Warnings this week that some organisations intend to cut plans for growth, especially around headcount and hiring, are both concerning and hard to ignore. The Government has come under increasing pressure from businesses post-budget, but is so far standing firm. For…
The so-called Golden Quarter and its flagship moments – Black Friday and Christmas – present a significant opportunity for businesses. Especially for the retail, hospitality and travel sectors, for whom a major chunk of annual revenue can be earned in…
There has already been much commentary on this week’s Budget, which was a defining milestone for the new government in setting its vision for economic resilience and long-term growth. For businesses, it was a reason to brace for impact. For…
This month, we have released our latest six-monthly UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI) - and unfortunately it doesn’t make great reading. Customer satisfaction has fallen for the fourth period in a row and now stands at its lowest level since…
It’s an extraordinary fact that around half of the world’s population is taking part in an election of some form during 2024. Here in the UK, our own General Election is hard upon us with a much-changed political landscape seeming…
We live in a world where poor customer service is increasingly dominating the headlines. As I discussed with the Financial Times for the leader of this weekend's FT Magazine, the collapse in service standards has cost UK plc billions and has eroded…
The closure of Fenwick’s flagship London store last weekend struck a chord with me – particularly the stories in this Guardian piece from some of its customers who used to cherish the personal touch they received when they visited the iconic…
Our latest UK Customer Satisfaction Index, published on Tuesday, illustrates once again that customer service is not an optional extra, but a strategic necessity. It is the key to success and long-term survival in today’s uncertain and competitive business environment –…
The latest festive trading period highlights just how complex and unpredictable consumer behaviours and trends can be. Whilst spending data released this month reported an increase in total UK retail sales for November and December, figures published by the BRC suggest fewer customers…
Like many of you, I was fascinated and shocked by the Post Office drama that aired on ITV recently and have been following the real-world fallout throughout this week. In years to come, I suspect this story will become an…