Challenge

The challenge being tackled was introducing a new Customer Relationship Management system  our company. It had been noted that there weren’t proper records of clients who had visited any  of the company’s branches looking to be served or to make enquiries. It was thus difficult to  assess the nature of clients that were served, whether their issues had been successfully resolved  and how long this had taken. It was therefore important for the company to introduce a new  system that would tackle these challenges.

This system, called CRM, was important since it would enable the recording of all customer  interactions by the company’s staff, including the client’s personal details, their enquiries and  how long it took to resolve each issue that a client raised. In the long run, this would be helpful  in determining what the key touch points with clients are, which would in turn help the company  in:

• Staffing - Allocating staff to areas that handled more clients.  • Improving Turn Around Times -  The system would show how long each customer’s

enquiry or instruction took to resolve and what areas would require further training for  the staff.

• Mode of contact – How the interaction with the client was made, e.g. through email, walk

in, an intermediary or by phone.

Selection

Leaning Launch tool was the tool of choice for this challenge. A learning launch ideally means  conducting a small experiment to test a developed idea in the real world. It is an experiment that  involves introducing a product or service into the real world to gauge how it integrates into it and  performs.  The learning launch tool was selected as it helps in gathering insights on how to  improve on the product.

Application

Since the system had already been created, the learning launch would involve introducing the  system in two of the company’s branches. The period for the learning launch was set to one  week, as this was deemed ample time for the staff to get used to the system and be in a position  to offer meaningful feedback. Staff from the two branches were taken for an intense training on  how to use this system to open, record, assign and close customer interactions. A representative  from the team involved in developing the system was sent to each of these branches to assist  during the week, in case of any issues arising. Staff in these two central branches were then given  access rights to this system. The staff were also asked to take note of all major highlights of the  system as well as areas that needed to be totally overhauled, those that needed to be improved  on and those that just needed a little tweaking.

Focus was given on ensuring that every customer interaction was input to the system, as it is only  this way that the system, and any data derived from it, would be useful. Emphasis was also given  on ensuring that the records input to the system were correct and timely.

Insight

Almost immediately, there were positive results from use of the system. Due to the system  escalating issues that were not handled on time, we learnt that customer instructions were  handled promptly and marked as closed in the system. Turnaround time for cases was therefore  drastically shortened. Another major improvement was on the following up on cases that had  been handled elsewhere or by a different member of staff. This became easier, since, instead of  having to call the staff member initially involved, it was now possible to determine what the  client’s query was and how far the case was from completion, just at the click of a few buttons.  The learning launch also made it easier to verify which lines of business had the highest number  of interactions and which ones require the most time to resolve. All this information was  important as it would help in determining what areas needed more focus on in terms of staffing  and training.

Feedback from the launch also indicated that a few system changes had to be made. These mainly  involved user preferences on the system’s interface and not how the system functioned. There  was also an issue on how to group the different types of customer enquiries so as to ensure that  they were all encompassed in the groups created in the system.

Approach

To improve on the effectiveness of the learning launch as used, it would be important to involve  more customer-facing staff members in the development of the system. This is because they  would give the system developers more insight on the day to day interactions with clients and  improve on the way these are implemented in the system

It is also important to conduct intensive training on the system before the learning launch to  ensure that the users are well conversant with it. This would ensure that a successful learning  launch is not hindered by having to retrain staff while the testing is in progress.


Challenge The challenge being tackled was introducing a new Customer Relationship Management system our company . It had been noted that there were n’t proper records of clients who had visited any of the company ’s branches looking to be served or to make enquiries . It was thus difficult to assess the nature of clients that were served , whether their issues had been successfully resolved and how long this had taken . It was therefore important for the company to introduce a new system that would tackle these challenges . This system , called CRM , was important since it would enable the recording of all customer interactions by the company ’s staff , including the client ’s personal details , their enquiries and how long it took to resolve each issue that a client raised . In the long run , this would be helpful in determining what the key touch points with clients are , which would in turn help the company in : • Staffing - Allocating staff to areas that handled more clients . • Improving Turn Around Times - The system would show how long each customer ’s enquiry or instruction took to resolve and what areas would require further training for the staff . • Mode of contact – How the interaction with the client was made , e.g. through email , walk in , an intermediary or by phone . Selection Leaning Launch tool was the tool of choice for this challenge . A learning launch ideally means conducting a small experiment to test a developed idea in the real world . It is an experiment that involves introducing a product or service into the real world to gauge how it integrates into it and performs . The learning launch tool was selected as it helps in gathering insights on how to improve on the product . Application Since the system had already been created , the learning launch would involve introducing the system in two of the company ’s branches . The period for the learning launch was set to one week , as this was deemed ample time for the staff to get used to the system and be in a position to offer meaningful feedback . Staff from the two branches were taken for an intense training on how to use this system to open , record , assign and close customer interactions . A representative from the team involved in developing the system was sent to each of these branches to assist during the week , in case of any issues arising . Staff in these two central branches were then given access rights to this system . The staff were also asked to take note of all major highlights of the system as well as areas that needed to be totally overhauled , those that needed to be improved on and those that just needed a little tweaking . Focus was given on ensuring that every customer interaction was input to the system , as it is only this way that the system , and any data derived from it , would be useful . Emphasis was also given on ensuring that the records input to the system were correct and timely . Insight Almost immediately , there were positive results from use of the system . Due to the system escalating issues that were not handled on time , we learnt that customer instructions were handled promptly and marked as closed in the system . Turnaround time for cases was therefore drastically shortened . Another major improvement was on the following up on cases that had been handled elsewhere or by a different member of staff . This became easier , since , instead of having to call the staff member initially involved , it was now possible to determine what the client ’s query was and how far the case was from completion , just at the click of a few buttons . The learning launch also made it easier to verify which lines of business had the highest number of interactions and which ones require the most time to resolve . All this information was important as it would help in determining what areas needed more focus on in terms of staffing and training . Feedback from the launch also indicated that a few system changes had to be made . These mainly involved user preferences on the system ’s interface and not how the system functioned . There was also an issue on how to group the different types of customer enquiries so as to ensure that they were all encompassed in the groups created in the system . Approach To improve on the effectiveness of the learning launch as used , it would be important to involve more customer - facing staff members in the development of the system . This is because they would give the system developers more insight on the day to day interactions with clients and improve on the way these are implemented in the system It is also important to conduct intensive training on the system before the learning launch to ensure that the users are well conversant with it . This would ensure that a successful learning launch is not hindered by having to retrain staff while the testing is in progress .