Maximizing Shared Service Effectiveness: A Step-by-Step Guide to Developing Your Shared Service Communication Strategy Jeff Zwier Vice President, Communications Manager ABN AMRO Services Company, Inc . [email_address] Originally presented as a workshop for IQPC’s Shared Services Week 2005. See speaker notes for more information.

Workshop Agenda Introduction Part I: Your Message Part II: Your Strategy Part III: Executing Your Communications Plan

Introduction

Part I: Your Message

Part II: Your Strategy

Part III: Executing Your Communications Plan

Introduction Getting to Know Each Other  Setting the Stage  Objectives and Expectations

Introduction About your workshop presenter About you: Your name, role, company Your communication challenge Any specific expectations for today

About your workshop presenter

About you:

Your name, role, company

Your communication challenge

Any specific expectations for today

Setting the Stage: Why Communicate? Market your service Retain key talent Begin value creation Manage organizational transitions And most importantly: CHANGE BEHAVIOR

Market your service

Retain key talent

Begin value creation

Manage organizational transitions

And most importantly:

What We Will Do Today Capture the key information you need to communicate to your organization Develop a reusable framework to get that message out in a consistent, effective way Work hands-on to develop a strategy that can guide your service and its advocates and a plan to execute that strategy

Capture the key information you need to communicate to your organization

Develop a reusable framework to get that message out in a consistent, effective way

Work hands-on to develop a strategy that can guide your service and its advocates and a plan to execute that strategy

Part I: Your Message The Elevator Pitch  Value Propositions  Messages  Stakeholders

What is your ‘Elevator Pitch?’ EXERCISE: You find yourself in an elevator riding to the executive suites of your organization with the Chief Operating Officer. She asks about what you are trying to accomplish. Recover from your small heart attack, then describe your service in 30 words or less.

EXERCISE:

You find yourself in an elevator riding to the executive suites of your organization with the Chief Operating Officer. She asks about what you are trying to accomplish.

Recover from your small heart attack, then describe your service in 30 words or less.

What Did You Say? Did you center your message on your core value proposition most relevant to the COO? Did your pitch generate “buy-in?” Create a positive vision of the future Describe value-creating activities Did you communicate value, not “values?”

Did you center your message on your core value proposition most relevant to the COO?

Did your pitch generate “buy-in?”

Create a positive vision of the future

Describe value-creating activities

Did you communicate value, not “values?”

Value Propositions Your service will have different benefits that are relevant to different stakeholders – more on them later. For now, let’s concentrate on that Chief Operating Officer. What are the benefits of your service to your organization in terms of creating value? Do you: Create revenue? Avoid costs? Increase shareholder wealth? Give the organization the opportunity to concentrate on its core competence? What else? (Write them down)

Your service will have different benefits that are relevant to different stakeholders – more on them later. For now, let’s concentrate on that Chief Operating Officer.

What are the benefits of your service to your organization in terms of creating value? Do you:

Create revenue?

Avoid costs?

Increase shareholder wealth?

Give the organization the opportunity to concentrate on its core competence?

What else? (Write them down)

From Value Propositions to Messages Value propositions state a benefit , while messages tell a story . You will need both to create an effective communication strategy. A message is the delivery of a value proposition in a way that can be used to change the recipient’s behavior Gain support / advocacy, set expectations, approve funds, not quit immediately, etc. . . Messages can stand alone or a set of messages serves as the foundation of your strategy.

Value propositions state a benefit , while messages tell a story .

You will need both to create an effective communication strategy.

A message is the delivery of a value proposition in a way that can be used to change the recipient’s behavior

Gain support / advocacy, set expectations, approve funds, not quit immediately, etc. . .

Messages can stand alone or a set of messages serves as the foundation of your strategy.

The three ‘R’s of writing good messages. . . Effective messages communicate one fact or idea that is Realistic [to a customer] “The new processing center will create opportunities for cost savings for finance and accounting over the next two years” Relevant “ Your deposit advice will be delivered within three days of payday” [based upon need identified via survey] Recognizable [to a payroll clerk] “ Fifteen jobs in Dallas will move to the new administration center in Houston”

Effective messages communicate one fact or idea that is

Realistic

[to a customer] “The new processing center will create opportunities for cost savings for finance and accounting over the next two years”

Relevant

“ Your deposit advice will be delivered within three days of payday” [based upon need identified via survey]

Recognizable

[to a payroll clerk] “ Fifteen jobs in Dallas will move to the new administration center in Houston”

Now Back to Those Stakeholders Who are your stakeholders? Buyers of your service Service providers Management Employees impacted by change Who else? EXERCISE: List your stakeholders.

Who are your stakeholders?

Buyers of your service

Service providers

Management

Employees impacted by change

Who else?

EXERCISE:

List your stakeholders.

Who Did You List as Stakeholders? List every group “touched” by the core processes that define your service Who performs procedures? Who supplies the process? Who receives products and services? Now list every group that would “ gain” or “lose” if your service is successful Did your list get larger?

List every group “touched” by the core processes that define your service

Who performs procedures?

Who supplies the process?

Who receives products and services?

Now list every group that would “ gain” or “lose” if your service is successful

Did your list get larger?

Who Are Your “Key” $tak € hold € r$? Those who can fund / withhold funds for your effort, including Customers Competitors Managers Enabling staff and outside experts Opinion leaders in your organization

Those who can fund / withhold funds for your effort, including

Customers

Competitors

Managers

Enabling staff and outside experts

Opinion leaders in your organization

What Do Your Stakeholders Need to Do? Remember, the goal of our communication is to . . . (audience participation here) EXERCISE: Map the messages you have developed to the people who need to receive them plus any potential objections that they may have . . . and keep in mind as you do this how you expect those stakeholders to: “_______ ________!”

Remember, the goal of our communication is to . . . (audience participation here)

EXERCISE:

Map the messages you have developed to the people who need to receive them plus any potential objections that they may have . . . and keep in mind as you do this how you expect those stakeholders to: “_______ ________!”

Part II: Your Strategy What is a Communication Strategy?  Strategies vs. Plans  Objections

“ What” + “Who” + “Why” = Strategy There is no set format for your strategy, but there are some important rules to follow: Capture what you intend to accomplish and what messages will communicate those expectations / requests Identify who your communication targets are and directly address these stakeholders’ concerns (and objections) Communicate your vision (the ‘ why ’) of the future to all your communicators, again and again. Document what you do to ensure consistency

There is no set format for your strategy, but there are some important rules to follow:

Capture what you intend to accomplish and what messages will communicate those expectations / requests

Identify who your communication targets are and directly address these stakeholders’ concerns (and objections)

Communicate your vision (the ‘ why ’) of the future to all your communicators, again and again. Document what you do to ensure consistency

Communication Strategies vs. Plans What is the difference? Strategy = Guidance for communication leadership At a minimum - Stakeholder message matrix Guiding Principles Plan = Execution of your strategy How to reach your stakeholders Measuring response

What is the difference?

Strategy = Guidance for communication leadership

At a minimum - Stakeholder message matrix

Guiding Principles

Plan = Execution of your strategy

How to reach your stakeholders

Measuring response

Identifying your Guiding Principles EXERCISE: What adjectives describe the ‘personality’ of your service? What would you want your leadership team to do in your absence to remain consistent with your vision? (5 minutes)

EXERCISE:

What adjectives describe the ‘personality’ of your service?

What would you want your leadership team to do in your absence to remain consistent with your vision? (5 minutes)

Some Example Guiding Principles: Enterprise IT Architecture We will re-use components of our computing environment whenever possible We work from requirements, not technology constraints We facilitate the creation of business solutions, not technology deployments We are committed to cost containment but not at the expense of customer service We act at the intersection between business strategy and technology tactics

We will re-use components of our computing environment whenever possible

We work from requirements, not technology constraints

We facilitate the creation of business solutions, not technology deployments

We are committed to cost containment but not at the expense of customer service

We act at the intersection between business strategy and technology tactics

The Power of Guiding Principles Inspiration Alignment of your team in your absence Allows you to do more leading, less managing Development of a shared vision Informs message development If you are writing a message that is inconsistent with a Guiding Principle, something is very wrong! Guiding Principles  Strategies  Plans  Actions

Inspiration

Alignment of your team in your absence

Allows you to do more leading, less managing

Development of a shared vision

Informs message development

If you are writing a message that is inconsistent with a Guiding Principle, something is very wrong!

Objections: Or, How Do They Hate Me? Let Me Count the Ways Remember, the goal of our communication is to . . . (audience participation here) EXERCISE: Some of your stakeholders are not going to be crazy about all of this Shared Services Stuff. List some objections for each.

Remember, the goal of our communication is to . . . (audience participation here)

EXERCISE: Some of your stakeholders are not going to be crazy about all of this Shared Services Stuff. List some objections for each.

What’s Not to Like About My Service? Having trouble identifying / anticipating objections? Try the following: Examine your value propositions. Disbelief of one or more of them is a potential objection Do you have any allies of convenience? What could politics do in the next six months? Would anyone see value in your failure? Keeping a job, perk, kickback from longtime overpriced service provider, etc

Having trouble identifying / anticipating objections? Try the following:

Examine your value propositions.

Disbelief of one or more of them is a potential objection

Do you have any allies of convenience?

What could politics do in the next six months?

Would anyone see value in your failure?

Keeping a job, perk, kickback from longtime overpriced service provider, etc

Objections, Redux EXERCISE: How will you address the objections you anticipate among your key stakeholders? Be as specific as possible (GOAL: Share and improve this objections management plan with your leadership team) (10 minutes)

EXERCISE:

How will you address the objections you anticipate among your key stakeholders? Be as specific as possible

(GOAL: Share and improve this objections management plan with your leadership team) (10 minutes)

Dealing with Objections (1) You can’t please everyone, but you can make them feel heard Listen . . . do not promise. Being heard is often enough for those concerned about change Listen before you announce new strategy, policy or marketing of new services Prepare those who will not get what they want in advance of public announcements

You can’t please everyone, but you can make them feel heard

Listen . . . do not promise. Being heard is often enough for those concerned about change

Listen before you announce new strategy, policy or marketing of new services

Prepare those who will not get what they want in advance of public announcements

Dealing with Objections (2) Communicating at the right level of detail and the right messages to the right audience will avoid many objections. Involve the objector in the solution “ What do you see as the benefit of this approach? How can you help me change it to meet your needs?” Communicate: Vision to leaders Strategy to management Value to new / existing customers Action to employees

Communicating at the right level of detail and the right messages to the right audience will avoid many objections.

Involve the objector in the solution

“ What do you see as the benefit of this approach? How can you help me change it to meet your needs?”

Communicate:

Vision to leaders

Strategy to management

Value to new / existing customers

Action to employees

Part III: Your Plan What is a Communication Plan?  Channel Selection  Management and Measurement

What is a Communication Plan? Communication Plans guide your activity, helping you select the channel, language and timing to use to get your key messages across and ______ ________ .

Communication Plans guide your activity, helping you select the channel, language and timing to use to get your key messages across and ______ ________ .

Channel Selection EXERCISE: Write down all the tools available to you at your company to reach your stakeholders, in order of effectiveness (5 Minutes)

EXERCISE:

Write down all the tools available to you at your company to reach your stakeholders, in order of effectiveness (5 Minutes)

Channel Surfing, Organizational Communication Style What do the Communication Pros know about channel selection? The Intranet and Newsletters are not enough The medium is NOT the message ! “ We need a newsletter. . .” Effectiveness will vary by stakeholder group What is the best channel to reach each group? Don’t assume – ASK.

What do the Communication Pros know about channel selection?

The Intranet and Newsletters are not enough

The medium is NOT the message !

“ We need a newsletter. . .”

Effectiveness will vary by stakeholder group

What is the best channel to reach each group? Don’t assume – ASK.

What You Say is Almost as Important as How You Say It Choice of language Be concise Match vocabulary and jargon to the stakeholder you are trying to reach Payroll clerks do not synergize Executives do not care about optimizing transaction times No one cares about the technical details – except the techies

Choice of language

Be concise

Match vocabulary and jargon to the stakeholder you are trying to reach

Payroll clerks do not synergize

Executives do not care about optimizing transaction times

No one cares about the technical details – except the techies

Communication Planning: Speaking the Same Language Who are your customers, and how do they measure value? Align metrics – can you measure yourself in your customers’ terms? You are what you do Take the first step to bridge the communication gap Don’t evangelize “shared services” Position your service as a valuable (in their terms) input to their revenue-creating process You provide the raw materials for their value creation activities

Who are your customers, and how do they measure value?

Align metrics – can you measure yourself in your customers’ terms?

You are what you do

Take the first step to bridge the communication gap

Don’t evangelize “shared services”

Position your service as a valuable (in their terms) input to their revenue-creating process

You provide the raw materials for their value creation activities

Timing: Tips From the Publishing Trade Communicate as soon as you know something relevant to your target audience. Use your Message-Stakeholder-Channel Matrix to prioritize your messaging and build an editorial calendar Pre-sell difficult messages Never walk into a sales encounter without knowing the outcome

Communicate as soon as you know something relevant to your target audience.

Use your Message-Stakeholder-Channel Matrix to prioritize your messaging and build an editorial calendar

Pre-sell difficult messages

Never walk into a sales encounter without knowing the outcome

Notes on Channels and Timing Face-to-face communication is the least efficient for message delivery, most efficient for message adoption Take a cue from politicians: Who is your “campaign manager” in Finance? Don’t burn out your audience. A survey every week or focus group every month may be too much. Vary your interaction methods and channels

Face-to-face communication is the least efficient for message delivery, most efficient for message adoption

Take a cue from politicians: Who is your “campaign manager” in Finance?

Don’t burn out your audience. A survey every week or focus group every month may be too much. Vary your interaction methods and channels

Managing and Measuring your Communications Leverage credible sources and channels Survey, interview, network and more Two-way communication = most effective Supervisor vs. Executive targeting Don’t let objections surprise you Third-party surveys Brainstorming with “friendlies” in the “enemy” camp Leverage your peers’ experiences

Leverage credible sources and channels

Survey, interview, network and more

Two-way communication = most effective

Supervisor vs. Executive targeting

Don’t let objections surprise you

Third-party surveys

Brainstorming with “friendlies” in the “enemy” camp

Leverage your peers’ experiences

Management and Measurement, continued TIP: The greater the change needed to succeed, the greater the frequency required TRICK: Conduct regular “transmission checks” TRAP: SLAs and performance contracts are not “living” documents – don’t lean on them. The “service fallacy” Assumptions about monitoring Selective attention

TIP: The greater the change needed to succeed, the greater the frequency required

TRICK: Conduct regular “transmission checks”

TRAP: SLAs and performance contracts are not “living” documents – don’t lean on them.

The “service fallacy”

Assumptions about monitoring

Selective attention

Common Communication Crises You May Face What sort of crises are you facing today? Tomorrow, you may be: Dealing with the exposure of flawed data or research around your cost savings projections Explaining the loss of a major supporter of your cause to the CEO (what did the COO hear in the elevator that she didn’t like?) Adjusting to the transfer or resignation of a key member of your leadership team Responding to a “smear campaign” by rival managers, labor unions, industry organizations, or even your own boss! WHAT WOULD YOU DO???

What sort of crises are you facing today? Tomorrow, you may be:

Dealing with the exposure of flawed data or research around your cost savings projections

Explaining the loss of a major supporter of your cause to the CEO (what did the COO hear in the elevator that she didn’t like?)

Adjusting to the transfer or resignation of a key member of your leadership team

Responding to a “smear campaign” by rival managers, labor unions, industry organizations, or even your own boss!

Solid Strategies, Plans Prepare you for Crises How will your second in command respond to one of these scenarios while you are on vacation? If you have agreed on guiding principles, you know What is the COO going to say to the CEO about your service that is negative? If you mapped objections, you have already planned your response Other examples. . .

How will your second in command respond to one of these scenarios while you are on vacation?

If you have agreed on guiding principles, you know

What is the COO going to say to the CEO about your service that is negative?

If you mapped objections, you have already planned your response

Other examples. . .

Summary Prepare to communicate and you will lay a solid foundation for marketing and managing your service. You have created the first draft of your strategy and plan today. Bring your messages and objections to your Internal Communications staff as soon as possible. Enlist their help in spreading your message. My challenge to you: If you do nothing else based upon this workshop, develop an elevator pitch and teach it to every member of your service in the next 30 days. Share what happened with me and the rest of our workshop at: http://sharedservicescomm.objectis.net

Prepare to communicate and you will lay a solid foundation for marketing and managing your service.

You have created the first draft of your strategy and plan today.

Bring your messages and objections to your Internal Communications staff as soon as possible. Enlist their help in spreading your message.

My challenge to you: If you do nothing else based upon this workshop, develop an elevator pitch and teach it to every member of your service in the next 30 days. Share what happened with me and the rest of our workshop at:

http://sharedservicescomm.objectis.net

Maximizing Shared Service Effectiveness: A Step-by-Step Guide to Developing Your Shared Service Communication Strategy Jeff Zwier Vice President, Global IT Security Services Project ABN AMRO Services Company, Inc . [email_address]