Tag: team

CCPC warns consumers to avoid dangerous car seat head straps

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is warning consumers against the use of head straps in children’s car seats.

The product safety warning comes after extensive online market surveillance by the CCPC. Through these searches, the CCPC conducted a sweep of 100 product listings and attempted to obtain the required safety documentation for each product. All 100 listings were removed as the safety of the products could not be demonstrated.

The products in question were being sold across five online marketplaces; Amazon, Cdiscount, Joom, Shein and Wish. They may be for sale on other platforms or websites.

The head restraint accessory, which is sometimes described as a car seat head strap, a neck protection belt, head support hugger or a nap aid/sleep holder belt, claims to prevent a child’s head from falling forwards or sideways if they fall asleep.

However, an investigation by the CCPC’s product safety team established that these products are dangerous and could cause serious injuries to a child’s spine or neck during a collision or suffocation if the strap slips over the child’s nose and mouth, or strangulation if the strap moves down to their neck.

These products have already been recalled in Malta, Germany and Australia. While the number of products sold in Ireland is unknown, the CCPC is issuing a safety warning about the car seat head straps due to the serious risk they pose.

Grainne Griffin, CCPC Director of Communications said:

“Products like this prey on a parent’s basic instinct to protect their child. But instead of making a toddler safer, they put the child much more at risk. If the strap slips down over the child’s face or neck, there is a serious risk of suffocation or strangulation.

“CCPC sweeps have led to the removal of 100 product listings across various platforms. However, we’re asking the public to remain vigilant and contact us if they see car seat head straps like these being advertised, be it online or in physical stores.”

Dr Katharine Harkin, Consultant in Public Health Medicine, HSE Child Health Public Health said:

“Do not place straps across your child’s forehead in a car seat. They claim to prevent your child’s head from falling forwards or sideways if they fall asleep. There is no evidence that these products are safe to use.

“Car seats are designed to keep your child as safe as possible while travelling. The safest approach is always to use a properly fitted, appropriate car seat and do not use any additional products. The HSE’s mychild.ie has more advice for parents on keeping their child safe while driving and other areas of child safety.”

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) does not recommend the use of devices or accessories that are purchased separately from a child’s car seat.

Christine Hegarty, Road Safety and Education Manager at RSA said:

“Child car seats are highly regulated and vigorously tested and are designed to perform and react in a specific way in the event of a collision. Any device that changes that process is dangerous.”

Advice for consumers

  1. Do not use car seat head straps as they are extremely dangerous.
  2. Product add-ons or accessories for car seats should only be used when they have been tested and approved by the car seat manufacturer.
  3. Using any other accessories may change the performance of the car seat or introduce other hazards during normal use.

How Tech Is Becoming A Prominent Team Member For Legal Teams

In the legal industry, time is everything. And it seems the days of teams spending long hours handling paperwork and manual processes are long gone. As businesses embrace digital technology and become more data-driven, legal teams are under increasing pressure to manage information faster and more effectively. Technology helps fill this gap, becoming an increasingly valuable support and, for many firms, a valued member of the team.

Saving time and money for greater efficiency

The role of a legal team goes beyond providing legal advice. For many businesses, legal departments help form business strategy, in addition to supporting governance and managing risk. Combined with a changing work environment, legal teams need tools that will allow them to work more efficiently, track decisions and access information quickly. While they may not have moved as swiftly as others, legal firms and teams are finally realising the benefits technology can bring.

The impact of technology

Modern legal technology can help with many day-to-day activities. From contract management to compliance tools, teams can process information faster than ever, using collaboration tools to improve visibility across different departments and avoid delays. 

Using AI and automation software, teams can save time on repetitive administrative tasks, allowing legal professionals to focus on higher-value work. With 80% of Irish SMBs set to adopt AI within the year, it seems legal teams are embracing a broader shift towards more effective ways of working, where technology supports decision-making rather than simply taking over traditional human roles. 

Using eDiscovery to benefit in-house teams

One of the most beneficial areas of technology for legal teams is eDiscovery for in-house corporate teams. While discovery may have been previously outsourced, this technology helps teams collect, search and review information to produce reports faster than ever before. For in-house teams, this helps provide greater security over data while boosting response times to keep costs low and maintain compliance. Strict data management is crucial for businesses and organisations, and keeping this information in-house can help remove additional layers of risk.

What’s next?

Legal technology will continue to evolve, becoming a valued team member that supports and enhances the work of firms and in-house teams. By focusing on better integration and tools that solve many common legal challenges, tech can become a partner to allow teams to stay agile. Firms must find ways to introduce this technology and embrace it, keeping up the pace with other business areas like marketing, research and accounting. 

Technology is no longer just a future consideration for legal teams; it can help shape day-to-day operations and save money and time. Efficiency is key for businesses, and the tools available now, alongside those that may be introduced in the future, can help teams work faster and smarter – saving time and money. Teams that put this technology to good use can discover the opportunities available, enhancing legal expertise and freeing up time to focus on the areas that bring value to the business instead. 

How Territory Mapping Can Help Sales Teams Focus on the Right Opportunities

Service organizations count on regular contact and the effective organization of the field activities to attract new clients and retain the old ones. But in the absence of knowing where opportunities are available or how territories should be prioritized, salespeople will waste time by traveling long distances or searching for low-value prospects. Mapping territories is a systematic, graphic way of determining the localization of leads, the manner in which sales resources are distributed, and which locations have the greatest potential. Territory mapping, when coupled with an effective sales pipeline management CRM, will provide organizational understanding and clarity to optimize productivity, ease planning, and reinforce sales performance in each region.

 

5 Reasons Territory Mapping Helps Sales Teams Prioritize Better

 

 

  1. Organized Data and Faster Field Planning Through Paperless Document Tools

The process of territory mapping is made much more effective in combination with the use of paperless document tools that allow removing manual paperwork and providing immediate digital access. The sales teams do not have to use printed maps, handwritten notes, and scattered files anymore, but can access all the details about their clients, lead information, and territory assignments in one online place. This simplified procedure will mean that all the representatives will have the right and updated data in the field.

Mapping visualization and paperless documentation allow easy tracking of opportunities, documentation of client interactions, and the analysis of territory performance without administrative delays. Field reps have the ability to save notes directly into the mapping system and provide office teams with instant feedback on the availability of new opportunities or follow-up requirements. This real-time cooperation will decrease the misunderstandings and assist sales departments in concentrating on the potential opportunities of particular areas.

 

  1. Better Prioritization for High-Value Areas

The process of territory mapping will give a clear picture of the location of the valuable prospects and loyal customers. Sales teams can allocate more time to more opportunity areas than to others since time allocation is evenly spread throughout the service area. Geographic visualization points out the lead groups, the areas with more conversion potential, and the areas where the demand for the services is the greatest.

This can prevent wasting time traveling to prospects who have a low potential or interest in services. Reps can schedule their routes every day and go for opportunities that are worth following and ensure a better utilization of their time and high chances of success. Sales teams can be more efficient, and their fieldwork can yield better and more stable returns by knowing precisely where they yield the greatest results.

 

  1. Improved Lead Management by Region and Category

Mapping the various territories of a business can help companies identify and categorize their leads by region/service type/customer segment so that representatives can work with those leads that are the best fit for their skill set, experience level, and geographical area. Creating these types of segments also helps to consolidate the communications that clients will receive to prevent overlapping outreach and provide a consistent message throughout your company’s entire lead generation process.

When leads are managed on a regional basis, it is easier for organizations to evaluate their performance in the marketplace and identify the markets that are overlooked. Additionally, organizations can analyze how each region interacts with the market dynamics, assess their competition level, evaluate the overall “health” of their sales activity within each region over time, and determine how to adjust their business strategies based on what they observe in each region in “real time.”

 

  1. Streamlined Team Coordination and Accountability

With clearly defined territories, you can eliminate confusion concerning the responsibilities associated with each member of the sales force (sales agents). When all sales representatives know where they have the right to sell products/services, as well as where their commission check will come from, this opens opportunities for sales reps to form alliances with other sales reps and work together toward mutual benefit.

Additionally, by defining the territories within a company’s sales organization, a company’s leadership team is empowered by having a more purposeful and measurable approach to sales activity performance. By establishing accountability based upon the performance of territories, and measuring both activity and results for territories, a company’s leadership will have a much more focused view of which territories are underperforming versus those territories that are performing well and need additional support. 

 

  1. Stronger Forecasting and Strategic Expansion Planning

Mapping territories also aids business expansion planning, as companies can assess potential new markets before actually entering them. In addition, having insight into a territory’s performance enables them to predict sales growth potential, assess resource requirements, and determine whether it is reasonable to expand into that market based on performance measurements and growth potential. Using accurate geographical data, instead of guesswork or speculating, can help reduce risk for companies, improve their ability to make strategic choices in all markets, and eliminate mistakes resulting from using just guesswork.

End Point

When sales teams map out their territories, they can focus on the best opportunities, travel more effectively, manage their prospects more precisely, and maximize their sales resources. Territory mapping combined with a sound CRM system that manages sales pipelines creates a streamlined process by eliminating wasteful efforts and providing insight into how well each region is performing and how its performance can be improved.

Why Tech Companies Are Taking Control of Their Communications

The disconnect between Ireland’s world-class tech sector and its telecommunications infrastructure has reached a critical juncture. While Dublin’s docklands host the European headquarters of Google, Facebook, and Microsoft, and Cork houses Apple’s only wholly-owned manufacturing facility in Europe, many tech companies still struggle with communication systems that fail to match their operational sophistication. Yellowcom, serving Irish businesses from their Dublin office, reports that technology companies achieving the best performance gains are those taking direct control of their communication infrastructure rather than accepting standard business packages.

The irony is palpable. Irish tech companies building cutting-edge software solutions often rely on communication systems that wouldn’t look out of place in 2010. This infrastructure lag doesn’t just affect startups in Galway co-working spaces or scale-ups in Limerick’s tech clusters—it impacts established firms across Dublin, Cork, and Belfast that assumed their business phone systems and business broadband would naturally evolve with their needs. The reality proves far different, with many discovering that generic business communications packages severely constrain their operational capabilities.

The Technical Debt of Traditional Telecoms

Ireland’s tech sector faces a unique paradox. Companies capable of building complex distributed systems, implementing sophisticated DevOps practices, and managing global cloud infrastructure often tolerate communication systems they wouldn’t accept in any other operational domain. This technical debt accumulates not through ignorance but through focus—engineering teams prioritise product development over internal infrastructure, assuming telecommunications is a solved problem.

The assumption proves costly. Traditional telecoms providers, even when offering “business-grade” services, rarely understand tech company requirements. A software company’s communication needs differ fundamentally from those of traditional businesses. API access for automation, programmatic control of call routing, integration with development workflows, and granular analytics aren’t nice-to-have features—they’re operational necessities.

Dublin’s tech companies particularly suffer from this disconnect. Despite the city’s status as European tech capital, many firms operate with communication infrastructure that creates friction at every interaction point. Engineers cannot programmatically provision phone numbers for testing. Support teams lack integration between phone systems and ticketing platforms. Sales teams juggle multiple disconnected tools because their CRM doesn’t properly integrate with voice systems.

The problem extends beyond pure software companies. Ireland’s growing ecosystem of tech-enabled businesses—from medtech firms in Galway to agritech companies in Cork—require communication systems that support their hybrid physical-digital operations. Traditional telecoms solutions force these companies into awkward workarounds that reduce efficiency and increase complexity.

Why Standard Business Packages Fail Tech Companies

The mismatch between standard business telecommunications and tech company needs stems from fundamental differences in operational philosophy. Traditional business packages assume predictable usage patterns, fixed locations, and hierarchical communication flows. Tech companies operate with variable demand, distributed teams, and network-style communication patterns that break these assumptions.

Consider authentication and security. While traditional businesses might accept username-password authentication for phone systems, tech companies require SSO integration, multi-factor authentication, and granular permission controls. Security isn’t just about preventing unauthorised access—it’s about maintaining compliance with SOC 2, ISO 27001, and customer security requirements that demand comprehensive audit trails and access controls.

API accessibility represents another crucial gap. Tech companies expect to automate everything, from user provisioning to call routing rules. Traditional business phone systems might offer basic APIs as an afterthought, but tech companies need comprehensive, well-documented APIs that enable deep integration with existing tools and workflows. The ability to programmatically control communications becomes essential for maintaining operational efficiency at scale.

Scalability requirements differ dramatically too. A traditional business might grow predictably, adding employees gradually. Tech companies can experience explosive growth, doubling or tripling headcount within months. Communication systems that require manual provisioning, hardware installation, or contract renegotiation for scaling become operational bottlenecks that constrain growth.

Data analytics expectations highlight another divide. Tech companies accustomed to comprehensive metrics from every system find traditional telecoms reporting laughably basic. They need real-time dashboards, custom metrics, data export capabilities, and integration with business intelligence tools. Communication data should flow into the same analytics platforms as other operational metrics, enabling holistic performance analysis.

The Hidden Costs of Communication Friction

The true cost of inadequate communication infrastructure extends far beyond monthly service charges. For tech companies where talent represents the primary asset and productivity drives valuation, communication friction creates compound negative effects that impact everything from recruitment to customer satisfaction.

Developer productivity suffers when engineers spend time managing communication workarounds rather than building products. A Dublin software company might lose dozens of engineering hours monthly to communication-related issues—time that could otherwise advance product development. When senior engineers earning €80,000-€120,000 annually waste time on communication problems, the opportunity cost becomes substantial.

Customer support quality deteriorates when communication systems don’t integrate properly with support infrastructure. Tech companies pride themselves on responsive, high-quality support, but disconnected phone systems create information silos that frustrate both agents and customers. The inability to automatically log calls, screen-pop customer information, or route based on technical expertise degrades service quality and increases resolution time.

Sales efficiency plummets when communication tools don’t support modern sales processes. Tech company sales cycles involve multiple stakeholders, complex demonstrations, and careful relationship management. Communication systems that don’t integrate with CRM platforms, support call recording for training, or enable sophisticated routing rules handicap sales teams competing against well-equipped competitors.

Remote collaboration challenges multiply with inadequate communications. Irish tech companies increasingly compete globally for talent, building distributed teams across multiple time zones. Communication infrastructure that only works properly from Irish offices limits talent acquisition and reduces team effectiveness. The best engineers have options—they won’t tolerate inferior tools.

Building Communications for Scale

Successful tech companies recognise communication infrastructure as critical technical architecture requiring the same attention as product infrastructure. They’re moving beyond traditional telecoms toward platforms that align with their operational philosophy and technical requirements.

Cloud-native architecture becomes non-negotiable. Tech companies already operating in AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure expect communication systems built on similar principles. This means horizontal scalability, API-first design, infrastructure as code capabilities, and seamless integration with existing cloud services. Traditional on-premise PBX systems or hybrid solutions feel anachronistic to teams accustomed to cloud-native operations.

Programmable communications enable the automation tech companies expect. Whether provisioning numbers for new employees through HR systems, updating call routing based on on-call schedules, or triggering customer notifications through communication APIs, programmability transforms communications from static infrastructure to dynamic capability.

Integration depth matters more than feature breadth. Tech companies prefer communication platforms that integrate deeply with their existing stack rather than attempting to replace it. This means native integrations with Slack or Microsoft Teams, webhooks for event processing, and SDKs for custom development. The communication system should enhance existing tools rather than creating another silo.

Geographic flexibility supports Ireland’s distributed tech workforce. With engineers in Dublin, designers in Cork, and support teams potentially anywhere, communication systems must provide location independence. This goes beyond simple remote access—it means consistent experience regardless of location, device, or network conditions.

The Irish Tech Ecosystem’s Response

Leading Irish tech companies are pioneering approaches to communication infrastructure that others can learn from. Rather than accepting telecommunications as unchangeable overhead, they’re treating it as solvable technical challenge worthy of engineering attention.

Dublin’s scale-ups are building internal platforms that abstract communication complexity from end users. Engineering teams create custom interfaces that integrate voice, video, and messaging into unified experiences tailored to specific roles. Support agents see communication options embedded in their ticketing interface. Sales teams access everything through their CRM. Engineers interact through CLI tools or Slack commands.

Cork’s tech cluster benefits from collaboration between companies facing similar challenges. Informal knowledge sharing through meetups and online communities helps smaller companies learn from larger ones’ experiences. This collective intelligence accelerates the adoption of modern communication approaches across the ecosystem.

Galway’s medtech companies, with their unique regulatory requirements, demonstrate that sophisticated communications can coexist with compliance demands. They’ve proven that cloud-based systems can meet strict quality and security requirements when properly configured and validated.

The rise of Irish communication tech companies creates additional options. Local providers understanding tech company needs offer alternatives to international platforms that might not fully grasp Irish market requirements. This competitive pressure drives innovation and improvement across the sector.

Practical Implementation Strategies

Tech companies successfully modernising their communications follow patterns that others can replicate. The key lies in approaching communications as technical project rather than procurement exercise.

Start with technical requirements gathering, not vendor comparison. Define API requirements, integration needs, security standards, and scalability parameters before evaluating solutions. This prevents being swayed by irrelevant features while missing crucial capabilities.

Assign technical ownership to engineering or technical operations teams rather than traditional IT or facilities. Communications increasingly resembles software infrastructure more than traditional telecoms. Teams managing cloud infrastructure often have better context for evaluating and implementing modern communication platforms.

Implement gradually through proof of concept deployments. Start with single team or use case, validate the approach, then expand. This reduces risk while building internal expertise. Many tech companies begin with engineering or support teams who can provide technical feedback before broader rollout.

Build abstraction layers that insulate users from underlying complexity. Whether through custom applications, browser extensions, or API integrations, create interfaces that match existing workflows rather than forcing workflow changes.

Measure everything from the start. Establish baseline metrics before migration, track throughout implementation, and continuously monitor post-deployment. Tech companies excel at data-driven decision making—apply the same rigour to communications.

The Competitive Advantage of Superior Communications

Irish tech companies with modern communication infrastructure report competitive advantages extending beyond operational efficiency. Superior communications become a differentiator in talent acquisition, customer satisfaction, and market expansion.

Recruitment benefits materialise immediately. Engineers evaluating opportunities increasingly consider tool quality alongside compensation and culture. Companies offering modern, integrated communication tools signal technical sophistication and operational maturity. The ability to support truly flexible working—not just “work from home with a laptop and mobile”—attracts talent with options.

Customer experience improvements follow naturally. When support teams have complete context, sales teams respond instantly, and technical teams collaborate seamlessly, customers notice. In competitive markets where product features converge, service quality becomes differentiator. Superior communications enable superior service.

International expansion becomes feasible when communications don’t constrain operations. Irish tech companies targeting European or global markets need presence without infrastructure. Modern communication platforms enable local numbers, regional support, and follow-the-sun coverage without physical offices.

Innovation acceleration occurs when communications become programmable platform rather than fixed infrastructure. Tech companies build custom applications on communication APIs, creating unique capabilities that competitors cannot match. This transforms communications from cost centre to innovation enabler.

Conclusion: Taking Control of Technical Destiny

The gap between Ireland’s tech sector sophistication and its communication infrastructure represents both challenge and opportunity. Tech companies accepting traditional business telecommunications handicap themselves unnecessarily. Those taking control of their communication infrastructure gain operational advantages that compound over time.

The transformation doesn’t require massive investment or disruption. Modern communication platforms designed for tech companies offer consumption-based pricing, gradual migration paths, and immediate benefits. The primary requirement is recognition that communications deserve the same technical attention as other critical infrastructure.

Irish tech companies have proven they can compete globally across every dimension—talent, innovation, execution. They shouldn’t let communication infrastructure become the limiting factor. By applying the same technical rigour to communications as they do to product development, they can eliminate this constraint and accelerate their growth.

The tools exist, the knowledge is spreading through the ecosystem, and early adopters are demonstrating the benefits. For Irish tech companies ready to treat communications as solvable technical challenge rather than immutable overhead, the opportunity to gain competitive advantage awaits. The question isn’t whether to modernise communications, but how quickly you can eliminate this unnecessary friction from your operations.

Understanding Agentic AI: The New Autonomous Frontier

Agentic AI represents the next frontier in artificial intelligence innovation where autonomous agents work together as a team. Although agentic AI is in its early stages, it has the potential to help enterprises achieve remarkable gains in productivity, efficiency, and scalability by eliminating inefficiencies and seamlessly scaling an organization’s collective skills. With AI agents, enterprises can gain a competitive advantage by delivering insights faster and making strategic decisions more effectively.

Neil Bowden, Director of Data Analytics & AI, Dell Technologies Ireland tells us more below

AI lessens the burden of using complex tools and dissolves siloes by augmenting human capabilities. Now, employees can contribute more meaningfully to specialized tasks with the assistance of AI. Teams working with AI are three times more likely to be in the top decile of performance than individuals working with AI or teams working without AI.

Defining Agentic AI

An AI agent is a software system that uses artificial intelligence to autonomously make decisions and take actions to achieve a set of objectives. AI agents have the power to reason, learn and adapt based on their perception of the work environment. As a result, they can be given a goal and carry out complex tasks to reach that goal, with minimal or potentially no human interaction.

AI agents surpass automation by adapting and learning within complex workflows. To tap into the potential of agentic AI, it’s important to understand the difference between automation and autonomy. Automation is a predefined set of actions that are performed by a piece of technology, whereas autonomy is an intent that is given to technology and the technology then determines and performs the task. Autonomy happens when the human ceases to be the “doer” of the work or ceases to define the workflow.

Take supply chain management as an example. An automated robot can be designed to pick, pack and ship goods in a productive manner that reduces errors, achieving faster order completion and customer satisfaction. An autonomous agent, or AI agent, can optimize supply chain management by predicting demand, managing inventory levels, and coordinating with suppliers to ensure timely restocking. It could identify potential disruptions and suggest solutions to maintain the smooth flow of goods.

Generative AI vs. Agentic AI – Understanding Their Unique Roles

AI agents are different from GenAI chatbots and assistants. GenAI chatbots and assistants help us unlock the power of data, so we can more effectively interact with and act on it. In contrast, AI agents interact with the data and act on our behalf based on our desired goals and without our intervention.

An AI agent is typically composed of a core (i.e., a persona, goals, and a list of available tools); a memory; tools to perceive and interact with its environment; and some form of reasoning function that is likely based on an AI model (e.g., LLM). The capabilities of these building blocks determine the AI agent’s reasoning ability and influence its degree of autonomy.

Balancing Autonomy and Oversight for Effective AI Integration

Humans are critical to agentic AI because they provide intentionality for AI agents. Despite the autonomous nature of AI agents, there is still a human involved in defining what success looks like to the AI agents. The biggest shift from GenAI chatbots and assistants to AI agents is that humans are in the loop with GenAI tools. This means humans are deeply involved in defining how work is going to be done.

With the current slate of AI agents, humans are on the loop. This means that you define the outcome and the intent, but you have delegated the AI agent to figure out how to perform the task. AI agents will become one of the most impactful tools that accelerate enterprise efficiency by taking on complex tasks while continuously improving themselves through learning and adaptation.

These questions of oversight, governance, and the evolving relationship between humans and AI are not just theoretical, they are at the heart of the conversations we’ll be having at the Dell Technologies Forum in Dublin on September 23rd. From exploring how Irish businesses can build trustworthy, autonomous AI systems to examining next-generation AI infrastructure, to understanding how GenAI and Agentic AI work in tandem. This year’s Forum will bring these concepts to life with real-world examples and the insights of Dell experts.

Practical Applications of Agentic AI

AI agents are autonomous and function-serving, which means they are capable of interfacing with other systems and taking actions in those systems. However, the first generation of AI agents are captive within a particular product, system, or vendor. As the technology advances and interoperability standards are defined, it can be leveraged across software programs and across business units from sales to finance, marketing to HR, and in the supply chain.

To prepare for agentic AI, enterprises should look at their technology infrastructure foundation and ensure it is equipped to power and scale AI agents. Identify priority use cases to plug AI agents and start thinking about how to integrate them into your workflows across enterprise software systems and other IT operations.

At this year’s Forum, speakers will provide practical advice for decision makers that can help their organisation overcome infrastructure challenges, unlock productivity, and prepare their workforce for new roles in an AI-driven environment. Sessions will dive into how IT leaders can balance innovation with security, compliance, and ethical considerations while scaling AI initiatives.

The Potential Impact of Agentic AI

Before we know it, AI agents will become the new Application Programming Interface (API) of business, enhancing the way enterprises operate regardless of industry. The real value of AI agents is not when they are in isolation, but rather when they start to work together. This could be an ensemble of agents working inside your company (e.g., different AI agents with different frameworks), or the next evolution: when your AI agents can interact with someone else’s AI agents. With interoperability standards soon to be defined, it won’t be hard to imagine your AI agents interworking with the AI agents of vendors, partners, and customers. The possibilities are endless.

I’m excited for what the future holds for agentic AI and how it will propel enterprises into the future. Dell Technologies Forum will be an important forum for these discussions, bringing together Ireland’s business community to explore agentic AI and its impact on business transformation, leadership, and competitiveness in the AI era.

Join them at the Royal Dublin Society in Dublin on September 23rd for the 2025 Dell Technologies Forum, run in collaboration with NVIDIA, Intel, and Microsoft. For more information and to register for this event, click here

 

UX Firm Each&Other Creates 10 New Jobs in UK Expansion and will Invest €500k in its Team to Support the Expansion of Fractional UX and Service Capabilities

Each&Other, one of Ireland’s leading independent digital consultancies, is creating 10 new jobs in the UK and Dublin as it continues to scale the company.  The company is investing €500k in its team to support the expansion and enhance its fractional UX and service design capabilities.

UK industry veteran, Ben Logan has been appointed as UK Strategy & Growth Lead.  Ben was founder and former MD of Spotless, a London-based UX Research and Service Design agency and brings over 20 years of leadership experience to Each&Other.

The new jobs, due to be created by the end of 2026, will be in the areas of UX designers, graphic designers and content strategists serving International clients and will bring the total number of employees at Each&Other to 35.

Each&Other delivers award-winning digital experiences using a customer-centred approach to product development.  The company helps clients to grow their business, increase customer satisfaction and ship great products.  Creativity, people and partnerships are intrinsic to the company.  With their combined strengths and diverse expertise, Each&Other is committed to making a difference to each client’s unique requirements.

“2025 represents a huge milestone in Each&Other’s history,” explains Brian Herron, Director at Each&Other.  “We have grown rapidly since our founding, and we continue to scale the company at a fast pace.  Each&Other is a dynamic, ambitious and innovation-led company at the cutting edge of its industry.  We are delighted to welcome Ben to help us grow in the UK, enter new markets and continue to deliver world-class strategy, research and design for our clients.  This is an exciting time for the company and it’s a great opportunity for talented people to join our growing team.”

Each&Other’s clients span technology, finance, government, telecoms, retail and education companies.

About Each&Other

Each&Other is an Irish strategic UX design firm delivering digital customer experiences that help organisations grow and deliver great digital products to their customers.  Creativity, people and partnerships are intrinsic to Each&Other.  With their combined strengths and diverse expertise, the company is committed to making a difference to each client’s unique requirements.

Established in 2014, Each&Other is based in Dublin, employs 25 people and delivers research and digital design projects throughout EU, Middle East and USA.

Evolve IP Boosts Account Management Team With New Arrival – Josh Dolman

Fast-growing cloud collaboration provider, Evolve IP, has bolstered its account management team with the appointment of Josh Dolman to inspire further partner success across the southern part of the UK.

The company’s newest Partner Account Manager provides dedicated day-to-day support across a range of key sales activities, to enhance and grow the company’s base of resellers by providing a suite of white-label ‘best-of-breed’ solutions. These include sophisticated UCaaS and CCaaS solutions.

The 31-year-old is working alongside a team of wider specialists to offer the highest levels of customer management support. His objective is to ensure the Evolve IP product set is their preferred choice.

Business Goals

Josh, from Chippenham, has been working in the industry since leaving university and has completed a successful probation period.

“My role is helping existing partners as well as an element of business development to spread the word across the industry. It’s all about understanding partners’ business goals and helping them utilise our extensive Anywhere Product Suite, as part of a ‘best fit’ approach,” he explained.

Evolve IP has a Cardiff UK HQ and boasts an international carrier-grade platform. It specialises in securely integrating unified communications, collaboration tools, voice and omnichannel contact centre solutions into the cloud.

Josh has a pool of customers south of Birmingham and joins the company from a UC service provider. He has also worked for a large European reseller.

“Evolve IP is building a high profile reputation and is a growing industry force,” he continued. “It’s been great to see how they are already making a difference especially by providing resellers with choice from best-of-breed market products to accelerate their own individual revenue streams. We’re a differentiator.

“My goals now are to help Evolve IP grow a bigger market share within the channel. Equally there’s a focus within the business to up-skill staff and I see an opportunity here for my professional growth. I want to become a best-in-breed account manager to develop my career and also help my partners grow too. It’s a win-win environment, backed by an experienced team of professionals where we all learn from each other.”

Amazon in Dublin supports wheelchair rugby team

A wheelchair rugby club in county Laois has received a €1,000 donation from the team at Amazon’s fulfilment centre in Dublin.

Formed in 2013, Laois Lions Wheelchair Rugby Club supports wheelchair users who have a passion for the sport. The rugby club provides wheelchair users with the accessibility to be involved with non-wheelchair users and participate in the sport together.

The donation from Amazon in Dublin will go towards Wheelchair Rugby Support Equipment and team costs.

Alongside the donation, Declan Naughton from Laois Lions Wheelchair Rugby Club visited Amazon in Dublin for a behind-the-scenes tour of the fulfilment centre.

Tadas Valaisa, an employee from Amazon in Dublin who nominated the charity for support, said:

“As a volunteer for the rugby club, the staff, players and other volunteers have a special place in my heart. I’m pleased that Amazon in Dublin is supporting Laois Lions Wheelchair Rugby Club with this donation.”

Darragh Kelly, General Manager at Amazon in Dublin, said:

“We’re proud to support Laois Lions Wheelchair Rugby Club with this donation. Tadas has raised awareness of the rugby club, and we couldn’t be more pleased to recognise his and the many other staff and volunteers’ service with this donation. We were pleased to welcome Declan on site too, to find out more about his involvement with the club and give him a tour of our workplace. It was a pleasure!”

Declan Naughton, from Laois Lions Wheelchair Rugby Club, added:

“On behalf of everyone at Laois Wheelchair Rugby Club, I would like to say thank you to the team from Amazon in Dublin for their support. Not only are we here to support wheelchair users, we’re also here to provide a great workout with a bit of fun along the way. The donation will assist us as we prepare for the upcoming Irish league and a tournament in Germany at the end of March. Thank you also for hosting me on site – it was lovely to put faces to names.”

The donation to Laois Lions Wheelchair Rugby Club was made as part of Amazon’s programme to support the communities in and around its operating locations in Ireland.

Since opening its doors in 2022, the Dublin fulfilment centre has supported many community organisations locally, with donations totalling €46,000. Charities supported by the team at the fulfilment centre include Cliona’s Foundation, Jigsaw and LauraLynn Children’s Hospice.

The Amazon fulfilment centre in Dublin, the first of its kind in Ireland, opened in August 2022 providing more than 500 new permanent jobs. The 630,000 square foot centre at Baldonnell Business Park in Dublin holds millions of items that are picked, packed and shipped to customers across Ireland and the rest of Europe.

Ireland’s ‘RoboÉireann’ Robot Soccer Team wins international RoboCup Challenge Shield

Ireland’s Robot Soccer team, RoboÉireann from Maynooth University, are Challenge Shield winners in the RoboCup 2023 Standard Platform League, an international robotics competition held in Bordeaux, France.

Scoring 67-2 across nine matches, RoboÉireann overcame teams from Germany, the Netherlands, Canada, USA, Australia, and Brazil to secure victory.  (35 second clip of RoboCup Semi-Final RoboÉireann V Dutch Nao below. 

RoboCup is an international research initiative to advance intelligent autonomous robotics into the middle of the 21st century.

Robot soccer is played by teams of five or seven robots each comprising a goalie and outfield players. There are human referees and just like real soccer there is a kick-off, goals, fouls, a sin-bin and eventual send-offs for persistent fouls, and penalty kicks.

The winning team comprises staff and students from the Departments of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science at Maynooth University and competes in an innovative game where all competitors use identical humanoid robot hardware but develop software so that the robots play soccer autonomously. RoboÉireann have competed in European and International RoboCup events since 2009.

To achieve this level of autonomy, teams must develop software, create advanced machine learning and AI and efficient real-time systems, so that the robots can understand their surroundings, make decisions, and collaborate in dynamic environments without human intervention or remote control.

Students gain industry-ready skills in robotics, AI, software, and teamwork with applications in autonomous robotics, assistive technologies for independent living, manufacturing, agriculture, and emergency/disaster area operations, amongst others.

Commenting on the team’s success, Dr Rudi Villing, team coach and lecturer in the Department of Electronic Engineering, said: “RoboCup is an invaluable practical environment for students to learn about the challenges of creating intelligent humanoid robots, to research and develop solutions, and to develop industrially relevant skills. The competitive element is a key motivator for them and is unlike anything else. Our great result in this competition builds on our Open Challenge win in the RoboCup 2011 world championship and third place finish in the RoboCup German Open Replacement Event 2022.”

Team RoboÉireann are Aidan Colgan, Shauna Recto, James Petri, Heather Bruen, Andy Lee Mitchell, Dr Ralf Bierig and Dr Rudi Villing.