Regular readers will be well aware that the deployment of new technology, including AI, has been a recurring theme for The Institute and our members. As these technologies continue to develop, there is no doubt that they will have a…
With a general election now called for July 4, the UK is fast kicking into in pre-election mode, and campaigns will soon be getting into full swing. Political parties are publishing and promoting their manifestos, as well as formulating their…
Those who follow our weekly updates and recent media appearances know that I have been vocal about the current cycle of short-termism seen across business, the public sector and Government that is holding back growth in the UK. While the…
Our membership comprises a good mix of private and public sector organisations, with about a 75%/25% split. This is important because of the opportunity to apply learning across sectors, which is what consumers do; they don’t compare their customer experience…
When was the last time things felt ‘normal’? Most of us would probably agree that conditions have felt anything but ordinary ever since the Brexit referendum of 2016. Since then, it’s been a whirlwind of political change, the Covid-19 pandemic,…
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…
Reflecting further on our Annual Conference last week, it’s clear that enabling and empowering our people – whether through better training, access to data and knowledge, understanding customer behaviour better, or the use of outputs from the effective use of…
If you are reading these columns regularly, then you will already know how vocal I have been about the need to safeguard service professionals and how pleased we were to get some breakthrough 20 months ago with an amendment to…
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…
It’s that time of the year again; the dusk is creeping in earlier, the leaves are changing palette, and we are feeling the first cold pinch of winter. Changing seasons aside, it is also when we as business leaders consider…