Is your disaster recovery plan for customer communications robust enough? This was the topic of our webinar hosted by Amanda Beesley who is the Vice President of Consultancy at Aspire CCS, a specialist advisory firm dedicated to the CCM-CXM markets. 

Customer communications are becoming more intelligent and progressive, focusing on interactivity and improving the customer experience which has shown to improve brand perception and can influence success. Businesses are moving away from an inside-out operational approach to an outside-in model which is more dynamic, driven by real-time interactions and customer satisfaction to drive loyalty and engagement. 

This change does, however, bring increased risks and businesses need to adapt. Many risk profiles are outdated as threats are constantly evolving, from natural disasters and pandemics to digital and cybercrime, disaster recovery plans need to be constantly evaluated to keep up with the world. Consistent delivery of critical communications via the channel of choice needs to happen no matter what, or you risk reputational, commercial and regulatory impacts. 

1 out of 8 customers will switch providers due to poor customer experience and communication. 

Criteria to think about when choosing a disaster recovery partner are: 

• Dual sourcing – choose a company that is not your main provider 

• Proven ability to be able to reserve capacity to fulfill disaster recovery requirements in a timely manner 

• Implementation of a dynamic testing routine 

APS serves as the disaster recovery partner for some of the largest financial services brands in the UK. Contact [email protected] to find out what we can do for you. 

We gathered an exciting panel of experts within the US nonprofit sector to discuss the evolution of this industry, including how to overcome challenges and gain a competitive edge in today’s landscape. The panel included: 

• Johnny Burleson, Principal, Mid-Atlantic, Creative Fundraising Advisors

• Kathy Higgins, Chief Executive Officer, Alliance for a Healthier Generation

• Chuck Kaylor, Chief of Staff, John M. Belk Endowment

• Rob Potter, Head of Strategy and Planning, APS 

Several factors have affected the market and how donors, both new and regular, decide on who to support with their money and time. The last twenty years have brought so many significant life events and these have largely influenced how people, younger donors especially, view the world. The new generation is completely different to any that have come before, and this means the way in which nonprofits communicate with their audience must also change – complacency is not an option. 

We are over-saturated with advertising noise and so organisations need efficient and effective practices to cut through and engage with their target audience. Storytelling needs to be compelling to resonate and evoke an emotional reaction, whilst remaining transparent and authentic to build those all-important, lasting relationships. Communications need to be omni-channel as our sources of trusted information have now changed, nonprofits need to meet their audience where they are and be able to demonstrate impact and how they are making a difference. 

In addition to external marketing activity, the infrastructure of an organisation also needs to be stable and resilient to withstand changing trends over time. This includes things such as having the right board in place and building a culture of philanthropy, to utilising efficient technologies and working with the right suppliers. 

This is just the tip of the iceberg. To hear further insights on how to thrive as a nonprofit and turn challenges into opportunities, please fill in your details and a member of our team will be in touch with you soon. 

At APS, we have already helped a number of partners in this space become more efficient and effective with their marketing activities and operations, and we’d love to help your organisation do the same. Talk to us today, [email protected].  

We recently welcomed Gaël Duez, a digital sustainability strategist and founder of the Green IO podcast, to host our webinar discussing the environmental consequences of our digital world and critically what businesses can do to mitigate their impact.

The electricity consumption of the digital sector is becoming a growing concern, with the International Energy Agency confirming 1,600 terawatts was consumed by the sector in 2021 – that’s roughly the same amount as India, the world’s third largest electricity consumer.

It’s not a surprise that with 1.2 billion smartphones sold in 2022, end-user devices account for almost half (45%) of all electricity consumption by the sector, followed by networks and data centres.

But why is this a problem? Because the world’s electricity production remains reliant on fossil fuels, indeed, as much as 60% of production is using our finite resources and releasing Greenhouse Gases (GHG).

Did you know 70-90% of the carbon footprint of your smartphone happens before it’s taken out of the box?

 

So, what can businesses do to reduce their impact on the sector? There are several quick wins to consider first, and although these are individually small changes, they can have a much larger impact when implemented consistently across businesses;

Equipment

• Extend product life
• Mutualise technologies
• Re-use or purchase second-hand
• Recycle

Reducing electricity consumption

• Turn off/unplug
• Limit 3G/4G connections
• Optimise printing

Data Management

• Avoid unnecessary creation
• Reduce size
• Delete

These practical steps are just the beginning towards minimising the environmental weight of data consumed within the digital sector. But should we always be thinking digital first? Lifecycle analysis is a powerful tool to support decision making for sustainable development, guiding you to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of a product or process. For example, it takes 20-40 times the amount of water to make a single e-reader than a book and 60% of downloaded e-books are never opened and are therefore consuming unnecessary data.

At APS, we’re committed to tackling your sustainability challenges, whether that’s for product designs, a new technology platform or printed materials. At every stage, our team will work with you to make sustainable and practical recommendations. Talk to us today, [email protected].

To receive a recording of the webinar, please fill in your details and a member of our team will be in touch with you soon.

Last week, we brought together Mike Bambrick from the Brand Experience Group (BXG) and our Head of Strategy and Planning, Melinda Lang, to give you a peek into how we make the most out of our client’s marketing budgets.

The BXG tried and tested methodology has been tweaked and validated by business schools, trade associations, and businesses over the last 27 years, delivering a truly unique, accurate, and simplified way to measure the motivations of your consumers, producing effective and efficient marketing campaigns.

Our experience has shown that most brands across all sectors are spending 30% of their marketing budgets ineffectively.

At APS we work with our clients to define and deliver their communications strategy, across multiple touchpoints. The proliferation of marketing channels and the growth of associated data have caused marketers to struggle to know where to focus in this increasingly complex landscape. This is compounded by the fact that more than 4 in 10 industry metrics do not effectively show marketing performance and commercial success. So, it’s no wonder that only a quarter of CMOs feel confident in the ability to measure the ROI of their media spend (DMA Report, 2021).

We help brands and marketers address two core problems. Firstly, create a unified value so that you can compare insights across multiple touchpoints, and secondly to understand how your sustainability strategies are interpreted by consumers and the impact of these results on your market share.

If you would like to receive a recording of the webinar, please fill in your details and a member of the team will be in touch with you shortly. Or, if you would like to explore how our approach can make your marketing campaigns more efficient, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch at [email protected]