Patricia Mann OBE to present IDM Annual Lecture
Released 27 March 2002: Patricia Mann OBE, Senior Non-Executive Director of Centrica plc, will present this year’s IDM Annual Lecture. Her talk, Don’t You Recognise Me?, will discuss CRM theory and practice from a customer perspective, on Tuesday 14 May in Manchester and Thursday 16 May in London.
The Lecture will draw on the experiences of Centrica and other companies in the WPP Group. Patricia explains, “The development of customer relations is a two-way process, and customers' expectations of their relationship with a brand or company continue to rise. They expect a single contact point to know the history of that relationship, and are increasingly irritated and frustrated when every contact they initiate seems to have to start again from scratch. Customers' response to a personalised communication deserves more than depersonalised customer service.”
The Lecture will be given on Tuesday 14 May at Manchester Metropolitan University from 18:00 and repeated on Thursday 16 May at 76 Portland Place, London from 18:00. Tickets cost £45 + VAT for IDM members and £50 + VAT for non-members. To book, visit our main website at www.theidm.com or call +44 (0)20 8614 0275.
Notes to editors
For more information, call Ruth Stone, Orchid PR, on +44 (0)20 8614 0216 (direct), +44 (0)7788 417109 (mobile) or e-mail ruth@orchidpr.co.uk.
About the IDM
The IDM is the fastest-growing professional institute in Europe, with almost 6,000 individual members. In the 15 years since it was founded, the IDM’s agenda has evolved to reflect the extraordinary revolution in business practices brought about by the growth of new media and technologies. The IDM is a not-for-profit organisation, an educational trust and a registered charity, and it offers courses and qualifications spanning every aspect of business and technology. To find out more, visit www.theidm.com.
About Patricia Mann OBE, FCAM, FIPA, CIMgt, FRSA, DUniv (Brunel)
Patricia Mann has spent more than 43 years with J Walter Thompson, the first 19 years as a copywriter. She was subsequently Head of Public Affairs for the JWT UK Group, a Board Director of the London agency and Vice President International before becoming a consultant to JWT.
A Non-Executive Director of Centrica plc since its demerger from British Gas plc in 1997, Patricia is now its Senior Non-Executive Director and a member of the Board's Customer Service Committee. Centrica owns the British Gas, Automobile Association, Goldfish and One.Tel brands.
Patricia's other current appointments include member of the Advisory Board of the Consumer Policy Institute and Chair of the Debating Group, a parliamentary forum for debating marketing and media issues. Her former roles include 14 years with the Advertising Standards Authority, 10 years as a Monopolies and Mergers Commissioner and being on the European Commission's Commerce and Distribution Committee, as well as a number of Non-Executive Director appointments.
