CASE STUDYSHORT & SWEETSTAYING FIT FOR BUSINESS WITH ISOEXPOSÉADAPT AND LEAD IF YOU WANT TO SUCCEEDCOMPETITION

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4 EDITOR’S NOTE Elisabeth Glasper introduces

this issue of Memo.

6 CASE STUDY This issue we talk to merger

and acquisition specialist Avondale.

10 SHORT & SWEET More tasty morsels of news

from Rob Glasper.

12 STAYING FIT FOR BUSINESS WITH ISO

More ISO excellence for Ciconi.

14 COMPETITION A chance to win a Fortnum

and Mason champagne and chocolates box in this issue’s competition.

15 COFFEE BREAk Some new brain teasers to get

that grey matter working.

16 EXPOSÉ Our Production Manager Karen

is the subject this issue.

18 ADAPT AND LEAD IF YOU WANT TO SUCCEED

The difference flexible management can make in today’s volatile climate.

MEMO20 | 3

Ciconi LtdAirfield Industrial EstateWarboysHuntingdonPE28 2SH

T: 01487 823546 E: memo@ciconi.co.ukW: www.ciconi.co.uk

The harvest is past, summer has ended, autumn is here and winter is just around the corner. And yes, as ever, the summer was all too brief! A few precious sunny days and many dull, grey ones. Even so, I found this summer was joyful and despite a distinct lack of proper summer weather, each day was filled with many activities and new experiences.

In previous issues of Memo I have been following the life cycle of the grape: I firmly believe that the vine shall bear fruit! Of course, these articles won’t exactly rock the wine world, but I hope they have highlighted the similarities between the way we nurture grapes, people and businesses. In all of these areas there are common factors, such as the needs to provide optimum growing conditions — and deter pests!

For our grapes, the final stage before harvest is called veraison. This is the time when the grapes begin to change colour and sugar levels increase. In the communes, the anticipation of harvest grows and so does the tension,

because the weather can dramatically affect the entire harvest, on which livelihoods can depend. Late rains can dilute the sugar levels; high temperatures can lower acidity. Problems like these can make a wine either too flat or too alcoholic, and the vine grower then has to make critical decisions on timing the harvest.

It’s the same in any business. The current economic climate poses similar challenges to managers as they confront financial unrest and volatile markets — let alone the social problems that saw young people rising up in their communities. If we were all growers, we would be wondering whether the harvest would ever come.

In these circumstances, management takes courage and belief. As we work steadily through these uncertain times, let’s always try to remember that the vine shall, indeed, bear fruit. The harvest will come.

Elisabeth Glasper introduces this issue of Memo.

AND THE vINE SHALL BEAR FRUIT!

The small but perfectly formed print:

Memo is researched, written, produced and printed by Ciconi ©2011 Ciconi Ltd. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without prior permission of the editor. Ciconi Ltd accept no responsibility for the views expressed by contributors to the magazine. Readers should consult their advisors before acting on any issue raised. Ciconi Ltd cannot take responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations, or for errors in articles or advertisements in the magazine.

Image credits for Memo Issue 20

p1, p3, p5, p24 © Kasia Bielp2 © goodluzp4 © Mistp6 © Les Cunliffep10 © anutkap11 © eccop12 © ollyp14 © Marc Dietrichp15 © pixaginep16 © Malbertp18, p19, p20 © Eric Isseléep23 © Barbara Delgado

All from Fotolia.com

4 | MEMO20

Without a doubt, Ciconi excels itself in every department, from initial contact to completion. The service is personal, prompt and a pleasure to do business with. My dealings with Ciconi, whether in writing, on the phone or in their reports, have been very professional at all times, and the results have been outstanding.

Pastor Ron Swales, Central Hall Mission, Newcastle upon Tyne

Ciconi LtdAirfield Industrial EstateWarboysHuntingdonPE28 2SH

6 | MEMO20

Our Case Study subject this issue is Avondale, experts in the sale, merger and acquisition of commercial businesses.

Avondale, the leading mergers and acquisitions practice, works with company owners to deliver successful business sales and acquisitions and enhance shareholder value. Avondale combines a global perspective in driving optimum transactions and strategies with expertise, precision and professionalism. Their work is predominately obtained via

recommendation, a reflection of the company’s commitment to advanced technical abilities and their equally strong commitment to service.

Established in 1991, Avondale is a genuine master and pioneer in the mergers and acquisitions market. They were the first to create an online market which is now tracked by

thousands of active purchasers as well as the corporate finance and private equity communities. Avondale was also the first to create a strategic value enhancing coaching programme, Value Builder, which is now a successful, fast-tracking practice in its own right.

MERGER AND ACqUISITION SPECIALIST AvONDALE DELIvERS RESULTS TO ITS CLIENTS, WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM CICONI

MEMO20 | 7

Avondale’s latest innovation, the Virtual Data Room, provides them with an in-depth understanding of clients’ businesses, enabling them to position synergies, drive deal value, and avoid potential deal pitfalls. Avondale’s carefully crafted approach, business intelligence resources, master deal team and decades of experience deliver the perfect balance of selling and technical skills. This is why Avondale remains at the forefront when it comes to identifying and leading aspirational business transactions.

Ciconi has recently worked with Avondale and we wanted to share a little bit about the relationship with our readers. We spoke to Marketing Manager Holly Short about her role and how she sees the future in marketing methods.

Holly, can you tell us what you enjoy most about your role at Avondale?I find the strategic aspect most enjoyable. Every campaign is critical to our success and I measure return on investment closely. This way we can accurately forecast projected income as a result of, for example, a mail shot. Another part of my role which is hugely interesting is managing the team that markets the businesses that we are selling. This entails in-depth research and the production of literature that carefully positions each business. This is how we create a competitive market and highlight the unique benefits of each transaction to drive sale price.

Which of your recent marketing campaigns have stood out as being particularly successful?This has been a difficult year for many companies and we have watched our budget carefully. Using a targeted approach we have made every penny work harder. Our seminars are a key driver, and we promote these with a

multi-pronged approach including mail shots, email shots, telesales and pay-per-click campaigns. We find this combined approach works extremely well to reinforce the message and increase attendance at our seminars.

Whilst a printed campaign is more expensive than

e-shot, the relative return on investment is similar

Do you find that combining e-shots with printed campaigns works efficiently?As I said, a multi dimensional approach is essential. I think CIMA suggests that, on average, customers require a minimum of seven ‘touches’ in order to build a relationship and make a buying decision. Whilst a printed campaign is more expensive than e-shot, the relative return on investment is similar.

Holly Short, Marketing ManagerAvondale

Avondale’s head office in Reigate, Surrey

8 | MEMO20

Looking ahead to 2012, what are the main focus areas for Avondale’s marketing strategies?We will be adding search engine optimisation to our marketing portfolio. We will also continue to monitor return on investment carefully and maintain our multimedia approach.

Ciconi worked with Avondale recently on a mailing campaign. Was our service delivery in line with our Mission Statement?Absolutely. This is the fourth time we have used Ciconi for a large mail shot. Moving to a new fulfilment house is always a nerve racking decision, but I was reassured by the true professionalism displayed

throughout the process, from initial enquiry to delivery. It was also the first time I have enjoyed the luxury of the printing and fulfilment being undertaken by one supplier. Being a budget-obsessed Marketing Manager I tender every mail shot, but each time I hope that Ciconi comes up trumps as I feel I can truly rely on you to deliver a vital part of revenue.

Thank you for your time, Holly.

To learn more about Avondale, the UK-wide, leading experts in the sale, merger and acquisition of commercial businesses, visit www.avondale.co.uk, telephone 01737 240888 or email them at av@avondale.co.uk

MEMO20 | 9

SHORT & SWEET

More minor minutiae for your delectation, penned by Rob.

GREETINGS FROM ROB

In this issue we bring you an update on the fundraising at Papworth Hospital, tell you about one of its future events, greet the new Chancellor of Cambridge University … and explain the joys of geekdom.

WORLD HEART DAY AT PAPWORTH HOSPITAL

On 25 September, teams of volunteers celebrated World Heart Day by navigating a nine-mile course around Grafham Water. Papworth Hospital’s cardiac rehabilitation team led the participants in warm-up exercises before the official start, and Ciconi’s 21 intrepid walkers, runners and cyclists were among over 300 entrants who enjoyed the wonderful weather and showed good spirits. The £710.60 Ciconi raised made a good contribution to the £40,000 required to purchase two intra-aortic balloon pumps for the hospital.

CAMBRIDGE: THE Uk’S ‘GEEkIEST’ CITY

A recent survey has crowned Cambridge the UK’s technological capital and ‘geekiest’ city, placing it ahead of Gloucester and Brighton, with London only managing fourth. It seems that 97 percent of Cambridge workers between 16 and 64 hold certified qualifications (11 percent more than Gloucester). Pity the poor luddites of Oxford who could only manage eighth place! Not to be outdone, Huntingdon has been named the most well-read town in the land: Amazon has revealed that it tops the list of the most books purchased per person in any town in the UK. Just as a matter of interest, the Oxford dictionary definition of geek is: ‘A person who is unfashionable or awkward in the company of others; or an obsessive enthusiast’. Take your pick!

10 | MEMO20

UNIvERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE ELECTS A NEW CHANCELLOR

And the winner is, yes it’s Lord Sainsbury of Turville. The peer polled 2,893 votes, twice as many as the second placed Brian Blessed. Although 150,000 were eligible to vote, a comparatively small number of votes (5,558) were actually cast. This may have had something to do with the requirement to vote in person! Those of you who took the trouble to read the last issue will recall a bottle of ‘red’ awaiting the first person to correctly identify the very FIRST Cambridge Chancellor. No one got the answer so I can now report that the wine was excellent.

CAROLS AT ELY

More news from Papworth Hospital, which is hosting its annual Christmas carol service at Ely Cathedral. The service gives people a chance to come together and enjoy the true meaning of this joyous time of year whilst also celebrating the work of the hospital. It begins at 2.30 pm on Saturday 3 December and will include a performance by the renowned Ely Cathedral Octagon Singers, as well as many traditional carols and readings, plus a performance by soprano soloist Kate Wolf. Tickets range in price from £10 to £15 and are obtainable from Ely Cathedral Box Office on 01353 660349 or via the web site at elycathedral.org.

ESHOTS AND PURLS

To discuss your eshot requirements or to find out how our Personalised URLs (PURLs) will provide real-time tracking of visitors to your online campaign web pages, please talk to your account manager or contact our Sales Account Manager, Neil Ison, on 01487 823 546.

Christmas Goods to Make a Difference Papworth Hospital is one of the world’s leading specialist centres for the treatment of complex heart and lung problems.

You can help support this life-changing work by choosing the hospital charity’s Christmas cards, diaries and calendars.

Visit www.papworthhospitalcharity.org.uk to see the full range and order online, or call us on 01480 364237.

MEMO20 | 11

STAYING FIT FOR BUSINESS WITH ISO

12 | MEMO20

In a world dominated by numbers, usually depressing ones to do with the economy, it’s nice to find that some of them actually mean something positive. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is the world’s largest developer and publisher of international standards. It comprises a network of the national standards institutes of 162 countries and has developed over 18,500 international standards on a variety of subjects. Every year it publishes around 1100 new standards. ISO’s standards cover areas such as agriculture and construction, mechanical engineering, manufacturing and distribution, transport, medical devices, information and communication technologies. They also cover good management practice and services.

ISO compliance means that businesses can develop and offer products and services that satisfy internationally accepted specifications. This enables them to compete in many more

markets around the world. Ciconi is the proud holder of three of these important certifications, and a recent audit has just recertified us with zero non-conformities, making us reliably non-conformist!

ISO 27001: Managing Security PlatformsSecurity, particularly IT and online security, has been a priority for Ciconi, bearing in mind the number, complexity and commercial sensitivity of our clients’ projects. Over the years we have advanced our techniques and implemented new tools to make our systems as resilient as possible

We qualified for ISO 27001 in 2009. During our recent ISO audit, Ciconi’s in-house ISO team led by Quality Executive Alex Glasper and IT Manager Mike Holmes was given positive comments by the auditor, who remarked on the way we have continually improved our systems since certification.

ISO 9001 & ISO 14001: Management SystemsWe satisfied these demanding standards on our first certification back in 2008 and have just been recertified at 100% conformity!

Although most ISO standards are specific to a particular product, material, or process, both ISO 9001 (quality) and ISO 14001 (environment) are generic standards which can be applied to any organisation, large or small, whatever its product, service or sector. ISO 9001 contains a generic set of requirements for implementing a quality management system; and ISO 14001 tackles an environmental management system.

If you want to know more about our commitment to ISO performance standards, please call our Customer Services team on 01487 823546.

100% AUDIT PERFORMANCE IN LATEST ISO REvIEW

Ciconi quality gets ISO thumbs-up!

MEMO20 | 13

It’s temptation time at Ciconi! We will send an exquisite Fortnum & Mason champagne and chocolates box to a Uk address of the winner’s choosing at the beginning of December … a perfect indulgence or gift!

question 1 In what year did Fortnum’s receive this royal request: ‘… To dispatch without delay to Miss Nightingale in Scutari a huge consignment of concentrated beef tea’?

•1854•1848•1851

question 2 On the Ciconi game what initials are etched into the tree?

•NI•JR•RC

question 3 What creature belongs to the family Ciconia?

• Red-headedspider•Chameleon•Whitestork

Enter your answers at:

www.memo20.memomag.co.ukno later than 5pm on 28 November 2011. Correct entries will be put into a hat and the first one drawn out wins the prize. Good luck!

Our latest game, Little Squirrel knutsford and the Forest of Magical Acorns can be found on your personalised web page – just use the address printed above.

All prizes subject to availability. If the listed prize is unavailable we will substitute with another gift of equivalent or greater value. We will attempt to contact the winner if substitution is necessary.

WIN A FORTNUM & MASON CHAMPAGNE AND CHOCOLATES BOX IN OUR FESTIvE COMPETITION

14 | MEMO20

COFFEE BREAk1. Use the letters given to complete the squares, so that

three words can be read downwards and across.

B E E E E O O P Z

G O O D

O

O

D

2. What is the next number in the sequence?

480 96 24 8 ?

If you get stuck, the answers can be found on the Memo web page. Why not enter this issue’s competition too?

www.memo20.memomag.co.uk

Put your feet up and try your hand at these problems.

MEMO20 | 15

16 | MEMO20

karen, you are the one who makes it happen in print and production. What do you enjoy most about your role as Production Manager with Ciconi?The thing I enjoy most is making sure that all the work flows smoothly. It is really satisfying to see the finished work going out and having the Customer Services team say thank you. I enjoy the variety of the work – no two days are the same – and I even enjoy the challenges and requests for miracles. (Don’t tell the CS team!)

At the end of another week of challenges and working miracles, what do you look forward to most. How do you unwind in your free time?I don’t really stop. I spend the weekends with my family, catching up on the usual housework jobs and eating out. As some of the Production team may tell you, I don’t know where the cooker is! I have two children and life revolves a lot round them, but I love it.

What has changed since you joined Ciconi back in 1998?Ooh! Where do I start? I am just entering my fourteenth year … so many things have changed. At first I worked from home, and when my son was old enough I came on board

as a casual worker. Within a month I was offered a permanent job. Apart from the physical changes within the company as we moved from an old, cold building to a nice warm new one, there have been enormous changes in the way in which we process and quality-control jobs within Ciconi. We are always improving the processes, and the way we manage workflows today bears little resemblance to the way we used to. The type of work we do has also changed. We used to do a lot of bulk distribution; today we handle more mailings. I have had to learn techie things as well.

An anonymous source tells us that you had some fun and games when Ciconi moved to its new premises. Would you like to elaborate?Hmmm … You may be referring to the time when we were moving stock and I was the only one with a fork-lift licence at the time. I was asked to move some pallets of books that were packed loose, and my manager shrink-wrapped the pallets by hand to keep the books together. I started to move the pallets down to the new place, but the road at the time was in a bad way. Horror of horrors! The shrink wrap came loose with all the

bumping around and the pallets started to topple! It was a bit of a challenge to keep the books in position, but we made it. Since then we have invested in a new shrink wrap machine – and recruited some more fork-lift drivers!

If you were on Mastermind what would your specialist subject be?(Pause for thought.) Either time and motion or housework!

What would you take on a desert island? We understand that you intend to go nowhere near a desert island – but what four things could you possibly not do without?First it would have to be my husband and his lorry, which is always full of goodies. He would need a pair of shorts, as Elisabeth thinks he has great legs and so do I. Next, plenty of white wine to keep my mood nice and mellow. Then maybe a mobile phone so I could keep in touch with the children, although I may be tempted to have it switched off at times! And last would be my own bed for a good night’s kip!

This issue we focus on Karen Edwards, Ciconi’s long-serving Production Manager.

OUR PRODUCTION MANAGER kAREN REFLECTS ON FOURTEEN YEARS AT CICONI

MEMO20 | 17

18 | MEMO20

When the going gets tough, every decision has to be right. Businesses need to choose the right tools and techniques … and information is king.

Never before has so much depended on a business’s ability to analyse, plan, budget and execute. Marketing campaigns can make or break an organisation, but they’re wasted if managers cannot plan them cost-effectively or understand the information they generate. The challenge is to balance marketing costs against benefits so as to squeeze the maximum out of the budget. Smart, integrated marketing is one of the reasons why our case study company Avondale is so successful. (See page 6.)

WHEN THE CLIMATE IS vOLATILE, FLEXIBLE MANAGEMENT CAN MAkE A DIFFERENCE

Balancing short-term and long-term thinking for maximum performance.

MEMO20 | 19

Effective – by which we mean profitable – marketing requires exceptionally strong control and coordination. As many marketing managers are finding, a combination of direct mail and telemarketing, with each phase carefully timed, will maximise return on investment. Not in a narrow sense. A good campaign isn’t just self-funding: it ensures that the leads and prospects passed to the sales team are so well qualified that each one is more likely to lead to a sale. The more professional the campaign, the more media are combined, the better the outcome is likely to be. Yes, each campaign requires much more synergy and planning, but each campaign is more likely to increase the bottom line.

Broken windows of opportunityWhen the going gets tough, managers tend to think in terms of days, not years. These small windows of opportunity lead to erratic behaviour, with periods of frenzied activity followed by total inertia as they assess the outcome. A narrower focus is an instinctive response to crisis, but it blurs strategic vision. Concentration on daily performance is always important, but when it gets out of proportion it can reduce the future performance of a business.

The trick for managers is to balance and manage short-term and long-term thinking. They need to work through day-to-day uncertainty and keep an eye on strategic visionary planning as well. However, when the pressure is on they need to fight fires – and, as many marketing managers are finding, it is actually possible to live with a tighter budget and think ahead. The

secret is to choose and use the most appropriate mix of marketing media and methods. Then, with normal review and optimisation, they can further optimise departmental performance and extract every penny of productivity and profit.

A matter of attitudeTools and techniques can take a manager only so far. What no management school can ever teach is how to have a ‘confident expectation of good’. That is more a matter of belief and confidence than technique, because it is a combination of optimism and hard business facts – of having a product or service you can believe in: “We have a great solution and I know it will be better for you.” Even when the going gets tough, a positive attitude and a relish for overcoming obstacles can help managers to lead their teams through difficult patches.

‘keep Calm and Carry On’In his book Up The Organization, Robert Townsend, formerly CEO of Avis Rent-a-Car, said that if a top

sales person earned more than the CEO, that was fine. If the business didn’t sell, it didn’t survive.

Assuming that the marketing people do their job and harness intelligent, coordinated marketing to generate viable information and great prospects, the buck passes to sales and after-sales to apply leverage and retain these opportunities. The tools and techniques for closing and nurturing are there, ready to go. All that’s needed is the belief that they can deliver and a desire to provide the very best.

How we can helpCiconi’s vast experience in designing and delivering integrated marketing campaigns is available at the end of a phone. We are masters of all modern marketing communications, from conventional mailers to emails and personalised response web pages, plus design, print, fulfilment and distribution. If you want more responses for your budget, talk to us today.

20 | MEMO20

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Stable & agile on a Quingo!

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Ciconi Memo ad 190x190:Layout 1 24/3/11 17:39 Page 1

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For more information about leaving a gift in your will to your local Wildlife Trust, please call us on 01636 677 711 or email legacy@wildlifetrusts.org.

When the time is right, please remember wildlife in your will – gifts like these really do make a difference. Thank you.

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A gift in your will can make a world of difference for wildlife

CUSTOMER SERvICESPawan SheemarCustomer Services Supervisor01487 825094pawan@ciconi.co.uk

Emma MillarCustomer Services Administrator01487 825090emma@ciconi.co.uk

Paul HumphreysCustomer Services Account Manager01487 825082paul@ciconi.co.uk

Joanne DarlowCustomer Services Administrator01487 825085joanne@ciconi.co.uk

Neil IsonSales Account Manager01487 825095neil@ciconi.co.uk

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22 | MEMO20

MEMO20 | 23

CICONI LTDAIRFIELD INDUSTRIAL ESTATEWARBOYSHUNTINGDONCAMBRIDGESHIREPE28 2SH

T: 01487 823546F: 01487 822781E: MEMO@CICONI.CO.UKW: WWW.CICONI.CO.UK

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