This is Explain IT, a show for IT professionals by IT professionals; offering insight, knowledge, experience and opinion on a variety of enterprise tech topics. With new episodes out regularly, follow the podcast in your favourite app and you'll get notified with every new release. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Podcast series GET AMPLIFIED where we’re going to be talking about everything to do with working in the tech industry from staying ahead of the pace of change to fulfilment and well-being.Hosting the series will be Sam Routledge former CTO at Softcat who will be joined by Vicky Reddington from the Amplified Group. The team will be joined by leaders in the tech industry who will share their stories. We are going to share things we wish we knew 20 years ago. This is not rocket science but, we ...
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Are AI Powered Contact Centres the Future?
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Customer service is tough for everyone, but how do we make it better for the employee and for the customer? Business contact centres are starting to use AI at the very first step of their customer interactions. By automating elements of the customer service interaction and using AI insights, staff can resolve service incidents faster and keep custo…
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In the hybrid working world, everyone needs a fast and secure way to connect to their company's data. WAN or Wide Area Networks technologies have had an impressive impact; It's now easier than ever to do business. Using intelligence to optimize traffic across multiple links, we’ve gone from a trickle of information being sent between two direct poi…
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To the public, elections can look relatively simple. However for lots of public sector organisations, there are weeks of preparation fraught with risk, excitement and a huge sense of purpose. Despite using paper ballots and lots of people-based processes on the day, technology and digital is key to delivering a successful election. There are so man…
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In the year of AI, can we get even closer to having it right at our fingertips? Helen Gidney, Softcat’s head of Architecture, and a team of experts discuss this fascinating question. AI is developing quicker than we can think and we’re seeing it pop up in our everyday lives more and more and in this episode we'll answer the big AI questions of the …
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Do you know everything that’s going on in your organisation? Today we’re talking about Observability. It isn't just a buzzword; it is the evolution of application and network performance monitoring into a seamless way to measure your full systems health. As IT environments become more complicated, observability is crucial for pinpointing the root c…
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With the explosive growth of internet connected devices in our everyday world, from mobile phones to our cars and even our homes, we are generating massive amounts of data all the time. Traditional centralised infrastructures just can’t keep up with the pace of information. So how do we bring processing power closer to the source of this data to he…
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On this edition of Explain IT we're discussing how to power your SOC. No, we're not talking super powered footwear. SOC stands for Security Operations Centre, and it’s where cyber experts battle threats posed against your data day and night. We know security is a key part of any business, to protect your best kept secrets, and to keep third parties…
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AI has been making headlines for a while now, and this year we’ll see more and more businesses adopting it to improve their performance and efficiency. But how do we ensure that AI is used in a responsible and ethical way? How do we avoid the risks and pitfalls that come with such a powerful technology? And how do we stop AI from getting out of con…
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Don't Get Lost in the Noise with Jason Tooley, techUK Board Member
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Brace yourself for leadership lessons that are as impactful as they are practical. We're joined by Jason Tooley, EMEA Sales Leader and Board Member of techUK, who shares what he has learnt from his 35 years of experience in the tech industry. Strap in for a journey through the challenges and strategies of leading transformations, especially within …
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Decoding the True Value of Platforms and Winning Customers with Paul Wiefels, Chasm Group
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Discover the ripple effects of interest rates on the tech industry as we sit down with Paul Wiefels from the Chasm Group. Our enlightening conversation traverses the current challenges faced by tech firms, especially in the bustling hub of the San Francisco Bay Area. From the precarious dance of hiring to the tough decisions on layoffs, Paul unpack…
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Part two of our Tech Predictions for 2024! You can hear part one, here. In the past twelve months, Explain I.T has generated over 20,000 unique downloads and covered an array of topics. In the present, we have a collective group of Softcat technologists here to share their thoughts on tech. And in the future, Explain I.T will have a new presenter; …
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Building a Powerhouse Sales Team with Andy Wills, EMEA Sales Enablement Director, Dynatrace
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If steering a sales team to greatness has ever felt like herding cats, you're in for a treat. In this episode, we chat with Andy Wills, EMEA Sales Enablement Director at Dynatrace. Andy tells us when a business has all the ingredients to be successful it is the people that will make the difference, yet businesses very often neglect to invest in lea…
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In the past twelve months, Explain I.T has generated over 20,000 unique downloads and covered an array of topics. In the present, we have a collective group of softcat technologists here to share their thoughts on tech. And in the future, Explain I.T will have a new presenter; Helen Gidney, Softcat's very own Head of Architecture. So, along with De…
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Our team of experts are here to talk tech in simple, jargon free language, and today is no exception, although we do come with a twist. Today we are covering the automotive industry and how it continues to modernise by innovating, designing and building the now and future transportation that positively impacts all of us. What challenges and pressur…
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Dean Gardner, Softcat's Technology Director, hosts another episode of Explain I.T. Another team of experts are here to talk tech in simple, jargon free language. Are you open to AI? Yes, we are, but not in the sense of OpenAI who appear to have performed a fire rehire and resign strategy in less than a week. We are open to AI in the sense that it's…
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A New Perspective on Team Performance and Productivity
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Ever wondered what propels a high-performance team? Vic is on this special Amplified only podcast, with co-host Pippa Hutchinson to give you an insider's view. We dig deep into the dynamics of highly productive teams, who are not just aligned and collaborative, but also exhibit a strong sense of belonging. If you’re struggling with team productivit…
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Elevating Tech Skills with the Human Approach: A Masterclass from Ben Pearce founder of Elevated You
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What a thought provoking session Sam and I had with the highly engaging and incredibly energising Ben Pearce. Ben has two decades of tech go to market under his belt with Microsoft. The later 10 years, as a leader he realised he didn’t need to coach his team on the tech stuff, but the critical human skills needed to influence both internal stakehol…
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We are motoring towards the end of year like an AI powered electric scooter - and yes, they actually do exist thanks to UK tech startup Hilo One. In a world where AI is now taking charge in every aspect of our daily lives, Microsoft has recently released a Copilot. AI driven, all encompassing, innovation of the ages. What is it? Why do we need it? …
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Using Our Elbows ... The Art of Inclusive Leadership with Mark Murphy, Director Global Partner Marketing at Cisco
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How do we make space in our work life for everyone to have a voice? What better person to speak to than Mark Murphy, Director of Global Partner Marketing at Cisco. Mark shares his experience of fostering and supporting a culture of inclusivity at Cisco. One of Mark’s many great roles involved co-leading the Cisco Pride and LGBTQ+ global community. …
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Stress: One size does not fit all - Dr Hayley Lewis
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How do you cope with stress in the workplace? Do you ever feel like your stress is managing you rather than the other way around? We came across a wonderful sketchnote by Dr Hayley Lewis and knew we had to get her back for a chat on Get Amplified to delve into this some more. Stress can affect all of us at different times. Hayley is quick to poi…
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Hello and welcome back to Softcats Explain It Podcast series. This is episode seven of season six, and we are here after a small break in the schedule. And we are back with a corker. My name is Dean Gardner, softcats technology director, and I'm still the host after a busy few months of AI. Today, we are heading into the quantum realm. Is quantum a…
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Leadership is for Everybody - Chris Woodward, Workforce Transformation Consultant
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How strategic is HR within your organisation? In this episode, Chris Woodward, a workforce transformation consultant, joins the conversation with Sam and Vic around moving from a resource-based view of managers to a talent-based view where everybody has potential. We need to ensure the value of strategic HR is known. We need to think about how to m…
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What can we learn from a Pharmaceutical Leader? Ian Braithwaite Senior VP World Wide Clinical Trials
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After a Get Amplified break we're back with a flurry of exciting new guests. We kick off September by looking outside of the tech industry to see what we can learn from the Pharma industry. Not only are both industries affected by high attrition, particularly through Covid, but both share the same challenges of time to market – of people being pull…
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A customer for life, not just for Christmas!
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'Customer focus', 'customer obsession' and 'customer first' should surely be at the front of every organisation, but are they? Are we solely relying on technology to solve customer outcomes? Is it old fashioned to say that listening, understanding and being empathetic and solving challenges equally are more important than the tech we provide? This …
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Welcome to episode five of season six of Softcat’s ‘Explain IT’ podcast series. We are here to Explain IT. Our team of experts talk tech in simple, jargon free language. This time we’re discussing technology in the education sector. Think of this as the sequel to the first education episode we released in season five - you can listen again to that …
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We had such fun recording this podcast, it is relevant for everyone. Andy Hunt gives us a sneak peek into the conversations and insights he focuses on as a CEO coach. The lessons Andy shares are not just for CEOs, but for any leader or aspiring leader. We touch on a wealth of topics such as: 1) How the best leaders are coaches. 2) Why culture is a …
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We asked an AI to make us a podcast and this is the result. Just kidding, we don’t trust technology, so we are doing it the old-fashioned way and having a chat about this exciting new technology. To share some fabulous insights, podcast host Dean Gardner is joined by Softcat’s resident AI expert and Account Chief Technologist Andrew Hermsen and the…
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We are writing a book and we need your help! Join Amplifiers Vic & Linds on our TeamX journey
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We’re writing a book! We have the structure and contents – we just need some real-life stories to support each of the chapters to bring the book to life. And that’s where you come in . . . we’d love you to be part of what we’re doing. About the book Title: Finding your TeamX™ - Why leave teamwork to chance when there is a proven process? If only th…
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Why we should build a more diverse network - Lee Higgins Founder Diverse Talent Networks
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Diversity - hot topic or over used word? Whatever your view on this, so many of us are guilty of hiring who we know. It’s hard to disagree with Lee when he says we all need to build more diverse networks. Lee Higgins, Founder of Diverse Talent Networks, shares with us why we should think ‘culture add’ instead of ‘culture fit’ and why thinking value…
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Your organisation will be hit by a security breach. It's inevitable. But how can you survive Armageddon if Ben Affleck and Bruce Willis aren’t available? Our experts are on a mission to guide you through the murky black hole of being breached. To share insights Softcat’s CTO Dean Gardner is joined by colleague Kieron Newsham and Ian McShane from Ar…
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Why Team Bonds Matter And How to Build Them in a Hybrid World - Tony Roberts Regional Manager, Customer Success, Okta
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We are constantly being asked if it is possible to build trust in teams that are not in the office together. The short answer is YES! But don’t hear it from us, in this episode of Get Amplified, Sam and Vic are joined by Tony Roberts a Customer Success Leader at Okta who shares how investing in time to not only introduce his team to the Five Behavi…
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Why you need to make office time meaningful - Allison English Deputy CEO Leesman
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As many organisations try to figure out how and when to use their office space, we thought it would be great to hear from the experts! Sam and Vic are delighted to be joined by Allison English, Deputy CEO at Leesman, to talk about the Leesman Index and super relevant work Leesman are doing to measure and analyse employees workplace experience. This…
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