Meet the Kalibrate team: Chris Liscumb, Senior Analyst

At Kalibrate, we believe our success is driven as much by our people as our technology. So, as part of our meet the team series, we’re showcasing some of the talent and expertise within the Kalibrate family. This instalment features Chris Liscumb, Senior Analyst at Kalibrate Canada.

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What’s your role at Kalibrate?

There are two main aspects to my role here at Kalibrate. The first is working with users of Kalibrate Market Intelligence (KMI) to make sure they’re getting the most value from the product. KMI is a powerful analytics tool built on an extensive database of retail fuel site attribute and volume information. The dynamic visual charts and geospatial components make the data easy to consume, but there is so much data and flexibility in the reporting that the possibilities for the clients are virtually endless. It’s my job to ensure their deliverables are configured to meet their needs and provide the insights they’re looking for. 

The second is more product focused, as I’m responsible for the development of our data analytics interface, building out robust data processes, and configuring bespoke reports. This hybrid role allows me to leverage my industry and product knowledge to help our clients achieve the best results. 

What does a typical day look like?

Market data is continually being updated and moved through our data operations processes, and so I’m regularly updating client deliverables and ensuring they’re working with the most current and accurate information. I also spend time to explore our data and understand what’s happening in the market, so that I can help our clients find the insights that are most valuable to them, and I’m prepared to assist with any questions they may have. 

Additionally, I spend a lot of my time engaging with clients, helping them make better use of the data, helping configure custom reports, or delivering training and support to their teams. 

What do you love about your role?

I love creating value. Every KMI client I speak to is different, so I need to work with them to understand their unique challenges and determine exactly what they need from our solution. From there, I can work with them to find the right mix of data, analytics, and reporting to deliver maximum value. That’s the part I love the most.  

It brings me real satisfaction to know that the product and data that I’ve delivered helps to make their jobs easier and makes a measurable difference to their businesses. 

Why did you choose to join Kalibrate?

I joined Kent Group Ltd around seven years ago before it became part of the Kalibrate Group in 2019. I was initially drawn to the role as I have a very data driven analytical mind and Kalibrate allows me to use that every day to get results for the clients I work with, while helping to improve the products too. I’ve been involved in some great innovative changes throughout the years which I’m really proud of. We took Kent’s core product from raw data and static reporting to a dynamic BI-based analytical tool which is so much more flexible for our clients. It was such a huge improvement in the way our clients interacted with our data. They can now easily trend data over time, slice the data any way they need to, or merge our data with other data they may have in-house. 

As the Kent Group, we were renowned for our data and the value it delivered to our Canadian clients. Joining Kalibrate has opened up far more opportunities to help our existing clients leverage Kalibrate’s world-class products and has opened up new opportunities to deliver Kent’s solutions to the world. Also, the interaction between some of Kalibrate’s products and the KMI data has the potential to multiply the gains for our combined customers, and this is something I’m really excited about. 

What do you think are the greatest challenges and opportunities in the Canadian fuel sector?

The market is changing, there are cultural shifts and new regulations globally that are pushing people towards greener choices and away from fossil fuels — which will no doubt be a real challenge for businesses in the fuel sector. On top of that, we’ve seen volatility in the market over the past year, not just in Canada, but globally, as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has taken hold.  

The clients I work with have different strategies in place to overcome these challenges, but the one thing they all focus on is “relative performance”. It’s about understanding how your business is performing relative to the rest of the market and relative to your key competitors. Everyone has experienced reduced volumes in 2020, but having the ability to understand how your volumes compared against others in the market, can indicate whether your return to “normal” will see you increase or decrease your market share. I think this proves that there are still opportunities to be had, you just need to uncover the right insights to show you what they are. The industry isn’t dying, it’s diversifying, and understanding how your strategies are affecting that “relative performance” could be the key to success.  

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Kalibrate Market Intelligence (KMI) provides granular detail on competitor performance allowing fuel retailers to make better informed decisions that increase market share.  

A trusted and proven product in Canada, KMI will soon be available to fuel retailers in the US. Get in touch with the team at Kalibrate for more information.