Market Insight: Engaging hearts over minds
(June 2013)
Most people on the planet who deal with companies at least once in their lives – and that’s almost all of us – have encountered customer service that’s been less than stellar. That’s the polite way of putting it. Now let me be blunt by quoting General Electric CEO Jack Walsh, who once said “most employees have their face towards the CEO and their arse toward the customer”. The companies those employees belong to may well talk a good game.
Executive Reward: World-class pay in New Zealand
(June 2013)
Our company conducts much of its core business in two of the “hard” areas of human resources; the nature and structure of jobs, and the pay attached to those roles. It is a serious focus and as we work with our clients to improve their systems we are constantly reminded of the difficulties faced. Pay is often a contentious issue; the pull between internal and external relativities, its affordability for the employer, the existence of entitlement cultures, and individual performance and its measurement, are factors that have a role in determining levels of remuneration.
Executive Health: In it for the long haul
(June 2013)
Think for a moment about the difference between a long and short haul flight. If you’re on a short haul flight – say Auckland to Wellington – then you don’t really have a lot of time to consider the experience, to notice if the seat is uncomfortable or that you haven’t had a hot drink during the 50-minute flight. In contrast, on a flight from Auckland to London your needs are that much greater and so is the level of comfort and service you require.
Market Insight: Mobile marketing: its perks & perils
(April 2013)
South Korean multinational conglomerate Samsung finally reached one of its major goals last year – unseating incumbent market leader Nokia, and leaving it reeling in its wake. Not content with that, Samsung launched the new Galaxy S4 smartphone a few weeks ago; its audacious goal this time is to outsell the iPhone and own the whole category. And it just might. The new Galaxy sports an array of never-before-seen whizz-bangery, including new touchscreen technology that toggles some features with the wave of a finger. It can also ‘sense’ when you are looking at the screen.
Executive health: The fight against poor health
(April 2013)
The world is enlisting businesses to help fight against poor health. It’s common sense given the workplace is where we spend half our waking hours. It’s where we make half our decisions on what we eat, drink and how active we are. But is common sense that common? It’s a massive fight ahead. At present the cost is spiralling. The ugly truth is that chronic diseases – diabetes, stroke, cancer, heart disease and more – account for over 80 percent of all deaths in New Zealand and take up around 70 percent of our public health sector spend, according to the National Health Committee.
Exec Health: Good raps for health apps
(March 2013)
Technology has been given a bad rap as a contributor to the western world’s expanding girth. We spend an increasing amount of time sitting and less time doing. We text, tweet, email or post to our friends and colleagues, rather than meeting for a face-to-face chat. But it’s a cloud with a silver lining. Mobile and internet technology is opening up huge opportunities in health.
