The ColumbusCast Podcast

Columbus Global UK

The ColumbusCast podcast is all about how companies use digital solutions to transform, maximise and futureproof their businesses. Digital transformation can be seen as a bit of a buzzword nowadays and is often mistaken for pure change. However, at Columbus, we believe transformation is about delivering new value, most often through a new or changed business model, and positively disrupting your industry. Join us each week as our specialist teams across manufacturing, food, retail and rental sectors discuss the latest trends in their industry. Learn how businesses can reach their goals for growth by finding and implementing the right digital business solutions. Discover more at https://www.columbusglobal.com/en-gb/ read less
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Introducing the ColumbusCast podcast
May 6 2021
Introducing the ColumbusCast podcast
This is ColumbusCast, a podcast series brought to you by digital transformation consultancy Columbus Global. We'll be sitting down with various industry experts to talk all things customer experience and business transformation in the food, manufacturing, rental & leasing, retail & distribution and professional services sectors.  If you're looking to understand how to overcome sector challenges and embrace transformation, you won't want to miss out. Stay tuned!

Episodes

The importance of an executive sponsor in change management with Microsoft
Oct 17 2022
The importance of an executive sponsor in change management with Microsoft
In season two, episode 18 of ColumbusCast, Toby Mankertz, Principal Advisor in Digital Transformation at Columbus, joins Mark Woodbridge, Customer Success Manager at Microsoft, to discuss the impact of an executive sponsor in change management.
How focusing on value enables successful transformation
Sep 23 2022
How focusing on value enables successful transformation
In season 2, episode 16 of ColumbusCast, Ian Kingstone, UK Director of Strategy and Change and Toby Mankertz, Principal Advisor for Business Transformation, discuss the importance of having a value first mindset when it comes to enabling successful transformation.
What is successful envisioning?
Jul 20 2022
What is successful envisioning?
In season 2, episode 15 of ColumbusCast, Ian Kingstone, our UK Director of Strategy & Change, and Toby Mankertz, our Principal Business Transformation Advisor, highlight the importance of envisioning workshops, and how they help leadership teams align behind business strategy and uncover new value from their digital transformation programmes.
How to push the boundaries of customer service
Jul 12 2022
How to push the boundaries of customer service
In season 2, episode 14 of ColumbusCast, our CE Specialist Steve Lyon is joined by Toby Harris, Business Applications Sales Executive at Microsoft and Mat Arnold, Technical Specialist at Microsoft, to discuss how businesses can improve their customer service strategies despite times of change.
Improving customer engagement in the commerce space
Jun 10 2022
Improving customer engagement in the commerce space
Did you know that repeat customers are nine times more likely to convert towards additional offers than the first-time shopper?   In this episode of ColumbusCast, Customer Experience Specialist Steve Lyon joins Anders Östlund, our Growth Lead in the Digital Commerce team, and Fredrik Andersson, our Head of User Experience. Here, we discuss how businesses interact with customers through digital channels, and how you can improve your customer engagement strategies within the commerce environment.
The top food trends shaping the future of the industry
May 20 2022
The top food trends shaping the future of the industry
In season 2, episode 12 of ColumbusCast, we are joined by Rod Addy from the Food Manufacture to shed insight on the latest food trends from consumers and businesses alike.
What strides is the food sector taking to reduce waste?
Apr 21 2022
What strides is the food sector taking to reduce waste?
It’s found that an astonishing one third of food produced globally goes to waste, as well as 1.6 million tonnes of waste coming from food manufacturers in 2021 from the UK alone. In this episode of ColumbusCast, Laura Gilbank joins our Food Consultants Andrew Newton and Chris Nichols, to explore how the food sector is tackling the ongoing concerns surrounding food waste. Additionally, we share insights on how food businesses can overcome this challenge, outlining key steps to reduce their own waste and fight climate change.
What’s the impact of downtime?
Apr 1 2022
What’s the impact of downtime?
It's said that one hour of downtime can cost businesses up to $100,000. For 86% of businesses, it can be more than $300,000 and that's excluding fines, litigations and other penalties. And then there are the consequences that aren't directly linked to cost, such as its impact on productivity, efficiency and customer experience. Join us as we discuss the impact of downtime and the steps businesses can take to minimise it - or prevent it from happening in the first place.
A change management mindset should be central to your cloud strategy
Mar 11 2022
A change management mindset should be central to your cloud strategy
With 20 years in the Microsoft Dynamics space, Steve Weaver has seen his share of implementations. Currently an Enterprise Architect for Columbus, Steve understands that proactive business strategies can make all the difference both on-premises and in the cloud. In this special episode, he sits down with the D365 Migration Community to discuss how change management practices enable an organisation to address current challenges and deliver on future needs. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/3LO3FgF
The rise of veganism and its impact on food supply chains
Feb 25 2022
The rise of veganism and its impact on food supply chains
Vegans and vegetarians are set to make up a quarter of the British population by 2025. Combine this with the rise of vegan restaurants and special options on menus, and it's clear plant-based eating is more than just a trend. But what impact does that have on supply chains? And what should food businesses be doing to adapt and ensure the customer experience remains as outstanding as ever?
What is evergreen?
Feb 4 2022
What is evergreen?
Evergreen is Microsoft's vision of getting everyone using Dynamics 365 on the same version of the software. It's about adopting the continual update approach, as opposed to big-bang upgrades. Tune in to hear our Managed Services Specialist Glen Bignall explain why this approach can help businesses stay competitive and compliant, how to achieve the evergreen vision, the role an MSP can play and more. Learn more about Columbus's evergreen approach here: https://bit.ly/3HmlArR
The future of manufacturing with The Manufacturer
Dec 23 2021
The future of manufacturing with The Manufacturer
As we wind down for the year, we examine one of Columbus's biggest verticals - manufacturing. What were the biggest challenges faced by manufacturers in 2021? And their biggest successes? And what do manufacturers have yet to look forward to in 2022? Tune in to hear Mayzin Han's conversation with Simon Noakes, who has worked in manufacturing for over 20 years, and Henry Anson and Stuart Biddle from premier industry publication The Manufacturer.
ERP implementations: Lessons learnt with Natures Way
Dec 20 2021
ERP implementations: Lessons learnt with Natures Way
How does the thought of ERP implementations make you feel? If you're filled with dread, you're not alone because it's said 75% of ERP projects fail. In today's episode, Stewart Wilmot, Head of IT at Natures Way Foods joins Laura Gilbank to share his tips and lessons learnt from past ERP projects. From prioritising change management to viewing ERP implementations as a business project rather than an IT one, discover how you can make your next implementation a success by tuning in.
Transforming project management with Microsoft
Dec 3 2021
Transforming project management with Microsoft
Welcome to the Dynamics family, Project Operations! Well, this project management solution has actually been around since 2020 but today, we're giving it the limelight it deserves. Joined by special guests from Microsoft, Toby Harris and Rory Smith, we sit down to discuss D365 Project Ops, from what it is and the value it can offer businesses of a variety of industries to what the future holds for the solution. Learn more about D365 Project Operations and the value it can offer you here: https://bit.ly/3l7yuku
What is disruption?
Nov 26 2021
What is disruption?
Business disruption is one of the latest buzzwords on the scene. What exactly does it mean? Which businesses are doing it 'right' - if there even is such a way? Is the disruptive market dominated by smaller, start-ups or can larger, established organisations do it too? Join Columbus's Business Transformation team, Ian Kingstone and Toby Mankertz, as they break down the buzzword, discuss real-life examples of disruption and what businesses can do to be disruptive.
What does a sustainable future look like for the food industry?
Oct 15 2021
What does a sustainable future look like for the food industry?
Sustainability is the word on everyone's lips. In addition to plant-based products, what else can the food industry do to become more sustainable?  This is what Mayzin Han explores with Andrew Newton and Chris Nichols. Tune in to hear their tips.
How is technology changing the CFO?
Oct 1 2021
How is technology changing the CFO?
As a whole, technology is simplifying tasks and making it easier for us to gain answers to our questions and problems. For the CFO, this means access to real-time data, complete visibility, more autonomy, the ability to draw up custom reports that don't rely on the IT team's expertise, faster decision making and more. Join Mayzin Han as she sits down with Sam Sheridan and Christine Bloy to explore exactly what digital transformation means for the CFO role and how finance teams can navigate this new world filled with technological advancements.
Looking beyond ERP in the food sector
Sep 24 2021
Looking beyond ERP in the food sector
When it comes to system implementations and innovation projects, food businesses tend to focus only on the technology side of things. But in reality, if you truly want that change/transformation to deliver long-lasting, business-wide benefits, you must also focus on value. In this bonus episode of ColumbusCast, Business Development Manager Laura Gilbank is joined by our Dynamics 365 Business Central Food Consultant Drew Newton and Business Transformation Specialist Ian Kingstone. Laura chats to Drew and Ian to discover why it shouldn’t always be about ERP. We've also released this in video format. Watch it here: https://bit.ly/38Nhvh2
Demystifying the cloud
Aug 9 2021
Demystifying the cloud
Many believe the term cloud computing, as we know it today, was officially introduced in 2006 when then Google CEO Eric Schmidt used it in an industry conference. But despite the term having being around for over a decade, there's still a lot of mystery surrounding it.  That's what Business Development Manager Laura Gilbank aims to uncover with Aptean's Channel Development Manager Rik Harmsen van der Vliet. In this bonus episode of ColumbusCast, get ready to demystify the cloud...
What skills and capabilities are required to run a transformation project?
Jul 30 2021
What skills and capabilities are required to run a transformation project?
70% of transformations fail to deliver on expectations because they’re not that transformative. To achieve this, your change must be linked to an outcome and align with what you’re changing to. Not only is a different set of skills required to change an organisation than to run it, but the majority of businesses don't actually have the capabilities in-house. Here enters the role of a partner. In today's episode, Principal Consultant Toby Mankertz and Business Transformation Specialist Ian Kingstone cover the skills required to run a transformation project.  More details here: https://bit.ly/3xasY3N