Monthly Archives: June 2018

Life at The Lead Agency: Meet CSO Team Leader, Ryan O’Connor

Ryan O’Connor joined The Lead Agency just over four years ago as a Customer Service Operator (CSO). His strong performance saw him progress quickly to the position of Sales Team Leader.

Here, Ryan reveals more about his role, his team and life at The Lead Agency…

How did your career at The Lead Agency begin?

Once I’d graduated I needed to get a full-time job. I’d never planned for a career in a call centre but worked in one part-time during my three years at University and spotted the CSO (Customer Service Operator) vacancy at TLA.

I listened to a couple of the calls the team were making and knew that I would be able to do it – and I’ve been here ever since!

Can you talk a bit about your progression within the company?

I quickly settled into the team and had the support and patience of everyone around me. I always made sure that I hit my targets, so, despite only working in the CSO role for a year and a half, I decided to apply for the Sales Team Leader position.

As a Team Leader, I’m expected to lead by example by ensuring all targets are consistently met or exceeded. In my opinion, being a leader is all about getting to know people, knowing how to speak to people and how to give feedback.

What are the main responsibilities of your role?

I’m responsible for my own team which consists of several CSOs. On a day-to-day basis I’m required to support my team members by making sure that they’re aware of their targets and delivering on budgets at a good-quality standard.

What do you enjoy most about working at TLA?

Being able to work with many different and passionate personalities. All the individual characters in the group make for a fun working environment, meaning that we enjoy what we do and work well as a team.

Although it’s technically a sales job, we’re not actually selling anything! We’re ringing existing enquiries and fulfilling their needs.

Sales roles are often high-pressured. Is that the case at TLA?

There is a pressure to perform, but our targets are always achievable. The targets are set based on several different factors, but we have never been set an unachievable target.

There are always incentives and bonuses in place to reward the people who hit and continue to exceed their targets too. At the end of the day, those who are willing to work hard will always reap the rewards.

What does your team do on a day-to-day basis?

It’s about working through your enquiries (which become leads once they’ve been qualified) and ensuring that you do it in the smartest way possible to meet your goals. All new members of the team learn how best to achieve these targets as they go through the induction process.

call centre jobs LiverpoolWhat is the culture like within your team and the wider team?

We all get on extremely well with one other and someone is always there to offer their help and support.
When new people join, we ensure they are made to feel very welcome and integrate them into the group as quickly as possible.

Patsy (Mawdsley, Head of Contact Centre) regularly organises social events for the whole team. Last month we went to Roxy’s Ballroom and we played beer pong and pool which was great fun.

My team also managed to hit an incentivised target last month, and our prize was a £200 restaurant tab which we spent at Viva Brazil!

What sort of characteristics do you value in your team members?

I value people that are hardworking and willing to learn and adapt!

What advice would you give to someone who is starting their career as a CSO?

Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Those who do choose to ask for assistance when they need it will always achieve better results.

Another key piece of advice I would say is to make sure you concentrate, listen carefully and take onboard the guidance offered to you from the more experienced members of the team. That way, you’ll learn and adapt quicker and achieve great results.

We’re hiring! Find out about our latest call centre jobs in Liverpool.

Key trends in the UK property market

The UK Property Industry is continuously moving and evolving, with the unpredictable effects of Brexit looming, the ever-changing demographic structure and advances in technology.

Here are some of the latest trends and stories being discussed within the UK property market:

1. Cheaper to buy than rent

Despite an increase in rentals (Countrywide Research has predicted that by 2022, 20.5% of homes will be rental) evidence still points to buying property being cheaper than rental.

Research carried out by Santander reveals the average monthly rent in the UK is currently £912 per household, compared to monthly repayments of £723 for the average first-time buyer household. This means average savings of £189 a month or £2,268 a year for buyers compared to renters.

2. Online continues to grow

Homebuyers and sellers continue to turn to online estate agents thanks to the strong levels of service they receive.

Online agents increased their market share by 11% during the first quarter of the year, giving them 7% of the overall market.

Flexible contact hours, 24/7 customer service, face-to-face visits from local experts and lower costs are contributory factors for its continued growth.

3. The grey pound dominates the market

Younger buyers are outnumbered by older buyers in the UK property market due to the preferable wage to house-price ratio at the time of purchase.

Homeowners aged 66+ were responsible for around 43,000 property transactions in the first quarter of 2018, a 46% increase compared to the same quarter in 2017.

4. House prices keep climbing

Housing prices have shown a steady incline in recent years and property consultants, Strutt & Parker, predict that the figures will continue growing.

According to the UK House Price Index, as of April 2018, the average house price in the UK is £226,906. Prices have risen by 1.2% compared to the previous month and risen by 3.9% compared to the previous year.

These figures are supported by Strutt & Parker, who, despite Brexit uncertainty, have provided a five-year prediction on the housing market, with an estimated 18% rise in housing prices by 2022, growing 2.5% year-on-year.

5. Homeowners on the increase

Despite property prices continuing to rise, the number of homeowners has risen for the first time in 13 years.

Following the financial crash of 2008 that created a clash between wages and property prices, the Government has positioned accessible homeownership as a matter of importance.

Since the Help to Buy equity Loan scheme was announced, over 160,000 properties have been purchased, with 81% being made by first-time buyers. Meanwhile, Stamp Duty cuts will apparently save four-out-of-five first-time buyers up to £5,000. However, the cuts are mainly benefitting existing homeowners due to the rise in house prices.

6. New-build homes becoming more popular

A number of factors are driving an increase in homeowners, first-time buyers and buy-to-let investors choosing new-build properties.

Among the key reasons is higher energy efficiency compared to that of older properties. The HBF claim that occupiers of new-build homes save £629 a year through being more energy efficient. Other factors include the Help to Buy Equity Loan scheme and the opportunity to customise new-build properties – saving money that might be needed for renovating an older property.

7. Shopping influences location

Online services from other industries are influencing location searches within the property market.

Location to schooling and transport services continue to be primary influences on purchasing decisions. But other location-based factors – such as access to local shops – are becoming less of a consideration in location choice thanks to online delivery services.

We reach thousands of UK homeowners every month, connecting them to property services that relate to selling and buying their home. To discuss your lead generation needs, contact us today.

Development manager James McDowall discusses his journey to TLA and search for innovative .NET developers

We’re growing. And as a result, we’re recruiting for the very best .NET developers to join us in Liverpool. But what can future employees expect from the city’s fastest-growing tech business?

To answer that question (and more) we’re joined by development manager James McDowall, who arrived at TLA earlier this year from Iceland Foods. He begins our chat by telling us what attracted him to his new role.

 “TLA is a market-leader and a technical innovator. That was obvious right from the outset and I knew it was something I wanted to be part of.”

James’s journey here via the world of frozen foods began with a Computer Science degree at Staffordshire University before roles as a systems developer at Aegon, a contracting position with Alliance & Leicester and five years at Hill Dickinson as a senior IT developer.

The Iceman cometh

At Iceland Foods, where he spent 6 years (most recently as technical architect) James was primarily responsible for leveraging their technology systems and leading a project which added over £1 million to the business in its first year.

“It was a versatile role,” he explains, “I was able to work on many different projects such as HR systems, a supplier financing portal, and labour and schedule planning for the 800+ stores and 26,000 staff that Iceland had at the time.

“Considering the number of technical challenges that we faced, the ability to seamlessly link all the pieces together to deliver a solution that had such a hugely positive impact within its 12 months was a significantly proud moment for me and my career”.

A few months after leaving Iceland, James is in Liverpool heading up our Platform Development team, one of three within TLA alongside Engagement and R&D. His remit covers leading a team of seven junior, mid- and senior-level .NET developers, steering the development life cycle on key projects and working on a major CRM development project.

“My main responsibilities are to apply the right technology fit, and work with my immediate team to deliver the best solutions for the business to further our lead generation activity.

“On a day-to-day basis, they will use bespoke technology to quantify and qualify the leads that come into the business before sending them on to the client.”

Technical innovators

As we continue to grow as a business, James is working with our in-house talent acquisition team to find and appoint .NET developers that have “technical diligence, problem-solving skills, and the ability to articulate technical requirements to non-technical people”.

He believes those new starters will be joining an “innovative, dynamic and progressive” team that “wants to be here and wants to keep improving”.

He cites the studio’s regular ‘brown bag’ lunches as one of the ways, the team push each other to be the best they can be. “One of the developers will give a talk about a subject within IT that they’re passionate about. The talks inspire new solutions, which helps to create a passionate, supportive and collaborative environment.”

James is determined to grow his team with the right people – a vision shared by other departments.

“Anyone considering a role at TLA needs to be prepared for a fast-paced environment where every day brings new challenges and where new technologies are embraced,” he says.

“We don’t just want developers, we want technical innovators with the willingness to strive beyond the norm and help us pioneer industry-shaping technology.”

If you’d like more information on the opportunities within James’s team and across the business, visit our Careers section today.

Rebuilding your prospect database quickly, with compliant data, in the new GDPR world

For many organisations, the biggest impact of GDPR could well be as a result of their own preparation.

Many organisations have taken the difficult decision to remove large volumes of data from their databases due to concerns over how it was originally captured. This is putting pressure on budget-holders to find ways to rebuild in a compliant manner.

For years, lead generation has provided a fast, efficient route to new prospects and customers – but can you trust third-party data to be compliant?

Understandably, we believe you can.

We take our responsibility with consumer data seriously, which gave us a great starting point on which to prepare for the incoming regulation. But it didn’t stop us  addressing this with the importance it deserves and putting every aspect of our approach under the microscope.

We implemented changes where necessary, including updated policies, procedures and documentation. We also implemented new technology such as our Client Portal, which provides a complete audit trail of every consumer’s journey from beginning to end.

Confident in our approach but still keen to identify areas for improvement, we recently invited specialist ASE Global, consultants to the majority of the world’s automotive manufacturers, to assess our preparation.

Data protection and compliance officer for ASE, Kevin Symm, said: “The levels The Lead Agency has gone to and the things it has implemented – such as the client portal, policies, procedures and documentation – go as far as anything we’ve seen for how companies can minimise the potential for something to go wrong and then maximise how quickly any potential issues can be discovered and acted upon. It really is impressive.”

Despite the excellent report, we continue to look for ways to improve and remain committed to obtaining and processing consumer data in a way that is right by the consumer.

How we can connect you with new prospects

Our approach to customer acquisition can provide you with access to a unique and extensive market place consisting of trusted publisher networks and TLA’s own digital assets including bot technology. These help you to reach and connect with more of the right consumers – in-market, compliant and with a genuine interest in our clients’ products and services.

Through our bespoke Client Portal, you can see every step of that consumer’s journey – fully documented for your peace of mind. Every lead is then qualified thoroughly using both tech and our in-house contact centre team that are extensively trained and work to your exact requirements.

For the consumer, we simplify their buying journey and route to the products and services they’re in the market for. This means that we can repopulate your databases quickly and efficiently with prospective customers who are at various stages of the funnel.

In automotive, a vertical in which we have operated in for more than 16 years, we supply lead types such as ‘keep me informed’ interest on new car launches, test drive and brochure requests and quotes – all of which are compliant with GDPR and qualified to ensure they are in-market.

If you would like to discuss how we can help you rebuild your prospect lists in a compliant manner, contact us today.

GDPR in lead generation: meet compliance manager Kathy Fleming

In 2017, we appointed compliance manager Kathy Fleming to lead a comprehensive GDPR programme and ensure compliance with other key regulations. Here we discuss her role, the impact of GDPR in lead generation and her time at TLA.

What can you tell us about your role at TLA?

My role is to oversee all legislation compliance for the business. Naturally, my immediate focus has been on GDPR – making sure we had robust and responsible programme in place that involved the entire business. But I also look after our regulatory activity to ensure we meet the Financial Conduct Authority requirements; plus PECR and Ofcom regulations.

You’ve worked in both the public and private sector, working for companies such as Betfred, Your Housing Group and Barclaycard. How would you say data protection has changed over time and between these industries/sectors?

In the public sector, data protection has traditionally been far more stringent due to the fact that any money they spend comes from the public purse. Legislation has always been taken more seriously with greater levels of accountability. In the private sector, there was always the need to balance the commercial interests of the business against their regulatory commitment. However, GDPR has put far greater emphasis on private sector organisations in accepting that they have to be accountable for their actions.

There has rightly been a lot of focus on GDPR over the last few months. How would you summarise the changes?

In the past, each EU member state had their own legislation regarding data protection; GDPR has introduced consistency across all EU member states. One of the fundamental aspects is about strengthening the rights of individuals because the way in which we use data today is completely different to how we used data twenty years ago. The old legislation was no longer fit for purpose and needed to change.

What impact will Brexit have on the UK’s commitment to GDPR?

None whatsoever. The Information Commissioners Office (the regulator for data protection in this country) has stated that despite the UK’s decision to leave the EU, the implementation of GDPR will not be postponed or affected. GDPR is an important, comprehensive and thorough piece of legislation applicable across all EU Member states.

What are the significant ways in which GDPR will impact lead generation and marketing?

Any organisation that processes personal data must establish a lawful basis for processing this information. Here at The Lead Agency, we mainly rely upon consent. Under the old legislation, companies were able to rely upon a pre-ticked box which would assume that customers had consented; however, under GDPR this form of consent is not valid. Consent is only valid if it is a proactive indication of a customer’s wishes (i.e. a clear and proactive tick of a box to indicate positive consent or the click of a submit button to confirm that the individual is happy for their personal data to be processed). This is bad news for lead generators that have traditionally focused on low quality and high volumes. But good news for those that focus on high quality, qualified leads.

Is it possible to be a responsible lead generation company?

Absolutely. Lead generation companies tend to have had bad press, but our CEO Anton Hanley wants us to stand out from the rest. We are a quality lead generation company. We create a relationship with consumers that have shown a genuine interest in our clients’ products or services and engage them to ensure they are in-market before giving them the opportunity to connect with our clients. This responsible attitude is one of the main reasons why our transition to GDPR compliance has been smooth and why I believe GDPR is a good thing for the business. We can fully demonstrate our accountability, which can only help us to build trust with our clients.

TLA’s approach to GDPR has received strong praise from automotive specialist ASE Global. What do you believe has been the key to our successful preparation?

Firstly, can I say how delighted we were with ASE’s report and comments. To hear that of the hundreds of companies ASE had assessed or worked with, TLA had by far the most good practice in place was very rewarding after the hard work and commitment of the team. And that was the key – having a commitment from our CEO from the very beginning and a team willing to learn about the new legislation, understand it and then bring ideas for how we could improve our processes. We have used GDPR to become a better organisation.

Which brings us nicely to our final question. How have you found working for TLA so far?

Genuinely great. It is a fast-paced and exciting business with supportive colleagues. Everyone is willing to give up some of their time to help each other. Not to hand-hold but to always be there for support and guidance. Anton’s enthusiasm and drive to make the business as successful as possible radiates throughout the organisation and encourages everyone to be the best we can be.

Visit our News & Views hub to read more about our preparation for GDPR.