THE

SECRET SAUCE

First and foremost, a fearless, uber-talented team of change agents who I manage using a start-up business model where we operate as a cross-functional meritocracy.

 

Second, relentless optimism in the face of constant skepticism from leadership.

 

Third, amplification of our reach through recruiting and training a cascade of like-minded representatives throughout the Department.

 

Fourth, piloting digital tools designed to enhance our understanding of the interface between our employees and their customers:

• AskUSDA Contact Center and knowledge base for access to self-service and tier 1 information;

• OneUSDA all-employee intranet for bidirectional communication between leadership and employees;

• Online, omni-channel customer feedback mechanism that pulls input from surveys, continuous customer input, social media and website analytics to dashboards; and

• Online digital strategy playbook providing agencies with a standardized way to rebuild their websites focusing on their users’ needs.

 

Fifth, building a supportive, enthusiastic network of federal and industry CX experts who have been there, done that and want to help others spread the magic of this initiative.

 

And last but not least in my secret sauce is patience. The patience to evangelize this effort one conversation at a time.