
“Things were pretty quiet on that front for a few years with Covid, obviously,” Pat explained, when we caught up with him at his new Patrick Street headquarters. “I often joked that the only thing we lost during the pandemic was our marbles,” he laughed.
“But with normalcy returning and people heading back to town to enjoy Derry’s wonderful cafes, bars and restaurants again, things have really improved for us,” he continued. “My phone hasn’t stopped. It’s definitely back to business as usual!
“It can be extremely difficult to manage,” he admitted. “But of course it’s great to see everyone having fun again – and that’s the most important thing.”
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“Each year in Derry, on average, people leave around 5,500 mobile phones behind in bars and taxis,” explained MetaCompliance founder and investor Robbie O’Brien. “These incidents can not only result in loss of revenue and cost a small fortune to replace – they also represent a huge danger for data theft and identity fraud – the negative ramifications of which can be life changing. Pat on this project was obvious to us.
To take things to the next level, Pat’s team is currently developing a new smartphone app so that residents across the city can log incidents and search for lost items themselves.
“The new app will be ready next week for our official launch,” Pat told us. “Although obviously if you lose your phone it’s not much use,” he laughed. “So maybe we’ll publish a list in the ‘Journal’ every Friday as a backup?” he joked.
“But seriously, it’s a lot of work and we’re still tackling everything. We are therefore looking for high quality local talent to join our team and help us in our mission.
The new company already has a small team of dedicated customer service representatives who monitor Pat’s busy mailbox around the clock, posting community notices and sorting through the hundreds of items submitted daily by members of the public – but still more help is needed. And that’s where you might be able to help – by joining the team.
“As of this writing, their website lists several full-time positions, looking for ‘hardworking, honest, smart people with a great sense of humor who are looking to take their careers to the next level.’
“We’re looking for high-value local people for real, high-quality jobs,” Pat explained. “And of course, if you don’t get a job here, maybe we can talk about it with MetaCompliance next door,” he added. “They’re looking for people too, I hear!”
“Whatever happens, it’s great to see so many good local jobs on offer in the city and I’m delighted to have helped bring them to people,” he added.
Pat’s new recruitment drive will officially kick off next week and will be featured on his Facebook page, the Derry Journal website and social media, and through other local media partners.