1to1 Customer Excellence

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  • 2013MEET THE

    W I N N E R S

    As the 2013 Gartner & 1to1 Media CRM Excellence Award winners prove, taking a customer-centric approach to business takes care of the bottom line.

    Customer Obsessed. Strategy Focused. Results Oriented.

  • CUSTOMER ANALYTICSGOLD: Maple leaf sports & entertainment: MLSE uses behavioral data and customer insight to better target email cam-

    paigns and deliver relevant messaging, focusing on long-term

    retention over single ticket sales on creating lifelong fans. .......... 5

    SILVER: AAA: The auto clubs federation is leveraging customer data to understand its millions of customers, allowing clubs to

    interact with their members in a more relevant way .................... 6

    CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE EXCELLENCEGOLD: intuit, inc.: Gathering and acting upon an extensive array of customer input has helped Intuit drive higher satisfaction

    and renewal rates ......................................................................... 7

    SILVER: United Airlines: The airline is making extensive use of data about its frequent yers and non-members to deliver richer

    experiences and offers ................................................................. 9

    CUSTOMER SERVICE OPTIMIZATIONGOLD: Cisco: Users and experts help shape and create con-tent, advancing Ciscos effort to boost loyalty and personalize the

    consumers online support experience ......................................10

    SILVER: Cigna: Cigna aims to make healthcare a fun, relevant part of each persons everyday life by helping every customer

    reach their full potential. .............................................................11

    INTEGRATED MARKETING PERFORMANCEGOLD: Autodesk, inc.: The software company added a layer of gami cation to its software trials, allowing users to compete in

    a more engaging experience. .....................................................12

    SILVER: eaton Corporation: The power management company embarked on a marketing campaign to penetrate the

    IT market ................................................................................13

    SALES FORCE EFFECTIVENESSGOLD: Agreliant: Mobile CRM is helping the seed company be more agile in its sales process, which has led to a more robust

    customer database ....................................................................14

    SILVER: ingram Micro: The tech company has made it easier for resellers to renew service contracts that are about to lapse,

    leading to an increase in sales and better customer service ......15

    SOCIAL AND MOBILE ENGAGEMENTGOLD: Best Western: By integrating customer insight from social review sites, the hotel chain has developed an engagement

    strategy that values transparency and cultivates trust ..............17

    SILVER: lego systems inc.: Through fun and imagination, the toymakers social community expands upon the brand promise

    by clearing the path for safe, creative storytelling and educational

    opportunities ..........................................................................18

    WINNERSMEET THE

    2013W I N N E R S

    THE AMERICAS

    2013 Peppers & Rogers Group. 1to1 Media is a division of Peppers & Rogers Group. All rights protected and reserved.

    BY CYNTHIA CLARK, THOMAS HOFFMAN, AND ANNA PAPACHRISTOS

    DESIGN BY LORRI COSENTINO

    CONTENTS

  • 4 #GartnerCRM

    In 1993, Don Peppers and Martha Rogers, Ph.D., collaborated on a book called The One to One Future. In the book, the duo described what they envisioned as the quintessential marketing future, consisting of an environment that fosters collaboration with individual customers, strategies for nurturing clients, inte-grated marketing practices, customer portfolio strategies, employee org charts designed around the customer, and a virtual business environment.

    In this one-to-one environment, Peppers and Rogers predicted this: You will fi nd yourself col-laborating with one customer at a time. You will collaborate by helping a particular customer shape what he wants from your fi rm, often by helping him design his own product or service package. At the very least, you will have to have the ability to discuss your product and service with individual customers, so you can help them solve their problems and meet their needs.

    On the 20th anniversary of that book, it appears as though weve arrived at that future. The 12 companies honored in this years Gartner & 1to1 Medias CRM Excellence Awards have proven that an enterprisewide focus on the customer experience can yield impressive results.

    From implementing processes and strategies aimed at understanding customers individual issues to creating integrated, cross-channel customer experiences that are tailored to their individual preferences, the 2013 winners are setting the standards in CRM. As a result, they are gaining an unprecedented understanding of their customers, going above and beyond their expectations along the way.

    We salute these customer experience groundbreakers and wish them continued successes in their CRM journeys. Mila DAntonio, Editor-in-Chief, 1to1 Media

    Blazing the Trail for Customer Experience

    A panel of judges, including Gartner analysts, past award winners, and 1to1 Media Editor-in-Chief Mila DAntonio, reviews the nominations and selects the winners in each category of the Gartner & 1to1 Media CRM Excellence Awards. This years judges include:

    Guy Benham, Business Improvement Manager, British Gas Company

    Ven Bontha, Director of Customer Experience Management, Cemex

    Kim Collins, Managing Vice President, Gartner

    Mila DAntonio, Editor-in-Chief, 1to1 Media

    Gareth Herschel, Research Director, Gartner

    Steve Jackson, CIO, Harry Rosen

    Michael Maoz, Vice President, Distinguished Analyst, Gartner

    Jenn McMillen, Division Vice President of Loyalty and CRM for GameStop

    Patrick Stakenas, Vice President and Distinguished Analyst, Gartner

    Jenny Sussin, Senior Research Analyst, Social CRM, Gartner

    Ed Thompson, Vice President, Distinguished ROM, Gartner

    Penny Tootle, Customer Service Supervisor, Las Vegas Valley Water District

    Peter Winemiller, Senior Vice President of Guest Relations, Oklahoma City Thunder

    2013 Gartner & 1to1 Media CRM Excellence Award Judges

    Gartner & 1to1 Media CRM Excellence Winners

  • 5www.1to1media.com/crmexcellence

    Sports fans are extremely devoted and passionate. They stand

    by their favorite teams no matter the score. But, when it came

    to cultivating steadfast customer relationships, Maple Leaf

    Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) decided it needed to boost its

    service performance in order to win over the loyal hearts of its

    customers for good.

    As Canadas leading sports and entertainment organization,

    MLSE owns the NHLs Maple Leafs, NBAs Toronto Raptors,

    AHLs Toronto Marlies, Toronto FC of Major League Soccer,

    Air Canada Centre, Real Sports Bar & Grille, and numer-

    ous other sports and entertainment properties. Its CRM and

    research department, which acts as the central hub for analyt-

    ics and customer intelligence across the organization, leads

    the charge in championing intelligence-based decision-mak-

    ing across all of MLSEs properties, leveraging insights from its

    database of more than two million customers to strengthen its

    core organizational value of exciting every fan in particular.

    Our fans are the lifeblood of our teams, says Neda

    Tabatabaie, director of CRM and research, Maple Leaf Sports

    & Entertainment. They live at the center of our companys

    vision and values, and we strive to excite and inspire them

    with everything that we do. Our fans fi rst approach means

    understanding our fans and their needs, giving them the

    proper channels to share their feedback, listening to them, and

    applying the learnings.

    To extract customer insight, MLSE segments fans based on

    their demographics, lifestyle habits, and consumer behavior

    to develop a clearer picture of how these fans interact with the

    various teams. Understanding these interactions allows MLSE

    to service customers better, while also boosting its ability to

    provide timely, relevant campaigns and messaging to these

    fans. By analyzing its CRM databases wealth of diverse fans,

    MLSE was able to gauge customers varying expectations and

    measure their satisfaction, validating whether they are truly

    receiving the right messages at the right times. Customer sur-

    veys show that more than 85 percent of Season Seat Holders

    were highly satisfi ed with the amount of communications they

    received, while 90 percent of Insider email opt-ins were highly

    satisfi ed, helping to reinforce that analytics and targeting

    strategies are enhancing the positive fan experience.

    MLSEs ability to factor fan feedback and customer intelli-

    gence into all key decisions for the organization depends on

    the support the CRM and research team has received from

    senior management and stakeholders to establish this suc-

    cessful analytics program. Buy-in across the organization

    triggered more productive service interactions with fans,

    more timely access to customer data for analytics, and deeper

    insights into what truly inspires fans. MLSE wants to make

    sure fans are informed about the next event or game with-

    out bombarding them with too many messages. Analyzing

    three years of ticket purchaser data also revealed that MLSE

    needs to be more mindful of fan life stages and provide fans

    with options based on where they are in their life, family, and

    career commitments.

    For example, MLSE targets one key Raptors demographic

    the Young Urban Trendsetter segmentby tailoring

    marketing messaging to these 20-something-year-old con-

    sumers looking for the latest products and entertainment

    experiences. By presenting them with relevant ticket offers

    for Friday night games and Guys Night Out specials, MLSE

    has seen a 30 percent email open rate. MLSEs particular focus

    on providing excellent service to these fans also stems from

    the need to nurture them to long-term fandom, for these tools

    allow the company to tailor the right messaging to the right

    Maple Leaf Sports & EntertainmentsCustomer Strategy Cultivates Fans for LifeMLSE uses behavioral data and customer insight to better target email campaigns and deliver relevant messaging, focusing on long-term retention over single ticket sales on creating lifelong fans. by Anna Papachristos

    H gold

    Customer AnalyticsBUSINESS

    Boost

    MLSEs fan-focused culture brings relevant messaging to the right customers at the right time, resulting in a 54 percent increase in email open rates and a 166 percent increase in click-through rates during the 2011-2012 sports season.

    To View RelaTed Video

  • 6 #GartnerCRM

    The American Automotive Association (AAA) is commit-

    ted to remaining a member-centric organization which

    not only provides safety, security, and peace of mind,

    but also anticipates the needs of its more than 53 million

    customers who are members of the federations 44 affili-

    ated auto clubs. The clubs are cognizant that in order to

    be successful, they need to leverage customer analyt-

    ics to understand what its members require, and then

    respond to those needs before they ask.

    However, some clubs were using simplistic cus-

    tomer analytics strategies and were relying on basic

    customer profiling. Despite hiring expensive teams of

    consultants and contracting third-party predictive mod-

    els, the clubs werent able to scale these initiatives and

    were struggling to optimize relationships. Further, while

    some clubs were very analytics-driven, others werent

    as savvy. We were missing opportunities to grow our

    business, notes Daniel Mathieux, director of AAAs

    Member Relationship Management action center, which

    AAA set up to help clubs with customer analytics initia-

    tives. The action center had a four-pronged objective:

    Leverage national buying power of hardware, software,

    and market data; socialize best practices for marketing

    and analytics; provide customer analytics; and support

    clubs membership relationship management and cus-

    tomer analytics initiatives.

    The first task that the action center needed to mas-

    ter was creating a 360-degree view of AAA members

    through the aggregation of more than 2,500 attributes,

    with the aim of helping clubs predict member needs. In

    2009 the action center implemented a predictive analyt-

    ics solution by KXEN, allowing AAA to quickly create

    and evolve analytics models. The centers team of mar-

    keting analysts works with each individual club to create

    a plan and then use the automated system to deliver

    analytics to optimize club cross-sell, acquisition, and

    retention campaigns.

    Increased customer visibility means that clubs know

    the characteristics of customers who are likely to

    respond to a given offer or can identify members at risk

    of churn. Mathieux notes that while AAA has a renewal

    rate in the upper 80s, new members are the most likely

    to churn but their propensity to renew their membership

    increases exponentially when they use one of the prod-

    ucts offered by AAA.

    Data is being used to listen to members, focusing on

    what different customer segments find most appealing.

    The federation was quick to see results. After applying

    customer analytics to travel campaigns for one year,

    one particular club reported a 42 percent year-over-year

    increase in sales. Individual clubs believe the campaigns

    have contributed to substantial incremental sales across

    AAAs network, with some of the larger clubs increasing

    their sales by millions of dollars.

    Further, a forecasting initiative uses customer road

    service history to predict call counts and the types of

    vehicles needed at a facility, allowing AAA to be more

    agile in responding to roadside assistance requests.

    The federation has achieved a forecast accuracy of 89.5

    percent, leading to cost savings, partner loyalty, and

    increased member satisfaction.

    Seeing the strength of predictive analytics and the

    successes achieved, individual clubs have been request-

    ing more analytics insights from the action center, which

    has grown from five people when it first started in 1998

    to a 30-strong team. In fact, the center uses predictive

    models to help clubs serving 93 percent of AAAs mem-

    bership optimize marketing campaigns.

    Membership renewal rates have also increased

    slightly, from 87.9 percent in 2009 to 88.2 percent in 2012.

    fan at the right time, thereby developing a stronger relation-

    ship with the fan of the future.

    Thanks to MLSEs fan-focused culture, the 2011-2012 sports

    season saw a 67 percent decrease in the number of emails

    fans received over previous seasons, a 54 percent increase in

    email open rates, and a 166 percent increase in click-through

    rates, proving that the right messaging must be reaching the

    right fans at the right time. Driven entirely by customer ana-

    lytics, and led by the cross-departmental agreement to think

    differently, MLSE has truly prioritized the long-term value of

    its customers rather than reaping the immediate and short-

    term gains of a single ticket sale.

    AAA Drives Customer Centricity with Savvy Data UseThe auto clubs federation is leveraging customer data to understand its millions of customers, allowing clubs to interact with their members in a more relevant way. by Cynthia Clark

    H silver

    BUSINESS BoostBy leveraging customer analytics, the AAAs different clubs are able to have more relevant communications with their mem-bers, improving their experience.

    Customer Analytics

    AAA

    To View RelaTed Video

  • Intuit has some pretty audacious goals for wowing its custom-

    ers. The maker of financial software has set a goal for each of

    its flagship offerings to achieve a Net Promoter ScoreTM (NPS)

    that is at least 10 points higher than each of its competitors.

    Impressively, more than 70 percent of these products reach

    that goal.

    Customer experience has strong business ramifications

    for both Intuit and customers of its Accounting Professionals

    Division (APD). For accountants and tax preparers, time is

    money. Time wasted navigating a poorly designed system or

    holding for support can translate into hundreds of dollars of

    un-billable time or lost business opportunities. The customer

    experience strategy for Intuits APD group is set up to enable

    the organization to design product offerings and experiences

    that deliver time savings and crackerjack execution while

    retaining a customer-focused mindset. The groups customer

    experience program focuses on continuously elevating NPS

    and customer retention as its primary business goals.

    APDs ability to deliver great customer experiences doesnt

    just happen by chance. Although APD product managers are

    the end-to-end custodians of the customer experience, the

    Customer Experience and Business Excellence (CEBE) team

    for APD supports product managers and functional groups by

    providing market insights, and helping them gauge and under-

    stand the state of customer experience and identify areas for

    improvement. CEBE has developed a methodical approach

    to gathering, analyzing, and acting on customer feedback to

    improve the customer experience. The group has developed

    a three-pronged approach for delivering exceptional customer

    experiences: 1. providing accountability during the product

    design, 2. creating a structured approach for driving excel-

    lence, and 3. fostering a high-performance

    culture thats passionate about serving

    the customer.

    In the first approach, Intuit has cre-

    ated a design for delight (D4D)

    group that uses a set of tools

    and processes to support

    customer experience

    design. Intuit has more

    than 200 employees

    with D4D expertise,

    known as innovation

    catalysts, who are also available for coaching and consulta-

    tion during product design initiatives.

    The second prong that supports APDs ongoing com-

    mitment to customer experience is a structured approach

    the group has developed to drive execution for excellence.

    Components that help drive successful execution include the

    use of an effective process management methodology, con-

    tinuous improvement efforts, and a closed-loop system for

    gathering, acting on, and communicating back to custom-

    ers how their input has been used to improve the customer

    experience.

    Third, in order to ensure that it is delighting customers,

    Intuits APD group gathers and acts on customer feedback in

    a variety of ways. In addition to conducting regular surveys

    of the accounting professionals who leverage its software

    using Medallias customer feedback and reporting platform,

    APD also hosts a number of forums throughout the year to

    obtain customer feedback. These include an accountant coun-

    cil, a group of 12 to 15 accounting and tax practitioners who

    are invited to one of Intuits campuses twice per year to learn

    about and provide feedback on APDs strategy, roadmap,

    and products. Intuit also administers a panel of about 10,000

    accountants and tax professionals who share their input

    through in-depth interviews and topical surveys.

    The companys online suggestion box is also a valuable

    mechanism for gathering customer insight. We get feed-

    back from all the different channels, we review the customer

    voice weekly, and we identify areas where we need to make

    improvements and then teams take action on making those

    improvements, says Alice Chu, a former senior customer

    experience business partner at Intuit.

    Unifying the feedback loopTo close the loop with the online suggestion

    box, the CEBE team may share with cus-

    tomers how a particular suggestion was

    acted upon. One way the company

    does this is through its marketing com-

    munications. After customers receive

    their contract renewal notices, they

    can, and often do, suggest product or

    customer experience improvements in

    their renewal forms.

    Intuit Accounts for Positive Experiences via Customer Feedback Gathering and acting upon an extensive array of customer input has helped Intuit drive higher satisfaction and renewal rates. by Tom Hoffman

    H gold

    Customer Experience Excellence

    7www.1to1media.com/crmexcellence

    BUSINESS BoostFrom 2009 through 2012, transactional NPs increased 18 points for service and support.

    To View RelaTed Video

  • 9www.1to1media.com/crmexcellence

    The 2010 merger between United Airlines and

    Continental Airlines created not only one of the

    worlds largest airlines, but also one of the worlds

    biggest loyalty programs. As the two airlines went

    about merging their respective customer databases,

    executives at United saw an opportunity to explore

    new and creative ways to use customer data from

    both MileagePlus and non-members that could help it

    build richer profi les of its customers that could enable

    the airline to deliver personalized and relevant com-

    munications, critical day-of-travel updates, and to

    ultimately deliver better customer experiences.

    United also sought to break new ground. The only

    customer database that United previously maintained

    was for its MileagePlus members. United decided to

    expand the database in order to provide more relevant

    and personalized communications with the millions of

    customers who arent MileagePlus members and to

    better serve their needs.

    United partnered with Acxiom Corp. to help it build

    richer profi les of its MileagePlus members and also

    non-members. In addition to identifying duplicate

    records to help United work with the cleanest and most

    accurate member information possible, Acxiom also

    overlays demographic and lifestyle data on top of cus-

    tomer records and groups them into customer types.

    For instance, while United tries to include basic demo-

    graphic information in each member profi le such as

    age, household income, and net worth, in some cases

    it relies on Acxiom to either fi ll in missing pieces of

    information or to add interest-specifi c elements, such

    as golf, says Mark Krolick, managing director of mar-

    keting and product development at United.

    United has also been able to make more effective

    use of its member data and interact with customers

    in ways it wasnt able to before. Each day, United

    analyzes its MileagePlus database to identify custom-

    ers who are about to reach a certain milestone, such

    as specifi c mileage levels, program anniversaries, or

    birthdays. The general manager, or another designee

    at one of the 72 domestic airports that the program

    has been extended to, then fi lls out a hand-written

    thank-you card and passes it along to an agent to

    hand out to these customers as they scan their board-

    ing passes when theyre about to board their fl ights.

    The customer feedback has been a nice validation

    and were seeing value from the program, says

    Michelle Brown, director of the MileagePlus program

    at United.

    Having richer customer information has enabled

    United to segment its customers more accurately. For

    instance, United can group customers by similar past

    behaviors, such as customers who have been price

    sensitive. United can then use these insights to create

    relevant offers for customers.

    Uniteds ability to develop rich information about

    its customersloyalty members and non-members

    alikehas enabled the airline to be more relevant and

    drive greater revenue. Since the launch of the initia-

    tive, United has been able to convert 4 percent of its

    non-members to the MileagePlus program, resulting

    in tens of millions of dollars in additional revenue.

    Were investing in customer service and the right

    marketing technologies.... The pieces are all falling

    into place for us to become the worlds leading air-

    line, Krolick says.

    Customer Experience Takes Off at United AirlinesThe airline is making extensive use of data about its frequent fl yers and non-members to deliver richer experiences and offers. by Tom Hoffman

    H silver

    Customer Experience Excellence

    Customer comments from promoters, neutrals, and detrac-

    tors are also distributed through a weekly Listen2Me document

    that Intuit product managers and others are able to share.

    Through its efforts to listen to the voice of its customers

    and respond to their comments and requests, APD has been

    able to generate strong business benefi ts. From 2009 through

    2012, transactional NPS has increased 18 points for service

    and support. Meanwhile, renewal rates for most customer seg-

    ments continue to grow. In addition, under Intuits closed-loop

    feedback process, detractors who were called and spoken to

    by an APD employee have 9 to 10 percent higher renewal rates

    than detractors who werent contacted.

    Looking ahead, Intuit continues to explore ways to gather

    and act on customer feedback in real time. Tim Rollins, APD

    customer experience leader, explains, Were sensitive to

    survey burnout, so were actively looking for ways to readily

    glean customer feedback...that can draw on a conversation in

    real time without the need to conduct a survey.

    BUSINESS BoostUnited has been able to convert 4 percent of its non-members to the MileagePlus program, resulting in tens of millions of dollars in additional revenue.

  • 10 #GartnerCRM

    For many customers, the decision to purchase doesnt solely

    revolve around product features or cost because the customer

    experience rarely ends at the point of sale. Most customers

    prefer to do business with companies that also offer depend-

    able customer service throughout the entire customer journey.

    With this in mind, Cisco Systems, Inc. set out to bring collabo-

    ration into the service and support mix, measurably boosting

    customers and partners online support success.

    In its move toward improved customer service support,

    Cisco decided that future success would hinge upon Web

    ease, speed, and increased sources of knowledge. Ciscos

    team noticed that the best service sites were easy to navigate,

    recalled the customers identity, tailored content by tracking

    online behaviors, and supplemented self-support with forums.

    With these aspects in mind, Cisco established its goals around

    simplifying and personalizing the Cisco Support Websites

    self-service offerings, growing a robust community to mobi-

    lize networking and social wisdom, and bringing agents

    explicitly into the fold.

    To bring these goals to life, Ciscos Smart Web Technology

    Group (SWTG) and its Smart Web Community Management

    Group (SWCMG) aligned to form an established team dedi-

    cated to user experience, customer interaction, and analytics.

    These two departments combined their expertise in order to

    develop a community that focused on both self-service and

    peer service offerings. By engaging users and allowing them

    to help shape the site and its content, Cisco has created an

    environment that welcomes knowledge from both users and

    experts. The support community not only discusses issues,

    but also contributes content, rates answered questions, and

    attends or replays webinars. This initiative also employs lead-

    erboards, which refl ect Ciscos recognition programs drive to

    incentivize customers and experts to answer questions, share

    solutions, and contribute content.

    Today we see great opportunities to engender a true One

    Cisco Web experience by joining with other teams to ensure

    all the parts fi t together, says Glenn Schleicher, director,

    Cisco Smart Web Technology Group (SWTG). For example,

    we place links to current forum discussions right on top of each

    product support page. Why? Because someone over there

    may have just answered a nagging installation question.

    For Cisco, support and community play mutually reinforc-

    ing roles. This symbiotic relationship has helped to build

    loyalty and fortify the sales value proposition by helping

    customers resolve issues effi ciently and engaging them in

    change. In 2012, Ciscos 4.1 million unique monthly visitors

    resolved 390,000 issues per month, defl ecting 84 percent of

    technical issues online, thereby saving Cisco millions of dol-

    lars and customers hours of call time. Truly loyal customers

    with service contracts also saw signifi cant improvements, ris-

    ing to 83.5 percent, versus 24 percent and 27 percent loyalty

    expressed for Ciscos two major competitors.

    Ciscos effort to craft an easier, more personal Web experi-

    ence has also made support more widely accessible, as this

    uniform, worldwide experience offers identical advantages

    for every user. By logging in when visiting Ciscos website,

    individuals can now immediately link to product pages they

    frequently view, see a personal download history and corre-

    sponding new releases, start one-click downloads, check

    support case status, or open a new case. By offering personal

    dashboards with hot links, Cisco has managed to turn Web

    histories and preferences into a powerful asset for fi nding

    answers quickly.

    By constructing single and collective customer views to

    improve support, site logins continue to increase. Since

    October, Ciscos support site has seen a 64 percent jump in

    visitors who log in to the support home page each month,

    allowing the site to track the customers behaviors and interac-

    tions. Remembering each individual not only takes customers

    to the right destination in fewer clicks, but also creates a

    personal connection. In the end, personalization also boosts

    customer retention, as users are constantly welcomed by the

    fact that each interaction allows Cisco to get to know them

    even better.

    Cisco Cultivates Community Through Collaborative Self-Service SupportUsers and experts help shape and create content, advancing Ciscos effort to boost loyalty and personalize the consumers online support experience. by Anna Papachristos

    H gold

    Customer Service Optimization

    last year, customers resolved 390,000 issues per month, de ecting 84 percent of support cases and saving Cisco millions of dollars in call center costs.

    BUSINESS Boost

    To View RelaTed Video

  • 11www.1to1media.com/crmexcellence

    Doctors may no longer make house calls, but

    for Cigna, reviving the personalized approach

    for todays consumer has boosted engage-

    ment and instilled the sort of trust that has

    been absent from the industry in recent years.

    In its move to connect consumers with cus-

    tomer service, Cigna instituted a social media

    strategy that has enabled it to engage with

    customers in a way that reaches them on their

    terms and through their channel of choice. By

    providing customers with an array of contact

    channels, Cigna also reinforces transparency

    in its customer interactions, as customer ser-

    vice professionals actively engage across

    platforms, including Facebook, Twitter,

    LinkedIn, Pinterest, Foursquare, Tumblr, pod-

    casts, and YouTube. This online customer

    service optimization strategy, managed by

    Cignas Internet Customer Service (iCSA)

    team, supports questions about MyCigna.

    com, monitors and responds to postings on

    social media sites 24/7/365, addresses all ser-

    vice related postings, and engages in other

    areas of the organization when additional sup-

    port is needed.

    Cigna is committed to helping our custom-

    ers improve their health, well-being, and sense

    of security, Eric Galvin, senior director of ser-

    vice operations at Cigna. We recognize that

    to be a truly customer-centric company, we

    need to be where our customers are. By engag-

    ing with our customers through social media,

    we have the opportunity to show them we are

    listening and demonstrate we want to build a

    relationship of trust. We want to understand

    each customers unique needs so we can deliver

    solutions relevant to their personal health.

    By upholding its mission to care for the

    individual, Cigna has been able to tap into

    the opinions, concerns, likes, and dislikes

    frequently shared on the Internet by custom-

    ers to earn their trust and cultivate brand

    ambassadors who will embrace and recom-

    mend the service to others. Social media also

    offers Cigna the unique opportunity to reach

    people who may not be current customers by

    presenting prospective and current consum-

    ers with health-related information, facts, and

    tips through Cignas GO YOU! Facebook page,

    Twitter feed, and YouTube account.

    While making health a fun and relevant

    part of each persons everyday life represents

    Cignas primary goal, the GO YOU! brand also

    honors the individual, recognizing that each

    customer has their own needs. Cigna strives

    to help customers be true to themselves and

    reach their full potential, going beyond bene-

    fi ts coverage and insurance claims by offering

    health coaches who work with customers to

    set up personal plans that support their indi-

    vidual health goals. For Cigna, the GO YOU!

    brand represents the companys overarching

    mission to earn trust and build long-term,

    fulfi lling customer relationships that inspire,

    encourage, and celebrate each individual.

    Since implementing this personalized

    social strategy, Cigna has seen a 20 percent

    increase in its transactional NPS, while its GO

    YOU! Facebook page added 4,396 new likes

    in November 2012 alone. Cigna also set and

    surpassed its goal to respond to 90 percent of

    customer-related issues within 30 minutes of

    posting, often redirecting customers to more

    personalized service settings, such as phone

    or direct email when appropriate, to protect

    confi dentiality. Public relations personnel

    handle inquiries relating to industry criticism,

    healthcare reforms, and questions about

    products, with an overall goal to respond

    to all posts within two hours. However, in

    November 2012, Cigna exceeded its business

    goal by responding to more than 99 percent of

    customer posts within 30 minutes, exhibiting

    the companys core mission through action.

    Cigna Personalizes Its Approach to Healthcare Customer ServiceCigna aims to make healthcare a fun, relevant part of each persons everyday life by helping every customer reach his or her full potential. by Anna Papachristos

    H silver

    Customer Service Optimization

    BUSINESS BoostBy treating each customer as an individual, Cigna has seen a

    20 percent increase in its transactional NPS, while its GO YOU! Facebook page

    added 4,396 new Likes in November 2012 alone.

  • 12 #GartnerCRM

    First impressions are not only imperative in life, but theyre

    also important in business. Forward-thinking organizations

    are putting in a lot of effort to make sure they leave a posi-

    tive impact on their customers and prospects from the fi rst

    interaction.

    Autodesk, which creates software for architects, engineers,

    and special effects professionals around the world, was

    cognizant of this and wanted to make sure prospects fi rst

    experience of its products was positive. The companys cus-

    tomers expect to try out Autodesks sophisticated products

    before they make a purchase to be sure theyre making the

    right fi nancial investment. It is therefore essential for Autodesk

    to create a meaningful initial user experience for products that

    replaces a signifi cant learning curve.

    This was a challenge for Autodesk, notes Sheila Tolle,

    senior director for e-commerce and small business marketing.

    We needed to fi nd a way to viscerally demonstrate the value

    and selling points of the software in a way that truly gave the

    customer a great experience, she says. The aim was to get

    customers to really understand the value that the software

    would add to their workfl ow.

    While the majority of customers only open a trial once,

    Autodesks business leaders were aware that those who

    open the same trial three times or more are twice as

    likely to make a purchase. It was therefore important

    to make trials more engaging to encourage customers

    to use them and become familiar with them.

    Armed with this knowledge, Autodesk decided to

    introduce a layer of gamifi cation and link it to social

    channels. Tolle says the company wanted to create a

    curated and guided learning experience that pro-

    vided incentives for trial users and was also fun.

    The point was to leverage game mechanics

    and psychology to get trial users to be more

    engaged, Tolle explains.

    Last fall, Autodesk launched Uncharted

    Territory, an in-trial marketing game for

    Autodesk 3ds Max, a 3D modeling, ani-

    mation, and rendering software. Using

    Badgeville, Autodesk built game

    mechanics into the trial, providing a

    way to reward customers for using

    the trial. Tolle describes the initiative as a learning experi-

    ence contextualized within a race against time narrative.

    Through a series of missions, users were guided through the

    various features of the software. At the heart of these mis-

    sions is the learning track that walks a user through activities

    where they interact with the product and learn how to use it,

    Tolle explains. Players earned points and achievement badges

    when they completed missions, which they could share on

    Facebook and Twitter to earn additional points. In order to

    increase the element of competition, Autodesk developed a

    leaderboard that ranked trial users against their peers, and

    ultimately showed who won the game.

    Throughout the experience, Autodesk kept in touch with

    users through emails highlighting the leaderboard and

    encouraging them to continue playing. Autodesk decided to

    host the game on its key community site, AREA, where 3ds

    Max users were already congregating to share their work and

    participate in forums. This strategy helps pull in new players,

    get blogger coverage, and encourage game-related conversa-

    tions within the customer forums, Tolle notes.

    Autodesk was also aware of the important role that

    social media has in its clients decision-making process.

    Word of mouth is critical in the purchasing decisions of

    very small businesses, with which

    Tolles team mainly works, and they

    use social media as part of their vali-

    dation and vetting process. Social

    media is where this peer review and

    endorsements take place, she says.

    [Prospects] use it to determine

    whether our products are right for

    them and how their peers are using

    them. In fact, research showed that

    YouTube is one of the fi rst places where users go to

    get training in using the software. The team lever-

    aged Facebook and Twitter to promote the games

    and to reward players who shared their mission

    completions on social channels, which in turn

    would attract their friends and followers to

    the game.

    More than 600 trial users played the game

    over a three-month period, Tolle explains.

    Autodesk Ups Engagement with Gamifi ed TrialsThe software company added a layer of gamifi cation to its software trials, allowing users to compete in a more engaging experience. by Cynthia Clark

    H gold

    Integrated Marketing Performance

    BUSINESS Boostgami cation increases Autodesks trial downloads and ups sales.

    To View RelaTed Video

  • Positive brand perception is imperative for orga-

    nizations to succeed and create brand awareness,

    especially when trying to penetrate a new market, like

    the IT sector. Power management company Eaton was

    facing this challenge since it was largely unknown

    among small and medium business IT professionals.

    The $17 billion company, which markets prod-

    ucts and services to chief technology offi cers to

    provide power to small and medium-sized data cen-

    ters, wanted to improve its brand perception among IT

    professionals. Kristin Somers, marketing communica-

    tions manager at Eaton, explains that the brand was

    already established in the electrical power distribution

    space and large data center markets, but only had a

    minimal presence in the IT channel, particularly in the

    small and medium business market. She notes that

    understanding the demands of the IT community, the

    company wanted to introduce more customers to its

    power management products and services.

    In fact, at the beginning of 2011, Eaton had less than

    a 5 percent share of the SMB IT market, opposed to

    its largest competitor which commanded an 80 to 90

    percent share. This lack of brand recognition meant

    that fi eld sales representatives were encountering

    challenges selling Eatons products since most pros-

    pects had never heard of the company and were not

    comfortable switching to an unknown manufacturer.

    It was clear we needed to introduce Eaton, gain

    awareness, and increase sales, Somers says. A

    game-change was needed.

    With acquisitions and new products poised to

    launch, Eatons business leaders felt the time was

    right to further position the company as an IT solu-

    tions provider. The organization determined the need

    for an integrated marketing campaign to differentiate

    the company and generate leads for partners, recruit

    new Eaton resellers, and increase awareness and

    preference for Eatons products in the market.

    After researching the situation, Eatons leaders deter-

    mined the need to position the company to behave as

    a challenger brand and demonstrate that it truly under-

    stands the IT professionals who infl uence purchases.

    A required change was to communicate to different

    audiences in the most relevant way. Previously, Eaton

    was sending its three client segmentsdirectors of IT

    and IT managers, CIOs and CTOs, and IT resellers

    email notifi cations about product launches. Eaton held

    focus groups and one-on-one interviews to determine

    audience pain points and challenges to tailor the cam-

    paign messaging to their needs.

    The campaign, Things Have Changed, kicked

    off at the end of August 2011 featuring IT manag-

    ers desk toys, ranging from fi nger puppets to mini

    Triceratops, with the aim of showing IT managers

    that Eaton understands their needs. This underscores

    the companys expertise in IT and data center solu-

    tions while positioning Eaton as a company that gets

    IT. The campaign was built as an online ecosystem,

    with numerous channels and tactics, including print

    and banner advertising, email, direct mail, and social

    media, driving traffi c to the SwitchOn.eaton.com web-

    site, a hub that invited users to share their personal

    information to either download a white paper, sign up

    for sweepstakes, or create a caption for images of desk

    toys, among other interactions.

    The success of the campaign was evident from

    the start. In Q42011 alone, the campaign exceeded

    the goal of gathering 10,000 end user leads and 400

    reseller leads in a third of the time that had been ear-

    marked. Initial results show that between September

    and November 2011, the Things Have Changed

    campaign led to the identifi cation of $2 million worth

    of opportunities. Last year, Eaton added another

    12,000 leads to its database.

    Eaton Powers Up Its Brand PerceptionThe power management company embarked on a marketing campaign to penetrate the IT market. by Cynthia Clark

    H silver

    Integrated Marketing Performance

    Autodesk saw a 10 percent increase in trial downloads while

    trial usage went up by more than 50 percent. Further, the com-

    pany saw a 15 percent increase in buy clicks through the trial.

    Following the success of the fi rst trial, Autodesk decided to

    expand the gamifi cation approach to AutoCAD, its fl agship

    product, allowing the company to give customers a truly

    engaging experience that helps them get a quick understand-

    ing of the products value proposition and its benefi ts. The

    AutoCAD Design Suite game saw more than 500 players and

    trial downloads went up by 4 percent.

    BUSINESS Boosteaton identi ed $2 million worth of new opportunities and added 12,000 leads.

    13www.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellencewww.1to1media.com/crmexcellence

    To View RelaTed Video

  • Sales representatives have one of the most important roles

    in an organization. For many customers, they are the main

    contact to the brand and are instrumental in ensuring that

    customers become regulars and advocates for the company

    through excellent and personalized service.

    Seed company AgReliant Genetics, recognizes the crucial

    role that the organizations 300 specialized sales representa-

    tives have in forging a great relationship with their customer

    base of farmers, dealers, and retailers. The organization has

    been working hard to improve the sales call experience for

    both the company and its customers, and also increase the

    efficiency of the sales process. The companys business lead-

    ers were cognizant of the need for a robust CRM solution that

    was accessible to the sales representatives even while on the

    road, which is where they spend an inordinate amount of their

    time, each travelling an average of 35,000 miles per year to

    service their territories.

    AgReliant Genetics, which was formed in 2000 and markets

    five product brands in corn and soybean states in the Midwest,

    was collecting information about its customers and prospects

    in its CRM system, through which the company was also

    managing seed orders, scoring prospects to ensure a better

    sales cycle, and automating marketing campaigns. However,

    for sales representatives to make the most out of the system,

    they needed to carry their laptops to client meetings, which

    are often held in fields. This was impractical, notes Steve

    Thompson, AgReliant Genetics director of IT. Connectivity in

    remote areas was sometimes challenging and it was cumber-

    some for sales reps to boot up their laptops, hold the machine,

    and input the needed data while continuing with the conversa-

    tion. The company didnt mandate that reps use the system.

    Instead, we expected to show the sales force the benefits of

    using a CRM system, Thompson says. But only 5 percent

    were inputting customer data.

    Eager to find a solution that made sense, Thompsons team

    started looking into mobile CRM and decided to invest in

    a customized Sage SalesLogix iPad app that gives easy and

    secure on-the-go access. The computer had to feel like one was

    carrying around a paper notebook, which would allow them

    to use it while standing up, Thompson says. The device also

    needed to be functional without a keyboard and allow them to

    voice record data. Regional sales teams who were shown the

    iPad system immediately recognized how this could help them

    with their daily business activities and the company kicked off

    a pilot project in December 2011, allowing Thompsons team

    to gather feedback from both users and customers who were

    exposed to the devices use for sales purposes. The system

    was deployed to all 300 sales representatives six months later.

    The success of the mobile CRM solution was apparent from

    the beginning, allowing sales representatives to be more

    agile in their work and present a professional appearance.

    The voice-to-text note logging feature proved to be extremely

    helpful to reps, allowing them to speak out the notes from

    their meeting rather than type them in, increasing the amount

    of recorded sales activities. [The companys regional and

    brand managers] were amazed how well it worked, so from

    that point forward the managers knew there was no excuse for

    a salesperson not to enter sales activities, Thompson says.

    With sales reps calling on up to 300 farmers every year, they

    need a good planning system to be as efficient as possible. The

    app includes a planning map which leverages Google Maps

    technology and uses color-coded pins to visually show each

    accounts current acreage, how recently a particular farmer

    has purchased seed, and each farms unique agronomic speci-

    fications, like soil type.

    Sales reps can choose a number of different views, for exam-

    ple a sales status view indicates the status of each opportunity

    within the sales process of each account, including pending

    orders, shipping status, and follow-up. Different colored pins

    are used on the map to give reps an at-a-glance view of differ-

    ent factors, like the size of each opportunity based on previous

    orders. Reps are also able to see each farmers position within

    the sales funnel, giving them informed knowledge about who

    they should be calling on next. Theyre also able to see which

    farmers were included in specific marketing campaigns.

    Adoption of the CRM solution has increased drastically and

    is now being used by 95 percent of sales employees. This facil-

    itates sales interactions and the company is benefitting from

    iPad CRM Mobilizes AgReliant Genetics SalesMobile CRM is helping the seed company be more agile in its sales process which has led to a more robust customer database. by Cynthia Clark

    H gold

    Sales Force Effectiveness

    By introducing a mobile CRM system, Agreliant genetics has increased usage by 95 percent.

    BUSINESS Boost

    14

    To View RelaTed Video

  • leading to a negative experience for customers since

    their IT resources were not protected by service agree-

    ments. The traditional spreadsheets being used to

    track contract expirations were at times plagued with

    inaccuracies or missing information.

    In its search for an expeditious but long-term

    solution, the company decided to collaborate with

    service contract management technology provider

    MaintenanceNet to improve its Reseller Services

    Portal, allowing it to offer a way for resellers to transact

    and automate service quotes.

    In order to facilitate the renewal process, Ingram

    Micro wanted to automatically send resellers accurate

    and pre-validated renewal quotes, making it easier for

    them to reach out to customers and manage orders

    online instantaneously, a process that previously took

    hours or even days. The solution, AutoQuote, was

    deployed to all resellers as part of the Reseller Services

    Portal and alerts them about service expirations 90

    days before the contract expires, giving them time to

    take action. It delivers a goldmine of new opportuni-

    ties that requires little action and no real investment on

    the part of the partner, but adds significant business

    value, Bay says.

    The financial gains were substantial, helping Ingram

    Micro gain revenue that would otherwise have been

    lost. Service renewals for a particular vendor increased

    by 135 percent last year over 2011. Last year Ingram

    Micro delivered more than $200 million in auto-

    mated quotes to resellers each quarter.

    Further, this system is helping resellers drive bet-

    ter and stronger relationships with customers. By

    staying on top of their customers ongoing service

    needs, resellers are able to cultivate a sense of trust

    and stronger partnership, Bay notes.

    A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

    Organizations that sell their products through a third

    party need to make sure that their resellers are making

    the most of each sales opportunity.

    Technology distributor Ingram Micro North America

    was finding that its resellers were missing out on

    thousands of service sales opportunities. If we could

    transform the time-consuming processes that kept

    [resellers] from capturing the full scope of renewal

    opportunities that were available to them, particularly

    with the low-dollar service renewals, we could drive

    new profits and revenues for their businesses, notes

    Peter Gambino, executive director, advanced technol-

    ogy division and Cisco Business Unit, Ingram Micro

    U.S. Under the guidance of Paul Bay, the companys

    president, Ingram Micro kicked off an ambitious initia-

    tive to improve operational efficiencies in more than

    3,700 resellers in North America, help them close more

    deals without adding human resources costs, and in

    turn deliver greater profits.

    Further, Ingram Micros business leaders wanted

    to strengthen the relationship between resellers and

    their end customers, helping the businesses better

    communicate with clients and remain up-to-date with

    customers renewal needs. Bay noticed that tedious

    and time-consuming processes, for example, heavy

    reliance on traditional spreadsheets, often meant

    that resellers were not putting enough weight to the

    renewal of low-dollar service opportunities, which

    amount to less than $25,000 per year. These need to be

    kept up-to-date to make sure that customers are enti-

    tled to continued service protection for their products.

    The company realized that thousands of these ser-

    vice contracts were coming up for renewal every

    month, potentially costing the company money and

    consistent and accurate forecasting and sales stage reporting

    since more reps are actively recording their notes. AgReliant

    Genetics has also seen an increase in customer satisfaction

    since the solution is helping sales reps deliver a more person-

    alized servicea crucial element in the companys strategy

    that seeks to understand and address the individual needs

    of its customers. Every farm and farmer can have their own

    unique needs, so its all about delivering a personalized solu-

    tion for them, Thompson notes. The brand that utilized the

    new system most is all set for a 25 percent growth this year,

    compared to 5 percent for AgReliant Genetics other four

    brands. I believe were just starting to scratch the surface

    on improving customer satisfaction with our new system,

    Thompson says.

    Ingram Micro Ups Sales Through Service Renewal Automation The tech company has made it easier for resellers to renew service contracts that are about to lapse, leading to an increase in sales and better customer service. by Cynthia Clark

    H silver

    Sales Force Effectiveness

    BUSINESS Boost

    last year, ingram Micro delivered more than $200 million in automated quotes to resellers each quarter.

    15www.1to1media.com/crmexcellence

    To View RelaTed Video

  • H gold

  • 17www.1to1media.com/crmexcellence

    For Best Western, social review sites have opened the door to

    a world of honest insight and the customer experience. In the

    hospitality industry, review sites such as TripAdvisor provide

    travelers with a way to assess their booking decisions, with

    72 percent of consumers claiming they trust online reviews as

    much as personal recommendations. But, because 35 percent

    of travelers have admitted to changing their hotel reserva-

    tions after reading online reviews, Best Western took it upon

    itself to manage its online reputation and improve their cus-

    tomer care services.

    Using Medallias Social Feedback for Hospitality platform,

    Best Western now enables managers of its 4,200 locations

    worldwide to respond to customer concerns and reviews

    while keeping a consistent brand voice. The dashboard

    solution provides hotel managers with the ability to reply

    to customer feedback right from within the program. Each

    hotel has the opportunity to observe the social chatter for

    Best Western hotels in general, as well as collect targeted

    feedback that pertains to their location specifically. Notifica-

    tions appear in real time, allowing these managers to care

    for issues publicly and swiftly. Even further, hotel managers

    can customize their dashboards to display the social chatter

    for their competitors far and wide.

    The biggest opportunity for our hotels comes from the

    chance to truly understand not only what the consumer says

    about them, but also what theyre saying about their com-

    petitors, says Michael Morton, vice president of member

    services at Best Western. Because social feedback is pub-

    lic knowledge, we can not only see how we stack up on all

    these review sites, but also see how we stack up against our

    competitors. We can understand where we excel, where we

    can improve, and aggressively market these advantages to

    consumers who are still in the decision-making stage of the

    hotel booking process.

    Acknowledging issues and solving problems via social re-

    view sites adds a level of transparency, but the immediacy

    of these responses convey that Best Western listens to and

    cares for its customers by using their feedback to make im-

    provements. The hotel chain views social media as a cus-

    tomer experience management opportunity, allowing the

    company to listen to both solicited and unsolicited feedback

    to establish a holistic view of the customer experience. And,

    with 1.3 million solicited surveys and nearly 150,000 social

    reviews collected each year, Best Western has ample oppor-

    tunity to understand an array of opinions.

    To boost its transparency, Best Western has even incor-

    porated TripAdvisor reviews alongside its booking pages to

    keep potential customers on the site. Best Western wants to

    encourage users to embrace its site as an accessible channel.

    Frequently, customers will return to the review sites to consult

    their fellow travelers. The hotel chain also wants to hook cus-

    tomers when they land on the site so they will quickly decide

    to book with Best Western before they begin to wander. In-

    tegrating the TripAdvisor reviews alongside booking options

    provides customers with the information they seek, while en-

    hancing the companys transparency. By voluntarily highlight-

    ing customer reviews, Best Western displays confidence in its

    brand because they need not sugarcoat anything their cus-

    tomers say. This also fosters active, engaging communities

    that cultivate relationships and honest, consistent feedback.

    Since implementation, 69 percent of Best Westerns hotel

    managers have adopted the social dashboard platformthe

    highest rate in the industry, and more than twice the indus-

    try average (32 percent) according to TripAdvisor. Active Best

    Western properties have seen 64 percent more reviews than

    their inactive counterparts, and a 30 percent higher ranking on

    TripAdvisor. This higher ranking inevitably becomes crucial to

    any given hotels success, as higher rankings on TripAdvisor

    H gold

    Social and Mobile Engagement

    Best Western Checks in on Customer FeedbackBy integrating customer insight from social review sites, the hotel chain has developed an engagement strategy that values transparency and cultivates trust. by Anna Papachristos

    BUSINESS BoostActive Best Western properties have seen 64 percent more reviews than their inactive counterparts, and a 30 percent higher ranking on TripAdvisor.

    To View RelaTed Video

  • 18 #GartnerCRM

    Playtime has always been an innately social activity,

    enabling children to make friends and exert energy at

    the same time. But, for children growing up in todays

    technology driven world, play often revolves around

    the mental, not the physical. For LEGO fans, the brands

    creative roots have grown into an interactive forum

    that allows children across the globe to create together

    using their imaginations to role-play and write stories

    they can share with the entire community.

    While LEGOs off-domain communities, such as

    LEGO Facebook and LEGO Redbrick, offer lively ways

    for fans to interact, LEGO wanted to provide users with

    the same exceptional service and experience on LEGO.

    com directly. To do so, the company needed to move its

    current forums to a more interactive platform to ensure

    users would not only view content, but actively engage

    and participate, as well. Just as the LEGO brand con-

    tinuously reinvents its products, the companys social

    presence needed a refresh to recapture and retain fans

    of all ages, while maintaining the companys over-

    arching valuesimagination, creativity, fun, learning,

    caring, safety, and quality.

    However, as with all new platforms, LEGO had to

    handle the potential dangers that come along with data

    migration. Often times, when transferring customer

    data to a new platform, companies run the risk of losing

    customer account information in the process. Though

    potentially problematic, LEGO guaranteed no informa-

    tion from its 2.4 million existing users and more than

    four million posts was lost by taking extra precautions

    and investing additional funds, successfully transfer-

    ring 100 percent of its existing data to ensure there

    were no disruptions in the user experience.

    With the help of Lithium Technologies, LEGO also

    tackled poor moderation response times to improve the

    user experience and boost both employee and customer

    engagement. Though response times had dwindled

    from 72 hours in 2010, to eight hours in January 2012,

    LEGO found these long periods to be counterproductive

    in light of its social enhancement goals. The new ini-

    tiative, however, repurposed LEGOs talented team of

    resources in a newly formed group to manage, engage,

    and moderate with the LEGO message board commu-

    nity. Efficient moderation allows users to have more

    conversations more often, while the specific emphasis

    on staff engagement encourages users to participate.

    Now, moderation times have decreased to 56 min-

    utes as of December 2012, contributing to the 62

    percent climb in user interaction. Moderators and

    users also provide constructive and positive feedback

    on shared stories, boosting user confidence and inspir-

    ing them to write more and hone their skills.

    Praising stories also makes kids feel good, and we

    have a really good community feel now, says Mark

    Fothergill, head of childrens community and modera-

    tion at LEGO Systems, Inc. The kids are forever telling

    us that they feel special and that it really gives them a

    spring in their step on a daily basis. This seal of approval

    from other users and moderators spurs them on to write

    more and more, and to become good writers.

    Users continue to leave encouraging feedback,

    thereby thrusting LEGOs desire to inspire and educate

    into the center of its social engagement strategy. The

    companys new social ranking structure also pushes

    users to post high-quality stories and comments, as

    the new system bases success on the content, not

    quantity. Not only has this structure helped decrease

    spam, but users are no longer posting frequently just

    to boost their standings. Instead, users are striving

    to better themselves by developing their skills and

    embracing LEGOs underlying emphasis on learning

    and imagination.

    LEGO Systems Inc. Builds Kid-Friendly Social Forums to Foster Creativity and FriendshipThrough fun and imagination, the toymakers social community expands upon the brand promise by clearing the path for safe, creative storytelling and educational opportunities. by Anna Papachristos

    H silver

    Social and Mobile Engagement

    BUSINESS BoostSince launchingits new socialcommunity,get to times have dwindledfrom 8 hours inJanuary 2012,to 56 minutes in December 2012, contributing to the62 percent climb in user interaction.

    mean greater visibility on the review site. In fact, these higher

    rankings have led to 1,252 Best Western hotels receiving

    TripAdvisors Certificate of Excellence, which is bestowed

    upon only 10 percent of hotels listed on-site. Due to such suc-

    cess, many property managers and executives are making

    moves to mandate social engagement across the brand.

    To View RelaTed Video

  • For more information on the 2013 program, go to

    www.1to1media.com/CrMexcellence

    Maple leaf: pg 5Maple Leaf Sports & EntertainmentAAA: pg 6AAAintuit, inc.: pg 7IntuitUnited Airlines: pg 9United AirlinesCisco: pg 10CiscoCigna: pg 11CignaAutodesk, inc.: pg 12AutodeskEaton Corporation: pg 13EatonAgreliant: pg 14AgReliant GeneticsIngram Micro: pg 15Ingram MicroBest Western: pg 17Best WesternLego Systems Inc.: pg 18Lego Systems Inc.