At Crédit Agricole Sud Méditerranée, collaboration is at the heart ot the business plan
At the begining of 2021, at the heigt ot its CA2020 by SudMed corporate project, Crédit Agricole Sud Méditerranée (CASM) decided to build its vision for 2030. A new strategic project that combines the long view with the short view of day-to-day agility, adn puts the emphasis on people, the anchor of the approach. From vision building to the operational implementation of transformation projects... Feedback from Nicolas Tavernier, Managing Director, and Claire Pujol, General Secretary.
A vision aligned with our DNA
"In building our vision, we wanted to take account of changes and transitions in customers, techology, society and banking. With a common link between all these dimensions: utility. We are convinced that a company that does not contribute to the progress of society is a company that will disappear," says Nicolas Tavernier. It is therefore from 2021 that the directors of the regional mutual bank and the members of the Management Committee, supported by the teams from Quaternaire, are building the CASM 2030 vision. "We needed to work with a company that could provide us with a fresh, external perspective, while at the same time having a good understanding of the company and its culture. Quaternaire fulfilled this role: the team they mobilized helped us to evolve without changing us. It's really very positive!"
To formalize this vision and the first MTP (Medium-Term Plan) that accompanies it, three keys to success were identified. "Firstly, we needed coherence. So, we worked to identify and then summarize all the bank's strategic challenges. What's more, we were very inspired by what other companies had to say about similar initiatives. And reassured too! Next, we deployed a co-construction method, with back-and-forts discussions between governance, managers and employees. This ensured efficienvy and left little room for improvisation!" explains Nicolas Tavernier. Todat, the 2030 vision is built arout 6 major pillars: customers, members, social, economic, societal and innovation.
A 2022-2024 MTP to launch the vision
In order to turn vision into reality, the first project has already been launched: the MTP 2022-2024. It's called "Committed Partner". In its title, as in its variations, this PMT is 100% consistent with the company's DNA: "Acting every day in the interests of our customers". "Partner", because for Nicolas Tavernier, the bank positions itself first and foremost as a partner and companion to its customers, and aims to be a trusted third party. "Committed", because commitment determines the success and fulfillment of strategic orientations. This notion also reflects the voluntarism that permeates our approach.
In concrete terms, the MTP is based on the 6 pillars of Vision 2030 and focuses on 6 development priorities:
- Delivering a remarkable customer experience that sets all our members apart.
- Acting for social cohesion and inclusion.
- Focusing continuingly on youth employment and training.
- Promoting useful local investments.
- Stimulating and supporting environmental and agricultural transitions.
- Simplifying the daily lives of individual, professionnal and business customers through innovative solutions.
It comprises 71 projects, 5 of wich are considered priorities:
- Welcoming customers
- Reachability
- Digital development
- Delegation development
- CSR
"These projects, wich will have a major impact on customer satisfaction, the well-being of our employees in the performance of their duties and the local area, are a priority for CASM", explains Nicolas Tavernier.
Co-construction that puts people at the center
"Co-construction doesn't stop with the development of the vision and the MTP. It plays a central role in deployment and operational follow-up. Head office and network teams work together on a global approach," explains Claire Pujol, CASM General Secretary.
"We're trying to deal with the 5 priority projects at the same time, with the same structure to find rapid solutions and bring them to fruition, because they work together," says Claire Pujol.
The teams carried out a multi-stage, cross-functional project to provide a rapid response to the issues identified.
Project management is also a major asset: the role and missions of each stakeholder, and the expectations and frequency of the various committees (steering, coordination and management) are well defined and shared by all.
As Claire Pujol points out, "It's one of the strenghts of this projets. What's more, we don't hesitate to call on Quaternaire if we run into any difficulties, to discuss the method again or desacralize the expectations, for example."
Finally, Gladys, a digital solution, has been adopted to monitor the progress of the various sites in real time.
"We've identified the workstreams and projects with a logical, progressive timetable. This allow us to assert that over 3 years, if we implement the whole project in a sequenced, orderly and logical manner, we will achieve the expected results," confides Nicoas Tavernier.
A first assessment with encouraging impact
The transformation project is ambitious and still in its infancy. But the results are already positive. For Nicolas Tavernier, the method offers great coherence and progressiveness in the implementation of the project. He is now convinced: "When you pivot and take original paths without utopia, it's quite possible to achieve real success". What's more, he's observed an increase in the skills of the teams in their ability to lead heterogeneous projects, sometimes far removed from their usual prerogatives. The proof is that the project inspires, engages and energizes the whole company.
Focus on "physical welcome" and "reachability" projects
These projects are key to increasing customer satisfaction (Customer Recommendation Index) and employee satisfaction. The challenge is to deal with irritants reported by customers, anticipate their expectations and improve working conditions and the way our professions operate. From diagnosis tot iteration and prioritization of solutions, these projects have mobilized some fifty people: customers, employees, members and other "Caisses Régionales" (Regional branches) to draw inspiration from best practices...
The anchor point of the transformation: start again from the customer experience and recreate differientiating paths within local branches. On the basis of an inventory and prospective studies, the project groups met for 2 days in "collaborative breakthrough" mode to identify, together:
- The major gains to be made: waiting and handling times, pick-up rates...
- The first ideas for solutions, to be supported by each group: opening hours, dedicated business lines, postures and practices, team organization...
- Anticipated impacts: benefits for customers, employees and the company.
Pooling skills over 2 days enabled us to deliver more efficiently and avoid over-suscribing employees.
Crédit Agricole Sud Méditerranée
- Activity: Bank for 289,33 individual, professional and business customers
- Creation: January 1983
- Number: 870 employees
- Net banking revenue: €159,1M (on 12/31/2021)
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