This article started as a piece about a new feature, but at its core it is about organisations that pro-actively engage with their employees. Specifically here it is about Volkswagen Financial Services (VWFS), their EX focus, and how they are working to leverage more from their employee engagement strategy.
In VWFS it is critical responses are as fast as possible to provide the best customer service.
Seizing the opportunity
Our first programme implementation with VW was in late 2017. During late 2020 we engaged on a major programme update and progress has moved at a lightening pace. From the beginning, VWFS have been quick to adopt to benefits available, now utilising a range of feedback and measurement options STAFFINO offered. An active user, VWFS collects a comprehensive range of customer data, inclusive of sentiment, CSAT for numerous categories, First Call Resolution (FCR) and NPS. Each of these with customised dashboards, providing VWFS visual drill-downs for quick insight into any given criteria.
But VWFS’s approach is more than merely number-crunching. Engaged with the detailed verbatim feedback they are receiving, they seize the opportunity to identify areas for performance and process improvement. Further engaging with the Manager-to-Customer engagement channel, they also relate with their customers’ issues real-time, addressing issues as they arise and acknowledging positive feedback to strengthen their brand relationships.
A company open to “the new”
VWFS has been consistently open to new features, always quick to see the benefit and happy to trial. When we introduced our Manager-to-Manager channel they embraced this, discussing issues internally, short-handing issue resolution and knowledge sharing CX experiences. And when we introduced Manager-to-Employee communication we saw the same openness, moving beyond managerial communication into direct dialogue with their employees about the feedback they were receiving, providing support and coaching for their teams.
It should be clear that this is not simply the result of early-adopter mentality – the are not “cult of the new”. Every implementation has been systematically assessed, with POC key to any broader implementation. What has distinguished VWFS is there open-mindedness about new approaches. An example of this was the introduction of Gamification. They could already see the positive impact that customer-to-employee feedback was having on their employees and, whilst they may not have been wholly assured of the impact this would have, they did not get caught up in second guessing. Instead, they opened themselves to a trial to evidence the benefits before making a final decision.
Empowering their employees
This positive attitude towards identifying the benefit (and importantly, seeing the commercial value) of the interactions and insight their employees provided ultimately led to something that surprised us. A few months ago we were approached by Dan Toma, Head of Customer Centre at VWFS in the Czech Republic. He had a simple request: “can our employees start discussions?” And it was a welcome question! We may have considered this before, but it had not ever left the brainstorming sessions. Would anyone really utilise this for advantage?
In truth, we receive requests for all kinds of features. These are often tweaks and additions that are more bespoke than anything that would broadly benefit our clients. Here we had evidence that VWFS were truly using STAFFINO to engage with their employees, their management opening themselves up to the experience and insight of their front-line staff and showing a willingness to develop from it. As strong advocates of Employee Experience we were excited to see this in practice and eager to support them. Furthermore, if VW were doing this, it was something that other organisations might be open to adopting. So, employee-driven chat in STAFFINO? Absolutely!
Ideas for the benefit of all
This feature is now firmly fixed in our development roadmap. Beyond empowering managers to pro-actively manage customer issues, employees will be able to share, through their ideas and innovations, experience that will help to shape a happier and more efficient workplace. When launched we will be holding VWFS up as a shining example engaging with these benefits. And thanking them for their part in this development.
Final reflection
I hope to be writing more articles like this one – bringing to light the innovators amongst our clients. And to those clients directly… you are our measure! STAFFINO’s core purpose is to bring benefit out of connectivity and providing insightful CX. In our continued development this is no different, so if you have a view on how we could add value to what you already use, please let us know. We may well add it for the benefit of all!
