It’s sometimes easy for me to feel like I’m doing really well and checking things off my marketing list but then have very little tangible things to show for it. A big part of marketing is a lot of background analytics, metric, research and planning. So sometimes I feel like no one will believe the amount of work I have done when there appears to be little output – rest assured I am being kept busy!
We have started work on a ‘Success Scorecard’ for us to try and reach marketing goals around website visits, new contacts, email databases and won business all directly through marketing efforts. There isn’t enough information on this yet to make it worth sharing but know that it is happening, and the business is already seeing positive trends based on marketing output.
As most of you will know, Owen attended LiveWorx a couple of weeks ago, where TSM were presenting their IoT story as well as taking part in a panel debate. They had 75 people attend the session, and over 100 people attend the IoT panel. These are excellent numbers considering the amount of breakout sessions that were available to attendees and we received really positive feedback on their session. Likewise, TSM has received a positive response from the video case study we produce with them. These types of successes are exactly what I was hoping for when I took over the marketing role, so it is great to know that we are heading in the right direction. I’m sure there will be more work to do, not only with TSM but other companies as well.
Between myself, Karen Morton and Emma we are working on the website as a staged exercise. I know I have mentioned this in previous newsletters, but this does take a fair amount of planning and testing before go live. Once the new pages are up and running, I will be sure to notify everyone.
At the start of the year I mentioned that I was beginning a Marketing course through the Chartered Institute of Marketing. The first exam is fast approaching on July 10th. I promised to keep everyone updated on my progress so watch this space when the results come in!
I have been in the role as Services Delivery Administrator at Concurrent Engineering for four months now. In that time our paths will have crossed on several occasions. Either through shared projects and/or getting a cuppa from the kitchen.
Settling in was a breeze. Sometimes when joining a new company, it can take time to fit in with the flow of the environment and different personalities. Not here. Every person in the company has been welcoming, friendly, helpful and kind. Enormous thanks from me to you all for this.
As part of the Support Desk team. I answer telephone calls and emails, logging the details in Cherwell for John, Heather or one of the team to help our customers solve their software issues. The core element of my role is administration and organisation for the training our team delivers. I help schedule course dates, maintain calendars, book resources such as laptops and manuals, set up e-classes, contact customers and order the buffets (thank you for your help with devouring the leftovers). There is more to my daily role, but rather than wow you with listing these tasks, hopefully you will have seen, or will do soon, first hand my input in the team that supports the admin parts of Support Desk, Training and Project Delivery. Thus, making our customer’s journey down whichever avenue at Concurrent Engineering a more pleasurable and timely one.
Outside of work I am an enthusiastic amateur drama group actress. So, I warn you now at some point, I will be self-promoting and twisting your arms to come and see me acting up. I also love quizzes. How about forming a Concurrent Engineering Team and hunting out a local pub quiz? I’ll bring pop music and film knowledge to the table. Who knows, we may even win funds for even more cakes!
The plan is to work with them in a proof of concept framework to develop some pilot Augmented Reality experiences that they will then use to promote the technology within their business and customer base.
As some of you are aware, Boltight is part of the global Nord-Lock group and manufacture a wide range of bolt tensioning equipment. Showing effectively how the products work is key to Boltight’s success, which often means a trained operative is needed to visit the customer to do a demonstration. Another challenge is how big and bulky some of their products are, which makes them difficult and costly to transport around with the sales team. They were looking for a low cost, easy way to leverage technology to eliminate these issues and improve the way their sales team took their product to market.
The engagement, led by myself and supported by Owen, Atif and Andrew, was run with the Boltight marketing team. This was a very different dynamic to the usual engineering audience we deal with and required a different way of demonstrating and conveying value to the customer. Opportunities for AR exist right across the value chain within our customers’ businesses, which in turn means more in-roads for our sales team to create future opportunities. The potential return on investment for Boltight was built around increased sales and reduced sales cycle due to faster understanding of product capabilities on the part of the customer. Another key factor was the reduction in the requirement to ship physical products to the many trade shows they participate in which, in itself, will see them realise a huge cost saving.
Atif is now leading the development and implementation so watch this space for further updates on this exciting project. Not only was this Concurrent’s first AR sale, but we discovered on placing the order that it was also the first of its kind in the European channel. Another example, alongside the great success of the recent TSM project, of how we are leading the way in the PTC channel in taking the new IoT products to market.
WALK IT Results! – Emily
A big thank you to everyone who support me and messaged me regarding my charity walk. We completed the 10K in 1 hour and 52 minutes in a lovely (but roasting) 26 degree heat! In the end we managed to raise and amazing £787 from an original target of £300 (there is still time to donate if you would like to). I am really proud of the achievement and appreciate the support received.
Cycling Event – Social
As you all know, we have our cycling event coming up on the 21st July in Warwick. Owen, Steve, John B and Dave Grammer from PTC will be cycling (hopefully) a tough 68 miles! As part of this we have designed some jerseys that are currently in development so everyone is easy to spot.
Unfortunately, we have had Chris and Julian drop out due to injury. This is a real shame but hope they both make speedy recovery’s – and since we have the shirts they can do the next one!
The race starts and finishes at Warwick Racecourse and it would be great to see some of you there when they cross the finish line as support. http://www.wiggle.co.uk/wiggle-super-series-tempest-sportive-2018/
Team Work – Karen
Sitting in the little Kingdom of the Dublin Office, it is hard sometimes to visualise the fine happenings in the UK Office – Management / Project Management / Support / Consultancy and Sales, the monthly Newsletter, so well put together by Emily, is a mine of information. So, I thought to myself it’s high time for a contribution from Dublin and timing is apt with Quarter End. Though by the time we receive this issue it will be a “Done Deal” (See below). It is true what they say about the Irish we cannot cut a long story, short but I hope you enjoy this little anecdote….
It all started when a friend sent me a link to an Ad on Done Deals – a beautiful 4 year old Collie called Meg was being offered free to a good home and already neutered (a good sign as I have a male Cavalier, George, albeit 12 years old). This friend works for Dog Rescue Ireland and whilst it wasn’t a dog rescue, she wasn’t sure what would happen with Meg if she wasn’t offered a home…. I immediately offered to home her, the fact I don’t drive did not deter me, but this would be an issue. Meg’s lived in Limavady, Derry, approx. 145 miles away from Dublin. Immediately an appeal was launched, to help get Meg to me distance. I had so many offers to drive part way and a lot of coordination, and planning on dates, times, etc it all needed perfect planning and numerous calls were made.
Meg was living on a farm and the owner wanted a home for Meg as she was no longer a working dog. He wanted to find someone whilst she was still active, she liked to laze around or sit in the Farmers Tractor as he carried on his rounds plus she was kept outdoors and liked to be indoors (my back garden is about 4 times the size of my house, but my preference is to keep Dogs indoors)
Eventually all plans were in place - Drivers / Timing etc organised, a very early start for the first Driver from Omagh to Derry / Derry to Monaghan / Monaghan to Dundalk / Dundalk to Drogheda and finally Drogheda to Dublin and Meg arrived safe and sound a little timid, but now as though she had never belonged anywhere else. Credit to the farmer as she is extremely well-trained, and we have been in contact now & then to see how she is settling.
So, the meaning behind all this for me a great Team was in place - working together, trusting people to do their part to ensure we got Meg where she needed to be. It may not be as complicated or as diverse as our TEAM but sometimes we have to overcome change, come out of our comfort zone, trust others to do what’s required. For me this was about change – thinking outside the box / contacting ‘strangers’ / participating in something I had never been a part before to fulfil the bigger picture and we got there both Meg and George have settled in very well together.
Birthday and Anniversaries
Happy Birthday to Chris for the 18th July!
Congratulations on your 1 and 2 year work anniversaries to Atif and Steve
