Communicating the Customer Service Vision to Ensure ...Communicating the Customer Service Vision to...
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Communicating the Customer Service Vision to Ensure Employee Engagement TPPA Annual Meeting July 2015 Marketing and Customer Service Jawana JJ Gutierrez, VP Customer Care Services
Transcript of Communicating the Customer Service Vision to Ensure ...Communicating the Customer Service Vision to...
Communicating the Customer Service Vision to Ensure Employee Engagement
TPPA Annual Meeting July 2015 Marketing and Customer Service
Jawana JJ Gutierrez, VP Customer Care Services
Presenter
Presentation Notes
This presentation outlines the approach and processes used in Austin Energy’s Customer Care business unit to communicate the unit’s vision and objectives. This presentation chronicles the past five years’ efforts to ensure that employees actively participated in the strategic planning process and understand business unit goals and objectives. The results were an engaged workforce who aligned their everyday activities to the broader objectives. As a result, the Customer Care business unit met the majority of its five-year strategic objectives.
Austin Energy & Customer Care Business Unit • 440,000 Customers • Provides customer service for
electric, water, solid waste, city fees
• 1.6M calls annually • 1.7M bills annually
• 350 employees and contractors
• Contact Center, Billing, Field Services, 311, Collections, Escalations, Support Functions
5-Year Strategic Plan Results
5 Year Planning Process
Corp
orat
e G
oals
Results Achieved Operational Goals • ISO 9001 certification (2 re-certs) • New Billings System, Rate Structure,
AMI, MDM, 311 Mobile App • After Call Satisfaction - 4.6 out 5 • 2015 CS Week Customer Service
Excellence Award Increased Employee Engagement • Exceeded marketing campaign goals • Increased job satisfaction score • 100% employees have aligned goals
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Every organization performs strategic planning and communicates the plan to their employees. Several years back we noticed that our employees were not in tune with the organization’s goals and objectives. There was a disconnect, employees where unaware of the plan or didn’t understand what role they played in achieving the goals. As a customer care organization we utilized our natural propensity for fun and developed a communication model that engaged the employee in workshops, contests, and a variety of creative projects. The results were … Read the slide
Customer Care’s 5-Year Planning Model
Vision
Roadmap
Rollout
• External Drivers • SWOTs
Quarterly updates
Updates
Rollout
Updates
Rollout
Updates
Rollout
Closeout
Rollout
• Metrics • Metrics • Metrics • Metrics
• Accomplishments
Timeline
• Objectives • Goals/Metrics
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5
Presenter
Presentation Notes
This is our strategic planning model. And for the past five years we have used this model to develop and convey our customer service strategies. Explain the components of the model
Objective: Employees actively participate in the strategic planning process and
understand business unit goals and objectives
Fiscal Year 2011
Fiscal Year
2012
Fiscal Year
2013 5 Fiscal Year
2015
Fiscal Year
2014
Annual Roll-Out of Strategic Plan
Each Year the Rollout consists of: • Strategic Plan Development or Updates • Employee Engagement Activities • Annual All Employee Meeting
– Recognition for achievements – Focus for the upcoming year
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Each year for the last 5 years we perform here key activities, we develop or update the plan based upon the needs or gaps in the organization, we engage employees in some sort of creative activities, and we hold an all-employee business meeting. In this presentation I’ll share with you, the details of Austin Energy’s Customer Care past five years.
Journey to Excellence
The Future of Customer Care
Year
• Vision Roadmap • Year 1 Focus Area: Best-In-Class Processes
Vison & Plan Development
Presenter
Presentation Notes
At the beginning of the 5 year planning process, we held planning workshops with employees at all levels of the Customer Care organization; Managers, Supervisors, and front-line staff members. During the workshops we conducted SWOT analyses and developed a vision for the future. The output from these sessions was 5 year strategic roadmap and the theme for that year: Journey to Excellence. On the roadmap there were 6 Areas of Focus, each its own objective and a set of goals. Pass around the roadmap The emphasis for the upcoming year would be Best-in-Class Processes
• Poster Contest
Employee Engagement
Year
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Each year we engage the employees by holding a contest. This year employees from each workgroup in Customer Care organization were asked to create a poster board that highlighted how far we have come and that showed how their workgroup might look in the next five years. All of the posters were displayed in the various work areas leading up to the big event, the annual employee business meeting.
• Scavenger Hunt • Debut of the Vision Video
Employee Experience
Year
Presenter
Presentation Notes
At the end of the year, all operations are closed from one afternoon to allow employees attend the annual business meeting. During this meeting employees experience activities, receive acknowledgements and recognition, and hear the message for the upcoming year. This year we held the meeting at the Capital building, which was closed to the public during our meeting. Employees were encouraged to dress like Indiana Jones and given instructions and clues. Once they located the answers they could enter the auditorium. The highlight of the message for this kick-off the 5 year plan was the Vision Video. This video was written, produced, and performed by our employees. It is their depiction of what Customer Service will look like in next 5 years. Play video
On the Road to Excellence
Set Targets for the Future
Year
• Year 2 Focus Area: Technology and Employee Development
Update Strategic Plan
Presenter
Presentation Notes
The focus for year 2 was Technology. We knew that in the upcoming year we would be going live with our new billing system. As many of you have already experienced, implementing a new billing system can be daunting. The new system changed everything, our processes, our bill, even the services we offered. As a result every employee would receive a minimum of 6 hours of training associated with the new system, processes, and approach to customer service.
Year
• Employees Build a “Smart House”
Employee Engagement
Presenter
Presentation Notes
To reinforce the customer service vision from year 1, employees were asked to build a room in the Home of the Future. Taking cues from last year’s vision video, employees researched water smart techniques, smart appliances, and the home area network. The appliances were donated by Sears and Best Buy who volunteered to deliver and pick-up the appliances on the day of the business meeting.
Year
• Employees Tour the Smart Home of the Future
Employee Experience
Presenter
Presentation Notes
During the annual business meeting employees walked through the Home of the Future and learned about the technologies that were highlighted in each room. We also utilized a new technology during the meeting that allowed employees to use their cell phones to text answers to our trivia questions. Employees’ texts were shown on the big screen. About half way through the meeting, employees started to text compliments and other fun facts. Some shared text about how great the meeting was going and how they enjoyed the tour. We were getting on the spot feedback and acknowledgement that our message was being received.
On the Campaign Trail
Vote for Customer Centricity
Year
• Year 3 Focus Area: Products and Services
Update Strategic Plan
Presenter
Presentation Notes
In 2012, Austin Energy completely restructured its electric rates. These rates were necessary to recoup costs and allow pricing for new products and services such as Green Choice, Solar, and Time of Use. So our focus for Year 3 was Products and Services.
Year
• Campaign Commercial Contest • Campaign Buttons
Employee Engagement
Presenter
Presentation Notes
This was a presidential election year, so the theme for the year was a campaign. The focus of our campaign was to convince the customer to vote for Austin Energy. And employees were given campaign buttons and asked to build their own campaign commercial. Each workgroup collaborated on a commercial where they were to highlight the great things about customer service, past accomplishments, and future campaign promises.
Year
• Viewed Campaign Commercials • Live Debate
Employee Experience
Presenter
Presentation Notes
The annual business meeting had all the components of a campaign rally. There were presidential speeches, photo opportunities, and a live debate. Employees also got to showcase their commercials and vote for the best one.
The Journey Continues
Destination - Excellence
Year
• Year 4 Focus Area: Community Awareness
Update Strategic Plan
Presenter
Presentation Notes
This year brought a strong focus on Community Awareness. During this year we would completely revamp the Customer Assistance program and launch a new customer education initiative where we held public classes on energy and water conservation.
Year
• Kudos Road • Employee “Welcome Center” contest
Employee Engagement
Presenter
Presentation Notes
For employee engagement, we noticed that our employees were low on morale due to the issues customers were having with the new billing system, so to pep ourselves up we began to focus on the good things that we were able to accomplish. Each workgroup was given a poster size sheet of black paper and asked to write kudos to each other. These posters were hung around the work areas for the weeks leading up to the business meeting. Some groups were so engaged that they need two additional sheets. These sheets were used to build a road inside the auditorium at the business meeting. Employees were also asked to construct welcome centers. Space in the auditorium where we held the business meting was set aside for each workgroup to display their welcome centers. They could be as creative as they wanted, but the centers must show the groups achievements how they aligned with the organization’s goals.
Year
• Visit Employee “Welcome Centers” • Recorded kudos
Employee Experience
Presenter
Presentation Notes
As they entered the business meeting, employees could stop at each welcome center and learn about the accomplishments. During the meeting as a surprise we shared recorded videos of staff members and customers complimenting the great work of the staff.
5
Welcome to Excellence!
We Have Arrived!
Year 5
• Focus Area: Customer Relationship Management • Highlight 5 Years of Achievements
5-Year Closeout
Presenter
Presentation Notes
For the final year of the strategic plan, we focused on Customer Relationship Management and because it was the last year of the plan we also focused on the past 5 year’s achievements. The strategic planning team, performed a gap analysis to determine what goals had been completed and which were still outstanding. Since we are in year 5 we are currently working on those incomplete goals.
Year 5
• Employee “Framily” Contest • blank
Employee Engagement
Presenter
Presentation Notes
For employee engagement, we took our idea from Sprint’s Friends and Family commercials. Employees were asked to come up with their own “Framily” for each workgroup.
Year 5
Welcome to the City of Excellence
• Walk through the City of Excellence
Employee Experience
Presenter
Presentation Notes
At the business meeting, we erected a City, the City of Excellence and welcome the employees as the arrived. Behind the walls, were the framilies’ displays, where staff could visit and interact with the framily members. Once seated the employees learned about the 5-year achievements and were acknowledged for their work.
!
Key Components of Customer Care’s Strategic Planning Process
Assess Plan • Review progress towards goals and set
focus for the upcoming year Engage Employee • Develop a creative outlet for employees to
participate in the communication Recognize Achievements • Highlight accomplishments and reward
employees when goals are acheived
Questions? THANK YOU
