Category: News

Johannesburg, May 2023 – One of the biggest challenges facing HR professionals today is attracting and retaining top talent.

Enter hyper-personalisation. A strategy that involves tailoring HR processes and strategies to fit each employee’s individual needs, preferences, and characteristics.

“While many HR professionals understand how integral this personal touch is in creating a positive employee experience, gathering the data needed to deliver hyper-personalisation is where the difficulty lies. Unfortunately, many companies are simply ill-equipped when it comes to collecting this data,” says Hey Jude’s Cleonè Bakker.

The Hey Jude App is perfectly positioned to help businesses overcome these obstacles. How? By using data-driven insights and clever technology to help HR professionals gain a better understanding of what makes employees tick.

The app’s data can help identify what motivates employees. This insight allows leaders to make informed decisions about how to incentivise and inspire their workers. Ultimately, enabling them to discard the one-size-fits-all approach that once epitomised HR.

By embracing hyper-personalisation and focusing on individualised approaches to the work environment, HR professionals can create a unique employee value proposition that sets their company apart from competitors.

What’s more, the Hey Jude App provides employees with a digital assistant that can help with day-to-day tasks and personal errands. This helps reduce stress among employees and increases engagement. It also makes employees feel valued, which is integral to improving retention and boosting employee productivity and satisfaction.

“Ultimately hyper-personalisation is quite honestly, the only way forward for HR professionals who are striving to meet the expectations of today’s modern workforce. And Hey Jude is the best tool to help companies get there,” concludes Bakker.

For more information visit www.heyjudeapp.com

The innovative platform from Hey Jude is set to revolutionise customer interactions and optimise business operations

Johannesburg, May 2023 – Artificial Intelligence is disrupting all sectors of the economy – from healthcare to insurance to advertising. While this technology excels at automating tasks, solving complex problems, and even generating written content, it falls short in establishing context, making meaningful connections and creative problem-solving. What’s needed is a focus on beneficial intelligence as opposed to Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Hey Jude, an app that helps people get things done, proudly unveils its latest achievement – an advanced platform that brings together the best of AI technology, leveraging ChatGPT, Zendesk and Google integrations, with the human touch, to supercharge user experiences and maximise business efficiencies.

“Digital technology has always played an instrumental role in our offering, and this is why we’ve embraced AI technology. We recognise its immense potential to augment our business operations,” says Natalie Davies, Chief of Operational Efficiency and Strategy Execution at Hey Jude.

“We use AI to quickly, efficiently and consistently handle tasks and when it comes to completing the last mile of a task, we know that nothing and no one does it better than a human agent. We firmly believe that our customised platform represents the future of customer management, and we’re excited to offer this unique, ready-to-go solution to our valued customers,” says Davies.

The platform seamlessly integrates AI-powered tools, such as customer context, fulfilment playbooks, sentiment analysis and automated classification, with human moderation to ensure that every customer interaction receives meticulous care and attention to detail.

Furthermore, the platform offers unparalleled omnichannel capabilities, enabling businesses to engage customers across diverse channels, including social media, email, and WhatsApp. It has a host of customised features and functionalities, such as in-app payments, automated task reminders, and seamless delivery integration. The platform streamlines business operations and, as a result, eliminates pain points for customers and employees.

The platform’s custom supplier tool equips businesses with the ability to showcase preferred suppliers, conduct Google searches based on factors like price, historical usage, and satisfaction ratings, and track supplier responses through automated task nudges. This feature optimises supplier management, ensuring prompt responses and adherence to service level agreements.

In addressing data privacy and security concerns, the Hey Jude platform incorporates data anonymisation and text redaction, safeguarding sensitive user information, and establishing a secure internal communication system for agents, maintaining data privacy without compromise.

“By embracing the power of digital transformation, Hey Jude provides businesses with a unified view of the customer, to effortlessly accelerate and elevate overall customer engagement,” says Davies.

Johannesburg, June 2023 – Empathy is important in our personal lives, but hasn’t prominently featured in our professional ones. Long considered a soft skill, empathy matters now more than ever and it’s shaping the workforce of the future. It’s also good for business.

As humans, we should at the very least expect those around and close to us to care about our wellbeing. And it should be no different in the office environment. Recognising and understanding a colleague’s feelings, thoughts and experiences creates a sense of belonging, shows respect and reinforces the certainty that you matter.

But, empathy doesn’t create itself, so what does this key element of emotional intelligence mean for today’s leaders and how does it fit into the competitive business landscape?

Leaders and senior managers in modern business environments need to be more than just authority figures. In the words of inspirational speaker Simon Sinek, “Leadership is not about being in charge. Leadership is about taking care of those in your charge.” An empathetic leader will recognise the value of employees and create higher-performing teams, which provides the opportunity for their company to thrive.

Empathy is a must-have business strategy that has numerous benefits:

Encouraging collaboration and engagement

When team members feel comfortable voicing their opinions and contributing different points of view, it promotes constructive discussions. With empathy, people feel more valued and will want to do more for their colleagues. This strengthens teamwork and ultimately aids in more engagement and healthier collaboration.

Promoting creativity and innovation

Providing a safe space where people’s perspectives are respected and where you feel comfortable taking sensible risks without fear of consequences, is a catalyst for new ideas and thinking. By reducing fear barriers and empowering individuals, you create an environment that encourages creative and innovative thinking. In addition, empathy aligns you with your customers’ wants and needs. By seeing things from their perspective, you deliver better products and services.

Improving morale and productivity

With a culture of empathy there’s a common and genuine understanding of emotions and motivations. Employees are also actively engaged, which increases collaboration and decreases conflict. These team members build stronger connections and are inspired to perform better – all of which builds a solid work culture and fuels productivity.

Driving business growth

Relationships built on mutual trust, where colleagues respect co-worker’s roles, responsibilities and wellbeing, will bring the best out of teams. Empathy drives motivation. So, where everyone feels like one team – that is inclusive, supported, heard and valued – morale and loyalty increase, which boosts productivity, earnings and growth.

Companies will often say that they care about their people or that their people are their greatest asset, but how much of this is company verbiage and how much is in their DNA? The world has changed and empathy has become a strategic business imperative, while the ability to see the world from the perspective of others is a necessary skill for effective leadership.

Under the guidance of empathetic leaders, care is authentic, interest is sincere and understanding is heartfelt. Empathy is the future of an effective workforce and it just makes good business sense.

What a difference a year can make. The coronavirus had experts predicting that house prices would fall, but, the South African real estate market has in fact experienced a boom since the hard lockdown was lifted in June 2020.

The pandemic has also accelerated certain changes in the industry which have emerged in the past few years, including remote working, the growth of ecommerce and semigration. The economic impact of the pandemic has also highlighted affordability, with buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants now looking for more value in the services being provided to them. These shifts have altered traditional buying, selling and renting habits and are set to have a significant impact on how real estate businesses are run.

In an evolving market, the performance of real estate agents and their ability to assist their clients will be a key focus. This will require many to rethink their traditional processes in favour of a more tech-enabled and customer-centric business model.

“Our industry is highly competitive and to survive you have to find different ways of operating, like adapting to digital,” says Chas Everitt International Director Barry Davies. “There’s also always pressure to offer something unique to sellers to secure a sole mandate, or to buyers to secure the relationship after a sale and any future repeat business. That’s why you want to provide every buyer, seller, landlord and tenant with a positive and memorable real estate experience, and enable your agents to remain at the centre of each real estate transaction.”

To differentiate themselves in the market and keep their agents at the top of their game, real estate businesses should be looking at digital tools designed for the property industry.

“We understand just how tough this industry can be and that businesses are looking for something that sets them apart and helps their agents to be more focused, efficient and ultimately successful,” says Adrian Zanetti, director at Hey Jude.

Hey Jude Property Industry Enhancer is a customisable mobile solution that combines technology and human intuition, to deliver a memorable user experience tailored to a brand. At its core, Hey Jude helps its members by completing personal errands on their behalf, and giving them back their time.

“The biggest asset in a real estate business is its agents and their most precious commodity is time. Free up their day by removing mundane, personal tasks, and agents can focus their energy on serving more clients, securing more mandates and closing more deals,” explains Zanetti.

As the industry moves from a transactional to a more relationship-focused model, the adoption of digital solutions enables real estate businesses to better support their agents and ultimately provide their clients with a more rewarding experience.

“Hey Jude lays the foundation for real estate businesses to be more efficient. With a digital solution at their fingertips, agents can access a service that provides real value every day. In addition, agents can offer this service to their clients, connecting them to your brand long after the sale is done. For tech-savvy real estate agencies, offering a digital solution to your agents and a customer-centric service to your clients will enhance your business. Agents will be more productive and they get a service they truly value, while you retain top agents, secure market insights and gain a competitive edge,” says Zanetti.

How the digital economy can create added value

It takes a few taps on your smartphone to order lunch, request a ride or pay a bill. Without these digital tools and technologies, there would be few ways that we would be able to efficiently work, learn, shop and have fun.

The coronavirus pandemic has given rise to the digital economy, and businesses are leveraging technology to create value for consumers and employees.

The e-commerce boom

Self-isolation, lockdown restrictions and the closure of non-essential retailer outlets have changed the way we shop, to the point where it has triggered a sudden increase in online shopping activity in recent months. So much so that online shopping transactions surged as much as 60% during Black Friday 2020, compared to Black Friday the previous year.

Hordes of brick-and-mortar shoppers have been forced to migrate online to do their shopping or face winding queues and increased exposure to coronavirus infection. Those who have been bitten by the online shopping bug or at least supplemented their shopping activity with e-commerce, are taking advantage of same-day delivery, click-and-collect facilities and other value-added services. 

‘’Hey Jude experienced a sharp increase in Black Friday/Weekend and Cyber Monday requests, assisting users with finding the best deals and facilitating the entire purchasing process through a single point of contact – the Hey Jude app,’’ says Cleonè Bakker, Head of Commercial at Hey Jude.

Work vs personal time

The more the lines between work and personal life are distorted, the more on-site employees and people working remotely will have less time to do the things they love or value. Everyday activities like preparing dinner, physical exercise and family time are already difficult to get to in a day’s work, let alone juggling virtual meetings, remote learning, paying utility bills or renewing one’s driver’s licence.

‘’Digital technologies like Hey Jude – the world’s first human-powered digital assistant for busy people – are simplifying the lives of people by providing them with solutions to the challenges they face during these protracted periods of lockdown,’’ says Bakker.

The power of online platforms

Digital platforms are being leveraged to reach audiences, enhance offerings and cash-in on the potential of recurring revenues. Global giants, education institutions, celebs and influencers alike are connecting with online audiences on channels like Instagram Live and Facebook Watch to provide personal, meaningful content based on unique tastes, keeping users engaged and giving them something to come back for more.

‘’We’re seeing more requests for online fitness classes, webinars and virtual concerts as restrictions on physical gatherings and live events persist. Users can access highly customised content on-demand and in their own time, in the comfort and safety of their homes,’’ says Bakker.

Digitisation of healthcare

Advancements in digital technology are democratising healthcare and enabling medical professionals to diagnose and give advice to patients remotely, eliminating the need for physical consultations.

‘’Due to the impact of the coronavirus crisis on the mental and physical health on employees, we’re seeing more organisations turn to digital technology to facilitate healthcare and wellbeing programmes for employees and their families. We’re also seeing more users interested in the possibility of accessing GPs, councillors and psychiatrists virtually,’’ says Bakker.

In a time when people have less control over their lives than before, business leaders should utilise the benefits of digital technology to create value for customers and employees now and beyond the pandemic.

Gearing up for 2021: Implementing the right processes for retaining and attracting talent

Few would have predicted that the first year of the third decade of the millennium would be turned on its head by a global pandemic. What was to be ‘twenty plenty’ became an anomaly with events that went beyond the realm of normal expectations and changed the way we work, live and play.

Most people have put 2020 behind them and set their sights on 2021. The main objective: not to get caught off guard again. Preparedness for the future has never been as high on the agenda for both individual and business. Be it upskilling to side-step redundancy and remain relevant, embracing technology and investing in digital transformation, and pivoting to turn profits, employees and employers have their work cut out for them in ensuring they are prepared for what lies ahead in 2021.

Productivity and performance

It’s safe to say that the new norm has created a working world where remote-based teams can coordinate efforts to successfully run a business. But success comes down to how well employees are equipped and supported by their employers in terms of remote working. According to the Remote Working in South Africa 2020 Report, only 23.5% of companies had a detailed strategy in place for remote working prior to lockdown. What’s worse, 60.5% of South African businesses do not have a clear stance yet on whether they will allow continued remote working in future. This leaves a lot to be desired about corporate South Africa’s appetite for supporting employees’ desires for working from home.

“Employees’ lives will be no less complicated than they were during the hard lockdown. Individuals will increasingly look to their employers to equip them with the latest technology, tools and training so that they can be at the top of their game, day in and out. Not only will they expect to be empowered to get the job done, but also in their personal lives,” says Shabadh Mathura, Head of New Business at Hey Jude.

The flexible options offered by Hey Jude, a human-powered digital assistant, add value to the lives of employees and their families. The combination of essential solutions and humans in the loop – such as expert assistants, concierge drivers and qualified teachers – enables Hey Jude to solve what’s important to users and keeps them connected during the lockdown and beyond.

Employee health and wellness

The health and well-being of employees is critical to business success. The coronavirus pandemic has affected everyone from CEO to general workers, with financial uncertainty, childcare and schooling challenges, and concerns related to family health and wellbeing among the major stressors.

“During the hard lockdown, we were receiving daily requests like getting medication delivered and finding suppliers of PPE equipment. But as the lockdown continued, we saw more health and wellness type requests come in, such as assisting with finding online workouts, arranging motivational speakers for webinars, and suggesting the best sleep apps,” says Mathura.

“Organisations need to implement processes that address mental health in the workplace, provide emotional support and encourage healthy lifestyles,” says Mathura. “With Hey Jude, employers can offer employees a direct line to experts for advice and support. If an employee is suffering from anxiety, they can be connected with a counsellor, or if they are battling to make ends meet, they can talk to a financial advisor to better manage their money, or even use Dial-A-Teacher for assistance with home-schooling,” Mathura goes on to say.

Attracting and retaining talent

The lockdown has given many employees time to consider their purpose in life and whether their career or the organisation for which they work is sustainable. Come 2021, employees and job candidates are likely to judge organisations based on its contribution to society, the environment and sustainability, and the satisfaction of their people rather than profitability.  

“The role of HR will be integral in retaining and attracting talent. Leaders must empower HR executives to create and maintain a working environment and corporate culture that looks after the well-being of employees and cultivates purposeful work and productivity,” says Mathura.  

“HR professionals should also be prepared and equipped to go fully virtual in terms of hiring candidates. We’re seeing more businesses looking at training technologies for onboarding employees remotely and enhancing this with digital assistants to walk employees through processes and be on standby to offer advice,” says Mathura.

By embracing and implementing technologies like Hey Jude now, businesses can better prepare and position themselves in 2021 to attract and retain talent and ultimately remain relevant in a post-COVID world.