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Tower Insurance Ltd
Communicating Change
The Problem: An Insurance call-centre, well versed and comfortable using an old DOS-based computer system, being upskilled to use a new, custom-built Windows-based Customer Relationship Management tool (CRM). A strategy was needed to telegraph change, minimise downtime learning the new system, and maximise "buy in". Approximately 250 call centre representatives, not generally "technically savvy" or necessarily computer comfortable (outside their DOS-based tasks/systems).
The Solution: Design, develop and deploy a character to be a buffer between the Rep and the new technology. This character would be one the Reps could trust to deliver key messages, important lessons and information about the new CRM, and who could also learn about the new system as the Reps learned, to make the transition between systems as painless as possible.
The Strategy to be built and delivered over the 6 weeks before launch of the new system.
Phase One: Week One - Daily Email
Each day of Week One, a Flash-based animation was sent to each Rep at 3pm. No explanation or hints at why or what the animation was about meant Reps became intrigued by this strange, character. By Thursday, general feedback was Reps were looking forward to and talking about the emails. On Friday, the character introduced himself and invited the Reps to interact by way of a competition to give the character a name.
Phase Two: Weeks Two to Six - Two Emails per Week:
Wednesday - Interactive and/or animated email starring Q-Tee introducing new concepts, ideas and information. Completion of interaction offered each Rep an entry into a weekly draw for a hamper of goodies. Friday - information about hamper winners, teaser for upcoming Wednesday email, any news to be shared about the CRM software.
Email interactions included:
- introduction of CRM Champions
- animations showing how the CRM fits with the company
- memory game using CRM's new icons
- jigsaw puzzle matching new terminology with definitions
- game to introduce the concept of Window's folder structure
- dynamic story generator to introduce skills using buttons, dropdown menus and radio buttons/check boxes
Phase Three: Development of all content into an intranet site
Reps could revisit all information whenever they needed to by visiting the intranet site. Any and all questions and feedback that were put to the CRM Champions during the 6 weeks where published on the site.
Phase Four: (supplimental to original strategy due to CRM system timeline to launch date change)
Introducing screenshots of new system so Reps had a true "heads-up" as to what the interface would look like and how each of the screens would function.
PEP International Ltd
Fresh Face
The Problem: Workbooks used during PEP's Personal Efficiency courses needed updating. They needed to have a modern face, but with legs that could carry that design 2-5 years without dating. They also needed to take into account that users were often "notetakers" and would need to refer to information in the workbook "at a glance".
The Solution: Taking the colours from coffee houses, a palette was developed to give a clean, warm, urban feel utilising vector linework to revamp diagrams and tables for clarity and consistancy.
The new layout incorporated wider margins, and larger type to encourage users to keep notes and grasp information quickly. The new graphics were vector-smooth and consistant in colour and look give the entire course a cohesive feel.
The new design proposal was accepted and applied to the PEP spiral-bound workbook (97 pages) followed thereafter by the ePEP workbook. In-class posters and surevy sheets were also developed utilising the same design guidelines to give the course collatoral a slick, professional face.
>>view images of the workbook
Telecom NZ Ltd
Wrangling Knowledge
The Problem: The highly technical information needed to maintain and deliver broadband services to customers was scattered amongst shared drives, manuals, employees experience and word-of-mouth. Information Reps shared with each other and with customers was not always accurate and often not consistant.
While some of the information was reguarded as relatively "static" (only changed two or three times per year) other content, such as rosters, network information and staff changed on a daily basis. The Content Management Application (CMA) used to maintain intranet content at Telecom was slow, frustrating to use and at times, unreliable and the technically savvy Xtra Broadband balked at the idea of having to rely on it for their site. They were, at the time, using Microsoft Sharepoint, which was a lot easier and faster to update information, but had drawbacks for archiving content, skinning the interface and generally didn't lend itself to a traditional website solution.
Xtra Broadband was always considered as separate or siloed from the rest of Telecom, and there was a fierceness about their perceived independence and difference. The Reps were generally male, interested in electronics, often studying towards Science and Computer degrees, and often very comptuer literate.
The Solution: The task to gather all the information from key personal, various storage devices and deliver via a dedicated intranet site was proposed. A site made for and by the Reps, introduced during Induction trainina and trusted, sanctioned content reference once they were on the floor, taking calls.
Content would be split into two groups: static and dynamic. Static content such as modem information, troubleshooting, technical concepts and contact information (i.e.: content that wasn't necessarily updated on a day-t-day basis) would be loaded onto an intranet site via the CMA. Dynamic content such as rosters, network outage and staff information, would be loaded onto and maintained through Sharepoint. A front page in Sharepoint would bridge between these two sites, and be each Rep's homepage as a portal to the information held on both platforms.
Sherpa Broadband was launched to Xtra Broadband after 3 months of consultation, design and deployment. It evolved as a living entity, and became a part of Reps daily lives on the phones. While the site was tied to the standard Telecom content management application (CMA) standard lime-green template, the site broke/rewrote may of the design guide rules - rebelling against the general administrative guidelines, utilised colour, images and humour to reflect the site's audience. It, like Xtra Broadband, was a bit of a rebel site - it changed often as technology changed - Reps could feedback information that would be updated and amended as quickly as possible keeping the administration process of change to a streamlined minimum.
The site grew to be around 1000 pages after 12 months and is playing well with the Sharepoint information across the portal bridge.