Collaboration and communication aids our desire to deliver on time and with the least possible disruption. Moreover, sharing ideas and accumulated knowledge also makes everyone’s task that bit easier and more pleasurable.  The way we performed during Cowes Week earlier this month showcased our ability to work as a team when under pressure. As such, we exceeded last year’s achievements and were crowned winners of the Sunsail 37 Class as well as becoming the first Sunsail team to win the overall Black Group title.   

We had a total of eight people on the boat, some of whom had never sailed before and were completely outside their comfort zone. During such a scenario, it’s imperative that everyone works together and pulls in the same direction – quite literally in this case.  Seeing this demonstration of teamwork in practice reinforced what I’ve known for some time; that the way in which we work together is one of our greatest attributes as an organisation.  Those with the will to succeed are always likely to be first past the post but we’re only as good as the people we work with. Teamwork is a key component of any successful business. We mustn’t lose sight of that fact.

by Neville Upton, Aug 24 2010, 05:29 PM

The organisation was entered in the South East of England category and selected from a shortlist of three large companies after championing a scheme designed to recruit candidates on Jobseekers Allowance.

Neville Upton, CEO at The Listening Company, said: “We value our local communities so it’s rewarding to be able to give something back. At The Listening Company, we believe in giving people a chance to prove themselves and the calibre of candidates recruited using the Jobcentre scheme justifies our commitment to this cause. I’m incredibly proud of this achievement.”

Following on from last year’s win at Cowes Week, The Listening Company has returned to the Isle of Wight to sail to victory once more. We are keen to ensure that you are up-to-date with all the latest news from The Listening Company team and all that is going on at Cowes Week 2010. Please see below the Cowes Week blog courtesy of sunsail.co.uk.

The Listening Company’s finishing positions so far:

Friday 6th August: 1st

Thursday 5th August: 1st

Wednesday 4rd August: 1st

Tuesday 3rd August: 1st

Monday 2nd August: 1st

Sunday 1st August: 3rd

Saturday 31st July: 2nd

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Overall Results

After a fantastic performance throughout the week, showcasing both their sailing ability and consistency, The Listening Company have exceeded last years achievements and been crowned winners of the Sunsail 37 Class at Cowes Week, as well as becoming the first Sunsail team to win the overall Black Group title. Congratulations for the achievement must go to skipper Neville Upton as well as the rest of the team. Deloitte secured second place after a fantastic start and finish to the week, with AXA finishing in third place.

Congratulations to all the teams who competed. We hope that you have enjoyed being a part of this world famous regatta as much as do. It must be acknowledged that your contribution to the racing and the atmosphere of the occasion make the event what it is. We look forward to welcoming you all aboard next year.

Day Seven - Friday 6th August

Weather – The forecast for Friday was force 3 building to force 5 with drizzle. Sure enough this is what we had with visibility very low in the persistant rain.

Racing commenced on the Royal Yacht Squadron Line at 12.30 and the course took competitors around Channel, Quad Possumos, East Leap, Elephant boat yard buoys, before returning to the RYS line. The weather limited the visibility and ensured that the teams finish the week in a suitably saturated state, however the sailing conditions were good and allowed for a competitive final day of racing. As we have come to expect after a fine weeks racing, The Listening Company ensured they secured the Sunsail class title in style, securing their fourth win in a time of 02:16:23. They were followed in by Red Funnel 1, with AXA claiming third place for the day.

Day Six – Thursday 5th August

Weather – The racing was delayed due to the changing wind direction and and light conditions. After the racing started, much of the wind was against the tide and by the finish there was a good 25 knots of wind.

At 13.10 the committee boat managed to find a slot and the racing commenced. There was a minor incident reported on the start line which ended in Sunsail 3 AXA protesting Sunsail 11 Red Funnel. Racing was around the area West of the Bramble Bank using buoys Wight Vodka, Flying Fish, Fastnet Insurance, Hill Head, Sunsail Event, North East Ryde Middle, to the RYS line.

The lead yacht did have a minor loss of concentration as they left Sunsail Event Buoy by heading for Peel Bank Buoy. It appeared from the Class Captain’s RIB that the fleet was following, however after noticing their error the fleet turned towards the correct NE Ryde Middle, the last mark of the course. The Listening Company again dominated the fleet with an impressive performance, finishing in a time of 03:00:47.

Prize giving was reluctantly held up by the protest of Sunsail 3 on Sunsail 11. Subsequently the Sunsail 37 class Captain Chris Satchwell was only able to present the trophy for the days race winners Sunsail 05 The Listening Company. After the appeal, Red Funnel were disqualified, leaving Deloitte to take second place and Cazenove Dynamic to claim third.

Day Five – Wednesday 4th August

Weather – Heavy wind and rain….and lots of fun!

The Forecast for the day had offered the threat of Heavy rain and force 6 winds, and so it would prove. The numerous brave sould headed out to met by heavy rain and wind that hit like cannon balls, providing some very interesting conditions. The fleet started from the committee boat off Hill Head and were set a course around the Bramble Bank in the central Solent.

A number of the yachts grounded for a short time on the rising tide, and the fleet became very compact as they rounded the marks, ensuring that competitors experienced the full range of emotions on an action packed day of racing.  The Listening Company again emerged victorious from the pack aboard Sunail 05, followed by Deloitte on Sunsail 20, under the instruction of new skipper James Yearley, and Martin Dawes Systems finished in third on Sunsail 01.

Day Four - Tuesday 3rd August

Weather – Fine conditions and a steady force 3, increasing to a force 4.

The fleet started off from the Royal Yacht Squadon line at 12.10 amidst fine sailing conditions. The wind was a steady force 3 providing great conditions, allowing sailors to truly put their racing ability to the test. This suited The Listening Company who have developed upon their reputation from last year as the strongest sailors in the fleet.  The Listening Company crossed the line in first, almost two minutes ahead of the nearest boat, National Grid, who are steadily working their way up the standings. Third place went to Cazenove Absolute who are having a good week and finished in a time of 03:19:37.

Day Three – Monday 2nd August

Weather – The racing was postponed unitl 15.00 due to lack of wind off Cowes. When racing resumed a good steady wind of 20 knots from the West ensured some fast racing conditions.

When the racing commenced at 15.00, races began at 5 minute intervals, as opposed to the standard 10 mins. At the first mark the fleet was very close, and as the teams broke out the spinnakers, one boat sailed through the middle of the fleet on a port tack and very nearly caused an accident. The racing concluded at 17.00 and was close to the finish, with the first 6 boats seperated by just under a minute and a half. The Listening Company, accompanied by former England rugby union captain Lawrence Dallaglio, crossed the line in first place aboard Sunsail 05. AXA followed closely behind on Sunsail 03, with Cazenove Dynamic on Sunsail 06 in third. Despite the delay, competitors enjoyed good wind and a great race.  

The image below shows the winners of Day 3, The Listening Company, with Lawrence Dallaglio hoisting their trophy aloft after a great race.

Image courtesy of Hamo Thornycroft Photography. Please click here to view more images from Cowes Week.

Day Two – Sunday 1st August

Weather – Less windy than Saturday but still fabulous sailing conditions

On day two the Sunsail 37 class started at the Royal Yacht Squadron (RYS) line. After a clean start the fleet headed west in force 4 winds. The fleet turned at Elephant Boat Yard race mark in a very confused sea. After the mark, Sunsail 27 ran aground on Gurnard ledge. The fleet then negotiated a busy Cowes Roads to finish on the RYS line. Deloitte again finished in first onboard Sunsail 20, followed by AXA in Sunsail 03.

Day One – Saturday 31st July

Weather – Cloudy with little wind in the morning, clearing up in the afternoon to a beautiful day with strong winds and perfect sailing conditions.

The Sunsail 37 class began the week with a committee boat start off Stokes Bay. Upon commencing the race, the fleet headed west and by the first mark Sunsail 05 had established 7 minute lead over the fleet. However, by the final mark, the RNC and Royal Albert Yacht Club mark, the fleet had come together and last years winners, The Listening Company, had been overtaken by Deloitte Sunsail 20, who won the race, followed by Red Funnel in third.

The image below shows the winners of Day 1, Deloitte, collecting their trophy and prestigious Sunsail champagne at the prize giving party.

We understand the relevance of changing trends in the marketplace and are determined to meet challenges head on, using the skills we’ve acquired and the methods we’ve adopted to ensure that customer satisfaction is at the forefront of our thinking.

We’re delighted to sponser The National Customer Service Awards and celebrate the achievements of the very best that our industry has to offer and hope that we can all continue to implement best practice and build for the future.

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.

Public sector organisations will be thinking of ways to reduce costs and this will be subject to even more scrutiny when George Osborne reads the emergency budget on 22^nd June. Needless to say, it will be a difficult year for those in the sector and the customers they serve, as organisations struggle to maintain high standards whilst reducing costs.

Outsourcing public sector services is set to be a key consideration when ensuring organisations deliver on their targets and in helping the government reduce the deficit.

Numerous public sector organisations have already experienced the benefits of outsourcing – both in terms of cost savings and customer care. As the coalition government starts to roll out its new policies, it’s vital that they continue to use multi communication channels – be it email, phone or internet, in order to maximise flexibility, drive efficiencies, and improve customer satisfaction across the board.

The new government has already shown signs of wanting to align the quality of public sector offerings more closely to the private sector. Public organisations need to look at the most efficient and effective methods and outsourcing customer care is a tried and trusted way to achieve this.

by Neville Upton, Jun 09 2010, 03:21 PM

More than a million adult Facebook users clicked the ‘I’ve voted’ button whilst a recent YouGov survey found that a quarter of 18-24 year olds had used social networks to comment on politics – pleasing statistics indeed. The question is – what can political parties do to build on these progressive technological trends?

The coalition is still in its infancy and one hopes they’ll take the bull by the horns and continue to use social networking sites to communicate with their constituents. Parties are comfortable broadcasting information and now it’s important that they try to connect with people on a more personal level.

Facebook, Youtube, Twitter and the like proved to be valuable hustings platforms for all the main parties and the Tories even used Myconservatives.com to publicize party messages and promote personalised poster campaigns during the build up to the General Election.

The foundations for technological progression in the electoral arena have been laid. It’s down to those in power to pick up the ball and run with it. Despite the impending referendum on electoral reform, electronic voting is still a distant possibility but who’s to say we won’t be able to vote online in the next General Election? Of course, we’d have to be mindful of security concerns and the ramifications of introducing such a system but before we get to that stage, politicians must continue to harness the flexibility and productivity of social networking tools and close the loop on communications with their constituents. It’s a long road but we’re certainly moving in the right direction.

by Neville Upton, Jun 03 2010, 08:59 AM

How Lawrence Dallaglio is helping Neville Upton’s £75m turnover business maintain its growth.

Last year Neville Upton saw 40pc growth at his contact centre. This year he is expecting at least a 20pc upturn in business. “Well, you can’t keep on growing at 40pc,” he says. “But I might be proved wrong – there is enough work out there.” With clients that include Sky, O2, South East Trains, Bank of America and Travelodge, turnover last year hit £75m
with pre-tax profits of £3.7m.

Twenty employees from the organisation embarked on the half marathon night walk on 17^th April which departed from the Manchester Central Convention Complex at 10PM.

Supporters, who were given the opportunity to walk 13 or the full 26 miles, were treated to numerous displays of light during the course of the evening, which aimed to symbolise hope in the face of adversity whilst highlighting the progress and ambition of Cancer Research UK. 

Manchester was chosen as the first city to host the event based on its affiliation with the Paterson Institute for Cancer Research, which brings with it a strong local science and research community and regularly supports similar fundraising efforts.

On the back of its success, a second Shine event has been scheduled for Cardiff on 25^th September.

As the world’s leading independent cancer research organisation, CRUK supports research into all types of cancer by working with over 4,500 scientists, doctors and nurses to develop ways to prevent and treat the disease.

Sarah Vander, Client Delivery Manager at The Listening Company, played a pivotal role in the organisation of staff and participated in the event herself. She said: “Completing the 13 mile walk was a lot more of a challenge than we ever thought it was going to be but the aches and pains that we’ve all endured have been more than worth it. We all felt a great sense of achievement and pride once we had finished and I wouldn’t be surprised if you see a group of us at Shine in Cardiff later this year.”