How Irish Businesses Can Boost Online Sales This Black Friday

As Black Friday approaches, Irish businesses have a golden opportunity to enhance their online sales and build customer engagement and loyalty for the longer term. A seamless online shopping experience can significantly boost your revenue and ensure Black Friday is a resounding success. Below are some simple and effective ways to achieve this goal.

Optimise your website speed

Web traffic during Black Friday is three times higher than any normal day in October; which means that businesses must ensure their websites are optimised for traffic to avoid driving potential customers away. Resources like Google’s PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix can analyse your site’s content and generate specific suggestions to improve its speed. Here are additional tactics that can help to accelerate your site’s loading time:

Compress images

Keep in mind that large images on web pages can delay loading times. Try compressing and optimise images on your website by changing their file formats, enabling lazy loading, or compressing images through lossy or lossless compression.

Cache your web pages

One of the most effective ways to improve load time is a process called "caching." This means that copies of your site's files are prepared in a readily accessible place in your server. Every time a consumer visits your site, the cached file is sent to the visitor's browser and your server doesn't need to retrieve all the relevant content from your database, using fewer resources to complete the process. You can cache your web pages in a few different ways using caching plugins like W3 Total Cache or WP Rocket, .

Use a CDN

Ensure that your website can seamlessly handle increased traffic and transactions by integrating a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to enhance page loading speed. CDNs efficiently and securely distribute various forms of digital content to your website's visitors, regardless of where they are in the world or the device they are using. This is achieved by storing and distributing duplicates of your website's static content through servers positioned globally. You have a range of CDN alternatives to select from, including the option to enable a CDN directly from your dashboard if your hosting provider offers this feature.

Search Engine Optimization

Organic search can help generate additional sales from visitors looking for a specific item, but unsure of where to find it. While an SEO strategy takes time to implement, following these tactics can contribute to more organic traffic and sales on Black Friday.

Optimise for specific keywords

Be sure to incorporate Black Friday-related keywords in your page titles, URLs, and alt-text to boost your SEO ranking on search engines. By working on SEO, you can lead new customers to your website and make it easier for returning customers to find their way back. The same principle applies to the imagery on your website. Be sure to add alt text to the images that is relevant to the item and ties back to the keyword(s) you're optimising for. This will improve your site's crawlability.

Mobile Optimisation

With the rise of mobile shopping, it's crucial to have a mobile-optimised website. Keep in mind that Google's Mobile-first Index evaluates search results exclusively based on the mobile version of web pages. This means mobile-optimised will rank first on search results. Ensure that your site is responsive and user-friendly on smartphones and tablets. Once you have established the mobile version of your website, you can assess its user-friendliness using a range of complimentary tools provided by Google.

Create dedicated landing pages

To make your business stand out in the online Black Friday landscape, it is recommended to create a dedicated landing page. This way you can enhance your Black Friday campaigns and convert more visitors into long-term customers. By directing traffic to your Black Friday landing page, you can educate customers about your brand and products, gather campaign-specific data, capture visitor information for future targeting, and showcase other products of interest.

Target Long-Tail Keywords

During the competitive shopping season of Black Friday, long-tail keywords can play a crucial role in driving targeted traffic and conversions. Consumers searching for "best Black Friday TV deals" or " Black Friday fashion discounts" for example, are closer to making a purchase. By incorporating these targeted keywords into your SEO strategy, you can connect with potential customers actively seeking your products or services.

Leverage social media

In this digital age, social media is a powerful tool to reach your target customers and boost your leads during Black Friday. Identify the social channels in which your audiences are more active. Plan a tailored social media campaign to showcase your best deals, and discounts, utilising high-quality visuals and a compelling copy. With the use of relevant hashtags, you can expand the visibility of your posts and join trending conversations around to Black Friday. By implementing these tactics, you can make the most of Black Friday and make it a memorable shopping event for your business and customers alike. Keep in mind also that a fast and reliable broadband connection is necessary to successfully optimise your website and boost your online sales. With speeds up to 10Gb, SIRO’s 100% fibre broadband can enable you to do business different on Black Friday. To find out if SIRO 100% fibre broadband is available in your area, search your Eircode today [lookup_modal type="eircode" button-text="Search Your Eircode" position="mid" title="Input your Eircode to check whether SIRO is available at your location"]

ChatGPT, launched back in November 2022, has taken the world by storm. A recent article by RTE noted that by April of this year there were 173 million users of ChatGPT globally. This number can only be expected to grow, as more and more people begin to use this tool. ChatGPT is an AI (Artificial Intelligence) Chatbot, which can both comprehend and form human-like answers when asked a question by a user. This kind of technology is designed to help you with any questions you may have – on any topic, within an almost instantaneous timeframe. Like a google search, but one that you can chat back and forth with. As with any technology there are multiple benefits and some limitations to using ChatGPT. Although these limitations may reduce overtime. Below we look at some of the most beneficial ways in which individuals can use ChatGPT and are the watchouts that are good to bear in mind.

User Benefits:

Generating Creative Ideas

The great thing about ChatGPT is that it can help you with creative generating ideas it’s proving difficult for you to generate them. For instance, if you had writers block and were looking to make a start on a blog for your company website – you can get some inspiration from using this tool. You could ask the chatbot "List X number of ideas for blogs about Y.” You can assess the results and go from there.

Making recommendations

Another example could be if you’re due to host movie night for friends/family and need some recommendations on what to watch to watch and where, you could ask the chatbot “What are some of the best movies on Netflix Ireland right now?”, or “What are the best streaming platforms to watch X movie on?”.  Movie night is saved at a touch of a button!

Improving your existing content

Looking to update your CV or draft a strong cover letter? ChatGPT can help you tailor your CV according to the job you are applying for, maximising your chances of getting that job you’ve always wanted. You could ask something like “Generate 5 bullet points which demonstrate my ability to do X skill”. Further, it can assist with drafting a cover letter for the job you are applying for, tailoring it to the job description and requirements. Overall, this is a beneficial tool for jobseekers, as it saves you a lot of time and energy.

Help with Homework

Not by doing your homework, but by explaining concepts and ideas to you in individualised way that matches your learning style. Think of scenario where what’s written in your textbook just doesn’t make sense to you. You can ask ChatGPT to explain the same concept to you and then continue to interact with it by asking follow on questions which makes it much clearer and easier to understand.

The Limitations:

Unable to distinguish between fact and fiction:

ChatGPT’s information is gathered from data from the internet. The limitation with this is that the information provided isn’t 100% guaranteed to be always accurate and factually correct. The information could be unreliable, based on opinion vs. fact and could also show an element of bias. For students, this is something to keep in mind. It’s important to fact check the information given or cross check with another source, before deciding to use it.

Inability to understand context:

Unfortunately, ChatGPT gathers answers to a question asked, but it is unable to comprehend other information which would come before/after this, to develop a proper discussion. If humour or sarcasm are used, ChatGPT would struggle to comprehend this. So, it’s recommended to bear this in mind when dealing with the Chatbot.

Issues with generating long-form content:

This tool may have issues in forming any long-form content, and typically instead it works better for gathering smaller pieces of information. The programme finds it difficult to produce a long-form piece that has a clear structure and flow, and therefore it wouldn’t be fit for producing quality sample essays or reports to use in school, college or work. You’re better off drafting the essay or report yourself, just taking nuggets of information from the Chatbot if you need. Also, you need to bear in mind that that if ChatGPT attributes a statement or piece of research, you still need to attribute that person or research to avoid falling foul of plagiarism. AI tools are only beginning to embed into human experience and practical application, so it’s   always best to proceed with caution and use your best judgement to decide when it is and is not appropriate to use ChatGPT. To be able to experience the full effects of this AI tool, having a high-speed broadband connection is essential. This will enable you to receive quick results from the Chatbot and make the experience seamless and fit for purpose. For more information on ChatGPT visit - openai.com. To find out if SIRO’s 100% fibre broadband is available to your home, search your Eircode today [lookup_modal type="eircode" button-text="Search Your Eircode" position="mid" title="Input your Eircode to check whether SIRO is available at your location"]

Today we are happy to announce that build works are underway for homes and businesses in Youghal to bring full fibre broadband to the town later this year. Our fibre broadband will bring reliable, high-speed connectivity to over 3,000 homes and businesses in Youghal. The build works in the area, carried out on behalf of SIRO by build contractor CBE, commenced during the summer, with the works set to complete early next year. Areas in Youghal which will benefit from the roll out include (but are not limited to): Radharc na Mara, Kilcoran Place, Upper Strand Road, Meadowvalley, Chestnut Drive, Shanavine, Seafield, Rectory Road, Carleton Village, Bay View Grove, The Estuary, Cnoc Aoibhinn and Quarry Vale. Homes and businesses in Youghal will be able to order SIRO from one of its many retailer partners, including Virgin Media, Vodafone, Sky, Digiweb, Pure Telecom, Blacknight Solutions and Fastcom. The build works in Youghal are being undertaken by contractor, CBE, on behalf of SIRO. Portuguese-founded CBE now employs a significant local workforce in Cork. CBE have successfully partnered with SIRO, since 2017, on its full fibre broadband network rollout across Ireland. This work includes over 100,000 premises with 44,000 in Cork alone. Towns that can already avail of SIRO in Cork include Ballincollig, Carrigaline, Carrigtwohill, Cork City, Little Island, Mallow, Midleton, Passage West and Skibbereen. We are currently rolling out to a number of further Cork County towns which are already under construction or due to commence later this year such as Bandon, Fermoy and Kinsale. [caption id="attachment_8666" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] John Keaney, CEO of SIRO, Minister Simon Coveney and Carlos Barroqueiro, CEO of CBE[/caption] SIRO is a joint venture between ESB and Vodafone delivering full fibre broadband to towns and cities across Ireland. The company’s network uses the existing ESB electricity network to bring connectivity to the hearth of homes and businesses. To date, SIRO’s fibre broadband network is available to over 520,000 premises in more than 135 towns across Ireland, including over 60,000 premises across Cork city and county. The company is on track to deliver full fibre broadband to over 700,000 premises by 2026. Our full fibre network can provide speeds of up to 2 Gigabits per second for residential customers and up to 10 Gigabits per second for business and enterprise customers. Launching SIRO’s Youghal network, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Simon Coveney TD, noted that:

“The rollout will have a transformative effect on Youghal as Fibre-to-the-Building is recognised as the gold standard for broadband internationally. As a result, this will give Youghal businesses a head start against their peers both at home and internationally, as well as giving homes access to the latest innovative digital services. This substantial investment by SIRO is another sign of how Government has encouraged investment by the private sector to boost our broadband capability.”

Commenting on the announcement, SIRO CEO John Keaney said:

“Fast and resilient connectivity is the cornerstone of how we all now live and work. “Having a full fibre network outside your door, gives the community of Youghal - homes and businesses - a resource that enables and empowers their community to live sustainably, thrive economically and attract investment into the town. “The arrival of SIRO’s fibre broadband to Youghal will hugely benefit the local community ensuring they have a connection which is reliable, high-speed and future-proofed. “We are pleased with the progress made so far on building out our network in Youghal, with our contract partner CBE, and looking forward to our service becoming available to order by the end of this year,” added Mr. Keaney.

For further information on CBE’s work, please visit their website http://www.cbe.pt/ To connect to SIRO’s broadband network register your interest here. [mailchimp_modal button-text="Register Your Interest" title="Sign Up Form" position="mid"]

Thursday 19th of October marks National Women's Enterprise Day. This enterprise event promotes, encourages and stimulates female entrepreneurship across Ireland. In celebration of National Women's Enterprise Day, we spoke to Lorraine Gribbons, Managing Director at Fastcom, who talks us through the challenges and rewards of her journey as an entrepreneur.

Background of Business

Founded in 2004, Fastcom is one of Ireland's largest independently owned telecoms providers with customers across Ireland, the UK, Europe, and the US. The company partners with over ten infrastructure providers to offer the widest range of broadband connectivity and communications solutions to customers in various sectors, including government, healthcare, retail, logistics, and education. Fastcom is one of SIRO's retail partners and has over 1,500 customers across Ireland.

Tell us about your business?

Our business is Fastcom Broadband, a telecoms provider based in Sligo and serving customers across the country. We serve the business and domestic markets, providing broadband, phone and cyber security services. We have a huge range of customers of various sizes and operating in many different industries. We cater for all and can provide the flexibility that many of our larger competitors cannot, especially for our business customers.

What motivated you to start your own business?

My husband, Ross, started Fastcom back in 2004. I was working in Dublin training with KPMG to be a Chartered Accountant at the time. I moved back to Sligo and worked in an accountancy practice as a manager for several years before joining Fastcom in 2016. I was always involved in the background from when the business was set up, taking the next step to become CEO was the next step for me. It has been so personally rewarding to see Fastcom grow throughout the years to where we are now.

What has been the biggest challenge or learning for you?

I suppose my biggest challenge was that I was an accountant and not a "techie" and was operating in a very technical industry. In my training as a Chartered Accountant, I would have seen a wide range of clients, so I had great exposure on the side of running a business. Still, it did take me a while to get my head around the technical side of the business. We are fortunate to have a great team here now who have the expertise and skills necessary to keep that side running smoothly all the time.

What advice would you give women thinking about starting their own business?

I think just to go for it. If starting a business and working for yourself is something you are passionate about, you have to give it a go. It can be tricky sometimes, but the rewards are more than worth it.

Finally, as a company's CEO providing broadband connectivity, what are the key ways technology can help women in business?

One key element is the flexibility it can provide for working. Everyone experienced that when COVID hit, and we all had to make the shift and work remotely from what we would all have known as a standard office environment. Connectivity unlocks technology that can make all our lives easier. From the perspective of running a business and juggling all the responsibilities that come with that have a secure fibre broadband connection is a first step. From there, there are multiple digital tools which can help to enhance your productivity and allowing you to focus on business priorities vs. getting weighed down with important but time-consuming administrative tasks. AI is just one really exciting tool which is now beginning to gain traction and become embedded in business, and which is likely to really change how business operates – but in a positive way! To read more on SIRO's sustainability efforts and how we encourage equity in the workplace, click here.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine of Ireland, Charlie McConalogue TD, Friday last, 6 October officially opened the Inishowen Innovation Hub, in Buncrana.  Inishowen Innovation represents a significant milestone towards fostering disruptive technological advancement, entrepreneurship and economic development in the Inishowen Peninsula, and wider North-West Ireland City Region.   The state-of-the-art 700sqm space for start-up and scaling disruptive technology businesses, features gigabit fibre broadband provided by Vodafone and SIRO, along with office space, co-working spaces, meeting rooms, conference facilities, and access to essential tools and technologies.   It is co-funded by Donegal County Council and the Regional Enterprise Development Fund (REDF), made available by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and administered by Enterprise Ireland.   Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD stated:  

“It is my honour to formally open the Inishowen Innovation Hub in Buncrana today. This hub will be a game changer for Buncrana, Inishowen and the North West and will help current businesses and new businesses flourish in the area. My thanks to all those involved for their hard work in making this day happen.” 

Inishowen Innovation will serve as a dynamic centre for collaboration, creativity, and growth where digital startups and tech entrepreneurs are given the support they need to harness their innovative ideas and drive positive change in the region.   It also meets the demand for remote working space and offers a satellite location for global companies looking for a European base. It is already home to 25 clients and is a testament to the Irish governments commitment to creating opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs to grow and innovate.  Maebh Conaghan, Regional Director West and North-West Regions, Enterprise Ireland, said:  

“The Inishowen Innovation hub in Buncrana is focused on supporting the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Inishowen Peninsula and the North West Region, with a particular focus on fostering disruptive technological advancement. Enterprise Ireland has been proud to support the hub with funding of €1.1 million under the Regional Enterprise Development Fund (REDF) to support that goal. We are delighted to see this fantastic new facility formally opened today which will provide a real boost to the region.”. 

The Governance structure of Inishowen Innovation includes representation from Donegal County Council, ERNACT and ATU Donegal, with ERNACT responsible for managing the development of the project and providing management and financial services to Inishowen Innovation. Other key stakeholders and advisors are drawn from CoLab, Donegal Education and Training Board, Forward Emphasis International, Inishowen Development Partnership, Spraoi agus Spórt, Tata Consultancy Services, and Ulster University.   Speaking at the launch, John McLaughlin, Chief Executive, Donegal County Council added:  

“The investment by Donegal County Council and Enterprise Ireland into the development of Inishowen Innovation is fundamental to the development of Inishowen’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Building an entrepreneurial disruptive tech community in the region is at the core of this new building. It provides a space where technology start-ups and innovators will be supported and nurtured.” 

Sinéad Bryan, Managing Director of Vodafone Business said:  

“Since the beginning of the Gigabit Hub Initiative, we have seen many communities realise the benefits that come with smart working and world class connectivity. This vital infrastructure that has helped to promote rural parts of Ireland as destinations for international business, as businesses look to grow and scale to their full potential.   “The Inishowen Innovation Hub will support the creation of employment opportunities for the people of Donegal and the surrounding communities as well as positively impacting the local economy and further closing the digital divide for future generations.” 

John Keaney Chief Executive Officer, Siro, noted:  

“The Inishowen Innovation Hub is proof of the impact and potential of reliable and resilient connectivity to underpin business entrepreneurship and economic development in every part of Ireland. SIRO is pleased to bring its full fibre network to the heart of this hub, and the wider Donegal community, each day to ensure that people can live and work locally; start and develop their businesses and support economic growth throughout the county.”

Anyone starting a new tech business, looking to use disruptive technology to improve their business, or looking for state-of the art co-working facilities can learn more about Inishowen Innovation at www.theii.com.   For more information on Inishowen Innovative, please email annemarie.mclaughlin@theii.com or call 087 458 6097 SIRO is now accepting applications for GigaBitHub applications within our network footprint. For more information, click here.

Today we are happy to announce that our full fibre network is now available in Dungarvan. Our fibre broadband roll-out in the town is bringing reliable, high-speed connectivity to over 1,900 homes and businesses in Dungarvan. Our network build works in the area commenced in March 2023, with works expected to be fully completed during Q4, 2023. Our full fibre broadband is already available to over 12,000 premises in Waterford City.   Areas in the town which will benefit from the roll out include (but are not limited to): Mitchel Street, Springmount, Shandon Street, Town Court, Emmet Street, Parnell Street, O’Connell Street, Doctor Caseyville, Saint Thomas Street, Saint Mary Street, Boreennatra, Grattan Square.   Several hundred homes and businesses within the town can already avail of our full fibre broadband; and with build ongoing the remainder of the premises will be able to access the network between now and year end. The roll-out of a full fibre broadband network in Dungarvan is part of our ongoing network expansion, targeting more than 700,000 premises in towns and cities across Ireland by 2026. To date, over 520,000 premises in 135 towns across the country can access the SIRO network. Overall, we are investing more than €1 billion in delivering high speed, future proofed broadband across Ireland.  SIRO 100% fibre broadband is available to both homes and businesses within Dungarvan, with speeds of up to two gigabits per second available for homes in the area, and up to ten gigabits for enterprise connections.  SIRO, founded back in 2015, is a joint venture company between ESB and Vodafone, focused on delivering full fibre broadband to Ireland’s towns and cities. SIRO’s network is built upon the existing ESB electricity infrastructure, bringing it into the hearth of homes and businesses and ensuring stability and resilience.   We are a wholesaler broadband provider, meaning that consumers and businesses can order their full fibre broadband from one of our twenty retail partners, including Virgin Media, Vodafone, Sky, Digiweb, Viatel, Pure Telecom, Fastcom and Blacknight.  Commenting on the announcement, SIRO Chief Executive Officer, John Keaney, said: 

“Dungarvan is the latest town to benefit from SIRO’s high-speed connectivity. High quality and robust broadband connectivity allow individuals, families and communities to enjoy greater flexibility and convenience in how they live.  “Our fibre broadband allows local businesses to thrive and ensures households can keep up with their day-to-day activities through the benefits of a reliable and fast connection. As a result, SIRO powered towns and cities, like Dungarvan and Waterford city, are regarded as attractive places to live, work and invest in.  “A resilient broadband connection which homes and businesses can depend on, when they need it, is an essential part of how we now live. SIRO’s full fibre broadband provides Dungarvan and Waterford city homes and businesses with the choice and certainty they need to leverage connectivity and digital technologies in ways which work best for them,” added Mr. Keaney. 

To find out if SIRO broadband is available to you, search your Eircode today. [lookup_modal type="eircode" button-text="Search Your Eircode" position="mid" title="Input your Eircode to check whether SIRO is available at your location"]

Today we are happy to announce that we will be bringing our full fibre broadband network to the towns of Gort and Athenry. The announcement was made as part of a presentation by senior SIRO representatives to the monthly meeting of Galway County Council this week. SIRO representatives confirmed that it will roll out its broadband network to 1,800 homes in Gort and 1,500 homes in Athenry. Build works commenced in Athenry in June, with Gort to start later this year. The first premises in these towns are expected to go live and be available for order on a rolling basis from early summer next year. Our network is already available or under construction in several county Galway towns. The network in Oranmore and Barna is complete, and our broadband services are available to order. In Ballinasloe and Loughrea, our fibre broadband network is currently under construction with some premises already available to order and the remainder to be complete by early next year. Our full investment in these six Galway towns is expected to exceed €11 million. In addition, the SIRO network is also available to over 35,000 premises in right across Galway city. SIRO is a joint venture between ESB and Vodafone, founded in 2015, with objective of rolling out Ireland’s first full fibre broadband network. Since then, we have rolled out our network to 520,000 premises – homes and businesses – in 135 towns across Ireland. We are continuing to build its network across Irish towns and is targeting more than 700,000 premises by 2026. Commenting on SIRO’s expansion to Gort and Athenry, SIRO CEO John Keaney noted:

“SIRO is pleased to be bringing its full fibre broadband network to two further County Galway towns. Resilient and reliable connectivity is critical to regional towns like Gort and Athenry. “Having high-speed, high-quality broadband is essential to how we now live and work. It allows people to work from home, stay connected online but remain living within their community. Above, it gives individuals and families convenience and flexibility to enjoy a better more sustainable work life balance. “Equally, for businesses, fast and reliable broadband is fundamental to how companies, big and small, operate day to day.  From using Cloud technologies, to hybrid working, video calls, large file transfers or using AI or VR technologies, fibre broadband is the critical component to accessing these technologies. “Once SIRO’s rollout is complete, homes and businesses in Gort and Athenry will now have access to connectivity on a par with the best available elsewhere in Ireland or Europe,” added Mr. Keaney.

Leas Cathaoirleach Cllr. Evelyn Francis Parsons commented:

“Investments to improve broadband services in County Galway are to be welcomed, as the need to access high speed broadband is fast becoming a part of everyday life for most people”.

Chief Executive Mr. Liam Conneally noted that:

“SIRO’s announcement on its future network deployment in County Galway is very much to be welcomed. Delivery of high-speed fibre networks in Athenry and Gort represents very significant investment by SIRO”. “Access to High-speed broadband is a key economic enabler for existing business, with the potential to help them increase their online presence and to trade online nationally and internationally. “This investment will have positive impacts for these Towns around growth, generating economic spin off effects, making these towns more attractive for future investment “Delivery of high-speed connectivity will increase opportunities for citizens to work locally, as remote working becomes more realistic for larger numbers of people. This should also lead to a lowering of the towns carbon footprints and provide residents with more choice on broadband service provision in the future”, added Mr. Conneally.

Director of Services Mr. Derek Pender stated:

“Ongoing commercial investment that is delivering  high speed broadband service across the county is essential to insure any digital divide in our county is reduced and that the government target of all Irish households and businesses having access to Gigabit networks no later than 2028 is meet”.

To find out if SIRO is available to your home/business search your Eircode or register your interest here where you will be automatically notified when SIRO is available at your premise. [mailchimp_modal button-text="Register Your Interest" title="Sign Up Form" position="mid"]

Comworks Enterprise Hub, a new remote working and enterprise hub in Loughrea, officially opened on Friday last, 22 September. The opening was undertaken by Minister of State at the Department of Health Anne Rabbitte T.D., who has been a strong supporter of the project from the outset. The Hub, located in Railway House on Station Road, Loughrea, offers over 7,000 sq feet of office space for companies big and small. Facilities include 100 desks, separate meeting and collaboration space, a podcast studio and kitchen and coffee dock area. Comworks has also entered into a connectivity partnership with SIRO and Vodafone as part of the latter’s GigabitHub initiative. The Initiative supports digital hubs across Ireland with fast and future proofed connectivity. SIRO is currently building out its full fiber network in Loughrea, with the Comworks Enterprise Hub expected to go live on its’ full fibre network later this year. This will ensure that the hub and its users enjoy access to fast and reliable broadband. Drawing inspiration from the success of the PorterShed in Galway City, Comworks is poised to demonstrate the immense potential that high quality hubs in rural settings can play in fostering innovation, collaboration, and community. Developed by Jonathan Madden, a native of Tynagh, County Galway, Comworks is a testament to a decade-long journey in remote work. Madden's experiences, spanning multiple countries and hubs, have culminated in the creation of Comworks—a hub designed to combat the challenges of remote work, from isolation to social anxiety, and to leverage its many benefits such as collaboration, entrepreneurship and innovation.  The official opening was undertaken by Minister Rabbitte with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Key industry leaders, including Vodafone Director of External Affairs Edel Briody, SIRO CEO John Keaney and Galway Rural Development CEO Steve Dolan, as well as representatives from Galway County Council, the IDA, AIB, LEO amongst others were all in attendance. Commenting at the launch, Comworks Manager Jonathan Madden noted:

“Comworks is more than just a workspace; it’s a space that would not be out of place in Grand Canal Dock in Dublin City but instead it's nestled in beautiful rural Loughrea, which has faced significant challenges since the 2008 recession. “With young talent emigrating and businesses closing, towns and villages were left desolate. However, the rise of remote work, supported by reliable broadband connectivity, offers a second chance. By repurposing a building vacant since the 2008 crash, Comworks is leading the charge in revitalising rural Ireland”, added Madden.

Vodafone Interim Director of External Affairs Edel Briody: “Through our GigabitHub Initiative our goal has always been to empower local business and communities through connectivity. We are delighted to connect Comworks and look forward to seeing the value, demand and need for smart working in the Galway region continue to grow.

“At Vodafone, we are committed to enhancing digitalisation in both urban and rural areas, and helping to address the digital divide that exists in many towns and villages in Ireland. Like Comworks, we see the importance of creating equal opportunities for businesses in both cities and in rural areas.’’

SIRO CEO John Keaney noted: “SIRO has rolled out its full fibre broadband network already to 135 Irish towns and cities, providing reliable connectivity to over 520,000 homes and businesses.

“SIRO’s build works are ongoing in Loughrea and will complete later this year, with Comworks officially joining the Vodafone-SIRO GigabitHub Initiative at that point. “Fast and resilient fibre broadband is now a key component in the success of any business. We are pleased that Comworks and the companies based in this new and welcome addition to Loughrea will benefit from a robust, trusted and futureproof broadband”, added Mr. Keaney

SIRO is now accepting applications for GigaBitHub applications within our network footprint. For more information, please visit https://siro.ie/about-us/gigabit-hubs/ 

2023 has been the year that AI (Artificial Intelligence) exploded into public consciousness like never before. AI jumped from the pages of tech and business publications to water cooler conversations and prime time news bulletins.   AI technology has been around for many years. We engage with it all the time; likely without even realising it. Yet the arrival of ChatGPT seems to have moved the dial in terms of public imagination, accessibility and ease of use, much more than other iterations of AI technology.   Quietly launched by OpenAI as a demo on 30 November 2022, ChatGPT, didn’t stay quiet for long. Within days, word of its capability was extensively shared across social media. So fast that within five days of the launch ChatGPT already had a million users. Within two months this figure reached 100 million users. It continues to grow, especially with business - 80% of Fortune 500 companies are subscribers.   ChatGPT is an AI chatbot that uses natural language processing to create humanlike conversational dialogue. The language model can respond to questions and compose varied written content, from articles, social media posts, essays, reports and emails. What makes it standout is that its responses and style are so human like.   In the context of Irish business, particularly Irish SMEs who make up over 90% of our companies, AI offers a wealth of opportunities to address many of the issues and pinch points they encounter. Particularly in the current Irish business environment, characterised by increasing costs and labour market shortages but coupled with value-seeking consumers who demand always-on customer service.   Key areas where AI tools can support Irish businesses include: 

Administrative Tasks

Admin is a necessary part of running a business. It can be time consuming and tedious. Often these key tasks are repeatedly pushed to the bottom of the To Do list.   AI tools can step in and carry the load for tasks such as data entry, task management, appointment scheduling and calendar management, document management and classification, meeting transcripts or report generation.   Tools include: Otter Google Assistant Fireflies ChatGPT 

Customer Service

Chatbots! They have not always had the greatest reputation, with customers complaining that they want to talk to a “real person.” This view is outdated. It neglects the advances in AI technology which have significantly improved how Chatbots now interact and engage with customers.   They can act as a first line of response on your website or messaging channels, answering common or relatively simple questions. This reduces a team’s workload and frees up their time to deal with both complex and high-value customers queries.   Another clear advantage is that these bots can provide a triaged customer service response, and 24/7.   Equally, bots can provide personalised and individual recommendations to customers based on their previous engagements on the site. This support can be critical in keeping customers longer on your site and staying on to check-out and completing their purchases.   Beyond bots, there are also multiple AI tools to analyse customer engagements, sentiment, shopping habits and feedback to help businesses better understand their customers or how they view products or services. This information can actively help a business to improve its offering.   Useful AI tools include: Zendesk HubSpot  Intercom  Salesforce  Brandwatch  Brand24 

Human Resources

AI can also support a variety of human resource functions from initial recruitment to performance management.  This support can include assisting with the recruitment process by using AI to screen CVs, shortlist applicants and schedule interviews.  Once a position is filled AI can then help with the onboarding process and creating the employee documentation such as contracts or orientations documents.   AI can also play a key role in evaluating employee performance, gathering and assessing feedback and spotting trends and areas for performance improvements.   Platforms include: Zoho Recruit   BambooHR  UpWork 

Translation services

If you are a small business but selling into international markets, language barriers can be an issue in terms of your website, your marketing materials, contracts, agreements and other vital documents.  Previously, the only way around this was to use costly translation services. AI can now do this process seamlessly and cheaply.   AI resources include: Google Translate Bing Microsoft DeepL 

Social Media and Content Creation

Social media has long been a shop window for many small businesses to either promote or actively sell their goods and services.   But anyone running a small business also knows that social media is a beast. One that must be constantly fed with new and updated content. Few small businesses have bandwidth for a full time dedicated social media content resource.   Here AI tools, can step in to ease the burden. Tasks which AI can contribute to include generating content ideas, developing engaging captions or copy, or designing eye catching images or infographics.   Other areas where AI can assist include scheduling social posts at optimal times; generating data analysis on social posts performance to provide real time data or inform future campaigns; or, personalising social posts to foster deeper engagement and brand affinity with consumers.   Popular AI social media tools include Social Sprout  Hootsuite  DALL.E 2 

Reliable connectivity as an enabler of AI for Business

There are an abundance of AI tools and platforms which can all help make business more efficient, productive and optimised for the growth. However, a key part of unlocking the AI opportunity lies with access to reliable and robust connectivity – fibre broadband - to underpin such tools.   If you would like to find out whether SIRO’s 100% fibre broadband is available to your home, search your Eircode here. [lookup_modal type="eircode" button-text="Search Your Eircode" position="mid" title="Input your Eircode to check whether SIRO is available at your location"]

Despite the recent job losses in the tech sector and high inflation this past year, unemployment rates remain at a 20-year record low.   However, job creation has slowed, and acquiring (and more importantly) retaining talent is still a concern for over half of Irish firms, according to (IBEC).  Meanwhile, at SIRO, we have found alternative sources for recruiting to be a rewarding, and insightful experience that other recruiters could adopt. Through partnerships with organisations like Pathways to Progress, Digital Skillnet  and WALK  we have been able to recruit for roles that in the past, were difficult to source through typical channels.  

Recruiting people from migrant backgrounds

SIRO partners with Pathways to Progress to recruit highly skilled people from a range of countries. Pathways to Progress not only support people from migrant backgrounds to find work, but also support the employer at all stages of the programme.   IBEC has reported that unemployment amongst Ukranians who have moved to Ireland since the Russian invasion stands at 24.5%, with English proficiency stated as a key barrier to work. 70% of Ukrainian candidates agreed that this was a barrier for them (Intreo). SIRO has found that the Pathways to Progress programme recognises these barriers and enables employer and employee to work together to overcome them.   One of the participants of the programme at SIRO shared:

“As a non-EU citizen in Ireland, I faced numerous challenges trying to find a full-time job. Working at SIRO has been a transformative experience, I've gained so much valuable experience and knowledge that will serve me well in my career moving forward.”

Recruiting people with disabilities

People with a disability account for over 13% of our population and in Ireland, yet they are 50% more likely to be unemployed compared to their peers without a disability. Although we have seen unemployment rates fall, employment prospectives for people with disabilities have been slow to change.  SIRO, in partnership with WALK has facilitated three programme participants to progress their career ambitions through paid employment. All three have progressed onto new opportunities in the open labour market. The inclusion and support during their time at SIRO were key to participants gaining valuable experience of being in work, learning new skills, and building confidence in themselves.  The Supported Employment model enables people with disabilities to achieve sustainable long-term employment and businesses to employ valuable workers. The model has at its heart the notion that anyone can be employed if they want to work and sufficient support is provided. It is a flexible and continuous process, designed to meet individual needs. 

Recruiting returners to work

The Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet Women Reboot programme supports women with tech sector skills and experience to return to work after a career break.   This is a hugely valuable stream to gain access to female candidates looking to integrate back into a still predominantly male dominated sector. According to data published by the CSO, less than one third (32%) of Ireland’s IT workers are female.   Engaging with this programme was a natural fit for SIRO, as it aligns with our values and wider sustainability strategy to increase gender representation across the organisation.   Feedback received from returners demonstrates how they can build confidence while adding value through the work they are doing.   

“Companies like SIRO are very forward thinking by participating in the Women Reboot programme as it taps into a huge pool of talent that would be wasted otherwise.”

Apprenticeship programmes at SIRO

SIRO also offers Apprenticeship Programmes within our Build and Finance Departments; combining on the job work-based learning and classroom-based learning, in a college or training institution. It enables employers to recruit and upskill employees cost-effectively while giving school leavers and mature learners an alternative path to employment.  

Education and awareness

At SIRO, we provide unconscious bias and disability awareness training across the organisation, most recently in partnership with Employers for Change. This fosters an understanding and appreciation of different backgrounds, cultures and disabilities and enables employees to develop the skills to work effectively within diverse teams. 

Recruitment and integration

During recruitment, it’s crucial to make reasonable accommodations where necessary. Putting inclusive values into practice can mean making small changes to ensure accessible and fair recruitment processes. This could include giving candidates the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and experience outside of the typical interview structure, or site visits prior to interviews.   Pathways to Progress have an inclusive recruitment toolkit, providing practical and actionable ways to implement inclusive practices around recruitment.   SIRO engages with candidates and various organisations on an ongoing basis to tailor supports once candidates are onboarded, whether that be access to English courses or subscriptions to online language software.  To conclude, there are a number of measures you can take to ensure you get the process right. For example:

• Maintain a regular feedback loop - The best way to do this is by actively seeking feedback from both the candidates that have come through the programmes, as well as their line managers and teams they work with.  
• Be authentic and transparent – You might not always get it right, but as long as you are learning and you have the right intentions, you can build on these foundations.  
• Find the right partners – The support from organisations, (in our experience Employers for Change, WALK, Pathways to Progress, Women Reboot and IBEC) helps support the employer and employee in the full employment life cycle.

To learn more about our sustainability efforts or any of our current job opportunities, read more here