Case studies: Segmentation delivery executive: Helen Wagstaff

Following her BA in Economics at Lancaster University, Helen joined Centrica's marketing graduate scheme...

After graduation, I took a full-time admin job while I researched what graduate schemes would suit me. I applied to Centrica via the application form on the internet, and after several stages of assessment, I was successful.

My economics degree was relevant in both preparing for the interview and in the interview process itself. Research and analytical skills gained at university allowed me to manage my time efficiently to ensure the most effective research was carried out.

I work for British Gas's largest profit and loss (P&L), which represents a customer base of around 6.5 million in their commercial team. I create campaigns to drive additional value and generate new business. These campaigns can take a number of forms, direct mailing, SMS text messaging, emailing or outbound calling.

Each day is different, creating new networks from all parts of the business. I collate customer insight information, design campaign messages for each segment, deliver the campaign and measure the results to see what can be done better next time.

Economics is in everything you do and so you will end up using your degree every day. In some ways, a role in marketing may not be an obvious choice for most economics students. However, this different perspective regarding allocation of resources and delivering the most efficient and effective campaign in itself creates additional value for the commercial team.

The job requires me to be analytical and strategic in my thinking - something I learnt in my degree. I use some statistical methods learnt, cost-benefit analysis and other analytical skills gained.

To an extent, economics proves extremely useful within a marketing environment; it helps you to understand where limited resources will be best utilised to provide the most efficient outcome.

I enjoy the real results you can see when you have done your job well. By using analytics, I can see when customers have responded well to a campaign that I wrote and if it has surpassed the success criteria, generating additional value to the business.

I really enjoy the fact that I am able to be creative and that work that I have prepared goes straight out to the customer - you may have read a text message about a British Gas product that I wrote.

Each day is different and I am able to meet a wide range of people and deliver real results in very short time scales.

Short deadlines due to campaign strategy mean I have to work quickly and efficiently. There may be times where I have to stay a lot later to ensure deadlines are met with the most effective campaign.

Juggling resources can also be very challenging; there are limited budgets where creativity is required to deliver top-notch campaigns.

I would advise other graduates to work hard at their degree and try to go on a summer placement in between university years. You need to really research the company before you apply as this shows you are serious about working for them. Make sure you know the key competencies a company wants; this is how they will judge you from your application form.

AGCAS

Written by AGCAS editors

Date: 

October 2010

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