From the September 2009 issue of Ceridian Connection.

Even with all of the resources and data available, it is quite common for companies to spend countless hours and endless meetings before making decisions on everything from strategies, long-term goals, product development and more. At Ceridian, it often comes down to one question, "what do our customers really want?"

Since March 2008, Ceridian executives from a variety of backgrounds have been talking to customers in a systematic process designed to understand customer's needs more deeply and broadly than ever before. Ten Ceridian executives initially embarked on this venture, which has now expanded to include 16 of Ceridian's top executives.

According to Jeff Valentine, vice president Customer Loyalty at Ceridian, the direct interaction between executives and customers allows Ceridian to look firsthand at the needs of the customers. "It keeps their fingers on the pulse of the business," says Valentine.

Strategic discussions in the C-suite
To become engaged directly with the customer, Ceridian account executives who manage customer relationships take the lead to coordinate meetings for a macro strategy discussion. In many cases, customers will also engage someone at their company in a comparable executive position to attend these discussions.

The Ceridian team listens carefully during the discussions to ensure that these customer interactions consistently cover key strategic areas -- primarily the customer's long-term goals. The methodology also seeks to document the "voice of the customer," the timeline for any future reviews and the logistics for further communications to sustain continuity.

"After our initial discussion, we want to continue to support that rhythm that has been established," says Valentine. "Our goal is to enhance the executive relationships on an ongoing basis and address the specific needs of the customer simultaneously."

Loyalty + Listening = Strategy
This Executive Outreach program represents the third leg in what Ceridian views as its loyalty and listening post strategy. The other legs, which have been covered in previous Connection articles, include Net Promoter Scores (NPS) and Customer Advisory Boards (CAB). NPS are important for understanding customer feedback -- specifically a customer's willingness to recommend Ceridian to a friend or colleague. Ceridian organizes its CABs into key strategic business categories. The CABs play an active role in shaping current and future Ceridian strategic direction.

The sum of the loyalty and listening initiatives serves another important purpose. The information gathered during the Executive Outreach program as well as via NPS and the CABs validates the decisions that Ceridian makes during those rigorous, strategic planning meetings. The added assurance helps to support Ceridian's strategy to deliver innovative solutions within a reasonable timeframe.

Different than all the rest
For Ceridian, the executive program has become even more important in a relationship building capacity with customers. It sets the company apart from other organizations that do not take a formalized approach to listening and learning from customers.

"The customer-centric approach is paramount to everything we do and sets the tone for a partnership," says Valentine. "I believe all our customer initiatives work together as a differentiator in the marketplace, giving us a clear advantage as well as the benefit of knowing our customers better."

More about Ceridian's Enviable Service inititatives:

Ceridian CABs drive partnerships, innovation
Measuring up: Ceridian uses customer feedback to drive change