What was said
What this says
Current to 11 Oct 26On 4 Sep 2024 Fiona Drummond confirmed that two relationship managers went back to spreadsheets over the summer. Usage fell by roughly a third. She wants the adoption fix tested before the Feb 2025 renewal.
What happened: Daniel Okafor said about three people are active on a typical day, roughly a third fewer than the spring. Fiona Drummond put part of it down to August but said it was not all of it.
Customer view: Two relationship managers drifted back to their own spreadsheets. Fiona still uses the brain most mornings before trustee calls and says nothing is broken.
Commercial: Daniel quoted contract end as 8 Feb 2025 and renewal as 9 Feb 2025. Fiona said Hamish signed it and will ask who is actually using it.
Watch: Fiona suggested fee income per scheme as a missing source. That depends on the Starter connector limit, which Daniel has yet to check.
Themes
Current to 9 Oct 26Who was there
BB-Demo
Them
Follow-up
Next steps
Current to 9 Oct 26- Daniel Okafor to propose session slots for the relationship managers and reply to Fiona Drummond by Friday.
- Daniel Okafor to check the Starter connector position and what finance data could look like.
- Fiona Drummond to put the session in the relationship managers' diaries once slots arrive.
Risks
Current to 9 Oct 26- Active use fell by roughly a third and two relationship managers reverted to spreadsheets.
- Hamish Crawford, who signed the contract, will ask who is using it and the answer is currently weak.
- No tickets and no complaints, so the decline is silent rather than reported.
Opportunities
Current to 9 Oct 26- A session on the managers' own schemes could bring them back before the renewal date.
- Connecting finance data for fee income per scheme would answer a question Hamish asks regularly.
Transcript
- Daniel Okafor NoneHello Fiona, thanks very much for your time. Just checking it's only the two of us today?
- Fiona Drummond NoneJust us, yes. Afternoon, Daniel. Sorry, I'm a minute or two behind, I've come straight off the phone with a client who wants a scheme report rewritten before Friday.
- Daniel Okafor NoneNo trouble at all. How's your week been otherwise? Is Glasgow behaving itself with the weather?
- Fiona Drummond NoneGrey and wet, so, normal. This week it's been nothing but the employers asking what we can tell them about their schemes and how quickly. Which is partly why I was glad you put this in the diary.
- Daniel Okafor NoneGood, I'm glad. Just to be clear on why I asked for it: I've been looking at how the team has been using the brain over the summer, and I wanted to go through it with you rather than just send a chart.
- Fiona Drummond NoneYes, I saw your note. I think I know what it's going to say.
- Daniel Okafor NoneMm. So about three people are in on a typical day now, and that's roughly a third fewer than the spring. You've got fifteen licences, so there's plenty of room, but I'd like to understand what's behind it.
- Fiona Drummond NoneYeah. That's fair. Part of it is holiday, August is always thin for us. But I'd be kidding you if I said that was all of it.
- Daniel Okafor NoneGo on.
- Fiona Drummond NoneTwo of the relationship managers drifted back to their own spreadsheets over the summer. It's not that the brain gave them wrong answers. It was a busy patch, they had reports to get out, and the spreadsheet is what they know. Once you've done that for a fortnight it's hard to come back.
- Daniel Okafor NoneThat's very human, and I wouldn't read it as a criticism of anyone. How is the team finding it, the ones who are still using it?
- Fiona Drummond NoneThey like it. I use it most mornings, honestly. Before a trustee call I ask it who we last spoke to on that scheme, what's open, what the employer's been asking. It saves me a good while of digging through the mailbox.
- Daniel Okafor NoneThat's exactly the sort of thing it's for. And do the two who drifted know that's what you use it for?
- Fiona Drummond NoneProbably not in so many words. I haven't been showing them. I've been, you know, head down.
- Daniel Okafor NoneRight. Can I float something? A short session with the relationship managers, not a training day, more an hour on their own schemes. Pre-meeting briefs, last contact, open questions. Real clients, not demo ones.
- Fiona Drummond NoneI'd be up for that. If it's their own clients they'll see the point straight away. If it's anything generic they'll nod politely and go back to Excel.
- Daniel Okafor NoneUnderstood, so it'll be their own. Is there a source they'd want in there that isn't connected at the moment?
- Fiona Drummond NoneHm. The finance side, maybe. Fee income per scheme is what Hamish always asks about, and none of us can answer that without going to Fraser's team.
- Daniel Okafor NoneThat's useful to know. You're on Starter, so there's a limit on connectors and I'd want to check where you are against it before I promise anything. I'll come back to you on that.
- Fiona Drummond NoneFine. I don't want to be asking for things we can't have.
- Daniel Okafor NoneOf course. And I should say, there have been no tickets from you in the last month, which I'd normally take as good news. But with usage where it is I'd rather not assume.
- Fiona Drummond NoneNo, nothing's broken. It's just us not using it. Which I know is a different kind of problem.
- Daniel Okafor NoneIt is, but it's a much easier one to fix. Can I ask about February? The contract runs to 8 Feb 2025 and I have the renewal as 9 Feb 2025. Who'll be looking at that on your side?
- Fiona Drummond NoneHamish, in the end. He signed it and he'll want to know who is actually using it. That's always his first question.
- Daniel Okafor NoneYes, I've had that question from him before, and it's a fair one. I'd rather we had a proper answer for him than a hopeful one.
- Fiona Drummond NoneAgreed. Look, if the session goes well and the two of them come back, that's the answer. If it doesn't, I'd rather know now than in January.
- Daniel Okafor NoneThat's a good way to frame it. So, just to close the loop. I'll propose a couple of slots for the hour with your relationship managers, I'll check the connector position and what finance data could look like, and I'll come back to you by Friday.
- Fiona Drummond NoneLovely. Send me the slots and I'll get them in their diaries before they find an excuse.
- Daniel Okafor NoneHa, yes. Priya will be in touch nearer the time on the renewal side, but this is the part that matters, so let's get it right first.
- Fiona Drummond NoneThanks, Daniel. Speak Friday.
- Daniel Okafor NoneThanks, Fiona. Take care, and good luck with that report.