Brand in the Boardroom

Issue 2: Q&A with Clodagh Murphy, Director at Cathedral Appointments _____   Q: Business have been struggling to find staff with the skills they need. Is that still going to be a challenge in 2024? A: Access to talent has been the challenge in the region for as long as we can remember, so yes, it will continue to be a challenge.  However, the market is shifting and there are more good quality candidates looking to move role, so that the challenge should be slightly less. _____ Q: If you’re trying to recruit, what are the factors that are most important to candidates? A: From our research we see three key themes: 1. Competitive salary; 2. Hybrid / flexible working approaches; 3. Career progression.  _____ Q: What sectors are seeing AI offer a genuine alternative to recruiting staff? A: We haven’t seen much substitution yet, but we can see that as time moves on AI will automate tasks and help colleagues and businesses move up the value chain so that teams are doing less...

Issue 2: Every successful business, is built on delivering at least one specific benefit to customers. Mercedes gives us quality. Amazon gives us accessibility. Netflix gives us choice. So what benefit do you deliver to your customers? It can be hard to stand out from competitors. Similar products and services, at similar prices. You probably see it in your sector. You can certainly see it supermarkets: Tesco, Sainsbury’s, ASDA - similar products, at similar prices. But if you focus on a specific benefit you want to deliver to customers - and you deliver it well - you create the opportunity to stand out. It gives customers a reason to choose you, not your competitors. Again, take a look at supermarkets. There’s a reason Aldi’s market share has risen from 2% in 2011 to 10% in 2023 (while their larger competitors have seen little change). Aldi understand how to focus on delivering a specific customer benefit.* The good news is, there are only five benefits customers are looking for (what...