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CX + CRM Strategy: Recreation and Attractions

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Business Opportunity

Operating within a competitive marketplace, where a refined customer experience and purposeful application of technology are so critical to success, Nathan championed development and implementation of the Customer Experience and Relationship Management Strategy (CXRM) for the Community and Recreation Facilities branch (since renamed Community, Recreations and Culture branch); working laterally and leading the ideation process.

The CXRM frames how best to leverage technology, data (voice-of-the-customer) and channel investments, to drive customer engagement and revenue realization. 

There are three themes central to the approach: 

  1. Shifting customer interactions online and within the organization's digital ecosystem; where insights are better captured and further monetized - also including the digitization / automation of processes and services. 

  2. Leveraging data and public feedback (voice-of-the-customer) along the customer journey in real-time to shape service design and delivery.

  3. Mapping the future adoption and implementation of technological innovation, including capital investment planning. 

Actions + Outcomes

I. Shifting Customer Interactions Online

e-Commerce Optimization

As project sponsor and senior strategic leader responsible for delivery and operation of an ERP / CRM enterprise system, Nathan collaborated with talented cross-functional teams, as well as with several business partners, to bring a new enterprise system to market. This includes the e-commerce platform MoveLearnPlay.edmonton.ca, where he integrated the CXRM and partnered with the global technology provider to enhance e-commerce functionality related to user experience, customer conversion and loyalty. Key enhancements, included:

  • In-platform search engine optimization to streamline conversion. 

  • A subscription-based email notification engine to advance ongoing customer engagement.

  • Online admissions / timed-ticketing and membership sales to reduce transaction costs and support the COVID-19 response.

  • A product recommendation engine to up-sell and increase revenue per transaction. 

  • Promotions code integration to encourage channel-specific loyalty.

  • An automated shopping cart countdown to drive sale completion / conversion. 

Moreover, these enhancements were instrumental in propelling the growth of customer transactions taking place online, moving from 17 percent to 86 percent in just under a year; as part of the COVID-19 response. 

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Automation

Furthermore, customer relationship management (CRM) was successfully automated, where personalized digital interaction has become the primary means to support customer communication. These notifications, majority automated in nature, were strategically introduced along the customer journey to provide timely communication, support conversion, gather real-time insight and drive loyalty. 

II. Leveraging Voice-of-the-Customer

Real-Time Voice-of-the-Customer Reporting

The automation of CRM (noted above), enabled a foundational shift to the capture and application of customer data, insights and perspectives (voice-of-the-customer). Where previously, a multi-month process was required to plan, procure and facilitate a customer research study, voice-of-the-customer shifted to real-time measurement and reporting; integrating into a new suite of business intelligence dashboards for both executive leadership and the frontline.

As can be imagined, assessing operational performance within 24-hours that the service has been delivered, has allowed for a more timely and relevant customer response by the branch - over 10,000 customer responses received in the first year.

Customer and Operations Resolution Processes

The CXRM integrates process improvement by leveraging a robust pipeline for customer resolution. Customer, as well as operational, intake streams are mapped and operationalized starting from when feedback is first received and continuing through until the ticket is resolved. This approach ensures purposeful integration of the customer perspective in terms of how services are being designed and delivered. 

III. Technology Innovation

ERP / CRM Technology Roadmap

Central to technological innovation, is the ERP / CRM Technology Roadmap that was also developed under Nathan’s leadership. This roadmap sets the pace for digital transformation, as well as capital investment, that takes place year-over-year. Key categories of transformation framed by the roadmap, includes Automation, AI, CX and Process Improvement. Moroever, the roadmap also incorporates:

  • A detailed inventory of technological enhancements and developments, including implementation timeline.

  • Weighted scoring that supports the prioritization and selection of these investments, based on corporate priorities and operational risks.

  • Ratings from customer segments (as part of the weighted scoring above) on each proposed enhancement that stands to impact the user experience.

  • A multi-million dollar capital budget plan and funding strategy.

Since creation, the ERP / CRM Technology Roadmap has been approved by the City's executive leadership for implementation.