The Crawford Mum Test
Promote pride to build trust and engagement
Overview
Our strategy was to raise customer service delivery after low market service ratings, achieve a simple, common standard, keeping our employees, clients and their customers continually informed in an open, transparent and honest manner. It was designed to promote pride, involvement and accountability, to increase feelings of value and trust and better employee engagement. As we know happy employees give great service.
We want our people to treat each other and clients as if they were their Mum, first time, every time. A service that all our Mums would nod their approval to and be proud of.
Impact
The Crawford Mum Test has helped us win new business as demonstrated by our approach to a tragedy in Oldham. Our adjusters were the first on the scene and immediately set up a Help Centre to provide assistance to homeowners. We worked with the RSPCA to ensure that pets were rescued as homeowners were unable to return home. We organised emergency payments so homeowners could get clothing, etc, and arranged accommodation. Our complaint ratio has dropped from 2.9% to 0.7% in 12 months. Employee engagement rose from 56% to 72%, a whopping 28% uplift, in just a few months.
Innovation
We have ditched the hierarchal structure common in the adjusting profession, for clear values and an incisive culture that articulates which it genuinely believes in customer care, committed employees, shared goals, technical excellence and keeping our promises.[/one_half_last]
Insight
Direct, open and honest communication that provides an effective feedback mechanism. Our approach services two purposes, first, to gather feedback and second, to provide information. To achieve this, we introduced a twice weekly blog, audio blogs, daily intranet news items, video blogs, cascade presentations, leadership training and Mum Test Awards for service.
Inspiration
The inspiration for improvement came from our customers and people who wanted a culture of customer service values with direct, open and honest communication. Suggestions from employees have challenged us daily around communication but have also delivered savings to the business. All employees receive 10% of a first year’s savings from an initiative.[/one_half_last]