Hello. I confess that having a decent cup of coffee before I start my working day is one of my greatest pleasures; and I am lucky to be here in Colombia, living and working in this beautiful country that welcomed me five years ago, that is known around the world as one of the best and largest producers of coffee.
Without using a syllogism, I think that it’s no accident that being a coffee-producing country, Colombians have the best perception of well-being, associated with life expectancy.
Coffee is synonymous with well-being; a silent ally whose presence I feel every morning; a captivating aroma and a driving force. A sip of coffee stimulates the senses.
I honestly can’t imagine the world without coffee. Think for a second how many plans, dreams, companies, contracts,… or even how many love affairs have come together over a cup of coffee.
To be able to properly appreciate a cup of Colombian coffee, it is important to recognise the work and effort of the great many people who take great care and attention to ensure the highest quality of the final product for consumers around the world.
We too, in the Resources area of BBVA Colombia, work in the same way, as a team that focuses on service and always providing the best, so that others can do their jobs well.
Just like good coffee, we are everywhere; every morning we make it possible for thousands of computers, processes, information and links to work perfectly.
Our technological developments (the IT applications we design, develop and implement) facilitate the lives of their users (other areas and units in the bank), so they can perform their tasks more quickly and easily as well as inspiring and supporting the service actions of our clients (both the daily and regular, as well as more specific and innovative). In short, we provide convenience, proximity and well-being.
The thousand-year-old recipe for quality coffee therefore matches our work philosophy at BBVA Colombia: The secret is in doing a job with care and attention, delivering a quality product to the client, 100% coffee.
(In this photo I am accompanied by my team, the excellent Resources Unit of BBVA Colombia)
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(This photo is to introduce you to my excellent team in the Resources Unit at BBVA Chile).
but we hardly every meet him in person because that’s the responsibility of another part of our company – the sales and servicing teams.
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Well, I don’t cook, but what an anology! We in TeSS certainly have all the ‘ingredients ‘ to serve five star meals. The teams in place throughout TeSS work together to ensure our final products (meals) will satisfy our customers!
Sure Marianne…just an FYI for the general readers (this is an open Forum), TeSS stands for “Technology and Support Services”, which is the name of the IT&OPS Division in BBVA Compass, and that includes (don’t want to leave them out) not only all the Technology and Operations groups, but also Transformation, Security, Procurement, Real Estate, Corporate Services and our own group of Finance!
I completely agree with you…teamwork is key, specially with such a big and diverse group!!!
Thanks for your comment
Love the shot of you cooking and typing on your laptop at the same time. It’s true how both cooking and technology can be balancing acts. You have to know when something needs immediate attention and when other things can simmer in the background. Sometimes it’s about finding the PB&J solution instead of the 7-course menu too. Great analogy!
I agree, Care. That is the best expression of customer centricity…not “what can I cook” but “what does my customer NEED and for when”? We do technology in a bank for our customers…not for ourselves, don’t you think?
Great story!
And you’ve got to have the coriander! By the way, the laptop is way too close to your heat source. And I recommend cooks.com.
The Michelin 3-star rating is rare. And just like Michelin has a Red Guide for the oldest and best known European hotels and restaurants and a Green Guide for travel and tourism maybe we can inspire them to publish a Blue Guide for the best banks where BBVA and BBVA Compass will have 3 stars!
That is an excellent idea, Denisse. Now we have one extra motivation (just in case we did not have enough!
: we are working to set the standard for the 3 stars in the Blue Guide!
The comparison truly works for many things and is very applicable to the back-room nature of what we do in support services to help our front line business be successful. We need to always remember we are all part of the same team. Also, the example is good because we know how satisfying a good meal with good service can be. The meal is really prepared / maintained by back room functions and served our delivery systems, branch personnel and customer service representatives to create the “customer dining experience”.
You are absolutely right, Rod…we have to keep in mind that it is our responsibility to deliver a product that our front people can use for the benefit of the customer…otherwise, no matter how good they are in selling, we will not be able to build a long-term relationship with our customers…and they will neither come back to our restaurant again nor spread the word of how delightful our cuisine is!
Thanks for your post,
SF.
I agree that our various roles within TeSS take quite a bit of creative artistry to produce satisfying results for our internal and external customers. Our finished products, much like the meals in the story, require blending just the right ingredients (resources) to be successful. It is both educational and rewarding to work with such a multi-talented team. adelante!
¡Buen provecho! Bon appétit ! 津津有味
Gracias, Merci, Thank you Irene…and no idea how to say this in Chinese.
Maybe 谢谢???
(yes, I did…google’d it)
Awesome analogy – to our customers internal and external bon appetit…Salud! The dessert of success is the sweatest!
Thank you, Hal. You know a lot about Customer Service…in the Cards’ world, it is a must to have a good one! I love your conclusion about the success! Greetings, SF.
Love the comparison and I totally agree with “everyone’s taste is different”. Much like the diner or restaurant we all frequent, if the food is good and the service great, we automatically come back for more.
At a restaurant in Madrid, Arce, the chef sits with you to discuss your likes and dislikes, creating a unique series of dishes just for you.
This is similar to how TeSS has matured from mere order-takers (waiters) who are bound to implement particular solutions to being chefs who understand the business needs and are empowered to provide options to the diners … I mean customers.
Great comment, Donald!
Indeed, I have been enjoying Iñaki Camba’s hospitality a couple of times in Madrid. The TeSS transformation, from reactive to proactive, from writers to listeners, is part of the Technology Transformation that we are running in BBVA Compass. Don’t you think it is much better, and also that we can better help the bank with this approach?
Thanks for your reply,
SF.
A chef/restaurant has to adapt to taste trends in much the same way banking trends change with technology. If we are not proactive in that approach it will be a hard bite to swallow. Great Hat by the way.
Thanks for your comment, Perry. Yes, we have to adapt to change…and there is one post in the Spanish blog (I know you can read Spanish, ha!) that talks about simplicity…what do you think? Have we gone too far in the complexity, loosing our customer focus?
Love it! If only all our risks could be mitigated with parsley!!!
Great analogy! Just like creating a great dish… if the customer really likes it, they’ll be there time and time again for more!
I really like your analogy. It takes a blend of skills, talent and resources to create our masterpieces.
And as someone with experience in the branches and behind the scenes, I really relate to the fact that both teams have roles in serving our customers.
Great comparison! My passion for cooking (armature Chef) comes from the preparation of the meal, then seeing the reaction as someone eats that meal. Like a Chef, Tess employees we are very passionate about the work we do and are excited when our customers find our creation satisfying.
Great analogy! Coming from 32 years of front line sales and service, I can assure you that it does not matter how good the sales and service staff is, if you mess up in the Kitchen, they will not be able to sell it to the client and the client will not come back for their next meal. That is why I agree with you that the best ingredients, tools and resources are very important for repeat business.
Of course, Mona…your experience says it all!!! After 32 years of service, maybe you can tell us a bit about the big transformation of the banking industry, of which BBVA Compass is now becoming a great example: from product-banking to customer centric-banking. That is the real challenge, do you think we are on the right track?
Thanks for your comment,
SF.
Absolutely! From someone that started as a teller using the big bulky NCR machines and the biggest improvement was to go to the sharp machine, I would say we are defintely on the right track. I thought I would not live to see the day when we go online. I was seeing the technology growing all around me at other banks and was jealous. Now I see us and envision our future being the leader not the follower.
You have a LOT of wisdom Mona! Everyone could learn a ton from you! Share it as much as you can like I share my great grandmas italian wedding cake recipe!!!
TeSS is like a great restaurant. With great planning, preparation, and execution we deliver great products and services.
Yes Francine…and remember, PASSION have to be present everywhere…the customer can feel it!
Thank you,
SF.
I couldnt agree more Francine!
I love this! What has really been interesting to me is going from ensuring that the finished dishes are “plated” well for the customer (marketing), to gaining a better understanding of the many steps that actually go into the preparation of each dish.
Great blog. Look forward to the next installment.
Sure, Cindy. At the end, moving around the company gives us the opportunity that all the links in the chain are valuable and necessary to achieve the final result. Not to mention that you can apply the lessons learned in one division to the work you do in the next one, don’t you think?
Thanks for your comment,
SF.
Your analogy is great. We in the TeSS group have as much to do with the success of the bank as the front line employees. If we do not do a good job of providing them with the tools they need to give their customers the products and services they want, the customer will go elsewhere to get them.
Sergio – Que analogia tan fenomenal. Esta en punto. I do hope when you retire (or when you have your next pachanga) that I get to taste some of your cooking melange. We are pleased with our BBVA Compass service and even when I was in Atlanta, we never considered moving our account. Keep up the good work!!!
Liliana
Gracias Liliana. Next time you are in Birmingham we will share one BBVA Compass-style paella;-).
I think our Dept, Loss Prevention, would be akin to the Health Dept: We have to review each restaurant to maintain our high cleanliness “rating” to keep the customer feeling safe, healthy and returning for repeat business aa well as referring us to other potential customers!
Got to keep them “cucarachas” out of our kitchens!
Thanks for your comment, Cindy. You are right,…it is very critical that you guys in loss prevention are always in alert-mode!!! fraud is getting more and more sofisticated, and we have to make sure that all the processes are absolutely safe four our customers…Safety first, Fun and Joy second!
There are many fine restaurants, good cooks and great chefs, waiters and waitresses and fast food restaurants, but you are correct. In order to create the FinestRestaurant (BBVA). We must create (Process & Design) great Versatile Menus, such as American, Chinese, Italian, Spanish and many other various dishes that will keep all of our customers coming back for more and spreading the word that BBVA is the place to Dine. A place (BBVA) where people can pick up their breakfast, go back for lunch and call ahead to (BBVA) and pick up a complete take home dinner of the Finest Cuisine for the whole family (Art, Creativity and Skills, Team Work). A place where people can do all of their investments, whether Online or in person. Easy to read menus ( Solfware programs, Resources & Tools, IT) great communication that will cause the customer to get excited (Inspiration) and friendly (Passion) service. A place where all customers will feel that their Investments are Secure (Loss Prevention) and their Privacy is (Corporate Security) Safe.
I truly enjoyed reading your analogy and loved the hat a well! The work put forth by all of the BBVA employee’s to ensure a satisfactory experience for our customers is enterprise wide. It cannot be successful with only one area or even a few areas. We have to all come together to earn a 5 star rating. Through teamwork we can achieve even this and build a foundation of trust from our clients that keep them coming back for more!
With TeSS as the “kitchen” team, we have to be innovative to differentiate our restaurant/meals and be passionate about the foods we create. A quality restaurant experience will keep our customers coming back and will draw new customers.
Interesting blog!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Ashley. Despite being the “kitchen”, which is true, we have to make sure that we do not lose our customer focus…we have to make sure that each member of our teams feel their own responsibility in the quality of the product and the service we provide.
Very nice comparison Sergio! You know, over the years we have seen the success of creating great meals and it has grown our customer base and kept them coming back for more. But like any great restaurant, I believe we strive to set ourselves apart and above the others by selecting the finest cuts of meat, the freshest vegetables, and taking the time to make sure they are combined just right. Remember, anyone can make Chicken with Pasta, but it takes good teamwork to make it memorable.
Great read! I know for me, the experience is as important as the food being served!
I love this analogy! Anyone who has worked with me as the TeSS recruiter will say that I always tell them recruiting IT candidates is like baking a cake. All of the right ingredients have to come together at the right time, in the right environment to make a delicious masterpiece. We have learned this to be true over and over again on our department. Every ingredient that we add (every new employee) has to compliment the recipe so the outcome is serving not only our internal clients but our customers. Its easy to see how delicious the end product is but it wouldnt be possible without each individual ingredient (contributor). Thanks so much for starting this conversation! Brightened my day.. AND MADE ME REALLY HUNGRY!!
What a fantastic concept and process! It’s about creating our menu to serve all tastes, excellent principle!