When we look around ourselves in today’s environment, for me, two words stand out: fragmentation and polarisation. This is true on many levels: in geopolitics, local/national politics, socially and in business. We see fragmentation because old binary alliances and certainties…
When asked what made the job of prime minister difficult, Harold Macmillan is reported to have once replied, “Events, dear boy, events”. I wouldn’t be surprised if the current PM, along with the Chancellor, were feeling something similar at the…
The Chancellor’s Spring Statement was trailed as providing very little new news and by some as being ‘’boring’’. From a new policy perspective, it is fair to say that what we heard this past Tuesday probably fits that description. While…
As a leader, when was the last time you directly interacted with a customer to listen to their feedback and understand what matters most to them? Hopefully the answer is ‘not long ago’ – but certainly it’s easy for busy…
UK retail was in the spotlight this week as new data revealed retail spending growth more than doubled last month. This will be welcome news to retailers after a damp December, as it will for the government and wider economy, serving as…
It is no secret that, since the pandemic, the UK’s leisure and hospitality industry has had to navigate some particularly challenging conditions. As we leave January behind, the lighter, longer days offer some cause for optimism about customer spend. That…
At the beginning of this week, Business Secretary Peter Kyle offered a novel suggestion – that MPs’ pay should be linked to economic growth. He argued that this would incentivise parliamentarians to vote for potentially contentious pro-growth measures such as…
We recently hosted a special version of our non-member January 2026 UKCSI launch webinar. Our CEO, Jo Causon, and the Institute’s Director, Research and Member Propositions, Brian Weston, delved into the highlights and analysis of the current state of customer…
After what has been a whirlwind week for global dialogue and economic data at Davos, it is encouraging to be able to reflect on some positives. Against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty, Mark Carney’s address at the World Economic Forum…
Our latest UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI) results were covered in the Daily Mail - highlighting the organisations leading the way in customer service excellence across the UK. In its coverage, the article celebrates first direct’s top ranking, alongside…