CLIENT
One
of the leading software solutions provider in the country
with many overseas clients.
PROBLEM
The software engineers working on offshore
locations were facing problems in communicating with
the clients.
The problem was manifesting in the
high rate of project team turnover with as many as 40%
of the engineers being sent back to India due to lack
of communication skills. The deep implications of the
problem were also reflected in the large number of customer
complaints about the team members' behavior, lack of
understanding and absence of customer orientation.
When
the engineers were sent back, the project was delayed
and project costs multiplied. Customer complaints also
meant that the customer was dissatisfied and angry about
the way project was being handled. Both the factors
spelt doom for the bottom-line and the company was understandably
upset.
OUR UNDERSTANDING
OF THE PROBLEM
Armed with this briefing, we spoke
to the team members that were sent back, Project managers,
and angry customers and went through the list of complaints
made by the clients against the team members.
Most of the complaints mentioned the
project team members as 'incompetent, with a low grasping
power', 'arrogant', 'aloof' and 'not receptive to customer
suggestions.' The customers complained that they could
not understand the engineers nor could they be sure
whether the engineers had understood them.
During the course of our interaction
with the target group it was observed that most of them
were of above average intelligence and were technically
skilled, contrary to the complaints made by the clients.
Their communications skills did leave a lot to be desired,
but more than that it was their inability to build a
relationship with the clients that was affecting their
performance and interpersonal relations with the clients.
Indian engineers had a tendency to
keep to themselves whenever they were posted overseas.
They failed to initiate relationships with the clients
as they were not in the habit of doing so. The fact
that the clients were mostly white Americans intimated
them even more and they built defenses all around them.
Therefore there was no trust or understanding, no exchange
of ideas and no bonding between the project team and
client. As a result, whenever there was a problem, instead
of looking at the solution, both the groups got busy
in covering their backs.
On the basis of these findings, an
inability to build relationships and not communication
skills was identified as the key issue.
SOLUTION
The solution was delivered in three
stages - training, post-training activities and sustained
practice activities.
Training
The group of engineers that were sent
back from various projects sites was divided in small
groups.
Each group was subjected to intensive
training of 5-days. The training modules consisted of
relationships building, using communication effectively
to build relationships and improve performance, exchange
ideas, resolve conflicts and reach win-win situations.
The training was used to create awareness
for importance of building relationships with customers
and communicating effectively with them. The training
also imparted them the know-how for doing this. This
was done through real-life case studies, role-plays
and activities relevant to their situations.
At the end of the program the participants
could actually identify the moments of truth where they
had failed their clients, either by being defensive
or uncommunicative. They realized that just being a
brilliant programmer was not enough. They felt that
they could still overcome the language barrier if they
had a bonding with their clients.
Interacting with Foreigners Engineers
posted overseas hesitated in talking to American clients
and felt tremendous complex about their spoken English.
So it was important to give them exposure to foreigners.
We contacted foreign students at YMCA
and YWCA and hired them to visit client office and interact
with the engineers there.
The participants were asked to go and
strike conversations with the foreigners planted all
over the office. The interactions were recorded on video
and later played on to the participants. Tips for improvement
were given based on the recordings.
Post-training activities
Once the participants had the awareness
and knowledge it was time to implement the know-how.
Several post-training activities were
designed towards that end.
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1
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Weekly Review meetings as forums for taking
initiative
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The client held weekly project review meetings.
Normally these meetings saw the project managers
taking status reports and issuing instructions.
These meetings were used as forums for participants
to express their ideas. The agenda was circulated
in advance and all team members were asked to
give their project status in form of small presentations.
Participants were encouraged to put across ideas.
The less participative members were probed into
speaking up. These initiatives helped participants
become more confident and relaxed in interacting
with people in groups.
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2
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Partner for the month
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In the beginning of every month, a partner for
the month - preferably from a different division/
location - was chosen for each participant. Each
participant was required to introduce him/herself
to the partner, talk to him/her on the phone,
and take him/ her through a guided tour of the
facility.
The month-long structured interactions were monitored
by the respective bosses. The interactions culminated
in a social evening organized at the end of the
month. Events like 'How well do you know your
partner' quiz were organized and winner were given
handsome prizes.
These interactions led to confidence-building
and relationship-building skills in participants.
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3
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Words-for-the-day e-mail
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In order to build their business vocabulary,
participants were sent a few words and their usage
by e-mail, everyday. The participants were required
to use the same words in sentences of their own
and send the e-mail across to the coordinator.
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RESULT
In 18 months' time the rate of rejection of engineers
midway during the project, reduced from 40% to 5 %.
Customer complaints dropped by more than 65%.
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