Employee Spotlight: Alex Ward

What is your name and job title?

Hi, I’m Alex Ward, and I’m the Data Analyst.

How long have you been with Quality Care Group?

It’s been almost 8 years; I joined in February of 2018 and first started in Business Development. Along the way, I’ve ended up wearing about four different hats, before landing in the world of Data Analytics.

Data Analytics has been the job I’ve enjoyed the most. I enjoy getting stuck into projects that take a bit of digging, from finding the source of the issue, to seeing everything slot back into place. There's something rewarding about finding a resolution to a big problem, especially if that fixes a myriad of issues for everyone else.

What does your job entail?

A lot of what I do is about pulling things apart and making sense of them. I take information from different parts of the business, rebuild it and use it in reports, dashboards, and forecasts to help predict what’s going to happen in the market. It’s about giving decision makers the insight they need to make the next move with confidence.

On the odd occasion, I'll handle a mix of jobs, everything from document maintenance and a bit of graphic or video design, to helping out with system issues or the odd question from my old team. I also keep an eye on our network and server setup, which keeps things running smoothly behind the scenes.

Right now, I’m working within a project team to migrate to a new CRM system. Once it’s complete, it’ll make life a lot easier for my colleagues and by extension, our clients. It’s a lot of data, a lot of communication, and a lot of problem solving; exactly the kind of challenge I enjoy.

What’s your secret talent no one knows about?

Before I ever drove a car, I took to the skies with the RAF air cadets, flying several aircraft from the age of 15. I thought I would start at altitude and work my way down... I’ve since opted to trade in my wings for oars as a member of Shoreham Rowing Club, participating in regattas across the south coast of England.

In terms of success, which accomplishments are you most proud of?

I’ve worked with nine years’ worth of data from our systems and turned it into something genuinely useful with our first dedicated forecasting and MI tools. It’s now being used to make smarter decisions across the business, which has helped boost productivity and provide a superior service. There’s something quite satisfying to see this content come together and finally earn its keep.

That said, my biggest achievement is still a work in progress. I’m leading the migration to our aforementioned new CRM system. For any business, this is always a major project to undertake, with many pitfalls to avoid along the way. Nonetheless, success will help propel QCG forwards and be a huge asset to all of my colleagues.

Who are some of your biggest inspirations within the company?

There are actually quite a few people I really admire here. Having worked across different areas of the business, I’ve had the chance to see how people approach things in their own way, and I could probably write a paragraph on each of them.

What stands out to me most are the people with a real eye for detail and creative thinking, no matter what the challenge is. I feel really fortunate to work alongside people who are not only brilliant at what they do, but genuinely care about doing it well. It makes showing up and giving your best that bit easier.

How have you grown professionally while with Quality Care Group?

I’ve had four different roles since joining Quality Care Group and each one has taught me something different and helped me understand how the business fits together.

Spending time in different areas has given me a real appreciation of what each team needs in order to succeed and how everything is connected. It’s made me more aware of how one small change can have a knock-on effect elsewhere, which comes in handy when you’re working with data.

It also means I’ve built up a fairly broad perspective, I can look at things from both an internal and external angle, and I’m clear on what needs to happen to make it all work for everyone. You pick up a lot after a few years of moving around, mostly how to make things run smoothly and, just as importantly, who to ask when they don’t.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

Time travel, without a doubt. It’d be useful to go back and fix the things that didn’t go quite to plan, ideally with a bit more experience. Also, there are so many events (and concerts) throughout history that’d be amazing to witness in person!