Inviron

Source: Construction Digital

Date :27/06/2007 11:00:25

Exceeding Customer Expectations

Facilities Management and building services provider Inviron uses its DNA system to analyse how the business interacts with customers, ensuring that customer feedback is taken into account at all levels.

Written by Kier Doherty

Inviron offers a comprehensive range of building services, from building and marine systems to facilities management (FM) and climate systems. Its vision to be the most respected building services provider in the UK is informed by an egalitarian philosophy; employees own Inviron entirely. This allows the company to ensure its staff are energetic, passionate, and well rewarded.

An innovative approach to delivering customer satisfaction by Inviron has already seen customer satisfaction increase and employee buy-in improve just one year after implementation.

Referred to as Inviron dna, feedback from Inviron’s customers indicates an improved response in meeting their rising expectations.

From vision to reality

Inviron dna, developed by and unique to the company, is used to ensure a meaningful understanding of each individual customer and their expectations. When this information is shared amongst the Inviron team these expectations become widely understood by all those who support that customer. The performance against expectation is regularly measured.

Inviron was formed in January 2004 following the management buy-out of the Building Services division of Global giant ABB’s UK business. From its very inception Inviron has had the vision of becoming the most respected building services provider in the UK.

In 2004 Managing Director Garry Metcalfe began devoting senior management resources to plan how the vision would be achieved and ensure that plans were implemented to make sure that all employees understood this vision and the part each played in delivering it. What evolved was Inviron dna.

Today, Inviron is a business with an annual turnover of £100million, employing over 1,000 people directly, and many more indirectly.

During the past year Inviron has implemented its DNA methodology with a number of customers, including Anglian Water, DCRE - Defence Estates, Legal & General, E.ON, Airbus, Equion and BAA.

“Feedback confirms that satisfaction amongst our customers exposed to the DNA method has increased, in many cases by over 10 percent, and so has the expectation in terms of what Inviron will deliver in the future,” says Mr Metcalfe.

“The process is one that, unlike an initiative that tends to give short-lived improvements which then fade, builds the DNA programme is a way of life that continues indefinitely. But 2007 will see us increase the rate at which we implement the DNA programme across the rest of our customer base.”

What is Inviron DNA?

As with the DNA of living things, Inviron dna is made up of building blocks that break down, in a structured manner, what the company does as a business. Inviron’s DNA is a model that consists of 14 building blocks that identify how the business interacts with its customers. The customer is analysed to determine which of the 14 elements are predominant. Just as in humans, each customer is different, so Inviron tailors the service offered accordingly. This also enables the company to identify areas in which this interaction can be improved upon in order to raise customer satisfaction.

A key principle of Inviron dna is that it centres around frontline workers. They are the ones who, through regular interaction with customers, will largely determine whether the quality of service meets the client’s expectation.

This approach helps all employees at all levels understand an individual customer’s business and expectations. Other uses include linking the dna model and customer satisfaction results, to the company’s Management Development programme ensuring a direct link between the customer experience and the areas in which Inviron is spending its training budget.

Chris Butchart, responsible for Inviron dna, explains why it has been possible.

“Firstly, our company is owned entirely by its employees, this makes it easier to focus on long term success, but also take actions quickly. Secondly, we have a culture of openness and honesty. An approach like this would not work in an environment where management egos and blame culture were prevalent.” Since the inception of Inviron and its dna strategy, it’s seen as a major competitor and a stable partner for its clients.