Team Spotlight: Dan Watson, Implementation Consultant

Each customer’s needs are distinct. It takes a deep understanding of your challenges and a tailored approach to implementation to ensure that you are realising the transformative power of our software.  

As our Implementation Consultant, Dan Watson draws upon his rich background in law enforcement and Software as a Service (SaaS) to guide our customers on a journey of optimisation. His mission is clear: to empower our partners to detect threats early, act with confidence, and ultimately, achieve justice in the most effective manner possible. 

Below, we hear more from Dan about his vital role, what makes him tick and some of his proudest moments. 

Hi Dan, tell us a bit about your background.

I have a varied background, including 15 years in the construction industry as a Quantity Surveyor and Project Manager. Either side of that I was working as a Police Officer in Western Australia. 

I joined Derbyshire Police as an Intelligence Analyst in 2014, undertaking a mix of strategic and operational analysis. I enjoyed operational investigative analysis so much that I moved to EMSOU (East Midlands Regional Organised Crime Unit) 18 months later. Whilst there my analytical work drove several high-profile Serious Organised Crime and Major Crime investigations, and I spent many months presenting analysis in court, gaining Crown Court and Chief Constables Commendations along the way.  

It was within this role that I first became involved with analytical SaaS software, becoming EMSOU’s “super-user”, working closely with the provider to develop and improve their product, and being influential in it being rolled out across the East Midlands region and beyond; so much so, that I eventually joined them as a Customer Success Manager, responsible for developing and delivering bespoke training, driving product enhancement and developing customer account growth and retention.    

What does your role at Clue entail?

As an Implementation Consultant, my role is all about gaining an understanding of the nature of a customer’s business, their processes and workflows, and the key indicators and measures they need to improve business intelligence, fill knowledge gaps and drive positive change. I use this knowledge to configure, train and implement a unique Clue instance to help them achieve this.  

What inspires you in your work?

The most satisfied I’ve been in my working life has been when I’ve helped individuals and organisations improve their skills, knowledge, workflows, and processes and seen those “lightbulb moments” on people’s faces. I’ve achieved this by developing and providing quality, relevant training and mentoring and promoting innovation and efficiency using case studies, using the appropriate technology. 

What accomplishments are you most proud of?

In terms of work, I would say convincing sceptical peers and management of the personal and organisational benefits of utilising and subsequently rolling out SaaS analytical software across EMSOU and the 5 constituent East Midlands police forces.   

It revolutionised the pace of live investigations and increased the speed at which criminals could be identified and successfully prosecuted.   

On a personal level, it’s seeing my eldest child grow into a hardworking man and a great father to my two grandchildren. 

What excites you about working at Clue?

Being able to continue to see those “lightbulb moments” on people’s faces, but now across different sectors.  We have a great product and great people!  

What’s your secret talent that no one knows about?

I’m pretty handy in the kitchen. I trained for a year as a chef when I first left school.  

Dan’s Spanish-style baked cod, with potatoes, aioli and parsley, and tender-stem broccoli.

Tell us something about you that most people don’t know.

Throughout my entire childhood, all I ever wanted was to be a soldier. I even tried to join the Junior Army when I was 15 but was considered too skinny and told to come back when I’d put some weight on. 

Interested in joining Dan and the team at Clue? Look at our latest openings here.