Services

• • What Our Clients Say

    Helen has been working with myself, our Assistant Director General, senior managers and a newly formed communication team to improve the way we as a Corporate Services function communicate with and engage FAO staff. This is a priority for us as we lead many of the changes FAO is implementing as part of its reform process. Helen has coached and advised us to make a series of improvements including setting up our new team and helped us to be able to take on further improvements internally. We now have a clear understanding of our internal communication priorities, insight into why we have the issues we have and a plan of action moving forward. We have created a strong team and are stating to communicate our vision thanks to Helens work. She is a highly experienced consultant and expert in her field, and yet a down to earth, practical consultant to work with.

    Andrea Crosby, Principal Officer, Business Improvement Unit, United Nations (Food & Agriculture Organisation)

    Helen Coley-Smith took a creative approach to ensuring that the cross government stock take of customer insight capability met a wide range of objectives. She has a very positive, hands-on way of working and is very good at keeping her stakeholders well informed about how the work is progressing and at adapting to changing demands

    Helen Begley, Transformational Government, Cabinet Office

    Helen has worked for HMRC on several occasions. She is highly focused, flexible and doesn’t have a problem if the final outputs have varied from what was first envisioned. She has brought consistent personal energy and careful thought to play on all our working collaborations and works hard, with sometimes quite demanding or undisciplined clients, to understand the needs of all stakeholders. I value her pleasant style and her good understanding of the sensitivities and wider requirements of working across Government.

    Paul Eaves, Head of Customer Understanding, HM Revenue & Customs

    Helen worked with us at HMRC over many months to help the organisation put the public, especially taxpayers, at the heart of what it does. Genuinely “putting the customer first” represented a significant new direction for HMRC and this role needed someone with tact, understanding, relationship management, discipline and persistence to make a difference. In filling a temporary vital gap as Communications Partner for our Customer Units while we sorted a permanent recruit, Helen did just that. Helen’s direct and business-like approach created pace, got things done and provided an important reality check for those seeking to introduce the customer insight programme. Helen endeared herself quickly with the senior managers involved, gaining their trust and respect – a vital piece for the role she performed. Helen also played a pivotal role in ensuring that our ‘Leading the Way’ programme engaged leaders and secured their commitment to creating a long-term customer culture. Helen’s professionalism, determination and grit is a real asset to any organisation.

    Russell Grossman, Director of Communications, Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform

    Their ability to measure the impact of strategies and define appropriate interventions has greatly impressed me.

    Ramon Werner, General Manager Switzerland, BP

    Helen worked with us at HMRC over many months to help the organisation put the public, especially taxpayers, at the heart of what it does. Genuinely “putting the customer first” represented a significant new direction for HMRC and this role needed someone with tact, understanding, relationship management, discipline and persistence to make a difference. In filling a temporary vital gap as Communications Partner for our Customer Units while we sorted a permanent recruit, Helen did just that. Helen’s direct and business-like approach created pace, got things done and provided an important reality check for those seeking to introduce the customer insight programme. Helen endeared herself quickly with the senior managers involved, gaining their trust and respect – a vital piece for the role she performed. Helen also played a pivotal role in ensuring that our ‘Leading the Way’ programme engaged leaders and secured their commitment to creating a long-term customer culture. Helen’s professionalism, determination and grit is a real asset to any organisation.

    Russell Grossman, Director of Communications, Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform

    Helen has been working with us to assess how effective DCSF is at bringing the ‘voice of the customer’ into policy making. This is a strategic priority for the department – and a challenging, specialist area to explore. Helen’s strong marketing background, communication expertise and consultancy skills have helped us to make significant progress. The recommendations Helen has made are being discussed at board level and will help the department to start making the cultural shift it needs to, to put the public at the heart of everything it does

    Jane Cooper, Director of Communications, Department for Children, Schools & Families

    CSC offers unusual and extremely useful insights as well as creative but practical solutions.

    Anne De Lannoy, Technical Cooperation Department, United Nations

    The recommendations made are being discussed at board level and will help the department to start making the cultural shift it needs.

    Jane Cooper, ex Director of Communications, Department for Children, Schools & Families

    To work with Helen Coley-Smith is a pleasure, as she combines deep functional expertise with empathy, commitment and a true interest in helping achieve the client’s objectives. Engaging in meaningful dialogue with the client and being led by evidence and insight whilst not losing focus on action, is a rare combination. Helen has challenged my thinking as well as pushed me forward to implement programmes essential for our business. I can fully recommend working with her.

    Markus Graw, Global Marketing, BP
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