Solihull
All the latest news, advice and events for the Solihull business community
Contact: Joan Smith T: 0121 678 7488
The importance of data management
A Solihull-based sales performance specialist says that effective data management has never been more important for businesses. Paul Black (pictured), chief executive of
Sales-i, located at Barton Business Park, Shirley, said that there were several reasons for this, among them the amount of information being produced in the world. He said that in 2020, the world was set
to generate ten times the amount of data it did in 2013, and added: “The world will produce 44 zettabytes of data in 2020 – considering that a single zettabyte is comprised of 44 trillion gigabytes, that’s a serious amount of information. “Managing and evaluating this information,
however, isn’t easy. Learning how to cut through the data that doesn’t matter to analyse the data that does isn’t always simple, but it is always necessary. Developing a strategy for managing the sheer volume of customer information your company produces is integral to its future success.” Mr Black said that part of this strategy
must include ways of reducing the amount of data being collected. He added: “Gathering it for the sake of it
is not only useless – with the UK’s Data Protection Act and the EU General Data Protection Regulation to consider, it’s also often illegal.” Mr Black said that it was also a good idea
to integrate every separate database that company had, in order to prevent the development of a ‘silo’ mentality. He said: “Staff who use the same systems
and data sets are more efficient, less likely to conflict, and better empowered to collaborate and share information. Sales-i was founded in Solihull a decade
ago, and specialises in sales performance software designed to sales calls more personal and profitable. The firm uses data analytics to help salespeople identify and target opportunities within their current customer base.
36 CHAMBERLINK April 2018
New vice-presidents Mick Westman (left) of Digital INnov8ors and Martin Clarke (right) of NEC Group with (left to right): Kam Majevadia (Sydney Mitchell), Paul Faulkner (Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce), Joan Smith (Solihull Chamber), Kevin Johns (president and Prime Accountants) and Robert Elliot (vice-president and Hogarths Hotel)
Chamber welcomes new vice-presidents
Solihull Chamber has welcomed two new vice- presidents, Martin Clarke from the NEC and Mick Westman, of Digital INnov8ors. The pair were elected at the Chamber annual
general meeting, and were the only candidates standing. Both will serve for a period of two years. In addition, the Chamber’s executive committee
has been strengthened with the addition of Kam Majevadia, from law firm Sydney Mitchell. Two other committee members, Melanie
Palmer from Solihull Business Improvement District and Tim Coplestone of the Wilkes Partnership were both re-elected. The venue for this year’s AGM was Crowne Plaza Solihull. Martin Clarke is the NEC’s venue marketing
director, and is part of senior management team responsible for the overall business performance. He has been with the NEC since October 2012.
Prior to that, he worked as global head of sales and marketing for an international schools company, spending time in Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia. He said: “Being marketing director within the
NEC Group, I am excited about the opportunities to really make a difference within the business community. There are exciting and challenging times ahead, including developments with HS2 and the Commonwealth Games in 2022.” Mick Westman spent 38 years with BT as a
director, and now runs a social enterprise called Digital INnov8ors, which is focused on developing the skills of the borough’s 16-25 year olds. He said: “I believe that we need to put Solihull
on the map and make it famous for its people, its innovation and its local environment. Solihull is ‘the place’ that people come and don’t leave. “In my view Solihull is small enough to get
things done and big enough to make a real difference and to set the agenda in many key areas. We have a lot to be proud of and by being an executive committee member, this provides me with the platform to make a difference.”
‘Solihull is small enough to get things done and big enough to make a real difference’
Chamber president Kevin Johns, who has
begun his second year in the role, said: “The vice-presidents play an essential role within Solihull Chamber, we as a team along with the divisional director make decisions that affect the chamber and its members. “I’m delighted to have Martin Clark and Mick
Westman on board. I’m looking forward to working alongside them and am confident that they will make a positive contribution in the role.”
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