Our Contribution

Our contribution to society at Masters in Minds focuses on fostering personal growth, building resilient communities, and empowering individuals to thrive through our team giving back.

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Our Purpose

By helping individuals navigate challenges and discover their strengths, we create resilient leaders who, in turn, uplift communities. Our commitment stems from a belief in the ripple effect: empowering one person leads to positive impacts that extend far beyond. Whether through career transitions, personal development, or community engagement, we strive to foster growth and drive meaningful change. Ultimately, our purpose is to inspire individuals to reach their full potential and contribute positively to society, creating a more empowered and connected world for generations to come. 

Giving Back

Giving back…it’s all about making a contribution through the spirit in which we go about our lives and the practical difference we can make. Being in service is something to be proud of.

We support these charities through donations, events and giving our time:

Personal Re-Purposing

Personal Re-Purposing at Masters in Minds is a specialised programme designed for individuals looking to transition into facilitation, consulting, and training. This initiative is tailored for those navigating career changes, transitioning into semi-retirement, facing redundancies, or simply seeking to leverage their expertise through mentorship and coaching.

 

The programme begins with personalised coaching sessions to identify each participant's unique skills, experiences, and aspirations. Whether they come from diverse professional backgrounds or seek to pivot within their current field, the focus is on aligning personal strengths with the demands of facilitation, consulting, and training roles.

 

Participants engage in comprehensive workshops and training modules that cover essential competencies such as communication strategies, facilitation techniques, project management, and client relationship building. They learn to translate their wealth of experience into impactful learning experiences and consulting engagements.

 

Mentorship plays a pivotal role in the Personal Re-Purposing journey. Seasoned professionals within the Masters in Minds network guide navigating industry landscapes, refining presentation skills, and establishing a credible presence in the consultancy arena.

 

Through collaborative projects and hands-on practice, participants gain practical insights and confidence in delivering effective training programs and consulting services. The programme emphasises continuous learning and adaptation to industry trends, preparing individuals to contribute their expertise and make a meaningful impact in their new roles.

 

Personal Re-Purposing supports individuals in their professional transitions and cultivates a community of experienced mentors and emerging leaders committed to sharing knowledge and driving positive change in organisations and communities alike.

Pay it Forward Academy

The Masters in Minds Pay It Forward Academy is a transformative initiative dedicated to empowering 12 individuals under 25 each year, fostering their personal and professional development. Founded on giving back, the academy aims to equip young adults with the tools, knowledge, and support they need to navigate their journeys and achieve their full potential.

 

The programme offers a comprehensive curriculum with workshops on emotional intelligence, goal setting, and resilience-building. Participants engage in interactive sessions that cover essential life skills such as effective communication, leadership, and time management. The academy ensures a well-rounded development experience by addressing personal and professional growth.

 

Mentorship is a cornerstone of the Pay It Forward Academy. Each participant is paired with a mentor who provides guidance, support, and real-world insights. This mentorship relationship helps young adults build confidence, set and achieve goals, and overcome challenges.

 

Additionally, the academy fosters community among participants, encouraging them to support one another and build lasting connections. Through group activities and collaborative projects, they learn the value of teamwork and the importance of a strong support network.

 

By investing in the next generation, Masters in Minds Pay It Forward Academy is making a lasting impact. It helps young adults develop the skills and mindset needed to succeed and contribute positively to society.

The programme runs over 12 months, and our next programme starts in Nov 2024. If you are interested or want to put someone forward, please complete the form below, and we will get back to you.

 

Let's explore how we can support your organisation in today's ever-changing world.

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Feature Insights

Management & Development

April 26, 2024

LMS…the good, the bad and the solution

This article will explore the business case for LMS, discussing its benefits and financial advantages in the context of corporate L&D. Then, an analysis of the disadvantages will take place to explain why 44% of people are dissatisfied with their LMS. Finally, learning-as-a-service, specifically MiM LaaS, will be proposed as an alternative that navigates the pitfalls of LMS whilst fulfilling the employee development goals of HR.

 

1. The Business Case for LMS

 

1.1 Cost Reduction

First and foremost, LMS is often cited for reducing costs. LMS facilitates eLearning, which provides the same knowledge, insight, and skills as traditional classroom training without unnecessary additional costs. For example, in some large organisations, it’s estimated that up to 60% of total training costs are solely attributed to travelling. As LMS eliminates the need for travel, costs are reduced. Moreover, there is no requirement for a physical location or catering. IBM managers could learn five times more content at one-third of the cost, saving the organisation $200 million, accounting for 30% of its previous training budget.

 

1.2 Shorter Learning Cycles

IBM’s case story highlights another benefit; the reduction of learning time. Not only can LMS save money, but it can also improve the quality or quantity of learning. Employees can spend the additional time reinforcing learning, learning new topics, or even implementing gained knowledge. eLearning reduces the learning cycles by cutting out the time-wasting attributes of traditional classroom learning, travel time, and setting up/downtime. For these reasons, eLearning typically takes 40-60% less time.

 

1.3 More Effective

Building upon this, employees will have various learning styles and paces in any organisation. In traditional classroom teaching, one of two things can happen. Either slower learners who need more support hold up faster learners meaning the entire learning cycle is decided by the slowest learner. Or the slower learners feel self-conscious about requiring more support and therefore do not speak up when confused. Neither option is optimal for efficiency or effectiveness. LMS offers a risk-free environment where employees can learn at their own pace and fail in a safe, private environment circumventing this pitfall. This is probably why eLearning platforms boost better retention rates too. Research has shown that eLearning can significantly increase knowledge retention, with offline training reports having about 8-10% retention, whereas online can reach up to 60%. However, many of these benefits come from eLearning and are merely facilitated by LMS.

 

1.4 Analytics & Records

Regarding LMS-specific benefits, the systems often produce analytic reports. This gives organisations a broad overview of their workforce’s engagement in learning and can guide future L&D decisions. Moreover, in a compliance context, the fact LMS can provide a record of training taking place makes it easier for organisations to ensure and prove compliance with health and safety requirements, for example. These systems can also act as reminders when training needs to be repeated especially beneficial in the previous compliance example.

 

2. Pitfalls of LMS

Despite the benefits listed above, LMS can become problematic, as illustrated by Brandon Hall Group research which found that 44% of organisations are dissatisfied with LMS, and 48% are researching new or different learning technologies.

 

2.1 The Support System

Most LMS services do not come with advanced support services. One of the most prominent disadvantages is that many only include online FAQs and possibly user communities/forums. Businesses, therefore, may have to solve IT issues alone, without an LMS vendor to refer to. Business leaders may have to administer time and resources to resolve the issue, which adds costs. If an LMS system issue is not resolved, it can cause severe business delays. Not only is this an inconvenience, but it can also significantly disrupt employee development and lower overall engagement.

Online forums have become the equivalent of putting a plaster on a bullet wound in the tech world. Where online systems fail to provide 24/7 support, online forums have been the ‘go-to.’ Such forums often have mixed responses and can need clarification; they are better suited to knowledge sharing than technical support. This lack of support is not unique to technical issues. LMS inherently does not provide learning support either. Whilst the benefits conferred by eLearning are vast, research still supports the notion that eLearning works best when supplemented with traditional classroom learning in some circumstances. Unfortunately, LMS acts as a piece of technology rather than an all-encompassing L&D solution; therefore, no such support is given.

 

2.2 User Experience

LMS can often feel like a chore, and although employees can complete the learning material whenever the material and delivery can be dull due to a poor user interface (UI). Generally, an LMS comprises an admin interface (AI) and a user interface (UI). The AI is where the admin (typically a learning manager/trainer) executes all tasks to organise the company’s learning materials. The UI is what employees will experience throughout their learning journey. Employees must have a good user experience as learning will take a back seat if employees are bored, confused, or aggravated by the technology. 35% of L&D professionals have stated that poor user experience triggers low employee engagement. For a positive user experience, the UI must be fast, simple, and trendy – it should not resemble a course catalogue. The eLearning platform, therefore, should include interactive and animated courses. Each course should have a distinct feature so that all courses do not blend into one. For example, including quizzes, videos, and different formats of tests can lead to better memory retention and boost employee emotional and educational development. Certification and recognition for completing a course can increase employees’ learning points, motivating them to learn more. Unfortunately, many LMS' do not offer such user interfaces, and engagement ultimately suffers.

 

2.3 Tunnel Vision vs Peripheral Vision

The analytical reports produced by an LMS are of undeniable value. It gives an overview of the organisation, the engagement levels and the completion rate of courses, and the analytics can also be used to identify problems and opportunities in the organisation. However, an LMS’ view is inherently limited in many ways. These limitations narrow the parameters of knowledge that can be drawn from LMS analytics and should be acknowledged to avoid overstating conclusions. For starters, it fails to account for knowledge sharing between colleagues or personal development employees may be partaking in out with work. It cannot, therefore, give a whole picture of which employees are genuinely excelling, progressing, or stunted in their learning journey. Even within the platform, LMS has blind spots; analytics is always open to interpretation. For example, one employee may excel at eLearning courses but never implement the knowledge in their role. Others may struggle to demonstrate their expertise in these courses, but what they do learn translates into tangible results. Acknowledging the limitations of LMS’ analytics is essential. Not doing so can lead organisations to a false sense of security. An organisation may believe it has a well-rounded view of its culture and employee development when in reality, it has half the picture.

 

2.4 Low Employee Engagement

Disengagement is at the heart of the practical problems with LMS. A poll conducted across 229 professionals in the L&D space revealed that the majority (46%) felt low employee engagement was the biggest issue with LMS. All the knowledge encapsulated within eLearning is useless unless employees actively engage with it. Many of the problems above either trigger or worsen employee engagement; for example, poor user experience and the lack of a support system can disrupt learning massively. There is no one cause of disengagement. A multitude of factors contribute. Firstly, employee engagement can be an organisation-wide issue. If an employee is generally disengaged from their role, department, or the company, introducing LMS will do little to change this. Secondly, the large number of courses that are often on such systems can overwhelm employees and have the opposite of the intended effect. This can be intensified by the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach, where organisations buy courses, many of which have no actual link to the employee development goals it tries to achieve. A university would never give a student every piece of information, reading, and project relevant to their degree on the first day. Doing so clouds the learning journey, demotivating individuals. Thirdly, as discussed briefly above, a poor user experience can have a detrimental impact. If the technology is too complex, it can create confusion around how to use it and technical problems, all of which distract from the core learning task. However, if the user experience is dull and disengaging, it will unsurprisingly lower engagement. The key is to have a simple but interactive eLearning platform with gamification.

 

3. The solution?

After years of watching our clients struggle to navigate the issues discussed above, we were inspired to create a new way of doing things. Instead of simply offering an organisation an LMS, we wanted to create a more comprehensive alternative that embodies the best parts of eLearning and traditional classroom training. That’s why we created MiM LaaS, our learning-as-a-service platform. The main points of difference are;

 

3.1 Discovery to architecturally design your solution

Before access to MiM LaaS, one of our facilitators will thoroughly assess your organisation’s strategic objectives and use this information to guide the direction of eLearning. Each organisation or department (depending on what’s required) will have its own bespoke learning glide path. This improves engagement by tackling elements of poor user experience and the ‘one size fits all approach’.

 

3.2 On-tap consultancy

Even our basic package includes consultancy days. Organisations can use these days in whatever way is required. It’s really up to you. MiM offers various services, including but not limited to culture change, mindset growth, leadership development, and sales performance. Our on-tap consultancy is designed to tackle employee engagement, as you can target consultancy days at more challenging areas of the organisation. Moreover, this also addresses the support system problem; as discussed, it does not require technical support. As we already understand your business, we can respond more efficiently and effectively than an external consultancy partner could.

 

3.3 Experience

Unlike many LMS providers, employee development is our area of expertise. Growing businesses through developing people is something Masters in Minds has excelled at for over fifteen years. We are not theorists; we are practitioners. We have over two hundred years of experience and, therefore, a deep understanding of how to develop employees. MiM LaaS is our expertise, digitalised. Our solution, thus, goes beyond tackling the problems associated with LMS, instead targeting the crux of the problem LMS was trying to solve.

 

3.4 Mindset Indicator Monitor & Johari 360

Our digital tools will be accessible to organisations who can use this to guide employee development and target specific courses at individuals/departments or however the organisation sees fit. Our Mindset Indicator gives a broad overview of an organisation’s openness to change, an essential attribute of that all-important growth mindset. Johari 360 focuses on gauging your organisation’s emotional intelligence, which is particularly useful when choosing future leaders. These tools are designed to tackle the tunnel vision issue. By giving organisations access to such tools, leaders can gain a peripheral view of employees and the essential skills required to succeed. Organisations can use this with our analytics to inform future L&D, strategy, or recruitment.

 

3.5 Gamification

MiM LaaS boasts an interactive and engaging user experience. Regardless of the plan selected, our courses include gamification, points, levels, badges, and leaderboards designed to improve user experience. This is designed to target low employee engagement.

 

3.6 Support

MiM LaaS has a live chat option depending on the package selected. We also have knowledge videos – every time one of our clients asks us a technical question, we create a bespoke informative video to guide them. This tackles the support system issues. Our on-tap consultancy targets learning support issues.

 

Whilst LMS was a revolutionary, cost-effective, convenient L&D solution when first introduced, the time has revealed flaws. If LMS isn’t actually developing and increasing skills, then it’s not fulfilling its purpose. Any organisation failing to upskill colleagues in the modern business world effectively will undoubtedly pay the price through employee turnover, recruitment costs, and lower productivity/engagement. For some organisations, LMS may actually be costing more than it saves. If LMS is not actually a cost-effective solution, it loses one of its greatest advantages. This, alongside, the pitfalls discussed in this article is why learning-as-a-service is the future of L&D. 

Check out MiM LaaS by clicking here

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Customer Experience

April 26, 2024

Can Chat GPT 4 Elevate Your Customer Service?

Can Chat GPT 4 Elevate Your Customer Service?

The world of customer service is about to change forever as artificial intelligence (AI) takes centre stage. And leading the charge is ChatGPT 4, an innovative language model trained by OpenAI. But while many are excited about the potential benefits, only some are sold on the idea of interacting with a machine. So what does this mean for traditional customer service representatives? Can ChatGPT replace them? And what are the consequences of fully embracing this new technology? Join us as we explore the thrilling possibilities and potential pitfalls of incorporating ChatGPT 4 into your customer service strategy. 

Full-scale Adoption?

ChatGPT 4 may be a super-smart chatbot, but it can’t replace the human touch when it comes to complex or emotional customer issues. That’s why finding the perfect balance between man and machine is crucial for successful customer service. By taking on routine enquiries, ChatGPT 4 frees up human reps for the big stuff, leading to increased efficiency and cost savings. It’s estimated that ChatGPT 4 can handle up to 80% of these types of inquiries, so it’s a powerful tool in the customer service arsenal.

 

Chat GPT 4: A New Era in AI Customer Service

At the beginning of 2022, only 23% of chatbots were AI-powered, and just 31% planned to integrate AI in the future. However, ChatGPT 4 is a game-changing technology that can understand and respond to complex inquiries, adapt to different scenarios, and offer empathetic solutions to customers. It uses machine learning to continually improve its responses based on feedback, making it one of the most advanced and versatile AI language models available. Experts in the field have stated that with ‘its unparalleled ability to understand and respond to complex inquiries, ChatGPT 4 is set to revolutionize how we interact with technology and the world around us.’ As a result, many companies have already introduced ChatGPT for use in customer service and other applications.

 

Organisational Benefits

Disclaimer: As ChatGPT 4 is incredibly new, there are few, if any, studies directly testing it. Therefore the studies cited below test other older versions of Chat GPT and other AI.

Efficiency, Availability & Savings

AI/ChatGPT can handle a large volume of customer queries simultaneously without requiring breaks, rest or shift changes. AI chatbots can answer up to 80% of routine customer inquiries, with PwC finding that AI-powered chatbots were able to resolve customer inquiries up to four times faster than traditional customer service methods. Given the advances of Chat GPT 4, the efficiency will be exponentially growing alongside the technology. Moreover, ChatGPT 4 can provide customers with 24/7 availability, quick response times, and personalised interactions improving customer experience. Salesforce found that 64% of customers expect companies to respond in real-time, and 84% say being treated like a person is very important to winning their business. Chat GPT 4 can achieve this better than previous versions without increasing costs.

Clearly incorporating AI/ChatGPT can reduce the cost of customer service operations by automating repetitive tasks without requiring breaks, holidays, or sick days. Juniper Research found that businesses can save up to $11 billion annually by implementing chatbots. Moreover, Accenture found in 2018 that AI-powered customer service systems could reduce customer service costs by up to 25%. With the advances of Chat GPT, this could increase tenfold.

 

Data Collection and Analysis

ChatGPT 4 can collect and analyse customer data, providing businesses with valuable insights into customer behaviour, preferences, and pain points. AI-powered chatbots can analyse customers’ past purchases and browsing behaviour to provide personalised product recommendations, making the customer feel understood and valued, increasing sales and customer loyalty. 91% of consumers are more likely to shop with brands that provide personalized offers and recommendations. It’s unsurprising then that 79% of executives agree that AI will help improve customer experience, and 75% believe it will increase customer satisfaction.

Chat GPT 4 has a range of other benefits, including multilingual support and the ability to improve customer service continuously.

 

Disadvantages of ChatGPT

Lack of empathy

ChatGPT 4, as an AI system, does not have emotions or the ability to empathise with customers truly. Its programming and the data it has been trained on limit its ability to express empathy. Whilst the tool can generate responses that sound empathetic, it may not always understand the full context of the customer’s situation. Empathy is especially important nowadays as much evidence suggests that consumers are far shorter-tempered than usual. Jo Causon, alongside the government, recently introduced new legislation to criminalise being physically, cognitively, and emotively aggressive towards staff in response to the dramatic rise in incidents since the pandemic. Martin Hill-Wilson attributes this to the heightened state of vulnerability many humans are experiencing right now. Therefore, the ability of customer service staff to reframe a customer’s experience is critical to brand loyalty.

However, in 2019 PwC found that only 38% of UK consumers felt that the customer service representatives understood their needs well. Last year, customer service complaints were the highest on record, costing British businesses more than £9bn a month. It appears as though the majority of customer service representatives are not effectively empathizing and reframing customers’ experiences in the way they need to be. Just because humans can feel emotion does not mean they are emotionally intelligent. Many require training, just like Chat GPT. It’s important to compare ChatGPT 4’s weakness in empathy to the average customer service experience rather than the best or what is possible.

 

Do people want ChatGPT 4?

If people don’t want to interact with Chat GPT 4 over a human, then its ability to improve customer service is inherently limited. Masters in Minds conducted a LinkedIn poll finding that just 4.85% of people would prefer to speak to ChatGPT 4 over a human. This is further supported by Forrester, who found that 43% of customers prefer to speak to a human representative for complex inquiries. PwC revealed that 59% of customers felt that the use of chatbots and AI meant companies had lost touch with the human element of customer experience. Interestingly, within our own poll, a follow-up question was asked regarding how much people had actually used Chat GPT 4, with 37.1% stating they hadn’t used it once. This perhaps indicates that customers have a closed mindset about the technology, with many potentially underestimating the technologies abilities or choosing not to use it due to ethical concerns and a lack of regulation.

Technical issues

Although Chat GPT 4 has advanced natural language processing capabilities, technical issues such as connectivity problems or system failures could disrupt the customer service experience. Accenture found that 49% of customers who used chatbots had experienced technical problems leading to dissatisfaction and frustration. Although the advancements made by Chat GPT 4 should reduce misunderstandings, it cannot overcome all technical issues, especially ones out of its control, for example, Wi-Fi connection. Therefore, whilst ChatGPT 4 can potentially improve customer service interactions, it’s important to account for technical issues that could still arise and impact user experience.

Need for constant monitoring

These technical issues must be monitored, and systems require maintenance to ensure proper function and accurate responses. Moreover, as the system learns and adapts to new information, there is potential for biases to be introduced into the system. For example, if the system is trained on a dataset that contains biases, those biases may be reinforced and amplified. The requirement for human oversight reduces slightly the cost-saving benefits. Also, organisations should take into account that the UK is currently undergoing a significant digital skills gap, so finding qualified people may be challenging and expensive.

 

Job Loss

Incorporating ChatGPT into customer service may lead to job loss and negative publicity for the company. Nadia Finer stated:

“If you replace your human staff with chatbots, you risk alienating customers who value a personal touch and care about supporting companies that provide jobs.”

Some estimates suggest that up to 85% of customer interactions could be handed to AI-powered chatbots leading to a significant reduction in jobs. Whilst Chat GPT 4, if introduced, would, of course, create new jobs in other areas, such as data analysis and system maintenance, it’s unlikely this would benefit those losing their jobs. It is, therefore, crucial to businesses and policymakers alike to consider the impact on jobs before implementation to ensure workers are prepared for changes that may arise. Given the significant cost reduction that’s likely to take place, some of the money saved could be put towards upskilling customer service reps to work with the AI, rather than opting for redundancy.

 

Conclusion

Chat GPT 4 offers exciting possibilities for personalised customer service, but requires a balance between automation and the human touch to be successful. Finding this balance can lead to increased efficiency and customer satisfaction. At the end of the day, as Jeffery Gitomer said, ‘they (customers) are never an interruption in our work, but the purpose of it’ and if they are not on board with ChatGPT 4, this inherently limits the technologies ability to improve customer service. Not sure how to get your people on board with ChatGPT 4? Give us a call. 

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