Year: 2023

Celebrating the Festive Season with Team Spirit and Gratitude

As the festive lights twinkle and the air fills with the joyous chorus of holiday classics, we are embracing the Christmas spirit, reflecting on the year’s achievements, and showing appreciation for our incredible team. The holiday season is a perfect time to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of our employees, and what better way to do so than with a token of our gratitude.

Spreading the Cheer with Love2Shop Gift Vouchers

This year, to celebrate the remarkable efforts and accomplishments of our team members throughout the year, we decided to present each of our employees with Love2Shop gift vouchers. These vouchers are not just gifts; they symbolise our heartfelt thanks and recognition of the individual and collective contributions that make Intelligent Decisioning thrive.

Love2Shop vouchers offer our employees the freedom to choose their own gifts, ensuring that everyone can indulge in what truly brings them joy and festivity. Whether it’s pampering themselves with a spa day, buying gadgets they’ve eyed all year, or even ticking off some holiday shopping list items, the choice is theirs!

Reflecting on the Year’s Success

As we distribute these tokens of appreciation, it’s also a time for reflection. The past year has been filled with both challenges and triumphs. Through it all, our team’s resilience, creativity, and unwavering commitment have been the driving forces behind our success. From innovative project completions to seamless collaboration despite the odds, every team member has played a pivotal role.

The Importance of Giving Back

At Intelligent Decisioning, we believe that the spirit of Christmas is not just about receiving but also about giving back. The gift vouchers are just one of the many ways we strive to create a nurturing and rewarding work environment. We are committed to ensuring that our team feels valued, not just during the festive season but all year round.

Looking Forward to a Bright New Year

As we all enjoy the festive cheer and unwrap our gifts, our sights are set on the upcoming year. With renewed energy and continued dedication, we look forward to achieving new goals, overcoming fresh challenges, and creating more innovative solutions for our clients.

So, here’s to a wonderful holiday season filled with laughter, joy, and warmth. May your holidays be merry and bright, and may the New Year bring you peace, prosperity, and continued success.

From all of us at Intelligent Decisioning, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 🎄🎁

Microsoft Clarity: Transforming Website Analytics

In the digital age, understanding user behaviour is key to optimising website performance and enhancing user experience. Microsoft Clarity, a powerful analytics tool, emerges as a game-changer in this realm. Offering a suite of features like session recordings and heatmaps, Clarity provides in-depth insights into how users interact with your website. This blog explores the capabilities of Microsoft Clarity and how it can revolutionise your website analytics.

What is Microsoft Clarity?

Microsoft Clarity is a free analytics tool designed to help website owners understand user behaviour. Unlike traditional analytics platforms, Clarity focuses on visual and interactive insights. It allows you to see through your visitors’ eyes, providing a clearer picture of their online interactions, preferences, and obstacles they might encounter on your site.

Key Features of Microsoft Clarity:

Session Recordings: Clarity records and replays individual user sessions, showing exactly what users see and do on your website. This feature is invaluable for identifying usability issues and enhancing the user experience.

Heatmaps: Clarity’s heatmaps offer visual representations of where users click, move, and scroll on your site, helping you understand what captures their attention.

Insightful Dashboards: Get comprehensive analytics on user engagement, including metrics like click-through rates, scroll depth, and more. These dashboards help in making data-driven decisions to improve website design and content strategy.

Benefits of Using Microsoft Clarity:

Enhanced User Experience: By understanding user behaviour, you can optimise your website’s design and content to better meet your audience’s needs.

Improved Conversion Rates: Insights from Clarity can help you refine your website to improve conversion rates, whether it’s signing up for newsletters, making purchases, or engaging with content.

Seamless Integration: Microsoft Clarity can be easily integrated with other analytics tools like Google Analytics, providing a more comprehensive view of your website’s performance.

How to Get Started with Microsoft Clarity:

Setting up Clarity is straightforward. Simply sign up for a free account, add the Clarity tracking code to your website, and start collecting data. The user-friendly interface makes it easy to navigate and interpret the data collected.

Microsoft Clarity is more than just an analytics tool; it’s a window into your users’ online journey. With its advanced features and user-centric approach, Clarity enables website owners to make informed decisions to enhance their site’s usability and effectiveness. Whether you’re a small business owner, a digital marketer, or a web developer, Microsoft Clarity is an essential tool in your digital toolkit.

Celebrating our Marketing Executive’s Graduation!

It’s not every day that we get to celebrate the academic achievements of our team members. On the 14th of December, we all cheered for Syed Muhammad Salman Haider, our Marketing Executive, as he donned his cap and gown for the University of Nottingham‘s graduation ceremony. Our marketing consultant, Victoria Branch attended his graduation as it marks not only a personal milestone but also a professional one for Intelligent Decisioning.

We had a little chat with the new graduate:

Q: Tell us about the most intriguing project you tackled during your MSc.

Salman: Thanks! The most exciting project was a business simulation. It was like playing a strategy game but with real business skills—starting from scratch, balancing a tight budget across marketing, production, and operations, all while turning a profit. It was intense and incredibly educational.

Q: As a fresh graduate, what marketing trend do you think businesses should jump on next year?

Salman: It’s all about reels these days. Short, informative, benefit-oriented reels are the ticket to creating brand awareness and keeping your audience engaged and informed.

Q: Who keeps you company, musically, during work?

Salman: It’s Taylor Swift for me—always! Her music has the right mix of energy and storytelling that keeps me in the zone.

Q: Give us a fun fact or a hidden talent that no one at Intelligent Decisioning knows about you.

Salman: Well, aside from my marketing chops, I’m also a fashion stylist. So if anyone needs a style revamp, I’m your guy!

Q: Imagine you’re DJing for Intelligent Decisioning. What top 3 Taylor Swift tracks are we likely to hear on repeat?

Salman: I’d go with ‘Is it over now?’, ‘You’re losing me’, and ‘August’. Sorry in advance!

Q: Finally, how do you kick start your day, coffee or tea?

Salman: It’s tea for me. There’s nothing like starting the day with a soothing cup to get the gears turning.

Salman’s recent graduation is not just a testament to his dedication but also to the continuous learning culture we champion at Intelligent Decisioning. His journey from student to strategic marketer reflects our commitment to nurturing talent that pushes our collective thinking forward. Here’s to Salman, to many more achievements, and to the power of education in enriching our professional community.

The Integral Role of Intranet in Employee Onboarding

The onboarding process is a critical phase in an employee’s journey, setting the tone for their future in the company. It’s where first impressions are made, and foundations are built. With the digital transformation of workplaces, intranet solutions, particularly SharePoint Intranet, have become indispensable tools in making this experience as smooth and engaging as possible.

The Shift to Digital Onboarding

Gone are the days of paperwork-filled orientations. Today, businesses seek efficiency and engagement from the moment a new hire walks through the door. SharePoint Intranet serves as a centralised platform where all onboarding materials can be accessed, understood, and interacted with, fostering a sense of belonging from day one.

Centralised Information Access

A SharePoint Intranet portal can house all necessary onboarding documents, from HR policies to training modules. It allows new hires to easily navigate through the crucial first steps of their employment without feeling overwhelmed by the volume of new information.

Encouraging Engagement and Connection

Beyond document management, SharePoint Intranet encourages new employees to connect with their peers through social tools integrated into the platform. This social aspect of onboarding is vital, as it builds community ties and assimilates new hires into the company culture swiftly and organically.

Tailored Onboarding Experiences

Every role is unique, and so should be the onboarding process. SharePoint Intranet can be customised to deliver role-specific content, ensuring that from the get-go, employees receive relevant information that’s tailored to their specific job functions.

Tracking Progress and Providing Feedback

Feedback is a two-way street, especially in onboarding. SharePoint Intranet’s tracking capabilities allow HR managers to monitor the progress of new hires, while also providing a channel for these employees to voice their questions or concerns. This feedback loop is essential in creating a dynamic and responsive onboarding experience.

As the corporate world continues to embrace digital solutions, the role of intranet solutions like SharePoint Intranet in employee onboarding has become more pronounced. These platforms not only simplify the onboarding process but also enhance the overall experience for both the employee and the employer.

Intelligent Decisioning understands this nexus and offers expertise in tailoring SharePoint Intranet solutions to meet the nuanced needs of modern businesses, ensuring that the onboarding process is a launchpad for long-term engagement and success.

For companies looking to elevate their onboarding process and employee engagement, click here to book a free demo.

Tags Collaboration, Employee Communication, Employee Engagement, Intelligent Decisioning, Intranet, onboarding, SharePoint, Team Empowerment

How Microsoft’s Copilot is a game-changer!

As we step into the future of artificial intelligence (AI) integration in business, Microsoft’s Copilot has emerged as a game-changing tool. Copilot has introduced a slew of new features and enhancements that promise to transform daily operations for businesses and individuals alike.

GPT-4 Turbo: The New Frontier in AI

A pivotal update in Copilot is the integration of OpenAI’s GPT-4 Turbo. This advanced AI model enhances user productivity by tackling more complex and extended tasks, particularly in areas like searching and writing.

The Creative Edge: DALL-E 3 and Image Generation

Copilot now incorporates the DALL-E 3 model, elevating the quality and accuracy of image creation. This integration broadens the scope of Copilot’s applications, extending its utility to creative and design-oriented tasks.

Microsoft Edge Integration: Streamlining Content Creation

In a significant move, Microsoft has enabled Copilot users to rewrite text directly from websites via Microsoft Edge. This feature simplifies the content creation and editing process, saving valuable time and effort.

Code Interpreter: Elevating Technical Capabilities

The forthcoming Code Interpreter feature in Copilot is set to assist in performing complex technical tasks such as accurate calculations, coding, and data analysis, marking a significant leap in AI-assisted development and problem-solving.

Deep Search: Optimising Information Retrieval

The Deep Search feature, powered by GPT-4, is slated to enhance Bing’s search capabilities. By expanding queries into more comprehensive descriptions, it aims to deliver more relevant and optimised search results for complex topics.

Microsoft 365 Copilot: Unleashing Workplace Efficiency

The general availability of Microsoft 365 Copilot is a major milestone, offering enhanced productivity and creativity tools across widely-used apps. This development is particularly crucial for enterprise customers, as it promises to augment work processes and efficiency.

Copilot Studio: Custom AI Solutions for Businesses

With the introduction of Copilot Studio, businesses can now customize Copilot for Microsoft 365 and build standalone copilots. This low-code tool allows for the creation of custom GPTs and plugins, tailored to specific business needs and scenarios.

The advancements in Microsoft’s Copilot underscore the growing role of AI in enhancing business operations. By harnessing these technologies, businesses can achieve greater efficiency, improved decision-making, and foster innovation. Copilot’s new features represent a significant step toward a more AI-integrated future, offering vast potential benefits for diverse industries and sectors.

Click to book a free demo today!

Tags AI, Artificial intelligence, copilot, Intelligent Decisioning, Intranet, SharePoint

How Power Platform Can Streamline Business Operations

Embracing Efficiency with Intelligent Automation

In today’s fast-paced business environment, staying ahead of the curve requires not just hard work, but smart work. This is where Intelligent Decisioning steps in, offering a solution that revolutionises the way businesses operate: Microsoft Power Platform. This innovative suite of tools is not just about automation; it’s about transforming your business processes for heightened efficiency and effectiveness.

Why Power Platform?

Microsoft Power Platform is a dynamic, integrated application platform that allows businesses to create and deploy custom solutions tailored to their unique needs. At Intelligent Decisioning, we understand that each business is different, and generic solutions often fall short of addressing specific challenges. With Power Platform, the possibilities are limitless, from automating routine tasks to developing complex business applications.

Streamline and Simplify

One of the core components of Power Platform is Power Automate, a tool designed to streamline business processes through intelligent automation. Whether it’s managing approvals, routing documents, or syncing data across various systems, Power Automate reduces the manual effort required, freeing up your team to focus on more strategic tasks.

Data at Your Fingertips

Power BI, another key element of Power Platform, turns data into insights. In a world where data is king, understanding and leveraging this data is crucial. Power BI provides powerful analytics and visualisation capabilities, making it easier for decision-makers to grasp complex information at a glance and make informed decisions.

Custom Apps, No Code

For businesses needing bespoke solutions, Power Apps offers a no-code approach to app development. This means you can quickly build custom apps that meet your specific requirements, without the need for extensive programming knowledge. It’s about putting the power of innovation in the hands of those who know your business best – you.

Empowering Collaboration

Power Platform isn’t just about individual tools; it’s about how these tools work together and with other Microsoft 365 applications. This integration fosters a more collaborative and interconnected workspace, ensuring that your teams can work together seamlessly, no matter where they are.

Intelligent Decisioning: Your Power Platform Partner

As a Microsoft Gold Partner, Intelligent Decisioning brings a wealth of expertise in deploying and managing Power Platform solutions. Our approach is not just about technology; it’s about understanding your business and tailoring solutions that not only address your current needs but also scale for future growth.

Getting Started

Embarking on the journey of digital transformation with Power Platform is a step towards a more efficient, responsive, and innovative business. With Intelligent Decisioning, this journey is made simpler and more effective. We invite you to discover how our expertise in Power Platform can unlock new potentials for your business. Visit us at www.id-live.com to learn more and take the first step towards automating your path to success.

At Intelligent Decisioning, we believe in harnessing technology to create smarter business solutions. Power Platform is more than just a tool; it’s a pathway to transforming your business processes for a more efficient, empowered future. Let us guide you in unlocking its full potential.

Book a free demo!

A Day in the Life of Ross, our Agile Technical Team Lead

We pride ourselves on having a dynamic and diverse team, each bringing their unique skills and passions to the table. Today, we’re shining the spotlight on Ross Smith, our Agile Technical Team Lead, who shares insights into his daily routine, interests, and the music that keeps him going.

Q&A with Ross Smith

Q: What is your go-to productivity hack?

Ross: “Avoid context switching! Context switching is when you’re jumping between various task and tooling, and since each day at ID can be different it’s important to recognise when you might be attempting to do too much at once. To avoid this every morning, I review my emails and digest what I need to get done each day. I then section out my day to provide enough time for each individual task then tick them off one by one.”

Q: If you could switch roles with anyone in the company, who would it be and why?

Ross: “I’d have to say Nathan Slater. Nathan is one of our developers and if anything, it’d be a chance to go back to my roots at ID. It’d give me an opportunity get my hands dirty working with code and refresh myself on the inner workings of our products once again. Though I’m not sure if Nathan would like to swap with me though!”

Q: Who’s your go-to background music singer while you are working?

Ross: “Knowing my colleagues, some of us are very into our music, this is the question I’m also the most curious to see others answer! Though I have multiple playlists with a lot of hours of music in, if I had to pick someone to listen to in the background I’d say Porcupine Tree. They are a British Experimental/Prog Rock band, so you hit shuffle then enjoy the journey while you work.”

Q: Share a fun fact or a hidden talent about you that no one at the company knows.

Ross: “I really enjoy bouldering. Whereas most my day is spent solving problems at a computer, bouldering lets me do the same thing, but using my body and moving around. The physicality of it helps keep me active, and a little bit appreciative that I get to sit in an office chair every day. Especially after a hard session the night before working on sending something new.”

Q: Do you start your day with coffee or tea?

“Tea! I have a morning routine that’s essentially set in stone that means I’m at my desk with a cup of tea ready to host the daily stand-up call every morning by 9:15am. Though it doesn’t end there. Anytime I feel like I’ve come to a good point in my working day, be it after a long task or series of short ones, I find my self popping the kettle on. Old habits die hard.”

We’re incredibly fortunate to have Ross as part of our team, bringing his unique blend of skills, enthusiasm, and experience to the table. It’s team members like him that make Intelligent Decisioning not just a workplace, but a vibrant community of diverse talents and personalities.

Your SharePoint Intranet Questions, Answered by our Experts

SharePoint intranets can be complex, and we have had a lot of FAQs about it. That’s why we’ve compiled a curated guide addressing the most frequent inquiries to help you know where to start if you are looking for an intranet solution.

1. How to enhance internal communication in a hybrid work environment?

In the evolving landscape of hybrid and remote work, your intranet should mirror the collaborative atmosphere of a traditional office. It’s a digital hub for productivity, collaboration, and access to vital resources. Integrating various communication channels like Outlook, Microsoft Teams, Yammer, or even QR codes can direct users to a central content repository.

2. How to know if our SharePoint Intranet is successful?

A successful intranet enables employees to excel, regardless of their location. It should facilitate seamless collaboration, provide personalised communication, and foster an environment of innovation and internal feedback. All employees should be able to communicate seamlessly and work on projects together, without being physically in the same room. Find out more by booking a demo with us!

3. How to plan and launch an intranet?

Launching an intranet should be a positive experience for everyone involved. We advocate for a multi-faceted approach, focusing on intranet objectives, change management, and content strategy. Our approach to implementing an intranet for you is very customer focused and we make sure that the needs of your organisation are met.

4. How to create a SharePoint intranet portal?

You can opt for an out-of-the-box solution or a custom-built SharePoint intranet. Each has its benefits and considerations, which we explore thoroughly with our clients to help them make the best choice for their organisation. From custom branding to features, everything is possible. The end goal is to facilitate collaboration and communication, easing the sharing of documents and improving employee engagement.

5. How to boost employee engagement on the intranet?

Driving traffic to your intranet involves engaging content, accessibility, and relevance. Ensure your intranet is user-friendly across devices, consistently updated, and aligned with your organisation’s needs.

We are here to simplify your SharePoint intranet journey. We’re committed to providing clear answers that help you enhance communication, create engaging content, and analyse performance to make your intranet a lively and productive space.

Book a free demo today!

Tags Employee Engagement, Hybrid Work Communication, Internal Collaboration Tools, Intranet Content Strategy, Intranet Planning, Intranet Success Metrics, SharePoint Implementation, SharePoint Intranet, SharePoint Portal Development

Beyond Housing’s Marcom Gold-Winning Intranet Transformation

We take immense pride in our commitment to empowering organisations with cutting-edge intranet solutions. Recently, we had the privilege of collaborating with Beyond Housing, a dynamic and forward-thinking organisation, to revamp their outdated intranet and document management system. Today, we’re thrilled to share the incredible success story of how this transformation not only modernised Beyond Housing’s intranet but also earned them the prestigious Marcom Gold award for their newly delivered modern Mercury intranet.

Collaborating closely with Beyond Housing to bring this vision to life was an absolute honour for us. The objective was clear – to modernise their intranet and address their document management needs comprehensively. We recognised the significance of this project and worked hand in hand with Beyond Housing to make their dream of a modern intranet a reality.

“Working with Intelligent Decisioning on the launch of our new intranet has been seamless. Using Mercury Intranet, they transformed the way we collaborate as an organisation and how we share information with colleagues, while providing a much-needed improvement to our digital user experience. With the use of docCentrum, this has transformed the way we store and organise our documents, offering a single source of truth for company-wide documents. Working on this project with Nik and Andy has been a great experience and I would highly recommend Intelligent Decisioning to any potential customers.”
Donna Bill, Digital Marketing Lead at Beyond Housing

The Components of Success

The new solution brought together a powerful combination of elements to fulfil Beyond Housing’s objectives:

Mercury Intranet: This state-of-the-art intranet platform, built on SharePoint, not only provided a modern and visually appealing interface but also perfectly aligned with their branding. It gave colleagues easy access to news, information, integrated business systems, and collaboration tools.

docCentrum Document Management: In their pursuit of more efficient and secure document management, Beyond Housing upgraded their back-end document storage system to docCentrum. This transformation ensured that colleagues could access the correct and up-to-date versions of documents swiftly and securely.

Power Platform: To further streamline operations and foster productivity, web-based forms were replaced with PowerApps, introducing automation and approval processes across various core business functions. Power Automate was also utilised to streamline workflows efficiently.

The Impact Unveiled

The implementation of this new solution unveiled a host of significant benefits for Beyond Housing. Their employees now have access to a stylishly branded intranet that provides easy access to news, information, integrated business systems, and collaboration tools. The modern interface makes navigation a breeze, enhancing the overall user experience.

Additionally, with docCentrum in place, employees can access the correct and up-to-date versions of documents quickly and easily. This not only ensures efficiency but also guarantees security and compliance, a critical aspect in today’s data-driven world.

Lastly, the introduction of PowerApps Forms and Power Automate Workflow was a game-changer. These tools not only streamlined workflows but also introduced automation and approval processes across core business functions, thereby enhancing efficiency and productivity.

A Commitment to Excellence

We are honoured to have Beyond Housing as one of our Mercury Intranet customers. We are proud of their success, and we remain dedicated to providing the best intranet experience possible. Our commitment includes ongoing efforts to enhance Mercury Intranet with new features and improvements to meet the evolving needs.

This triumph is a testament to the power of innovation, collaboration, and dedication. It is a celebration of Beyond Housing’s vision and their commitment to creating a modern and efficient intranet that reflects their mission and vision.

Book a free demo today!

To experience the transformative power of Mercury Intranet, we invite you to book a free demo and embark on your own journey toward a modern and efficient intranet.