Project Description

A delivery of product and service does not ensure Brand building. The Brand built thru the Brand experience is consistent over a period.

This company was in the service industry and competing with 3 other international players. The delivery and products were in line with one another. The company’s Marketing & Sales team thought and felt that the key differentiator in the marketplace will be service. The biggest challenge came up was how do they build Service as a differentiator. The management team decided after series of deliberation that they need to develop a service culture internally among its people. Thus, began a yearlong culture change event called “Customer First”.

When customer comes first…

What needed the change?

  • Customer Services (CS) was restricted to the CS function. Once the Sales contract was drawn, the Operation & CS was left to address the delivery of service
  • Each function was worried more about their own Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), working in silos
  • There was a gap in the way employees’ skill levels were and the standard of behaviour that the programme expected
  • How to sustain the momentum of the programme among employees throughout the year?
  • At office, the programme could sustain, what about the branches around the country?

What interventions took place?

  • The Sales & Operation teams were centred around area where customers were being served with alignment of CS team.
  • The incentives were based on cross functional KPIs and more focused towards customer fulfilment KPIs
  • Developed new tiers of skill development which each person in their respective function must go thru and be certified. For example, CS had 3 levels of training programs and difference skill levels.
  • There were skits competition around the customer services theme every month and in all branches. The winner was recognized by awarding a prize.
  • The functional Heads of the company would be in one of the branches every month to review the programme progress or part of the Customer First planned activity in the respective branch

What was the result?

The company was perceived in the industry as a customer-oriented organisation. The people were more engaged as the cross functional activities increased and became a part of the initiative.