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A retailer, with £1.7 billion sales and a field sales team of 460, appointed JRA to design and deliver a nation-wide 'Improvement Programme'.
The aim of the 'Improvement' Programme was to:
Arrest a variety of endemic problems, including:
An over-sized 'cost base'
Too high a staff 'churn'
Absence and poor morale
Low performance i.e. 60% of the current sales force's Representatives remained consistently below their sales target
Improve performance overall. For over 2½ years the operation had failed to meet its customer acquisition and sales targets.
Create a leaner, more effective sales management team.
Design and implement a cost-effective recruitment and induction process that would also reduce Representative turnover and increase retention.
Ensure that the sales force was customer-centric, contribution-focussed and 'change ready'.
'Improvement' activities included:
A business 'health check' which focussed on both the business unit's operational framework and its vision, strategy and values.
Benchmarking (and LAB Profiling) of key personnel:
To create a template for the 'ideal' high performing Sales Representative
To aid 'Training Needs Analysis' at Region, Team and Individual level
To facilitate the introduction of a coaching framework
Creating a new approach to recruitment, induction training and any subsequent follow-up (this included using the LAB Profile as a key assessment tool).
The design and training of an Under-Achievers Programme. The aim being to target the 60% of Representatives below target and to get as many as possible 'back on track'.
An on-going programme of development and implementation - to ensure that individuals at all levels continued to meet/exceed their KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).
Launching a bespoke Management Development Programme, which utilised the NLP toolbox and MBTI.
Creation of a coaching framework, so that the improvement in the sales results were sustained, to ensure that Representative coaching and learning and development was cascaded 'down the line'.
The creation, implementation and rollout, covering the entire sales force, of an IT training course on the company's newly launched Casio hand-held sales administration device.
The JRA 'Improvement' Programme was implemented over a six month period. The high level results were as follows:
Reduction in the new Representatives' 'on target' timescale from 26 to 8 weeks.
Reduction in the Representative turnover by: -213%.
Increases in customer acquisition against the budget by: +21%.
Of those who took part in the Under-Achievers Programme:
75% reached and sustained an 'on target' position within 8 weeks of their 2-day training course.
The overall increases in results and operational effectiveness enabled us to further reduce the overall headcount of the Representatives as well as restructure the management levels.
In June 2003, the Recruitment Manager of a large travel company asked JRA to produce a Proposal that reviewed their recruitment process and identified the root cause of the problems that were occurring; as well as designing a recruitment process that would improve the overall effectiveness and reduce costs by identifying earlier in the recruitment process 'high performer' candidates.
The aim of the 'Improvement' Programme was to:
Design and implement a cost-effective recruitment and induction process that would also reduce Representative turnover and increase retention.
The process in place at the time was as follows:
16,000 - 18,000 Applicants per annum who submitted their CV via email or post
4,000 telephone interviewed
2,600 (65%) invited to an Assessment Day
1,300 - 1,690 (50-65%) were subsequently offered a job
1,000 Applicants accepted the job offer
Two weeks induction training
Estimated recruitment and induction training cost per person: £1,500
During the first six months of 2003 the turnover of Overseas Representatives had reached an unsustainable level that was predicted to end the year in excess of 100%.
Utilise the LAB Profile to identify the traits inherent in the varying performance levels of Overseas Representatives i.e. specifically assessing 'Under-Performers', 'High-Performers' and 'Average' performers.
Develop a LAB Profile template for a 'High Performer' / successful Overseas Rep' against which the Overseas Recruitment Team could more accurately recruit individuals with the most appropriate skills and aptitude.
Write the online recruitment advertisement to 'attract' the 'High Performer' Profile.
Develop additional questions for inclusion within the online Application Form to screen out Applicants with unsuitable traits.
Introduce an online scoring mechanism to enable the elimination of the phone Interview. The aim of which was to aid the speed of the recruitment process, remove cost and offer the opportunity to invite candidates directly onto the assessment day.
Review and refine the content of the Assessment Day, including adding elements from the LAB Profile template. Again to screen out Applicants with any unsuitable traits and to assist in assessing what makes each Applicant 'tick'.
Train the Recruitment Team in the finalised new approach and content of the Assessment Days.
The new approach was implemented during October 2003 ready for the recruitment campaign for the 2004 holiday season. At the end of the 2004 season we had successfully re-engineered the recruitment process and the estimated benefits were as follows:
We eliminated the need for the telephone interview
Less Applicants were invited to the Assessment Days
Applicants on the Assessment Days were a more accurate match to the 'High Performer' Profile
Turnover of staff during 2004 reduced to less than 40%
Improvement in the Customer Experience as there were less complaints
Increased 'add on' sales were achieved per Holiday Representative during the 2004 season
Increased effectiveness of the Representatives when carrying out their role. This has enabled the company to reduce the work force headcount i.e. less staff looking after more customers more effectively
The estimated benefits derived by just reducing the turnover of staff was in excess of £250,000 during 2004. As indicated there are clearly many other associated benefits from the success of this programme.
As part of a re-branding process, a large travel company initiated 26 major business 'Transformation Projects'. Many of the projects were initiated to improve the systems and processes within the business.
One of the 'Transformation Projects' considered to be critical to the overall business strategy was the launch of the 'Customer Journey'. This formally outlined the sales process that a Travel Advisor should follow every time a customer walked into a UK Retail travel agency.
By summer 2002 it had become apparent however, that a number of the 'Transformation Projects' were failing, one of these was the Customer Journey. There were a number of reasons for the failure of the Customer Journey, some of which were endemic e.g. high turnover of staff, high absence, poor recruitment, induction training and ongoing development, poor attitude and lack of motivation etc.
Additionally, whilst the Travel Advisors had adopted the literal steps of the Customer Journey, they were not embracing the essential attitudes and behaviours that were required to bring the Journey 'alive' for each and every customer.
In September 2002 JRA was appointed by the Managing Director of the travel company to carry out a Pilot Project involving over 150 staff at 10 UK-wide travel stores.
The aim of Pilot was to address the endemic problems and to positively influence, and create a sustainable lasting change, in the behaviours and attitudes of the Travel Advisors, their Store Managers and the Area Operations Managers.
JRA designed, developed and implemented a Programme that included the following:
Area Operations Managers: 'Leadership And Coaching For High Performance'
Store Managers: 'Coaching For Sales Success'
Travel Advisors/Area Operations Managers/Store Managers: 'Pathways To Performance' - Sales and CRM course
Additionally, by utilising the LAB Profile (Language and Behavioural Profile) many other challenges were addressed such as - recruitment, management of absence and a number of other areas where there were overall improvements in the current performance. To ensure that this occurred, JRA also devised a post-course 8 week Follow-Up Programme. This was implemented by the Store Managers via team briefings, one-to-one coaching and clearer visibility of, results both at a store and individual level.
The Programme delivered a number of results, most significant was the 25% improvement in sales e.g. footfall to sales conversion was increased from 6% to 7½% - a number of the endemic problems were alleviated e.g. turnover of staff was reduced by more than 40%; and the absence level was reduced back in line with the budget.
During March 2004 JRA were selected from 6 companies and appointed by the UK Financial Director of the world's largest home shopping company to focus on the 2,500 people working in its two Customer Service Operations, 80% of which are part-time. The organisation was already offering financial products to its customers. However for a variety of reasons the results were poor as compared against the results of similar organisations in the retail sector. During 2003 the business achieved 8% take-up of financial services offers. The target for 2004 was 24%.
JRA carried out a review to establish the 'as is' position and the following was undertaken:
Benchmark the two Customer Service Operations (including the Outbound Telemarketing Operation) and identify the latent value that exists within the Call Centre operations. Specifically regarding the proactive selling of insurance products.
Develop the 'to be' position, together with a 'roadmap' of activities for implementation.
Build a 'best practice' approach to the proactive selling of insurance products.
Identify how to deliver quick wins and create momentum, whilst simultaneously developing a medium/long-term plan that will underpin the 2004/2005 Business Strategy.
Initially visit the Call Centre operations and meet with all the relevant stakeholders to:
Evaluate the current customer handling processes and techniques across all the relevant touchpoints from which insurance products can be offered.
Profile and evaluate high and low performers across the range of customer handling activities in order to understand the dynamics behind the varied performance. Develop a 'right fit' profile for a high-performer.
Establish a clear understanding and calibration of the Call Centres' 'as is' position - people, processes, technology and specifically the culture of the people and the customers.
Understand the staff perception of their role and the part they believe they play in the overall delivery of the customer 'experience' and business goals.
Identify the issues that inhibit / constrain performance.
Review any available customer feedback in the light of the staff feedback / perception of their role and performance.
Meet with all the relevant stakeholders to gain a thorough understanding of the call centre operational strategy.
Meet with all the relevant stakeholders to gain a thorough understanding of the insurance sales strategy.
The outputs from this phase provided the company with:
A 'roadmap' of activities and milestones to implement the proactive selling insurance products across all the relevant customer touchpoints.
Clearly identified benefits and likely costs of any subsequent Performance Enhancement Programme focussed on the proactive selling of insurance.
Understanding of where focus needs to be applied to the culture, attitudes and behaviours of the operations and the customer facing staff.
Identify all the areas that require improvement and any gaps in performance that both currently exist and will, in the future, prevent the optimisation of the Business Strategy to proactively sell financial services products.
Developed Profiles for high performing Advisors, Team Leaders and Managers to evaluate the suitability of the current staff and to ensure that any future recruitment identifies the right profile.
Two main phases of activities were carried out. Phase One involved circa 325 people. We designed and implemented a number of activities aimed at addressing the cultural, behavioural and communications issues as well as all the other required activities. Following phase one, which lasted five months, Phase Two focussed on the roll out of the Programme to a further 1500 people across two sites. Amongst the activities included were:
Develop an internal communications plan and write the briefings to be cascaded throughout the organisation from the Board to the 'front line'.
Utilise the Call Centres' technology to 'ring fence' the 300 inbound Advisors thus enabling skills-based routing and to prioritise high value customer calls to be directed into this group, where it would be desirable to sell insurance products i.e. highest revenue value to the business, 'look-alikes' to customers who currently have taken out PPP. JRA believe this will offer the fastest ROI (Return On Investment) on the inevitable increase in cost base from the extended call duration.
Consider the current structural / operational constraints and the adverse impact on the results eg. Team Leader vs Advisor ratios and shift patterns - Team Leaders and their Advisors currently have a low % of 'overlap' of hours.
Design and agree an enhanced operational structure to drive successful performance i.e. Team Leader vs Advisor ratios, changes in operational approach and the budget required.
Specify system changes, and measurement / reporting requirements.
Specify and agree KPIs and targets for the overall operation, Advisors, Teams and the Team Leaders.
Design and introduce an interim reward scheme.
Design and deliver training and development that will achieve the required change in attitudes and behaviours as well as installing the skills and motivation to successfully meet and sustain the sales and other targets:
Manager Training and Team Leader Training and Development
Two-day 'Coaching for High Performance' course. This will cover all aspects of coaching and 'how' to coach to improve and sustain performance.
Inbound Advisor Training
Two-day 'Pathways to High Performance' course
Outbound Telemarketing Advisor Training
Develop training focussed on outbound techniques and incorporating elements of the inbound training where appropriate.
Eight-week follow-up programme
Managers to coach Team Leaders, who in turn will coach their Advisors on a weekly basis. This will ensure that the learnings from the courses are implemented into the daily workplace to establish and engender the right attitudes, behaviours, skills and techniques to establish results as quickly as possible.
During the first six weeks of Phase One sales peaked at 63%. We are now twelve months on. Many of the cultural challenges have been addressed. Sales are now a well established routine within the Call Centre operations and take-up is currently running at 48 - 55%.
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