Employee Spotlight: Q&A With Nova Leah’s Customer Success Manager, Catherine McEnroe 

Catherine:  

I can sum up my highlights in one word – ‘learning’.  In all the companies I’ve worked in and in every role I’ve had, the highlight has always been learning about new technologies, business systems and industries.     

With Bose, and now with Nova Leah, technologies are constantly evolving. Bose in Ireland started with building component speakers, but then transitioned into building amplifiers, CD players, DVD players, video monitors. I was a part of the quality department at the time, and we had to learn about all these new technologies — how they work, how products should behave, and what the customer experience should be.  

This research was done to ensure that all products were kept to a high standard and also to ensure that we could solve any quality issues as they arose. As the corporation grew there were also changes in business systems. One such change was a continuous approach to development and training for everyone in the company.    

And it’s not about playing catch-up all the time. Gathering information and learning new things is needed to plan and develop an improvement strategy. By absorbing new information, identifying priorities and understanding the customer perspective, you create value to the customer through learning.  

Q/ You were recently appointed Customer Success Manager. What does this role involve? How is customer success valued by Nova Leah?  

The aim of the role is to build and enhance Nova Leah’s relationships with its customers.  

Customer success is about helping customers to get the most out of the features and capabilities offered through Nova Leah’s products. We want to make sure that all our customers are using products in the best way possible and getting the most value from them.  

My role is to understand how the customers are using the products and make suggestions on how they could be getting even more benefits. Over time, my job is to guide and support them until the product becomes an integral part of their risk management process.   

Q/ What are you most excited about in this new role?  

I’m looking forward to developing strong relationships with our customer base.  

With new customers, I will have a direct role in ensuring they get the most value out of using our product. With our existing users, I will be working with them to improve their user experience and to ensure that they get the most out of their investment.  

Up until this role, I have been working ‘behind the scenes’ so to speak. I’m now going to have the opportunity to see the business and products from an entirely new perspective. It’s something I’m very excited about.  
 

Q/ Where do you think many companies fall down when it comes to customer success?  

Nowadays, customers expect a high level of quality in the products they use. So, when there is a problem with a product or service, it is a significant issue.  

Ultimately, a company is judged on how each user interacts with a product or service, and what kind of support they offer users when they’re in need of help.  Whether it is to find out more information about best practices or fixing issues when they occur, if the user doesn’t have a positive experience, it reflects on the product and the company.  

It is up to each individual company to make sure that their customers and their users feel supported at all times.   

Q/ What do you like most about working for Nova Leah? 

For me, it’s working in an environment where things are constantly evolving. The work I do is interesting, challenging and creative. I’m learning new things every day, but I also get to utilise my previous experience to contribute to the success of the company. 

Q/ Talking a bit more generally about the industry, what do you think are the biggest cybersecurity challenges for medical companies in 2023?  

On the regulatory side, the increasing emphasis on managing the software bill of materials is a big challenge. There will be an increase in the amount of information that needs to be managed. This comes with using CycloneDX or other formats to identify software components.   

The total product lifecycle management of devices is also a major challenge. Hospitals are increasingly interested in how they manage the security throughout the lifetime of a device – before they consider purchasing them, how and where they are deployed, and how they are managed when they reach end-of-life-service.  
 

Q/ What books (or books) have most shaped your way of thinking?  

Mmm, difficult one. I’m a person who always has one or two books on the go, and I always read on a wide variety of topics.   

I would have to say the 10-volume set that is Arthur Mee’s Children’s Encyclopaedia. This set of books really was the Google of the seventies – so much information on all types of topics. Within it, I gravitated to the ‘How Things Work’ sections, and these definitely influenced my college choice – engineering – and the rest is history!  

Q/ What is something you’ve changed your opinion on in the last five years?  

Not sure about this question, there’s probably lots I’ve changed my opinion on.   

An opinion is based on personal experience. And while I hold definite opinions on many things, I think you always must be open to change. Opinions can change when you get more information about a situation or start seeing it from a different viewpoint.  You never know what can change your mind – you just have to be open.  

Q/ What is something that people are always surprised to learn about you?  

Not sure how surprising I can be! One of my lifelong hobbies has been sewing. I started in my teens, making my own clothes and even making wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses for my sisters. 

My current sewing interest is Carrickmacross Lace. It is an Irish craft dating back to 1820 and is a form of decorated net – very detailed but satisfying to sew. I belong to the Carrickmacross Lace Co-Operative Society and sew small lace pieces for the visitor centre (along with lots of other people).  It has an amazing heritage that has really been brought up to date in recent years.