The Client:
Our client, the regional headquarters of a multinational corporation (MNC), initiated a global effort to elevate customer experience. They perceived profitability and delivering a superior customer experience as complementary aspects of the same overarching goal.
The Challenge:
The questions on the table were: ‘How does one create a more Customer-Centric Culture and what is the role of the Regional HQ in bringing this about?
The Solution:
Our premise:
Creating a customer-centric culture necessitates a dual focus on both external and internal customers. It entails understanding and catering to the needs of external customers, such as clients or consumers, and internal customers, including employees or stakeholders, with equal emphasis and dedication.
What we did:
Tier 1: Diagnosing hindrances to excellent customer service
To diagnose barriers to delivering excellent customer service, we implemented several strategies. Firstly, we conducted an internal customer survey, which delved into roles, expectations, and service delivery within the organisation. Additionally, we utilised social network analysis to map internal networks, uncovering collaboration patterns and identifying bottlenecks. Through these diagnostic methods, we revealed gaps in the customer value chain, providing valuable insights to enhance our customer service processes.
Tier 2: Developing an action plan
We shared the findings during a workshop attended by participants from the regional headquarters and various countries. Through collaborative discussions, attendees clarified each other's expectations and identified actionable steps to improve customer experiences. Subsequently, participants categorised and prioritised actions based on their potential impact and feasibility.
Action categories included:
Introducing new boundary-spanning roles to foster collaboration and facilitate information-sharing across different departments or teams.
Redesigning existing job roles to better align with customer needs and expectations.
Implementing technology and process enhancements to streamline operations and improve efficiency in customer interactions.
Launching communication initiatives to ensure clear and consistent internal and external messaging, fostering transparency and engagement.
Tier 3: Redesigned jobs
We initiated a redesign of select roles, redirecting their focus to ensure they contribute directly to the customer value proposition. This redesign aimed to enhance the value offered to customers and close the service gaps. Additionally, we proposed new performance measures to facilitate embedding the customer service culture within the organisation. For the newly introduced boundary-spanning roles, we meticulously crafted collaboration processes, outlined specific work outcomes, and established associated performance measures. This approach ensured clarity and accountability in achieving desired results.
Tier 3: Technology enhancements to embed the job redesign
We identified technology enhancements to enhance productivity and free up employees' time to focus on customer-centric activities.
The Result:
The post-project customer experience survey revealed a positive increase in scores, indicating an improvement in overall customer satisfaction as a result of the implemented initiatives.
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