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Welcome to the latest edition of 5-Minute Insights, the e-mail newsletter from Steve Wills and Sally Webb at Customer Insight Solutions (CI Solutions). We hope that in the few short minutes that it takes to scan the key messages, you will find snippets that are both informative and stimulating. If you want to find out more, we have provided links to longer articles for some of the insights.

INSIGHT IN PRACTICE

AN ENGAGING PROBLEM

A recent article in Times Online by the Astronomer Royal, Martin Rees, showed that scientists have some similarities with Insight teams – especially as they recognise that communication is one of the strongest parts of their armoury.

Martin Rees outlines three important aspects of communication which also have implications for Insight teams:

• The benefits of presenting findings to an audience. This enables both the presenter and the audience to see their work in perspective and also helps them to focus on the ‘bigger picture’. 
• The need to engage well with the audience. This is often easier for Insight groups than for scientists, as some people can be a little frightened by science (because of its jargon and technical nature) or may just be disinterested.
• The need for ‘skilful communicators’. Both scientists and Insight teams need people who can distil and interpret results so that others can understand them.

If you would like to know more about this topic or want to take a look at the full article, please click here.

 

HAVE YOU GOT A SEE-THROUGH SMILE?

We all know that a positive attitude can make a real difference to the way in which we work. It can also make a real difference to how we are perceived by our customers. This is why many large organisations now link customer satisfaction measurement with staff engagement surveys - because their employees’ attitude is important.

• True or false? For  instance, many people can pick up the difference between a genuine smile and a fake one – and they will often react differently as a result. However, this is a factor that is rarely covered by customer satisfaction or mystery shopping surveys.
• Authentic or not? A study asked restaurant diners whether any positive attitudes shown by the waiting staff were authentic or not. Those who thought that their waiters’ attitudes were authentic were more satisfied with the service they received.
• Positive or negative? So can we learn to be more positive? Benjamin Franklin said that we should ‘search others for their virtues’ – i.e. find something positive about the character of each person we meet, even if it’s only something small.

A positive approach can help you to build a stronger rapport and influence with your colleagues, your boss and your internal clients. To find out more, please click here.

TAKE A NEW LOOK AT INSIGHT: THINK LIKE A.......CHIEF EXECUTIVE

This series investigates how other professions can teach us some valuable lessons.

Are you in charge?

In the insight world, it’s easy to just end up reacting to everything. However, to be really effective, you need to start thinking more like a good Chief Executive, who is pro-active and helps to steer the company forward.

Try and put yourself in the role of a Chief Executive of an insight company:

-  What would you do to provide good insight? Bear in mind that you would be judged on the value you could deliver to the business, and not simply on how well you deliver effective responses to any requests.
-  To be really effective, you need to be able to see the bigger picture. That means considering a whole range of different functions.
-  You could also put yourself in the role of a marketing executive and see how they would market insight. That might involve identifying what (internal) customers actually need and finding solutions to these needs.

So, why not try a little role play? See if you can widen your vision and start being more proactive! For more information, please click here.