Nicola Byrne, Founder of 11890
The guest speaker for the Enterprise Network for Women this month is successful entrepreneur, Nicola Byrne, Founder and Managing Director of Call 11890 Ltd.
Nicola will talk to us about her experiences of setting up and developing her company and she will share tips with the network on avoiding and dealing with problems commonly confronted by entrepreneurs. The talk will be followed be a Question and Answer session. There will be time allocated for structured networking at the tables and the event will close with informal networking over tea/coffee.
This event is for members of the Dublin City Enterprise Network for Women but guests are welcome to attend one event.
Dublin City Enterprise Network for Women - March 2009 Event
- Title: TIPS FROM AN ENTREPRENEUR
- Speaker: Nicola Byrne – Managing Director, Call 11890 Ltd
- Talk will be followed by Networking
- Venue: Mont Clare Hotel, Merrion Square
- Date and Time Monday 11th May, 7-9pm
To register or for more information please email network@dceb.ie .
About the speaker:
Nicola Byrne – Managing Director, Call 11890 Ltd
Call 11890 Ltd provides the Irish consumer with the cheapest directory enquiry service in Ireland. Headquartered in Clonashaugh Industrial Estate, Dublin, the company now employs 103 across its call centers in Dublin and Galway and currently holds 24% of the national directory enquiries market. Managing Director, Nicola Byrne was recently nominated for the Image Magazine Business Women of the Year Awards, won the Women Mean Business Breakthrough Award and 11890 won best Marketing Campaign in Europe for directory enquiries from 118 Tracker.
Previously Nicola founded and ran Dublin based Stenics Media, which specialized in outdoor advertising. She has also worked with the research company AC Nielsen and was formerly a brand manager with Bank of Ireland and Jacobs Danone. She is a graduate of the Marketing Institute of Ireland.
Call 11890 Ltd was launched in July 2006. The third entrant into the national directory enquiries market, the move was designed to end the duopoly enjoyed by 11811 (eircom) and 11850 (conduit).
Making an instant mark on the directory enquiry market, 11890 offered Irish consumers an alternative to the competition by providing significant savings and by providing the most user-friendly and customer-centric service available. The key to this service – was the fact that 11890 has no automated machines – providing each customer with a trained professional. By 2007 Call 11890 had already opened it’s second call centre in Galway. The company had also developed a range of business to business clients, including a large portion of Ireland’s blue chip companies such as AIB, Goodbody’s, KPMG, An Post and Elan. The company engaged with the media and with Irish consumers with the launch of its ‘Free February’ Campaign, providing free directory enquiries for all eircom landline callers. This campaign was the start of an ambitious drive to secure 10% of the national directory enquiry market. The Free February initiative proved a resounding success with daily call volumes increasingly dramatically and the company’s marketshare increasing to the 5% mark. Throughout the remainder of 2007, Call 11890 Ltd continued to set the pace in the directory enquiries market. The company utilized a range of communications tactics including radio promotions, viral advertising and experiential marketing. The company also set its sights on the mobile phone directory enquiry market by announcing that it was 50c cheaper than its rivals for all 02 customers. 11890 in mid 2008 launched their Free Campaign fronted by the Wiley Man Character (an impersonation of Eddie Hobbs). Eddie gave his blessing to this venture due to 11890’s sponsorship of the Jack and Jill foundation of which Eddie is the Patron. The extended campaign ensured that 11890 was well and truly increased their market share to where they stand today at 24%. Looking ahead, the company intends to maintain its price and service promise to the Irish consumer and to this end 11890 Free Text service launched in April 2009.
To join the Dublin City Enterprise Network for Women click here.