What was said
What this says
Current to 13 Oct 26Kelly Swainston says the brain is now used by all her client managers and she uses it for every service review. No friction or licence squeeze. Steven Holroyd, who decides on renewal, was absent, so a usage summary is planned.
What happened: Daniel Okafor's 25 Jul 2025 check-in with Kelly Swainston was a two-person call, as Steven Holroyd was in month-end. Kelly described returns-then-orders prep for every service review.
Customer view: Adoption has spread from two people to all client managers after a lunch session. A couple are still shy and ask Kelly to query for them. The earlier high-priority ticket was resolved.
Commercial: Kelly is on 40 licences and not squeezed, with new starters due in the autumn. Daniel noted the contract runs to the spring and that Steven likes to see usage first.
Watch: Steven's view is second-hand. Kelly will not go to him without the same facts, so the usage summary matters.
Themes
Current to 9 Oct 26Who was there
BB-Demo
Them
Follow-up
Next steps
Current to 9 Oct 26- Daniel Okafor to send slots for a half-hour session with the two quieter client managers by the end of the following week.
- Daniel Okafor to send Kelly a note on the cause of the high-priority ticket.
- Daniel Okafor to start a usage summary Kelly can share with Steven.
Risks
Current to 9 Oct 26- Steven Holroyd, who weighs the renewal, was not on the call and has only second-hand sight of usage.
- A couple of client managers still ask Kelly to query the brain for them.
Opportunities
Current to 9 Oct 26- Kelly is a strong internal champion who says usage grows over time.
- New starters in the autumn can be added by the admin inside the 40 licences.
Transcript
- Daniel Okafor NoneMorning, Kelly. Thanks ever so much for making the time. It's just the two of us today, is that right?
- Kelly Swainston NoneMorning, Daniel. Yes, just us. Steven's buried in month-end, so you've got me and a very cold cup of tea.
- Daniel Okafor NoneLovely. Can you hear me all right? I had a bit of an echo on the last call.
- Kelly Swainston NoneClear as anything. Sorry, I'm eating toast. I've been in back to back since before eight and this is the first sit-down I've had.
- Daniel Okafor NoneNo apologies needed. How's the week been otherwise? Is it still that grey drizzle up your way?
- Kelly Swainston NoneOh, it's been miserable, but the warehouse doesn't care, does it? Peak of the summer promotions for a couple of the beauty brands, so it's all hands.
- Daniel Okafor NoneI can imagine. Well, I'll keep this tidy. I just wanted to check in on how things are going and hear what you're using it for at the moment.
- Kelly Swainston NoneRight, so, I'll be honest, I'm in the middle of preparing a service review for one of the skincare brands. That's actually where I'm using it today. Returns first, then orders. That's how I do every review now.
- Daniel Okafor NoneThat's good to hear. Talk me through it. What does the prep look like now compared with before?
- Kelly Swainston NoneSo before, I'd have somebody pulling the returns tickets out of one place, the order data from another, and then me trying to stitch it together the night before. Now I just ask it. What did the brand see this month? Where did returns spike? And it gives me the picture with the tickets sitting next to the orders.
- Daniel Okafor NoneMm. And is that the way the rest of your client managers are doing it, or is it mostly you?
- Kelly Swainston NoneThat's the thing, it's been a bit of a shift. At the start it was me and maybe one other. Now they're all in it. I did a lunch session a few weeks back and I think it clicked for people. They're asking each other questions, which is what I wanted. Client managers who share information.
- Daniel Okafor NoneThat's really lovely. I've seen the numbers move quite a bit on our side, in fact. The number of people active in the last few weeks is well up on the previous quarter. How is the team finding it, day to day?
- Kelly Swainston NoneMixed, to be fair, but mostly good. The ones who are in the habit love it. A couple are still a bit shy of it. They ask me to ask it, if you see what I mean.
- Daniel Okafor NoneHa, yes, that's very common. Would it help if I did a short session with those two? Nothing formal. Half an hour, their own brands, their own data.
- Kelly Swainston NoneYes, actually, that would be good. They'd rather hear it from somebody who isn't their boss.
- Daniel Okafor NoneFair enough. I'll come back to you by the end of next week with a couple of slots, and you can tell me which ones suit.
- Kelly Swainston NoneBrilliant.
- Daniel Okafor NoneNow, just to close the loop on something. I can see there was one ticket raised last month, and it was marked high priority. Did that get sorted to your satisfaction?
- Kelly Swainston NoneThe one about the returns not showing up? Yes, that was sorted. I wasn't chasing it afterwards, so I took that as a good sign. I'd only flagged it high because I had a review in the diary.
- Daniel Okafor NoneThat's exactly what you should do. I'd rather you flagged it. I'll send you a short note on what the cause was, so you've got it for your own records.
- Kelly Swainston NoneYeah, that'd be useful, thanks. Then I can say it with confidence if anyone asks.
- Daniel Okafor NoneOf course. Can I ask about licences while we're here? You're on forty, and I'd like to be sure you're not feeling squeezed.
- Kelly Swainston NoneSqueezed? No. I don't think we're anywhere near. I've got a couple of new starters coming in the autumn, but that's fine, isn't it?
- Daniel Okafor NoneWell within it. You've got plenty of headroom, so you wouldn't need to change anything. Just let your admin know and they can add people.
- Kelly Swainston NoneGood. Josh will do that. He's the one who keeps it all running on our side.
- Daniel Okafor NoneYes, I know Josh. Lovely. Is there anything on your side that's getting in the way? Anything you wish it did that it doesn't, or a source that feels a bit thin?
- Kelly Swainston NoneNot really. Honestly, it's the first tool we've bought that people use more as time goes on, not less. I'd say that to Steven too, if he asks.
- Daniel Okafor NoneHe will, I expect. Your contract runs to the spring, and I know Steven likes to see who's using it before he decides anything. It might be worth us pulling together a simple usage summary ahead of that.
- Kelly Swainston NoneYes, do that. I never go anywhere without Steven on something like this. If he can see the same facts I'm looking at, it's an easy conversation.
- Daniel Okafor NoneUnderstood. So, to recap. I'll send a couple of slots for the session with your two quieter client managers, I'll send you the note on that ticket, and I'll start a usage summary you can share with Steven when you're ready.
- Kelly Swainston NonePerfect. And I'll go and finish this review, since it's not going to write itself. Well, it more or less does now.
- Daniel Okafor NoneHa. Good luck with it. Thank you again for your time, Kelly. Speak soon.
- Kelly Swainston NoneThanks, Daniel. Bye for now.