Ask i10

Ask i10 is now Ask Uni-East

A key area of good practice developed by i10 was the provision of a free enquiry brokering service. The Ask i10 service was available through the i10 website, by email, and through an 0845 telephone number, and gave business users a single point of access to the capabilities of the HEIs in the East of England.

Each enquiry was forwarded to a member of the i10 business development team, who contacted the enquirer to develop or clarify the enquiry. The enquiry was then sent on to the business development offices of the partner HEIs and recorded as a case in a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. The i10 business development team member then liaised with the client and university to monitor progress.

The service helped potential business clients to define their interest, locate appropriate HEI capability and identify opportunities for collaboration. The monitoring helped to manage expectations, ensure interactions reached optimum outcomes and gather feedback from client and academic staff. 280 enquiries were forwarded to the partner HEIs in the final year of operation, giving rise to 108 known instances of commercial engagement.

AUEE continues to offer an enquiry forwarding service via the Ask Uni-East page.