The Challenge: To reinvent the culture to improve the client experience while simultaneously improving generating revenue growth

The Solution: To create a cultural transformation from a product-centric to a client-focused organization by employing Raving Fans as the catalyst to empower people to make client-driven solutions

The Results: The organization made tremendous strides in becoming more client centered, building internal and external relationships through increased partnering and teamwork, and dramatically improving client relations and satisfaction

Wells Fargo Private Client Services, one of the largest financial institutions in the country, wanted to create the kind of cultural transformation that would allow them to continue to grow while creating a customer-focused experience. In preparation for the journey ahead, they asked themselves some hard questions:“How do we capture the minds and hearts of our greatest asset—our people?” “What does it take to deliver exceptional service every single time?” “How does the largest financial services organization in the country simultaneously create growth and improve service?”

The solution was to create the kind of environment in which both internal and external relationships would thrive. And in response, the organization chose The Ken Blanchard Companies^® Ravings Fans program to act as a catalyst for creating long-term, permanent change within the organization.

To begin the journey, they held roundtable meetings throughout the organization. It was essential to ensure an understanding of the goals and obtain support for the initiative. To support their long-term vision, they wanted to be certain not to create a one-time training program that would become just another “flavor of the month.”

Wells Fargo posted and discussed roadblocks to providing excellent customer services. They were intrigued to find that there is a therapeutic value in asking people to disclose and discuss their business problems and then regroup those problems to form a smaller set of action-oriented items.

Part of their mission was to empower people. Another intriguing learning was that if they wanted to “push” authority to people, they must also help those people move into a new world where they feel and act more empowered. Therefore, their people needed both guidance and reassurance.

Wells Fargo is now over two years into their cultural transformation. In-house trainers were qualified by Blanchard to present the principles of Raving Fans. They understood that a large organization has a pressing need to ensure that training permeate the entire organization.

To maintain their success, they took steps to preserve the excitement and momentum. For example, they sent out a 6,500-member survey. They asked, “Is there traction?” “Have you seen changes?” “Are we communicating well?” The bottom line is that Wells Fargo is prepared to offer Raving Fans customer service every day to every client—inside and outside of the organization. And what is the result of superior customer service? Teamwork and communication has improved and, equally important, the organization retains more clients and enjoys increased business as their clients rave about their services.