Chief Learning Officer - March 2008 - (Page 28)

clo profile learning network’s self-confidence and increase the amount of live training it delivered. “They’ve now been certified as instructors as well as being certified within their area of expertise,” she said. “I can now look at my business partners and say, ‘Not only are they learning professionals who are recognized by their colleagues in the learning arena, but they also can perform in the top quartile of your business process as well. If you’ve got exceptional instructors working with your workforce, it makes life a whole lot easier. “We’re a service business, and the coin of our realm is voice-tovoice and e-mail-to-e-mail interaction. These can certainly be facilitated by technology-based training, but we want to be sure that we’re instilling that engagement, excitement and passion to serve. Frankly, that’s difficult to ensure through technologybased training.” That’s not to say that the Learning Network hasn’t looked at new ways to use technology as a means to help customer-care professionals. One of the solutions it has developed during Harrison’s tenure is a knowledge repository that supplies employees with the information they need, whenever and wherever they need it. This performance support tool is complemented by scenario-based training that helps them figure out how to operate in a complex environment. “With the plethora of products and services that American Express has to offer, you can imagine the wealth of information that has to go along with supporting all those products and services,” Harrison said. “We initially work to make sure that everyone has a solid understanding of how they introduce themselves, how they ensure the appropriate privacy and security levels for all of our customers and how they proceed into the interaction. When customers call us, they have a problem. That might be a question, a need for information or a request for a replacement card, but what we need to make sure of is that we’re solving their problem, whatever it might be. So we orient the scenarios toward problem resolution.” Because of the nature of the Service Delivery Network, the organization uses, not surprisingly, customer service as a key performance indicator. It measures this by asking them basic questions such as, “Was your problem solved? Did your customercare professional have the requisite knowledge to serve you? Was it easy to do business with us?” This approach has paid off. In addition to improved customer feedback, American Express was given the J.D. Power award for customer service in financial services late last fall. However, while Harrison is happy to accept some credit for this on behalf of the Learning Network, she points out that other functions, such as hiring and compensation, played a prominent role as well. She should know, too: In addition to her learning responsibilities, Harrison was involved with an exhaustive job-profile assessment. This project lasted 18 months and examined the skills and competencies for every major job type in the Service Delivery Network down to the task level. The function’s hiring profile has been significantly impacted as a result, with a new emphasis on candidates’ attitudes. NAME: Jeanette K. Harrison TITLE: Vice President, Learning Network COMPANY: American Express SUCCESSES: • Further aligned learning programs to business strategy. • Elevated professionalism of learning within the service operation with the launch of an instructor development program. • Implemented and enhanced information repository that supports customer-care professionals across the network. LEARNING PHILOSOPHY: “Learning literally changes lives, and not just in the workplace. My hope is that what we do in the classroom is not only changing the lives of those we interact with at work on a day-to-day basis, but also their families, neighbors and communities. I really believe education is the road to a better life.” trol and compliance). Of these, the third was the most substantial change. “We work in the financial services industry,” Harrison explained. “Anytime you’re touching your own money — let alone anyone else’s — you want control and compliance to be top of mind. That includes privacy of data, data integrity and ensuring appropriate adherence to all regulations and legislation. That has always been fundamental to the learning network’s curriculum. “We wanted to ensure that everyone got that, but also realize that the endgame was extraordinary customer care and focus on treatment. That’s been the most exciting and fun thing we’ve done for the past three years, and it’s a journey we’re still on today.” Although each of these goals was distinct, there was overlap between them. For instance, Harrison and her team created an instructor development program that helped re-establish the March 2008 I www.clomedia.com I Chief Learning Officer 28 http://www.clomedia.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Chief Learning Officer - March 2008

Chief Learning Officer - March 2008 Editor's Letter Table of Contents Imperatives Selling Up, Selling Down Strategies Take Five Learning Solutions The Treasury Board of Saskatchewan: Training the Trainers With Experiential Learning Clo Profile Environment Xerox: Creating a Learning Masterpiece Tactics Capturing the Knowledge of the Workforce Productivity Succession Planning Tips from the U.S. GAO Human Capital Influencing Competency Management Case Study Case Study Business Intelligence Advertisers' Index Editorial Resources In Conclusion

Chief Learning Officer - March 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.