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- How culture forms your basis for customer satisfaction
How culture forms your basis for customer satisfaction
Do you already embrace a strong organisational culture? A workplace where a thriving culture empowers your people. Resulting in happy customers and a fantastic work environment. No? Find out how you can achieve that.
When your plan seems to work
Take WE Fashion, for example. "I can definitely say a plan works," says Lieke. "When asked to describe the WE culture, even applicants mention our core values: collaborative, warm, informal, and connecting. Customers notice this engagement through the service they receive in the shop. Guidelines for interacting with customers are provided through the learning programme Store Stars. This equips all shop employees with essential tools.”
To achieve this, WE Fashion had to make necessary changes in how they communicate about their culture. "Previously, our communication was very scattered and often didn't reach the right people," Lieke explains. "It also no longer suited the current situation, especially with new employees. We specifically wanted them to experience what it’s like to work for WE. That’s why we opted for a learning platform and developed the Store Stars programme."
Ok, clear. What’s next?
Creating recognition. “You can do this by using the Double Diamond model,” Sam explains. “This model is a systematic approach that anyone can follow when conceiving and designing new products and services. It makes setting up an organisational culture an understandable process.”
The Double Diamond model outlines the stages of Discovery, Definition, Development, and Delivery. The model consists of two 'diamonds', each symbolising a process. Within the first diamond, you identify and define the problem. Then, you move to the second diamond, which focuses on generating ideas. Finally, you evaluate whether the idea is actually a good solution.
DHL dared to see what would happen when they used this model. The company has the ambition to ‘get everything done Right First Time’. This means they strive to work flawlessly and get it right the first time for everyone. Making mistakes is allowed, as long as you learn from them.
How does DHL 'get it done Right First Time'?
The discovery phase asks questions such as: Do people dare to admit they have made a mistake? Do people take much more time to avoid making mistakes? But also, what if you apply this motto during the onboarding phase? Get it right the first time by making new employees feel welcome and ensuring a safe working environment.
For example, make the start hyper-personal by scouring Instagram to find out where someone's interests lie. Lay out a welcome gift and make sure everyone knows a new employee is coming that day. Arrange for a lunch buddy, set up a working laptop, and include a packet of stickers, shirts for the kids, or a warm jumper for the cold days. There is no such thing as a second first impression, so make it right the first time!
Is that all?
No, there is a catch: you have to repeat it over and over again. By continuously strengthening the culture at every level of your organisation, everyone understands what is expected of them and can demonstrate the right behaviour. This way, no one can claim ignorance or forgetfulness. In the meantime, keep that Double Diamond in mind and carry out this exercise regularly. Reflect on whether you can reclaim your core values or if they need further development.
Need a little help to create your own strategic plan combined with a learning platform or programme that meets your unique organisational needs? Request a demo from Tom and find out! .svg){kind=small}
