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About Us

Who we are

ClearBox Consulting Ltd. is a specialist independent consultancy that believes in making the workplace a better and more productive experience. We understand technology, but we approach it from the people side first.

Our goal is to help organisations collaborate and communicate more effectively. We specialise in intranets and the wider digital workplace, including internal social media, enterprise mobile strategies and real-time collaboration tools.

ClearBox is run by Sam Marshall, former Global Intranet Manager for Unilever, and a network of skilled associates. We all have hands-on experience of the realities of introducing intranet change into organisations.

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Vendor neutral, technology agnostic

We think it is essential that we act with our clients’ interests foremost, so ClearBox has a strict vendor-neutral policy. We do not enter into any agreements with vendors that would bias our recommendations to clients. We don’t take payments for referrals or to write reviews; we don’t sell any software or licenses.

We do develop good working relationships with market-leading vendors and new entrants alike; we’re proud of our in-depth knowledge, and we’re keen to keep up-to-date with developments in the intranet and digital workplace field.

Whatever we are doing, our starting position is technology and vendor neutral: we don’t implement any specific tools or get fees for recommending any type of platform. We help our clients make choices with only their business needs in mind.

Who we work with

We work with organisations that range from a few hundred employees to over 100,000, typically as partners to Communications, IT and HR functions.

Our assignments have included projects with AkzoNobel, AstraZeneca, Sony, Unilever, BUPA, Standard Life, Avis Budget Group, TUI Travel, Diageo, The RSPB, Rio Tinto, Johnson Controls, Ofgem and Oxford University Press.

Why ClearBox

Experience

We have first-hand experience of running intranets, so we know what it’s like to face practical realities rather than what the textbook says. We also see what really works in a whole range of organisations so we can bring an informed and independent perspective.

Vision

We’re all about making working life more productive and more rewarding for the people who use intranets. We use our expertise in psychology and computer interface design to make your intranet simple to use.

Collaboration

Organisations are increasingly working across multiple locations with a range of operations, partnerships and affiliations, and yet are seeking to create a sense of being “one” organisation. We have a track record in designing intranets that will be a key part of making this happen.

Knowledge

ClearBox is about the coming together of intranets, collaboration and knowledge. This can be a challenge in many organisations as it spans multiple functions. We’ve worked in a range of corporate functions, including Communications, IT and Knowledge Management, so we can see things from each side and facilitate dialogue between them.

Strategy

Often intranets grow organically, and this can mean there’s a lack of clear purpose for both users and those that support it. We work with companies to ensure their intranets have clear strategic alignment and the right policies and processes in place to keep it effective without being bureaucratic.

Flexibility

Good consulting is about helping an organisation bring about sustainable change. Intranet changes usually reflect other changes going on in an organisation, and all the people and cultural aspects that go with that change. Our approach is designed to recognise and respond to this.

About Sam Marshall

ClearBox is run by Sam Marshall, who has specialised in intranets and the digital workplace for over 15 years, working with companies such as Unilever, BT, BBC, Rolls-Royce, Standard Life, AstraZeneca, BUPA and Oxford University Press.  His current activities focus on intranet strategy, the growth of the digital workplace, the business side of SharePoint, and the use of social media tools for collaboration and communication.

Sam was responsible for Unilever’s Global Portal Implementation, overseeing the roll-out of over 700 online communities to 90,000 people and consolidating several thousand intranets into a single system. Sam also worked as a freelance benchmarking Lead for the Intranet Benchmarking Forum; conducting hands-on reviews for over 40 companies on intranet strategy, content, value and design.

In the Knowledge Management (KM) field, Sam led a Unilever initiative to create a comprehensive KM methodology, focusing on KM strategy and Communities of Practice. Unilever was shortlisted for the “Most Admired Knowledge Enterprise” every year from 2001-2006.

Sam is a frequent speaker at international conferences, and has a regular column at CMSWire. He has an MSc in Artificial Intelligence, an MA in Psychology and more bicycles than shoes.