Background 

Great Western Railways (GWR), which has been hosting travellers since 1833, was determined to turn the pandemic into an opportunity for service transformation. With a vision to create distinct and memorable customer experiences, the CEO of GWR spearheaded the idea of a unique learning initiative aimed at transforming employees into ‘Great Experience Makers.’ The idea was to emotionally connect all colleagues with the ever-evolving needs of customers in the post-pandemic world and inspire them to leave customers actively seeking out new adventures.

Approach 

GWR brought onboard the Happy Consultancy Group to help it achieve this. Using its 3E approach – explore, enable and engage – a comprehensive understanding of the current service experience and assessment of competitor performances provided the base upon which solutions were built. With on-ground workshops no longer feasible due to restrictions, learning interventions were designed by combining effective digital learning with the science of happiness at work.

Inspired by GWR’s well-known Famous Five adverts, film and CGI were used to portray employees as explorers unearthing the ‘gems’ of service experience excellence. This journey enabled individuals to apply the six service experience signatures in simple yet effective ways and was wrapped in entertaining and engaging content similar to a Netflix series. Among the solutions provided were personalised invites, customised film-based learning experiences, digital toolkits, internal communication campaigns, guides, workshops and impactful branding efforts. All these aimed at reinforcing the ‘gems’ of service excellence in the minds of the employees.

Outcome

Despite tight timelines, the interventions were launched within three months. Within 18 months the goal of 75% completion rate was surpassed, with over 4,500 colleagues having completed the programme. GEMs now feature in every leadership meeting at every level and form part of the strategic KPIs. The campaign left an enduring impact on employees and, such was its popularity, it was even extended to Network Rail colleagues. Customer net promoter scores improved and the collateral from the programme is now being leveraged in other areas of the business. Moreover the learning initiative transformed GWR’s service culture and elevated its position to 3rd out of 14 rail operators in Customer Experience Excellence. And it has created a new approach to learning within the business, making meaningful learning accessible to all through the creation of an empowering self-directed approach that gives people flexibility to learn in smaller chunks and in the time that suits them.