Two decades of impact: Inside Commetric’s transformation in the age of AI

Commetric provides advanced media analytics solutions that help organisations manage and measure their corporate reputation. Commetric combines AI and expert human insight to enable clients across industry sectors realise the full potential of their media research investments.

Commetric was founded in 2005 and has sales and service operations in the UK, USA, Middle East and Asia, and an analytics and R&D office in Bulgaria. Commetric’s award-winning solutions are used throughout the world and across industry sectors.

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If we meet your business as a person on the street, how would it introduce itself to us?

If you met our company on the street today, it would probably introduce itself as that reliable friend, a trusted guide who always cuts through the noise and gives it to you straight—no matter how crazy things get. It’s a pragmatic idealist: dependable, realistic, but still holding out hope for a better future. You know, the kind of friend who celebrates your wins with you but also helps you deal with life’s curveballs with a healthy dose of optimism. Take one of our pharma clients, for example—we’ve been working with them for over eight years. Through all the restructuring and changes they’ve gone through, we’ve been the one constant they could count on. In their most uncertain times, we’ve always had their back.

We are more than just a guide. We are kind of like a Montessori school—where curiosity and exploring new ideas aren’t just welcomed, they’re expected. We value independent thinking, but with a big emphasis on looking out for one another. Our team isn’t just a bunch of co-workers—we are a community. Each one of us brings something unique to the table, and we make sure to support and back each other up. It’s a place where personal and professional growth go hand in hand, and as leaders, we give our teams the freedom and tools to improve and reach their full potential. We are also a pretty fun bunch—whether it’s syncing up for pet office visits, organizing board game nights, or getting a quick workout in at the office, we’re all about building a supportive environment where work doesn’t have to feel like a grind.

Looking back on my 20 years at Commetric, I’ve seen how much we’ve grown and changed. We’ve always stayed true to our core values—flexibility, adaptability, and excellence—but we’ve gotten better at staying ahead of the curve in how we tackle market shifts and meet our clients’ evolving needs.

That growth is what’s shaped me as a leader. As I’ve grown, I’ve focused on making sure the team feels empowered, has the tools to unlock their full potential, and works in an environment where they’re both challenged and supported. That’s how we make sure our clients get the best from us, every time.

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Tell us about a moment when you had to close one door to open another. What made you take that step?

There have been many tough decisions, and they always come down to one thing—change. It’s about getting people out of their comfort zones, moving away from what’s familiar, and trying something new. It’s scary and tough, but that’s how progress happens.

In 2015, we lost our biggest client, and for the first time, we had to come up with a cost-cutting plan. One of the hardest parts was deciding which team members we had to let go. It sounds like a simple enough task—companies do it all the time—but when you’ve put so much time and effort into building a team, getting to know them, and sharing both the tough and good moments with them, it makes it incredibly hard. For months, I replayed different scenarios in my head, trying to find a way to cut costs without having to make those layoffs. But in the end, it was clear that it had to happen.

The decision to let people go is something that still weighs on me, but it also led to building the fantastic freelancer network we have now. During the hiring freeze that followed, we built a network of contractors. This was a big challenge since we were operating in an industry that was still fairly new in the country and offering a type of employment that wasn’t widely accepted at the time. It was tough, but it worked.

What I learned from all this is that tough situations often bring the best opportunities for growth. That period taught us how to scale up sustainably, and it set the stage for the impressive growth we started seeing in 2018. It really opened my eyes to the fact that even when things feel bad, there are always lessons and opportunities to be found. And you have to be ready to take them.

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Tell us about a moment when someone gave you a helping hand without expecting anything in return, and it changed something significant for you. What was it, and why do you remember it?

During the pandemic, we experienced rapid growth, both in revenue and team size. This required a lot of quick thinking and adapting on the fly to maintain our service quality and keep the team engaged. By the time we came out of the pandemic, we had already undergone a significant transformation—new ways of communicating with teams, more direct interactions with clients, and managing remote teams. We also made improvements in operational efficiencies, developed a performance review framework, created personal development plans, refined our profitability metrics, and enhanced our training and induction processes.

But once the dust settled, I felt we had reached a ceiling. There was still so much more I wanted to do, but I was struggling to find a clear direction. At that point, the board appointed a new executive chairman. In one of our first conversations, I shared my ideas for where I saw room for improvement and what I believed needed to change. He listened closely and then told me something that had a huge impact: 'It seems like you already know exactly what needs to be done, and I’ll support you in executing the plan.'

Looking back, it might sound simple, but all I needed at that moment was a little reassurance. Just hearing someone say, 'Yes, go for it!' unlocked a whole new wave of energy and determination. That moment really stands out because it sparked a transformation within the company that took us into the generative AI era.

We launched a new AI-powered product line, completely overhauled our workflows, and revamped our hiring processes to align with this new direction. We also developed tools to optimize every part of the analyst’s workflow, an approach that people now call agentic AI. What followed was a company-wide transformation—everyone was engaged, and the entire team was aligned in working towards our new priorities.

This experience reinforced for me how powerful mentorship and support can be. Sometimes, all it takes is having someone to bounce ideas off of and give you that little nudge to move forward. That’s why I’m such a strong advocate for mentorship and why I believe it’s so important for anyone willing to invest time in helping others succeed.

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Tell us about a moment when you stopped, looked around, and said to yourself: ‘Yes, this is exactly why I started!’ When was it, and what did you feel?

For 20 years, there have been countless moments when I’ve thought, 'Yes, this is exactly why I took on this role.' The ones that stand out the most are always tied to seeing the people I’ve worked with succeed—watching them learn, grow, and demonstrate that growth through their actions and achievements.

I feel an immense sense of satisfaction when I see the results of a well-thought-out plan come to life. It’s the feeling you get when the hard work at the beginning finally pays off, and you watch everything fall into place, almost like completing the last pieces of a complicated puzzle.

For example, I have a colleague who’s been essential in integrating new AI tools into our workflow—no easy task. She was a bit cautious at first but now every time I watch her lead a training session, demonstrate a new concept, or help a colleague understand something challenging, I feel a deep sense of pride. Then there’s another colleague who, at first, was hesitant to manage large internal projects. Now, she’s confidently overseeing complex processes, handling multiple stakeholders, and delivering solid results.

There was also a moment when a colleague, inspired by a recent presentation on an improved process, immediately took action and had a solution implemented the very next day. Or when a team stepped out of their comfort zones and accomplished the nearly impossible task of securing a 3-year deal with a long-term client we were at risk of losing. And I can’t forget the colleague who worked tirelessly to develop a robust induction program, which led to a 0% termination rate during probation for new recruits.

The journey from sowing seeds to reaping the harvest can be long, but there’s nothing like those moments when you pause, look around, and realize, 'This is why I do this.' It’s a reminder that when you trust the process and give people the tools to succeed, you get to see the incredible results.

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If someone were to create a documentary about your company’s recent journey, which pivotal moment would absolutely need to be featured? What makes that moment so compelling?

If someone were to create a documentary about our company’s recent journey, it would definitely focus on the role of generative AI and machine learning, and how they’ve transformed our operational workflows, the way we operate, and the service and products we now offer to our clients. This wasn’t just about adopting new technology—it was about completely reimagining how we work, from the tools we use to our approach to client engagement.

We developed a whole suite of internal tools to change how we operate, allowing analysts to focus more on validating results and providing deeper insights to clients. I can almost picture a scene in the documentary where an analyst talks over a view of these tools, and then sums up the transformation with: 'We were told AI would steal our jobs, but the truth is, AI made our jobs more exciting!'

What makes this moment so compelling is that it wasn’t just about the technology—it was about how it brought the entire company together. It sparked a company-wide transformation—from the tools we use to the way we work, from how we serve clients to how we train and develop our people. It showed us how we can evolve, adapt, and continuously improve to stay ahead of the curve.