MERJE joins Service Economics and 40+ industry leaders once again for an engaging afternoon talking all things CX strategy
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London was lively with fresh ideas on 25th March 2025, as senior pros from operations, transformation, and customer experience (CX) gathered for our second Effective Service event.
Once again, Service Economics, in partnership with MERJE, presented an afternoon that was all about shaking up how we think about customer service. And, of course, there were some post-event drinks and nibbles at a nearby spot to keep the good times flowing!
“The session was a breath of fresh air in what’s fast become a stagnant business sector.”
Director, Select Planning
Service Economics, the business behind “Effective Service”, are experts in CX consulting and have some seriously innovative ideas.
Managing Director and Co-Founder, Sean Keane, and Director and Co-Founder, Rob Wilson, have both been in the customer contact and transformation game for decades. They led the charge and really got the audience thinking about how to improve service delivery.
Rob and Sean aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo. They believe that many businesses get too caught up in just being efficient when they should be focusing on what really works. Their “Effective Service” approach promises to cut costs and make customers and employees happier. Sounds good!
We stuck to our motto – Bringing Talent Together – and invited forward thinkers and experienced leaders from our network of CX, Customer Contact, and Operations connections. After decades of connecting talented leaders with career opportunities across the UK, our MERJE Operations team have a vast network to call from!
Neil Johns and Barry McDonald – leaders of MERJE Operations, Customer Contact, and Business Change recruitment, and Kirstie Burn – Director & Head of Client Services represented MERJE on the day. The session attracted a varied audience of senior leaders, such as the Head of Digital Transformation at Slater & Gordon, Director of Operations at Ziglu, and Operations & Change Director at Brown & Brown Europe.
“What a great session – thank you! Very thought provoking. I’ve already considered how we can make good use of some of our learnings.”
Head of Business Transformation, Stagecoach Bus
Vorboss, who provide dedicated fibre network and internet service for London’s businesses, supplied a great venue for the event.
Sean and Rob’s presentation got everyone talking. The main topic was Effective Service, and it challenged the usual focus on just being efficient. They argued that this can actually cost businesses more in the long run and leave customers feeling less than thrilled.
Here are some of the key topics that came up in discussions:
- Customer satisfaction in the UK is at the lowest in a long time
- Just being efficient isn’t enough
- Poor service is costing UK businesses a fortune!
- Failure Demand is a key problem that needs to be addressed
- Taking a step back and looking at what your customers need is vital
Service Economics stressed that the Effective Service approach leads to lower costs, smoother processes, and long-term success, all while boosting customer happiness and NPS scores.
Rob was really pleased with how it went, saying that the Effective Service theme “really resonated” with the audience. He also mentioned that “the networking continued well into the evening,” which is always a good sign!
Sean emphasised the importance of sharing knowledge and making connections, and Neil, Barry, and Kirstie from MERJE were also delighted with the passionate and engaging discussions.
The feedback from attendees was very positive, highlighting the though-provoking messages, actionable insights, and opportunity to discuss ideas and viewpoints with senior industry leaders who you may not get chance to otherwise speak to.
All in all, the Effective Service event in London was an excellent opportunity for industry leaders to get together, share ideas, and explore new ways to improve CX, which is just what we aimed for it to be.
The London session was the second instalment of the Effective Service ‘tour’ after an equally successful and lively afternoon in Manchester back in January.
With such a buzz growing around Effective Service and our engaging sessions, we’re keen to bring more people together across the UK. Where you do think we should head to next? Let us know 👇
Credits
Live Doodler – Oguzhan Secir, LiveDoodle – View Website
Photography & Videography – Will Colthup, BCENE – View Website
