Category Archives: Employee Experience

Innovation. What’s Your Take?

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A term that is used repeatedly by companies, yet I am not sure we fully understand what it means, how we can nurture an innovative culture or whether it is a good or bad thing.

I read a blog recently by Pat Lencioni entitled “Is innovation good or bad” and started thinking about this interesting term and how frequently it is used or requested without there being a clear understanding of what it means and why we are doing it.

There are several written definitions of innovation but the one that I feel is the most relevant is: “Innovation is creating value by implementing ideas”

If adding value is the measure, then who is the measurer?  Is this a personal measurement?   I ask these two questions because I feel in today’s world it is so easy for people to say “we are an innovative company” or “you are not an innovative company.”  The same applies to personal beliefs. 

So what are my thoughts on how to deal with this?

  1. Review your customer survey to ensure that the “innovation” section / questions are asked in the right way so that you can specifically understand what this means to the person responding.  I believe that innovation is personal so this is crucial.  Without this you will not know what to do more of, less of or where to spend your money.
  2. Look at the employee innovation feedback and the client feedback to see if there is a correlation. 
  3. Define innovation in your organisation, sector and identify when innovative ideas occur and tell people about it, reward people for innovation.
  4. Implement a robust ‘idea to innovation’ process that aligns to your vision so that ideas become real commercial services or products that add value.

So what does the future look like in relation to innovation?  I hope more clarity, better measurement and personalisation.  To avoid thinking that innovation is about large investments but to focus on the smaller things that truly add value to your customers and employees.

Facegram or Instabook: What Does It Mean For Users?

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We’ve all read how the 13 Instagram employees woke up Monday morning richer by much more than anyone had imagined! Facebook acquired the photo app company for $1 Billion, which has managed to raise quite a few eyebrows, because Instagram was valued at $500 Million on the 6th of April, 2012; that’s four days before it was bought for double that amount.

Does Zuckerberg intend to annihilate his competition, since Facebook’s strength lies in photo sharing, or does he intend to turn it into another channel to push ads through? Instagram has an impressive user base of almost 30 million registered users, but almost no revenue. I’ve read a couple of articles today that explain how Instagram puts the soul back into social sharing, making the experience more personal and intimate through the art of photography, tinged with nostalgia through multiple filters. Facebook, on the other hand, is seen as a social media conglomerate, which has managed to turn friendly social interactions between friends into highly targeted marketing campaigns for advertisers. Will Facebook keep Instagram alive as it is and as users like it or should we expect a hybrid photo sharing app for our timelines soon?

Another reason I’m writing this blog is to address the impeccable timing of the acquisition. Instagram launched its app for Android devices just last week, prior to which it was available only to iPhone, iPod and iPad users. Is this another way of staying ahead of Google, Facebook? No matter which angle I consider, it seems like a very interesting scenario, for the two companies involved, their users as well as their competition.

What do you think this acquisition holds for you as a user, and for the market? Let me know through your comments!

Bigger Doesn’t Always Mean Better

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With the announcement by Lloyds Banking Group this week that they are about to ‘overhaul’ the handling of customer complaints came a small reminder for me from recent experiences of working with clients.  A well-recognised brand which attempts to portray confidence, professionalism and customer focus isn’t always representative of what is happening on the inside.

In this age of consumer focus and customer-driven strategy (there are many more buzz words that I will avoid), you would be forgiven for thinking that such big organisations who employ thousands of people in customer marketing, customer service, customer relations and customer insight actually have the customer at the heart of the culture. 

Not so, it would appear.  And so Lloyds’ announcement that it was about time it had ‘one customer view’ is a big move, albeit a bit late.  Now, maybe they can be cut some slack in that they have just joined three big brands in a very difficult market.  But it would seem that, even within the individual brands, delivering a coordinated and choreographed service was slightly beyond their reach.

It’s not easy to change quickly, in fact for most businesses that just won’t happen.  And a lot of the delays aren’t just about finances and technology, but in the heart of the business – it’s culture.  If you drive and reward success on call targets, sales volumes and the odd half-hearted customer feedback round on the ‘front line’ then we shouldn’t be surprised that the whole business might just be run that way.

Some of the best businesses for customer engagement are those that have always had a culture for loyalty.  Being the best for great customer experience is much more important than just being the best in a sector or industry.  The energy sector demonstrates this point;  it may be great to be the top of the big six for customer satisfaction, but if that top place only comes with around 68% satisfaction in an industry where 70% of customers said they were not fully satisfied but only 20% switched provider, it’s not much kudos.

My view. 

  • Run your customer service like a small business (especially if it is a small business).  If each person/team/department looked after their customers as if they were their very own, as if that customer coming back for more relied on that one interaction and experience, satisfaction and loyalty will follow.
  • Give your people the tools.  A customer won’t care that you have seven different teams who deal with seven aspects of their account.  If you want your customers to have a great experience, you need to let everyone see what that experience looks like.  In addition, trust those who deliver for your customers to make the right decision.  Give a policy to hide behind and an environment that doesn’t foster ‘do the right thing’ and don’t be surprised when your bland service doesn’t break any records.
  • Use customer feedback.  If you take time to find out what customers really want, and you act on those wants and drivers of satisfaction (not just cherry-pick the ones that suit you) then you will see the results.
  • Reward and recognise outcomes, not outputs.  Sometimes the smallest and simplest of reports show the greatest of results.  If you want your customers to come back, to recommend you to others and to expand the services they need from you then recognise it won’t come from a hard focus on handling times and volumes alone.

Of course, there are many more ingredients to a great customer experience.  I would love to hear your views on making your experience better.  Who does it well and who deserves your loyalty?

Communication: Everyone’s Talking About It

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How do consumers communicate with an organisation? How do organisations communicate with consumers?

Today, consumers can talk to a brand representative over the phone, through email, and online through social networks.  But amidst all the discussions over “multi channel” customer service, whatever happened to good old fashioned face-to-face?

A large utilities firm is putting faith back in this method –equipping call centre staff with video links to create more face-to-face contact with customers – as they believe it has the power to encourage current customers to stay and lost customers to return.

But should we all be including face-to-face in our “multi channe” strategies, if it has the power to increase customer loyalty?

Perhaps examples from other industries can demonstrate the true potential of face-to-face communication, like o2.

Last Thursday, the Percepta UK marketing team attended Dunning Design’s monthly “Communications Breakfast”, hosted by o2.  They presented “o2 Ville”, a collection of innovations designed to help consumers cope with all their communication demands.  o2 Money senior partner Martyn Wallace opened the presentation with a demonstration of how many of us could begin paying for products or services using an internet enabled mobile device, rather than with a debit or credit card.  And even as one audience member questioned the speaker on the problems o2 may encounter with the battery life of such devices, most attendees seemed taken by the idea.  Tim Craven of o2 Wifi then took over the floor to explain how the organisation plans to provide dedicated nationwide Wifi hotspots, providing internet access for consumers, whatever they are doing, wherever they are.  Moreover, this would be available for everyone, regardless of your mobile network.   

Lastly, o2 Health associate Julian Rolfe introduced “Side by Side”, an innovative scheme which allows clinicians to speak to their patients hundreds of miles away, and share medical information such as MRI scans and x-rays with other medical professionals.  o2 suggests that the technology can save on unnecessary and often time consuming travel.  A pilot “Side by Side” scheme was rolled out by o2 and NHS Western Isles in 2011, and immediately made an impact to the lives of both patients and clinicians in this remote area.  Some statistics to highlight this impact include:

  • 67% of clinicians said that their ability to diagnose patients had increased
  • 80% of clinicians said that they were able to see patients sooner and with greater ease
  • Travel was reduced by 9 hours for some patients
  • Around £6500 was saved on travel throughout the trial period – and was put toward other resources
  • Patients’ satisfaction scores recorded over the pilot scheme was higher

Overall, NHS Western Isles found that service capacity had improved greatly over the trial period. 

As we left the presentation, I began thinking about how this technology could service other sectors as well as health. 

For NHS Western isles, the need for face to face communication over any other form was clear, but could it be used alongside other methods?  Could businesses begin to use such technology to reach out to their customers, and create a stronger bond? Communication, after all, is the key….let me know your thoughts on this.

Percepta at the DMA Ball

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On the 11th of November this year, Percepta attended the Direct Marketing Association’s 17th Anniversary Ball, held in Edinburgh’s Prestonfield Hotel, located at the foot of Arthur’s Seat.  The beautifully decorated stables adjacent to the hotel itself would host the event, providing guests with a spectacular setting for the evening’s festivities.  Those attending were greeted to a champagne reception upon arrival, followed by a three course meal, ceilidh and late night disco, giving them the chance to chat and get to know other members of the DMA from throughout the UK.

The event also saw the welcome return of the Percepta sponsored “Groovy Booth”, where attendees could pose for photographs dressed in various comedy wigs, hats and oversized sunglasses (those of a nervous disposition have been warned).  This year’s revellers did not disappoint, with queues for the booth stretching across the dance floor at times.

The highlight of the night was the ever popular Orcadian Strip the Willow, which got the majority of the crowd off their seats and onto the dance floor. As many of the attendees headed for the DMA after party, they were thankful that there was no repeat of last year’s weather (2010’s ball marked the beginning of the heavy snow, which lasted well into the New Year).

Overall, the night was a huge success, and the grandeur of the setting was matched only by the party atmosphere throughout the evening. Very much looking forward to next year!

Hello, Do You Know I’m here?

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I was recently enlisted by a friend of my father’s into helping him buy a new car. With 12 years in the automotive industry, and considering myself a bit of a petrol head, I was only too happy to help, and thought that it would be a piece of cake (and a lot of fun helping someone else spend their hard earned money). Having known him for 20 years, I knew that he have a great idea about what he wanted the car to do, he’d have researched the alternatives thoroughly and to be honest I thought my role would be to give him a seal of approval for his choice, or to make sure he wasn’t paying over the odds.

Sure enough he’d done the leg work – visited almost all the garages in his local area, and had brochures, prices lists and options lists coming out of his ears, but he was lost. Somewhere in all the information thrust upon him by the eager salespeople at the dealerships, they’d forgotten to ask him what it was he used the car for. Everything had become too complicated for him – he had been given too much choice. And he wasn’t enjoying his experience.

When I asked, he simply said he needed it to get into town to shop and pick his daughter up from the station. He wanted to do that as cheaply and safely as possible, and with the least chance of breaking down. And if it did – he wanted the dealer to look after him properly.

He didn’t care about sat nav as he knew where he was going (and happens to collect maps), he didn’t need parking sensors as he didn’t trust them, the thought of cruise control scared him half to death, and the 20 speaker stereo system wasn’t really needed for Test Match Special. He had no idea what DAB was. He wasn’t that interested in the intricacies of the finance deals, or the time it takes for a convertible roof to fully open. To make matters worse, having left the dealerships without the information he actually wanted, the days that followed brought with them postal surveys, even more brochures and business cards from the sales staff.

It struck me that perhaps the simplest concept of customer service had been ignored. Listening.

Not one of the sales staff had sat down and taken the time to find out why this gentleman was sat in front of them. What did he actually need? Not what did they think he wanted, but what did he need? They had forgotten who the most important person in that room was, and had potentially alienated him for good.

Over the next few days, he began to notice letter after letter from the various dealerships. Customer Satisfaction Surveys, even more brochures, even more special deals that didn’t interest him.

Now today’s world thrives on information. We all know that and it’s nothing new. It’s not the future – it is the now. But what of those who aren’t quite ready for it? Those who don’t want a mobile or don’t understand why they need the choice of contact by text, e-mail, twitter or Facebook? Should we abandon those who don’t want to take that route?

It seems to me that this highlights the one thing that those sales staff forgot. That the customer gets to choose how, when and where they interact with a business, and it’s up to the business to make sure it’s flexible enough to react.

It won’t be easy staying that flexible. I’m sure we all know the power of social media and modern technology. Opinions are formed, shared and reformed at a rate never before experienced. And that’s great – if you’re doing things right. If you’re not then where do you start?

The answer? Well, if I could answer that in a short blog then I’d be making millions from it – but it strikes me that there is an excellent and incredibly simply starting point.

Listen. Listen to what the customer wants from you. Listen to when they want it. Listen to how they want it. Not rocket science, but definitely effective.

What challenges have you come across (on either end) of service where you’ve either not listened/haven’t been listened to?

Wanted: An Automotive Sales Manager Who Focuses on Quality, Not Quick Talking

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We all know the stereotypes around salespeople, such as being silver tongued, having the gift of the gab and being able to talk the hind legs off a horse. While eloquence is never a bad thing, it’s not the only thing and we’re looking for in an Automotive Sales Manager who wants to build a lasting relationship rather than make a quick buck.

We’re looking for someone with experience and enthusiasm to be a key member of our sales team, proactively working to achieve specific revenue, profit and customer satisfaction targets. Our ideal candidate will have an automotive technical background or qualification, as a key part of the role will be the consulting service provided to UK dealers.

The successful candidate will be essential in providing comprehensive sales and support services to key account holders, whist also identifying opportunities to develop sales and exploit potential areas of growth.

If you feel you are the person we are looking for, convince us by clicking the link here to apply online.

The Disadvantages of Outsourcing Your Customer Service

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Most of you reading this will already be aware of the term ‘outsourcing’ and the potential benefits it can bring to an organisation. Contracting non-core business activities to third party providers can reduce your operating costs, give you easy access to the latest technology and best practices with no capital investment and, with the right provider, actually improve customer satisfaction in the long term.

However, if you are considering outsourcing your Customer Service function there are some potential disadvantages that need to be considered:

1. Loss of Control and Security

Having another organisation take responsibility for the life blood of your company carries some risk. You are effectively relinquishing managerial responsibility of the way your customers are dealt with to someone else. Keep at the front of your mind that most outsourcers are driven to make profit from the calls they answer and are not necessarily focused on the experience and service your customers are receiving.

The fact that your outsourcer is operating from a different site, with employees that are motivated by a different set of standards to yours, and that you do not have any managerial presence within that operation could all lead to a loss of control of the customer experience. And for any company that values the importance of continuously listening to the Voice of Customer, this disadvantage of outsourcing may outweigh any potential advantages.

2. Loss of Expertise and Staff Loyalty

No matter how much you train someone, an employee of an outsourcer will rarely be as knowledgeable of your services, products and business as someone who has been employed by you for years. The short term gain of reducing your staffing overheads by outsourcing could lead to a loss of expertise, knowledge and loyalty that can never be replaced. Many companies have discovered that customer satisfaction and the quality of customer support is irreversibly damaged after making the decision to outsource their Customer Service function and end up taking it back in house to try and repair their credibility.

If you are going to outsource your Customer Service operation then redundancies may affect your existing workforce. You may also need to retrain employees as part of your staff restructuring. The employees that are kept may be left with a bad taste in their mouth about the company’s decision to outsource and may choose to terminate their employment forcing you to spend time and effort finding replacements. Employee morale always suffers during a shift too outsourcing which may seriously affect employee loyalty.

3. Loss of Accountability and Responsibility

When one of your staff performs poorly, or is identified as being suitable for development into another role, there are many options you have to create a preferable outcome for that person and your business. Put simply, you have control over what the outcome will be and can assign accountabilities and responsibilities to that person, their manager and any other employees that work with them. But if you identify that your outsourcer is not performing, it’s sometimes difficult to determine who exactly is responsible for making it right. And more importantly, you invariably have to leave most of the accountability and responsibility of finding a solution to the outsourcer.

If the outsourcer fails to improve then it’s still you and your business that gets it in the neck – your customers aren’t interested in who is causing them problems, they just want it resolved. Recent research conducted by IPSOS Mori across 39 of Scotland’s local authority CEO’s and CFO’s revealed that the most commonly cited barrier to outsourcing was the loss of accountability, with over half of CEO’s attributing their reticence to Outsourcing to this factor.

So after painting this grim picture of what you could potentially lose from outsourcing your Customer Service function you’re probably asking yourself if there’s an alternative. Well, you’ll be glad to hear that there is – it’s called Insourcing and I’ll be talking about its benefits in my next blog article…

Percepta Employees & Red Nose Day

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Red Nose Day was Friday 18th March – this is a day members of the British public take on various fundraising challenges to raise money for worthy causes at home and abroad.

I relish an opportunity to do my bit for the community and charity work is second nature to me. I love the opportunities it brings, meeting lots of people, making new friends, having fun and all in the knowledge that the effort is worthwhile when it is helping others less fortunate than myself.

March 2011 has seen the successful launch of the exciting New Ford Focus so inline with the excitement of the new product I had the idea to create a spoof/parody of the famous Grease Lightning song from the Classic film Grease. Four Ford Dunton colleagues were duly signed up to join me. Subsequently a vehicle was sourced, a location booked, words re-jigged, song recorded, costumes borrowed and the filming completed.

So generous ladies and gentlemen I urge you to take a look at the video below and donate if you can

 

 
Believe it or not we did rehearse.

There were a few friends who helped out in different ways, all of whom are credited in the video. The cast in the video were Mick, Colin, Darren, Matt and myself

Your cash really can make a huge difference to the lives of many vulnerable people.
We hope you enjoy us being silly and it made you smile :)