NACCM 2010: Improving Worldwide Customer-Centric Culture & Accountability

Presented by Ines Vargas, LATAM Customer & Partner Experience Lead, Microsoft Corporation, NACCM 2010

95% of Microsoft’s business comes through more than 640,000 partners. And with 88,000 employees worldwide, Microsoft has created a very challenging environment to manage.

They maintain a simple execution model based on 3 pillars:

1. Listening Systems: Windows 7 is based on millions of customer opinions and exemplifies what can be done when they listen to customers. Microsoft conducts a bi-annual customer relationship survey, transactional surveys, website surveys, submitted feedback, and even in-product submissions. All are followed-up where issues are uncovered, both individually and in the aggregate for ongoing improvement. As an example, the in-product window that appears when a Windows system issue occurs gathers critical data that is used in prioritizing fixes, establishing service packs, and communications.

2. Business Planning & Performance Management: Scorecards are used throughout all levels of the organization. Everyone has commitments around customer and partner experience, measured both directly and indirectly. For example, since they know that Windows 7 has the highest and excellent satisfaction levels compared to previous versions, they track the conversion rate of customers migrating to this product.

3. Culture & Accountability: In addition to corporate values, Microsoft has a Senior Executive responsible for Customer Experience enterprise-wide, and ties individual goals to compensation. Accountability is measured and monitored through scorecards, as well as well as with peer recognition and spot awards.

Microsoft maintains a website for all to see their efforts, at http://www.microsoft.com/about/cpe

[This posted provided by Steve Bernstein of Waypoint Group, and cross-posted on Customer Insight = Revenue blog.]