The Proof is in the Programme: Incremental Steps to Success
Marc Berendes – Head of Enterprise Solutions Europe, Abbott Diagnostics
Moving from a traditional market research approach to NPS around 2007 based on reading “The Ultimate Question” and the threat of merging with a major global organisation.
Customer loyalty journey in a B2B business:
- Buy-in from stakeholders was key first step to getting started despite initial resistance at Exec level, based on the need to understand their customers.
- Build a core of champions across the organisation to drive the programme.
- Transactional NPs focus initially piloted with the service line but then expanded across the customer journey (to include sales, delivery, quality of product)
- Closed loop process in place from the beginning which include email alerts and 72 hour response
- Changed the mind-set to drive a customer centric culture moving away from a product centric culture
- Success only achieved through the commitment of the country managers
- Institutionalise the NPs programme by using the champions at country meetings to relay feedback and subsequent actions and success
- Gain buy-in from internal detractors – very important to get this sorted out by aligning all departments and functions
- GM annual bonus plan linked to NPS
- NPS is part of all management goals from 2010 – this has made a fundamental difference because decision informed by the voice of the customer based on commentaries
- Focus on NPS training across the organisation plus new joiners, service and sales training
- Aligned the sales organisation to the new NPS mind-set
- Customer satisfaction has led to increased profits to the extent that it has generated additional finding for R&D
- Communication across the organisation to make the programme real
- Communication back to the customers about the programme
- Cultural differences exist and the results vary widely – no clear reason behind this.
- The NPS programme has led to several improvements across the organisation, including quality improvement, service delivery, product changes, packaging
- Sales force reorganisation to be more responsive to the customer needs through NPS
- Changed and built trust across the organisation – customercenticity is now global and the journey continues
