Earlier this year, FOR Cardiff introduced three Business Liaison Officers to the team, Rhian Reynolds, Louise O’Hanlon and Mathew Hill.
The role was developed to enhance the relationships with FOR Cardiff member businesses and to ensure that FOR Cardiff delivers excellent standards of service. The team work closely with businesses to facilitate opportunities, share information and provide industry-specific benefits.
FOR Cardiff Operations Manager, Nigel Griffiths explains how the role benefits businesses:
“The team act as a conduit between businesses and ourselves, share information about our projects, work with them to problem solve issues and facilitate and develop opportunities for them to network.”
How Can a Business Liaison Officer benefit my business?
A Business Liaison Officer meets with businesses to share information about FOR Cardiff benefits, services and initiatives. They liaise with businesses to find out more about their needs and work closely with them to deliver benefits that are important to them.
Business Liaison Officer, Mathew Hill explains what to expect from a first visit:
“Initially we run through all of the initiatives at FOR Cardiff, identifying which initiatives would benefit a business the most, whether it be free training, cleansing or the FOR Cardiff staff incentive card. We then learn more about the business itself to see how they operate and how we can help.”
Connecting businesses
Part of their role is to work with companies to facilitate meetings or opportunities, connecting businesses with each other.
Business Liaison Officer, Louise O’Hanlon connected Admiral with British Gas to learn best practice on environmental issues and work on implementing green initiatives.
The Business Liaison Officers also facilitate opportunities for smaller businesses to showcase their products or services to larger businesses.
For example, Business Liaison Officer, Rhian Reynolds recently organised opportunities for JD Gyms to link with larger businesses to take advantage of health and wellbeing days.
Sharing Information
On a regular basis, the Business Liaison Officers are asked to acquire information for businesses such as researching smoking legislation, mental health services and volunteering opportunities.
Helen Ranson, the Site Support Manager of British Gas described how Business Liaison Officer, Louise O’Hanlon has helped their business:
“We’ve been working closely with Louise since Autumn of 2018 in her role as Business Liaison Officer and since that time we’ve developed what I believe is a fantastic relationship. She’s proved to be an excellent point of contact for bringing information back to us on a number of areas and for connecting us with other businesses who we can share ideas and best practice with.”
Influencing Projects and Initiatives
The Business Liaison Officers act as a line of communication between businesses and FOR Cardiff. Feedback from the officers has highlighted that issues such as mental health and environmental awareness are becoming increasingly important to businesses.
Due to this feedback FOR Cardiff has introduced mental health awareness training and are considering increasing green initiatives in the second BID term.
Increasing Standards
The team often work with office-based businesses, however, in recent months they have been engaging with over 38 licensed venues to work with them on the Best Bar None initiative.
Best Bar None is an accreditation which promotes high standard of management and operation of licensed premises. Rhian, Mathew and Louise work with venues to make sure that they have the correct policies and procedures in place and assess them for the accreditation.
The new addition of the Business Liaison Officers to the FOR Cardiff team has allowed FOR Cardiff to better connect with its member businesses and align initiatives to the needs of its members.
If you’d like to find out more about FOR Cardiff or any of the initiatives mentioned above please email info@forcardiff.com.
If you are a FOR Cardiff member business and would like to meet with your Business Liaison Officer, please email info@forcardiff.com for more information