Bright Spark Clare's Wizard Idea Scoops £1,000

27-Feb-2008

A 'eureka' moment by Clare Fallon is great news for her, for businesses across the UK and for her employers at TNT Express Services after an idea she had was rewarded with a £1,000 prize.

Clare, aged 23, from Brandon in County Durham, works as a Customer Service Agent with the UK's leading business-to-business express delivery company, conjured up a brainwave that topped the company's 'Grand Idea' employee suggestion scheme.

Having been with the company for just 18 months, Clare, who works at the TNT Customer Contact Centre at The Axis Building, Team Valley, Gateshead, explained: "I was very keen to submit lots and lots of ideas that I hoped the judging panel would consider as initiatives the business could implement.

"Over time, I probably sent in about 60 ideas in all, but I was both thrilled and surprised when I won the competition."

Bright spark Clare's Wizard Idea Scoops £1,000

It's a Grand Life: Ideas girl Clare Fallon won £1,000 after TNT Express Services judged her to have the best idea out of thousands submitted under the company's employee suggestion scheme

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Clare's idea topped an entry of well over 2,000 suggestions. She only found out that she had the grandest idea of all when she was asked by her bosses to attend a top level TNT conference in Birmingham and she was announced as the winner in front of an audience of 300 delegates.

"I thought that I was simply representing Customer Service at the Conference - couldn't believe it when they called out my name as the winner."

Her idea - a system that further improves the traceability and safety of TNT consignments - has already been implemented by the business and brings enhanced piece of mind for TNT customers that their documents, packages and parcels are secure with TNT.

So do Clare's friends and work colleagues now view her as an ideas guru?

"I don't think so. I think my only advice to anyone would be to think of simple ideas.....they are normally the best," she said modestly.

And with a wedding and a house purchase in her plans the money will certainly be useful but a clearly delighted Clare confessed: "I also fancy a few days away in the Lakes and need a new wardrobe so it may be spent sooner rather than later!"