{"id":3086,"date":"2021-03-24T11:02:53","date_gmt":"2021-03-24T09:02:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.verona.fi\/?p=3086"},"modified":"2023-01-17T12:19:26","modified_gmt":"2023-01-17T10:19:26","slug":"caruna-coaching-leadership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.verona.fi\/en\/caruna-coaching-leadership\/","title":{"rendered":"Looking from the grid towards customer experience – Case: Caruna"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When electricity distribution company Caruna wanted to target its activities with stronger customer service, Verona Consulting customised a coaching course for the company to support the change management skills of team leaders. The package also included a senior management development day and discussion among the entire personnel about the application of values in everyday life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the bosses work more enthusiastically, customers also receive better service. That\u2019s how Caruna, Finland\u2019s largest distributor of electricity, thought when it set out to boost its transition from grid builder to service company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The electricity grid is of course still at the core of Caruna, but customers must also be considered, in addition to the core. As a basis for change, the company had created new values: \u2018I act boldly, with good energy, together\u2019. These values must be made visible in everyday life if customer satisfaction is to improve and the company is to be able to distinguish itself from the competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Distinguishing itself from the competition is a surprising goal for a regional monopoly. The company is, however, competing for the future; the race for experts and companies to acquire concerns everyone. The experiences of employees and customers are therefore important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In practice, the service expertise of an electricity grid company may be visible, say, in technical support when there is a need to be able to put oneself in the customer\u2019s position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coaching leadership<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For Caruna\u2019s needs, Verona Consulting customised a programme consisting of two paths. The first path strengthened the expertise of management and team leaders in changing culture. The second path led the entire personnel in a discussion of what Caruna\u2019s values mean in everyday life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The programme was thoroughly thought through. It had a clear project plan and precisely considered stages. There was group coaching, fill-in work, team reflection and contact teaching suitably adapted. We can now say that it worked.<\/p>\nTommi Saikkonen, Head of Human Resources, Caruna Oy<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Its success was helped by the fact that people had to think and do a lot themselves. Only by doing can you learn to manage yourself, which is a requirement for managing others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere was more self-reflection in than in many similar programmes. The focus was on doing and discussing rather than in coach-led training,\u201d says Saikkonen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The course participants reviewed the situations in their own everyday lives and received support from each other in small groups. In the small groups, the team leaders got to know each other better resulting in mutual trust and deeper reciprocal support. During this journey, the participants also created an ideal image of a Caruna team leader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All personnel involved in discussion of values<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the discussions involving the entire personnel, the dialogue was even more enthusiastic, if that was possible. The discussions used the LOGE online tool, which divided the personnel into random small groups. In these groups, they discussed practical customer service situations with the help of a game-like platform. The spectrum of opinions was so diverse that the results also continued to be thought about later at the personnel information sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLOGE was a wonderful tool allowing us to interpret new values. Such partially subjective matters cannot be clarified without genuine discussion,\u201d Caruna CEO Tomi Yli-Kyyny.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Senior management strongly involved<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The first positive effect of the team leader coaching was the fact that it was organised at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For myself, it was a surprise how great a need everybody had to understand their own challenges and how motivated the team leaders were in this.<\/p>\nTomi Yli-Kyyny, CEO, Caruna Oy<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Another surprise for management was how little people from different departments knew of each other\u2019s everyday lives. Although the company has been single-mindedly dismantling barriers, everyday life tends to direct attention to one\u2019s own work, not allowing time to glance to the sides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFurthermore, it\u2019s already been a couple of years since the last coaching, and since then new team leaders and positions have arrived,\u201d says Yli-Kyyny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the point of view of the personnel, it was also important for senior management to be committed to the programme and demonstrate this by participating in the events. Management also revamped its own operating practices and adopted the new values more intensely in their operations and decision-making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The participants gave the course score of more than 4 out of 5. One team leader stated in passing that the course was the best that had ever been held.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The development of the team leaders was also evident to the personnel as, in the latest \u2018Great Place to Work\u2019 report, team leader work received better assessments than before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The journey of change will continue with the coaching of experts, the aim of which is to strengthen the ability of the experts to support and to challenge management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tomi Ala-Kyyny, toimitusjohtaja, Caruna Oy; Tommi Saikkonen, henkil\u00f6st\u00f6johtaja, Caruna Oy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How we can help you?<\/h4>\n\n\n\r\n