The Listening Company’s Dave Rumble speaks at MIDAS

Distinguished delegates assembled at the City Inn Hotel (Manchester) on Thursday 24^th June for a conference entitled “Successful delivery of end to end service through an outsourced partnership”.

The Listening Company’s Dave Rumble (Director) was one of three speakers at the event, organised by the National Outsourcing Association and sponsored by MIDAS – Manchester’s leading investment and development agency.

Dave Rumble

Rumble’s speech was underpinned by The Listening Company’s ‘Exception Rules’ philosophy as he outlined the importance of treating every customer communication as the exception.

In the wake of government plans to cut public sector spending, it’s estimated that the value of public sector outsourcing contracts will be worth £7.5 billion by 2012. The need to utilise social media outlets and harness emerging technologies has since taken on added importance. 18-25 year olds now account for less than 50% of Facebook users and Rumble underlined the need to adapt to changing trends in the marketplace, personalise responses and tailor them to suit the needs of the customer. The use of webchat has prompted an increase in self-serve by allowing customers to enhance their knowledge base.

As outsourcers, our challenge is to monitor shifts in the marketplace, manage the growing number of communication channels and adapt to the needs of an evolving and increasingly savvy population.

In Summary

The balance of power may have shifted in favour of the private sector but if one thing’s for sure, the need for outsourcers continues to grow and both private companies and local government services are jumping on the bandwagon.

The influence of technology cannot be underestimated but it’s people who will ultimately shape the future and affect change. Consumers cannot be compartmentalised and their behaviours are subject to constant re-evaluation. We must monitor their movements and treat all of them as the exception – only then can we guarantee progress.

For more information on Dave Rumble and The Listening Company’s approach please contact tellmemore@listening.co.uk.