Stop! Leverage your Change Resilience During Covid-19 for a Stronger Future

What distinguishes companies who thrived during the pandemic from those who merely survived? Leaving aside external factors such as being in the airline business where your customers disappeared overnight, when two companies were facing the same crisis and opportunities, there were two distinguishing factors between the “thrivers” and the “mere survivors.” The thrivers were (1) far more ready with their digital transformation and (2) they demonstrated a significant compassion and a strong overall human approach to their customer engagement.

From the Four Seasons New York that opened its rooms to medical staff, to Medtronic’s that made its respirators’ specs available to all manufacturers, to the landlord in Brooklyn who cut the rent by 50% to acknowledge his tenants’ hardships, we’ve seen an outpour of humanity.  This humanity although somewhat typical during tragedies (e.g. hurricanes or earthquakes) has far exceeded the usual response of giving a donation and moving on.  We’ve seen more support and long-lasting commitments during this crisis. 

For those businesses that overnight had to deal with no public engagement, the ability to engage and deliver online was critical. Those who were set up with a digital alternative to their services were clearly the winners over those who were not. What do both digital transformation and human approach to business have in common? Why were certain companies more ready than others to deliver?

The answer is change resilience. In the past several years, digital transformation has been touted as an important step in an organization’s evolution. The writing was on the wall and the need to fuse digital and physical services was clear.  Some companies decided to adopt it faster than others. For the last two decades, the customer experience revolution brought with it a clear message around the need to engage emotionally with customers, understand their journey and design products, services and experiences with a strong humanity at its center. Again, the message was there. Some organizations heeded the advice and were willing to adopt change faster than others. Those who adapted faster and more broadly, thrived, while their less-willing competitors struggled and some even went bankrupt.

Resilience was not by chance

In 2018, I published my latest book, Next Is Now! My core argument in the book was that the future of competitive advantage will not be products, services or technology. Rather, the change resilience of an organization will determine its fate. Change resilience was defined as the scope and speed in which an organization adapts to change. The faster you move and the broader you implement, the more competitively relevant you are. Covid-19 was a test on a massive scale to examine the change resilience of organizations. It proved, beyond a doubt, that those who treat change resilience as a core competence, are more likely to face the unknown and uncertainty with bravery, courage and actual creative, new solutions.

As change resilience is an organizational muscle, those who practiced it before Covid-19 are more likely to respond more effectively during Covid-19. Those who failed to practice it (and were delaying the inevitable change due to complacency and other excuses) find themselves without the power to respond to the uncertainty delivered by Covid-19. Living with uncertainty and the need to respond creatively to it is not unique to extreme events such as the pandemic. In fact, it is an integral part of every organizations’ journey through life. Be it a new technological advancement that deems your product absolute or a desperate competitor that drops its prices significantly to obtain market share or a leader that was critical to your success and unfortunately left to your competitors. Any event that was unplanned brings with it the need to respond to change in a fast and unexpected way. That is where change resilience is so critical. Practice the muscle and the next unforeseen uncertainty will be easier to manage and may even be an opportunity to thrive. Ignore the muscle and you’re doing so at your own risk.

Leverage the lessons for stronger change resilience

“Thriver” or “mere survivor,” you ought to capture the lessons from Covid-19 and develop a stronger change resilience. The well-rehearsed Winston Churchill quote that says one should not waste a good crisis, needs to be put into practice not just in terms of an immediate response but in terms of developing a stronger organization moving forward. To counter with another saying, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Covid-19 ought to turn your organization into a stronger version of itself pre-Covid-19. 

This goes beyond some superficial acts such as allowing every employee to work from home from now on, such as Twitter’s CEO’s decision. (I am not sure how effective it is or if it is suitable for everyone. The decision seems to have been made too fast to be fully examined.)

Creating a stronger, change resilient organization requires a thorough reflection of your decisions and behaviors during Covid-19. Yes, you will discover that you made some mistakes and that is OK. It was unprecedented and you had no textbook. The reflection should examine decisions, actions, execution and behaviors and reflect on how they represent your vision and mission as an organization. Were you true to your mission? Did you demonstrate humanity? Did you live up to your values?

Like most organizations, the answer is likely to be some and some.  In some cases, you did, in others you missed the mark. That is where the reflection becomes more interesting. In analyzing the hits and misses, you will be able to get to the core of the issue: how well your change resilience is understood and practiced in your organization. It is from these conclusions and identification of the areas of weakness that you can develop a plan for amplifying your change resilience. This plan should include:

  • Sharing the key decisions made during Covid-19
  • Explaining the hits and misses and how we lived up to our vision (including when we didn’t)
  • Developing a set of behaviors and decision guidelines for the future
  • Practicing decision-making under uncertain conditions
  • Documenting for the future the Covid-19 lessons and actions

By turning the reflections and lessons into a concrete plan to develop change resilience, we will be able to emerge as a stronger organization that was enhanced by its experience. Otherwise, the experience will be wasted, and we will resort to old behaviors and low change resilience. As a result, we will be less prepared for the next unprecedented uncertainty.

The New Customer Expectations

High digital engagement and the expectation for greater humanity and compassion will become the new standards post Covid-19. Customers got used to these standards and are seeing them as table stakes. What used to be a differentiator, prior to Covid-19, has become an expectation. It has become the new normal for customers. If you were prepared with both compassion and digital tools, you need to elevate your game and identify a new differentiator. If you were one of the mere survivors, you have major catching up to do. Customers are not waiting for you and they will jump to your competitors faster than ever before. 

These new expectations are setting the stage for you to proactively explore changes and evolutions to your value proposition and the way you deliver it. It’s a new reality in which you ought to lead change faster than your customers expect. That is the ultimate outcome of change resilience: the ability to create change before it is expected. At its core, change resilience is about creating the “next,” not responding to it.

That is the reason why we can no longer treat change resilience as a tool in our toolbox that we take out only when we see change on the horizon. It has to be incorporated as part of our core competence.  It is the new guiding light for the future. That is one lesson we can immediately take from Covid-19 and apply to every decision and behavior in our organization. Are our decisions driving the “next” or are they responding to it?

To thrive in the future, you need to drive the “next” before it will drive you.

(Virtual) Global CX Tour 2020

Looking forward to a virtual global tour this fall. Join me in any or all of the stops along the way. For more information and registration:

inQuba Level Up CX Summit: 90% Economy, New Rules! How Can CX Professionals Survive and Thrive? (30 September 2020)

https://www.inquba.com/score-100-in-the-90-economy-webinar/

DEC VII Congreso: CX 2020: Reflections and Future (6 October 2020)

https://asociaciondec.org/eventos/congreso/congreso-2020/

World Usability Congress: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Whole Customer Experience Industry (22 October 2020)

https://worldusabilitycongress.com/wuc_event_c20/cx-2/cx/the-impact-of-covid19-on-the-whole-customer-experience-industry-interview-with-lior-arussy/

Excelling At The Smallest Details

When speaking to Alaric DaCunha, the manager of the Fairmont President Club at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto, you get the sense that there is much more to his job than what the title states. The best description would probably be “Chief Spoiling Officer.” Alaric is responsible to delight the hotel’s most demanding customers by providing them what they want, when they want it, and often without them even asking for it. 

Working with the most demanding customers, is a difficult task.  Satisfying their needs is not easy either. But even that isn’t enough. Surprising customers by exceeding expectations is what Alaric does for a living every day. He achieves this excellence performance level by mastering one of the oldest, yet most proven skill of them all – listening.

The Fairmount President Club program allows every guest to register their specific preferences such as pillow type, preferred rooms and preferred distance from the elevator.  This practice is very common in many hotels who attempt to please their loyal customers. But the Fairmont hotels have gone a step further. They keep detailed records of EVERY request or comment a guest has ever made and keeps record of it for the guest’s next arrival. Let’s say that during a meal at the restaurant a guest will mention that she is lactose intolerant.  The waiter will not only address the request, but also write it down and submit the request to be recorded in the guest profile. The next time the guest will check in at any of the Fairmont hotels, the staff will be ready for that request.  Utilizing a simple “Preference note pad” every Fairmont employee is requested to record every special request made by a customer and submit it to be included in the guest’s profile.  A simple pad of paper and the intention to make every stay as comfortable and personal as possible are at the core of the special service the hotel chain delivers.

When Alaric arrives to work every day he receives a list of all the guests scheduled to arrive in the next 3 days and their special preferences as they were collected and recorded by Fairmont employees around the world. These very personal requests are his tools of trade to ensure delightful, personalized stays. He reviews the special requests with each department, making sure they are ready to deliver on the very personal whims of every guest. Do you require a humidifier in your room? You can count on it. Need 6 bottles of water at night? They will be there.  One hotel guest insists on having 4 feather pillows, one extra robe, extra toilet paper and an extra tissue box. Alaric does not ask questions. He simply makes sure it will be there. When a guest prefers to have a 7 AM breakfast reservation every morning, Alaric makes sure it will happen without the guest even asking for it. All guests need to do is ask for it once, and Alaric will make sure it will be remembered for all future stays in any of the Fairmont hotels.

Anticipating expectations, listening to needs and delivering before being asked are important parts of Alaric’s position as “Chief Spoiling Officer.”  Customers recognize his efforts and refer to his hotel as a home. This is the highest level of compliment Alaric can get. 

But mistakes happen.  Guests may encounter a problem that will displease them. For Alaric, those problems are opportunities.  He will relentlessly contact the customer until the matter is resolved. Dealing with busy customers, Alaric sometimes has to try 6-7 times before he will reach the upset customers. But such a hassle will not deter Alaric. He knows the value of speaking about the problem through personal contact and he sees how the guests usually return to their hotel as a result of this effort.

“The greatest reward is listening to a guest thanking us for the service we give them,” Alaric says.  He once received an email from a customer stating “The stay will spoil me for all future stays!!!”

Listening to customers, keeping records of the smallest details of preferences and anticipating the customers’ needs in advance are at the core of how Alaric and the Fairmont hotels makes a difference and deliver excellence.  They do not deliver standardized excellence (there really is no such a thing), they deliver differentiating excellence. They recognize that excellence is defined differently by different customers. For one, it is an extra tissue box and for the other, a prearranged reservation for breakfast.   Whatever the guest definition of excellence, Alaric is there to ensure that it is delivered by any employee of the hotel.

One suggestion Alaric makes to others is, “use their name.” Customers like to be called by their name. It is a simple gesture that goes a long way.  It demonstrates to customers that you care for them as unique individuals.   When people check in, it is common for the doorman to peek at the luggage tag and radio back to reception which guests are entering the hotel so when the guests approach the reception for check in, they will be welcomed personally with their name. Just imagine the surprise on their face when they declare “how did you know my name?”

How far would Alaric go to deliver excellence in the smallest details?  Apparently one guest dislikes the fact that he needs to wait 5 minutes for the valet parking attendant.  As a result, each time the guest is expected to come, Alaric arranges a special person to wait just for this guest and pick up his car immediately.  A small gesture that means a lot to this specific guest.  For this guest this attention to the small details are excellence. 

How would I like to be treated if I were on the receiving end?

When you discover the obvious answer, your work will be shaped accordingly. 

You won’t delegate responsibility to others like a seventh-degree Teflon master, but rather you will solve the problem at hand and delight the recipient. By focusing on the other person you naturally adapt your performance to deliver excellence. We will be associated with the impact made on someone else.

Caring and passion – and therefore excellence – will become natural part of our performance, because we can make a difference.  By focusing on the other person, we are capable of fulfilling our childhood dreams of being a giving and contributing part of society and not simply parking on the receiving end.  By focusing on the impact delivered by your performance, you can bring yourself naturally to excellence.  You can make the choice to deliver superior performance.

The Daily Choice is ultimately whether you focus your efforts on the mechanics of the task or on the impact on the individual.  This is a choice of succumbing to the lowest, functional level of performance, or rising up to the highest level of making a difference.

*Excerpted from my book Excellence Every Day.

When I Grow Up I Want To Be …

When you were a child, what was your dream profession? What did you want to be when you grew up?  The list of dream professions is diverse and long:

Doctor, Astronaut, Police Officer, Scientist, Rock Singer, Actor, Fireman, Clergyman, Teacher, Nurse, Lawyer, Paramedic, Dancer, Olympic Athlete, Basketball Player, …

And the list goes on.  There are several interesting common denominators to all those wishes, though.  All those envied professions represent the ability to touch people in a meaningful way.  They are all about a wish to help people and to accomplish something far above average.  We want to live a meaningful life. As children we dream about ways to make a difference. We look for professions that allow us to feel as if we are people who are not passive, but rather dynamic, important individuals who contribute to society. 

We do not want to be dependents, always on the receiving end.  We want to be proactive and to be on the giving end.  The giving can be done through helping people or reaching certain achievements that will make a memorable difference in the world.  In either way, making a difference on others or reaching to new achievements, we do not strive to admire others.  We aspire to create admirable performance.  We want to express our capacity for excellence. This giving, through assisting others or achieving breakthroughs, is the highest symbol of excellence in our innocent eyes.

The other interesting common denominator is that no kid ever said “I hope to add value to shareholders.”  Or “I wish I could make rich people richer, through hard, boring work.”  We do not get excited by statements encouraging us to increase the wealth of already-rich people. Yet companies place the wealth of their shareholders at the top of their corporate agenda, and then they are surprised that employees are not inspired to do their best.

Children are not inspired by the promise of slaving away for others, which is exactly how these mission statements sound.  Adults are no different.  You want to feel as if your work makes a difference.  People want to see value in their efforts. Your passion will be given to activities that clearly result in something you are proud of. When companies set their goals around shareholder value and return, they are setting up the environment in the company for anything but excellence. They are creating a context that does not inspire excellence performance, but rather inhibits it.

What we desperately need to create in order to achieve excellence performance is a meaningful mission to make a difference. Despite all the discouraging signals corporations send with the “shareholder value” message, there are opportunities to achieve and make a difference in every task we do every day. Excellence is waiting for us everywhere in a multitude of opportunities. Everywhere little enclaves of people have learned to work the system – or work around it, if necessary – to achieve excellence.

To discover the opportunities and find the community, we need to change the glasses we use to look at our work and workplace. If you view work through the lenses of “shareholder return,” you will barely be able to pull yourself out of bed and into the office every day.  After all, who wants to slave away to make already-wealthy people wealthier?

Through the glasses marked “Excellence Every Day,” however, you will discover that every task can be transformed from menial (and therefore difficult to do) to an impact-making event that is easy to achieve. Better than that, you will suddenly see others around you in a new light, instantly recognizing those who also focus on excellence as a way of life. Sooner or later, if you continue to focus on excellence and work at it, you will find yourself part of a small community of “excellence believers.” It is a matter of perspective. Either we succumb to the discouraging mission statement, or we create our own and build a strong group of people who make excellence their living mission statement.  

Changing the glasses we use to view our daily challenges is not just a matter of switching a black lens to a pink lens. This is not an exercise in changing your attitude toward the same object and seeing the half-full vs. half-empty glass. This is not a quest for changing the way we look at the world.  It is much more real than that perspective change. 

When we approach our work from the subjective perspective of the impact we make, our performance changes completely. When we are aware and willing to take ownership of not only the task at hand, but also the impact it has on others, we are at a completely different level of performance. By noticing the recipient of our work and focusing on delivering to that person (and not to an abstract process target) we make a difference. By focusing our work efforts on the other person rather than on the process, we can strive to achieve excellence. The reason is quite simple:  we can “do” excellence, when we want to. We want to do excellence when we make a difference or achieve something special. 

*Excerpted from my book Excellence Every Day.

Redefining “Getting it Done”

Adam Wirt is a loan officer at HomeBanc’s Charlotte office.  When it comes to getting the job done, Adam operates on his own set of standards. He is always working diligently to help customers obtain loans that will help them acquire the house of their dream. But one case received special treatment from Adam. He was once working on a loan for a veteran borrower who needed a quick turnaround. Despite all the efforts, the appraisal required for the loan approval arrived too late and indicated that some last-minute repairs were required before the loan could be approved.

The original plan of the real estate agent was to hire a handyman to take care of the required repairs. Meanwhile, Adam found out that the customer was living out of his car until the loan would be closed and he could move into his home. That’s when Adam took the matter into his own hand.  He simply could not see another human being living out of his car and knew something need to be done.

“After looking through the list of repairs that were needed, I thought there wasn’t anything on there I could not handle myself,” Adam said. He therefore went home, collected his sawhorse and tools, stopped at Home Depot to purchase other supplies, and went to work. He worked until after dark in order to finish the repairs in a single day so as to minimize any delay. His goal was to allow the customer to close the loan as soon as possible and get out of his car and into his new home. To ensure that no last-minute glitches would take place during the closing, Adam took pictures documenting the completed repairs. These pictures served as evidence that the house was ready for closing. 

“I don’t think I did anything out of the ordinary – 99% of our HomeBanc associates would have done the same thing,” he claims. “I’ve always felt I had a voice here and I’ve felt like everyone is willing to help out in any situation – be it professional or personal,” Adam said.  He attributed his actions to the unique environment of the bank.  An environment fueled by genuine people who care and make caring the most natural behavior in the world.

For Adam “getting the job done” was redefined to focus on the complete needs of the customer. In a narrow definition, Adam got his job done when the loan was prepared.  Technically the repairs were the customer’s problem and were not part of Adam’s job description. But Adam defines a job well done only by the strictest criteria: the customer’s criteria. He knows that if the customer is in need, the job is not yet complete.  Only when the customer move into his new house, was the job complete. It is with this perspective of ownership, responsibility and pride to be of service, that fixing the customer’s future house free of charge, seems the most natural thing for Adam to do.  Combining personal caring with a strong commitment to excellence, Adam simply got the repairs job done. No manager needed to ask him to do it. He simply knew what excellence is all about and redefined “job well done” in the process.

Excellence Requires Patience and Perseverance

When three packages with only the name “Xeicon” as identifying information arrive at Flying Cargo’s warehouse in Petach Tikva, Israel, the challenge was quite serious. No recipient or shipper information were provided with the packages. Flying Cargo, a FedEx licensee in Israel, had a choice: they could ignore the problem and wait for someone to claim the packages or proactively do something about it. After all, it was pretty irresponsible on the shipper’s end to send three packages without a full address or even shipper’s information. It was therefore not Flying Cargo’s fault if the packages were to never make it to the unknown recipient.

But Daniel Kloghaft, Flying Cargo’s employee, was not one to wait for others. The unknown shipments did not represent an excuse for him, but rather a personal challenge.

Daniel engaged in a thorough search to find out who is Xeicon and what should be done with the packages. He visited all Xeicon websites and submitted questions to every address he could find, requesting information about the three unidentified packages. He wanted to find out who owns the packages and where should they be delivered. Most of the responses he received declined any knowledge regarding the packages, but Daniel did not give up.

Eventually, Daniel received a positive response.

A person by the name of Jeff Weber claimed that the packages belongs to him, but he was not sure what shipment they were part of. After obtaining permission, Daniel opened the packages and took pictures of the contents with his digital camera and sent it to Mr. Weber for identification. Mr. Weber recognized the packages as part of a larger shipment he sent. He provided Daniel with further information that allowed him to identify the shipments.

By this time, the Israel customer who was waiting for those shipments called and claimed his missing packages. The whole process took 2.5 months. Talk about commitment. But Daniel’s perseverance won over. He took the challenge personally and did not let any of the rejections stop him. It was not his fault, but he remembered that for every package there is a recipient who is waiting for the package. It was the recognition of this recipient that motivated him to go on this 2.5-month journey and stick to his efforts until the problem was resolved.

 Sometimes excellence takes a long time to complete.

A Courier for a Day or Redefining “On Time”

There are many variables, out of control reasons why certain things do not happen the way they should. We often have no control over weather delays, acts of G-d or simply missing a deadline. Some will default to those explanations and claim that they are helpless in light of them. But those reasons should not stop us from finding creative ways to circumvent the out-of-control circumstances and still delight customers.

This is exactly what Raffaela Fehr did.

Mr. X, a customer in Switzerland, was expecting an urgently needed partnership agreement sent by a company in New York on March 23rd. Due to the urgent nature of the document, it was sent via FedEx for next day delivery in Switzerland. Due to bad weather in Newark airport on Thursday the 24th, FedEx faced a severe delay, beyond its control, which resulted in a late sort of the outbound flight from the US to Paris. This delay caused Mr. X’s agreement to remain in Newark. Since Friday the 25th and Monday the 28th were Easter holidays in Switzerland, Mr. X’s shipment didn’t go out for delivery until Tuesday, March 29th. The shipment was addressed to his home, but because he was at work on Tuesday, the courier had to leave an “attempted delivery” slip at Mr. X’s house.

On March 30th Mr. X’s assistant called, asking if we could reroute this urgent partnership agreement to his business address, since he would have to leave for a business trip the next morning at 9:00 AM. Alternatively, he asked if FedEx could redeliver before 8:45 AM the next day to his home. Unfortunately, the call was made too late to redeliver on March 30th, and while an early delivery the next morning was feasible, it would require Mr. X to pay for special delivery.

Up until now, it was not FedEx’s fault that the partnership agreement package did not reach Mr. X. A series of unfortunate events from weather to not being at home to calling after the cut off time were all to blame. Even if for good reasons, at the end of the day the package was not delivered on time to Mr. X. 

Raffaela Fehr, Customer Care agent in Zurich, was assigned the trace and took control of this urgent delivery. She realized that if she were in Mr. X’s position, she would be willing to pay for a special delivery early the next morning, but she would prefer to avoid these extra costs. In fact, she would really prefer to have the agreement in hand that evening, well before her flight. Raffaela Fehr was thinking like the customer. She placed herself in Mr. X’s shoes and tried to imagine his predicament as well as his wish for a complete resolution.

Since Raffaela had an appointment later that same evening, near Mr. X’s home, she decided to pick up the shipment at the station and deliver it herself. By doing so, she would both save Mr. X the extra fee and have the package delivered earlier. Exactly the type of resolution she would wish would be provided for her, if she were in such situation. She asked her manager for permission to execute this “special, personal delivery,” went over to the station to get hold of the shipment and informed Mr. X that he would receive his shipment in the evening, around 09:00 PM. She drove to his village in her private car, showed her FedEx badge and finally delivered the shipment to his wife at exactly 8:45 PM on the evening before Mr. X left Switzerland. 

Mr. X was absolutely delighted to see that a FedEx employee, other than a courier, took charge of his urgent delivery and brought it personally to his home, outside of her usual work hours!

It did not matter that Raffaela was not officially a courier of FedEX. It did not matter that it was not her fault or responsibility. It did not matter that she used her own car. It did not matter that it was outside her work hours. To Raffaela Fehr, only one thing mattered the most. She took the initiative because she focused on the ultimate impact on the customer. All the reasons for the delay may have been legitimate. But she rose to a higher standard and treated Mr. X. the way she would have loved to be treated – with a touch of care and excellence.

The Extra That Makes The difference

Winning contracts is the pursuit of every company.  In the business to business market, the stakes are higher, as are the rewards.  To win such contracts companies need to demonstrate a perfect fit with their customers.  Deluxe Financial Services managed to do so with flair and transform the sales process into an extraordinary experience that customers cannot resist.

Deluxe Financial Services prides itself on unparalleled products and solutions, extensive knowledge of consumer preferences and the ability to transform customer experiences from ordinary to extraordinary. The company, known for check printing services, made a major transformation in the last few years into a provider of solutions to the banking industry. As a strategic partner, Deluxe works with banks and credit unions to identify ways to improve operational efficiency, grow revenue and build stronger, more meaningful relationships with customers.

As Deluxe forges a new path for financial institutions and helps them achieve their most important business goals, the aim to improve satisfaction can seem intangible. Yet, for a mid-size financial institution undergoing a major change—a new logo and brand image—Deluxe became an unexpected yet ideal partner, demonstrating the value of experience by implementing the practices it endorses.

When a mid-size financial institution initiated a request for suppliers, an unexpected phone call placed Deluxe in the midst of an acquisition bid. Although, initially, Deluxe predicted a less than 15% chance of winning the contract, it developed an innovative and purposefully packaged request for proposal (RFP). Deluxe worked with the financial institution to understand their business philosophy, vision for the future and most vital business objectives, crafting a truly unique experience for bank executives. The result was a five-year partnership agreement.

From the moment Deluxe began to develop the proposal, it focused on fulfilling the needs of the financial institution, capturing its vision, strengthening its new brand image, and building meaningful relationships with its executives and committee members. On several occasions, Deluxe met with key stakeholders to ensure a solid understanding of the overall goals and to gain perspective.

In keeping with Deluxe’s reputation for helping financial institutions improve customer experiences, each detail of the RFP and presentation process included customized bank details and creative additions to craft a truly unique experience for the stakeholders:

  • Delivered with the RFP, each committee member received a custom “goody bag” containing their favorite snacks and beverages.
  • Incorporating the financial institution’s new brand campaign, “in-step and in-tune” with customers, Deluxe delivered handwritten notes to each committee member on music letterheads. The envelopes were filled with confetti in the shape of music notes.
  • The presentation room was pre-set with the favorite snacks and beverages of each committee member.
  • The RFP was hand delivered rather than shipped through local mail.
  • The presentation integrated quotes and ideas from the financial institution’s senior leadership team, demonstrating that Deluxe listened to their needs. 

As part of the new business proposal and presentation, Deluxe organized a visit to the Phoenix Customer Care Center, allowing the financial institution to witness first-hand Deluxe’s consistent commitment to the highest quality customer service experience. Deluxe distributed personal invitations to executives and committee members, sending an e-mail reminder the day before departure. While in Phoenix, participants enjoyed first-class accommodations and received unexpected welcome gifts in their hotel rooms. Throughout the Customer Care Center Tour, Deluxe added customized, personal details to demonstrate the value of a creative and meaningful experience: 

  • A “Welcome” sign, with Deluxe employee signatures, greeted the attendees.
  • The name of the financial institution and individual committee members flashed and scrolled across overhead message boards, dry erase boards and computer screens.
  • Deluxe employees wore clothing of varying shades of the institution’s new logo color—a non-traditional, bold shade of purple. Employees wore purple shirts and purple scarves. One employee even painted his face purple to welcome the attendees.
  • During lunch, committee members were presented with a CD featuring songs from their favorite artists.
  • The financial institution’s new logo was carved into the centerpiece at dinner and its new slogan was written in chocolate around the dessert plates.
  • During the side-by-side live check order placement session with Deluxe associates, committee members were paired with associates that have similar interests based on information provided in their bios.
  • After the tour, the committee members received a thank you package that included the Welcome sign, photos taken during the tour and a thank-you letter signed by the associates.

Throughout the proposal process, Deluxe worked to build meaningful relationships with financial institution executives and create an unforgettable and truly personalized experience. They demonstrated Deluxe’s ability to deepen customer relationships and strengthen brand reputation.

Think about the small details such as your customer’s preferred colors or songs.  Make use of what customers actually say and incorporate it into your sales proposal. Make your employees wear the customers colors. These are small details that goes a long way to transform a regular sales process into an experience.  It takes intention and attention to make it happen. It takes the understanding that every customer is as different as their colors and songs. With a five-year partnership now underway, Deluxe was able to prove the value of personal service and demonstrate that Deluxe doesn’t just talk about outstanding experiences, it delivers them. 

What are your customers’ songs?