for reassurance? Questions like 'are we secure?' can be impossible to answer, but having full #visibility across your network can help have more transparent conversations. Read our story in Raconteur to learn more: https://ow.ly/lAtR30sEeeo

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It is customer feedback like this that makes working at Aptem so gratifying.

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Great panel session on demystifying #leadership and what it takes to be an #authentic leader - with Liz Field Michele Golunska Sarah Soar Helen Watson. Wide ranging debate included: creating and retaining good culture, not setting your own limitations, family and work life balance, taking and managing risk, inclusion agenda, changing workforce …and so much more! PIMFA - Personal Investment Management & Financial Advice Association Aviva Hawksmoor Investment Management Rothschild & Co Templar Executives Richard Adler #PIMFAWomensSymposium24

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Discover how TEKenable Ltd can propel your company’s digital transformation and unlock new potential. Watch this testimonial from one of our key customers, ITC, and see firsthand how TEKenable has guided them on their transformative journey. #digitaltransformation

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I'm looking forward to being on the InfraViewing Spotlight Series Podcast today. I'll be talking to Tim Cazemage, founding director of InfraView - Specialist Cloud & IT Infrastructure Technology Recruitment about running a human-led business, and the unusual recruitment policy that allows us to create a diverse and happy team.  At IT Naturally | B Corp | MSP, we're all about putting people first and creating a human-centric workplace.  Watch this space for when the episode will be released... #PeopleFirst #HumanCentric #Diversity

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Happy St. George's Day! As we celebrate the patron saint of England, let's embrace the spirit of courage, resilience, and unity. All traits that we need on a daily basis as business owners🌹 #StGeorgesDay #BusinessOwners #BusinessConsultants #BusinessStrategy #ChangeManagement

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#Barclays Property Services Conference: Artificial Intelligence (#AI) At the Barclays Property Services Conference today, discussions emphasized the transformative role of AI in enhancing the effectiveness of our people and driving innovation for our customers. A lot of good talk in what’s being done by organisations to go #Digital, make our environments as effective and dare I say sustainable. Key topics included leveraging AI to create smart environments and improve property management and facility operations. The doubter in me does question actually how many are doing AI vs your good old Digital transformation - let’s keep it simple and avoid #FOMO 😂 However, a central message throughout was that while technology advances our capabilities, it is crucial to keep people at the core of all initiatives. The focus remains on empowering our teams and ensuring that technological advancements serve to enhance human-centric experiences and outcomes. The image highlights the progress we still need to make in getting us all collectively …. There ! Lots of reference to what a potential new government may have an impact for the property sector - I must have missed something 😆

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This is such a necessary part of society nowadays. Well done Experian

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Rethinking how you help employees and customers stay connected, share files and work together? Discover how Microsoft Teams transforms conversations, collaboration and data security. Watch now and reimagine the modern workplace.

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