Iain Croll
Balham
London
SW12
Phone: +44 208 772 1959
Mobile: +44 780 150 1000
E-mail: iaincroll -at- gmail.com
Date of Birth: 9th February 1970
Citizenship: British
References: On request
Recommendations: http://linkedin/in/iaincroll
Drivers License: Current Full UK License

Skills & Strengths
- Business Skills
Over 9 years experience in New Media and Internet. Key understanding of
the technical complexities of Internet products and websites. Working
across countries within virtual teams. Introducing and teaching new
products and technologies. Working on own initiative with ability to
schedule and prioritise own and other peoples workloads. Budgeting and
stock assessment and replenishment. Process and product definition.
Providing professional internet and new media consultancy to the
telecommunications industry with creative solutions and innovative
thinking.
- Project Management
CareerTrack® Project Management trained, with experience as
part of new product launches and ongoing support. Responsible for
advising ACC resellers on their development in the areas of customer
service and support activities required for a cellular project. Devised
and delivered a bespoke Project Management course for AOL UK.
Working with US and European teams to implement many UK strategies
including reporting and publishing strategies.
- Relationship Management
Good negotiation and influencing skills. Ability to identify end user
needs to plan differentiated market strategies. Accomplished
communicator with a positive approach to staff organisation. Motivating
and encouraging staff to meet deadlines and achieve targets. Good
listening and excellent questioning skills. Making decisions to
maintain high standards of customer quality and experience.
Relationship building, corresponding with clients and prospective
resources.
- Technical Writing
Composing requirements that support both the business strategy and the
needs of the market
Translating requirements into prioritised roadmaps
Create requirements from which technical teams can deliver product
features
Used to working in an agile environment with skills in writing User
Stories
- Training
Informing and training staff at all levels. Ability to learn and move
between technologies quickly and retain technical information. High
level of technical literacy. Provision and delivery of training
programme to staff in the use of core proprietary publishing tools and
software. Development of Cellnet Business Training courses for use
within ACC Telecom Customer Care. Implementation of structured
training, to develop customer service staff. Customer Experience
Responsible for ensuring usability is at the heart of product
development. Working with focus groups and conducting online research
to ensure products met and exceeded customer expectation. Translating
user needs into prioritised requirements. Working to enhance the user
experience through analysis, feedback and usability testing.
- Technical & Internet Skills
Operating Systems: Windows Vista, XP, 2000, ME, 98, 95 & 3.1,
Max OS 9 and OS X
Programming Languages: HTML, Rainman, SHARK, CSS(basic)
Desktop Applications: MS Visio, Photoshop(basic), Dreamweaver, Internet
Explorer, Firefox
Web Applications: Wordpress CMS, greymatter CMS, Movable Type CMS, MS
SharePoint
SEO: Good understanding of how to get the best results from Search
Engines
DDA: Understanding of how the Disability and Discrimination Act
influences design and build
Web 2.0: Good understanding of user generated content and social
networking

Employment History
2007 - Date Self Employed Technology, Media &
Telecommunications Consultant
Working with Carphone Warehouse/AOL Broadband to launch new Desktop
software to the UK market, highlighting risks and issues which may
impact the UK network. Working with Post Office Ltd to launch their
combined telephony and broadband product using a managed service
provided by BT. Role involved managing the implementation of the sales
website, customer account website and the engagement portal
proposition, also creating the contract schedules and supplier
negotiations. Worked with weeworld.com on their music download and
integration strategy.

1999 - 2007 AOL UK and Europe Product Manager
(Homepage and Portals, EU)
Product Manager (Communications, UK)
Senior Technical Trainer (Publishing Operations, UK and Ireland)
AOL operates AOL Portals, AOL Instant Messenger and many other leading
web products and services.
Product Management of web 2.0 AOL EU Homepage / Portal / Start Page.
Working closely with colleagues in AOL LLC to deliver a truly global
Portal welcome experience. Including a unified user experience, social
networking, user generated content (ratings, reviews and comments,
tagging & blogging), customisable design and features, and a
shared delivery platform. Development with an agile team, working
directly with the lead developer and business owner.
Plan, build, launch and monitor the product lifecycles, including
Business Justification/Business Case, Product and Localisation
Specification, Technical Commissioning and Release.
- A good knowledge of AOL’s core business and the
internet as a whole built over eight years service
- Understanding the technical complexities of the different
AOL products and their competitors to develop new advancements in
product differentiation
- Technical build of differentiated content for the publishing
tool offering targeted programming
- Provisioning training and technical support in London,
Dulles , Dublin and Waterford
- Providing technical expertise liaising regularly with other
departments and countries
- Problem solving and solution facilitation for business
critical projects
- Working across multiple departments in a virtual team on a
variety of projects including launching new product differentiated home
pages, implementing tracking on AOL websites, and defining process and
strategy for new publishing tools
- Working across countries to define training strategies and
product implementation strategies - Part of a team meeting
customers in their homes and interpreting their feedback to create
better customer experience

1997 - 1999 ACC Long Distance (UK) Ltd Team Leader
ACC are a fixed and mobile telephone service provider, with many blue
chip clients. Specialising in International and long distance calling
with a network of resellers around the country. ACC also provide
services for many universities in the UK and a selection of number
translation services.
- Devising and provisioning multiple training programmes for
Customer Service Specialists - BT Cellnet Administration and
Billing system training for ACC staff - Providing technical
cellular assistance to the new product launch team and marketing
channels - Training team members in the use of all ACC
software including Microsoft packages - Implementing customer
support for ACC cellular services including training schedule and
provisioning
- Advising ACC resellers on their development in the areas of
customer service and support activities - Coaching and
training of current Customer Service staff including monthly indices
and quarterly appraisals - Real-Life; Project
Management skills and SPIN; coaching for effective sales
- Assisting ACC resellers in creating third party
relationships with suppliers

1996 - 1997 Best of Both Worlds Travel Ltd Company Founder and Director
Best of Both Worlds Travel Limited dealt solely with clients travelling
to London from overseas. - Managing procurement, advertising
and recruitment budgets
- Designing Internet site and raising customer awareness
- Marketing and product development for a mainly American
target market
- Liaising with travel agencies and organisations both in the
UK and North America

Summary of Qualifications
University of North London Holloway Road London N7 1989-1993
Universiteit van Tilburg Tilburg, The Netherlands 1992-1993
BA (hons) Business Studies (Leisure & Tourism) Lower Second
Southport College Mornington Road Southport PR7 1988-1989 4 GCE A
Levels - Economics (B) Business Studies (E) Computer Studies (E)
General Studies (D)
Manor High School St. Michael’s Road Merseyside L23 1981-1988
7 GCE O Levels - Computer Studies (B) Mathematics (C) History (C)
English Language (C) Physics (C) Chemistry (C) Geography (D)