The Challenge: A Team Divided
When most companies think about customer experience (CX), their first instinct is to focus externally—on the people buying their products or using their services. But what happens when the disconnect lies within the organisation itself? When the people delivering the work—the internal customers—are disengaged, disjointed, and unable to collaborate effectively?
That was the situation a leading South African bank faced when they approached Interact. While their customer-facing strategies were already undergoing transformation, they recognised a deeper, more foundational issue brewing inside their own walls.
At the heart of the problem was a multi-disciplinary team assembled to drive innovation and business transformation. However, the team struggled to function as a unit. Departments operated in silos, team members lacked cohesion, and collaboration was more aspiration than reality. More critically, because most of these employees were not directly customer-facing, there was a growing disconnect between their daily responsibilities and the bank’s larger purpose.
They didn’t just need a team-building day. They needed a cultural shift—a new lens through which to view their roles, their value, and their contribution to the organisation’s success. That’s when Interact stepped in.
Our Approach: Introducing a Culture of CX
From our very first engagement, it was evident that this wasn’t a one-day fix. A conventional team-building event—no matter how fun or energetic—wouldn’t be enough to embed lasting change. What this team needed was a transformative journey: one that would realign purpose, reignite collaboration, and restore a shared sense of meaning.
We proposed our Culture of CX solution: a structured, multi-phase programme designed to place customer experience at the heart of internal culture. But more importantly, it would help the team understand that everyone—whether customer-facing or not—has an impact on the customer journey.
Our goal was to create a culture shift, not just a morale boost. And that starts with mindset.
Phase One: Orientation and Immersion
We began with a full-day CX orientation workshop, designed not as a lecture but as an interactive, reflective experience. Our objective was to demystify the concept of customer experience and bring it to life in a way that resonated with each individual in the room.
We encouraged the team to explore what CX meant beyond the buzzwords. Through carefully designed exercises and group discussions, they examined how their roles contributed—directly or indirectly—to the customer’s journey. They began to see their work not in isolation, but as interconnected pieces of a larger puzzle.
One of the most powerful exercises of the day centred around a deceptively simple question: “Why do you come to work every day?”
This wasn’t about job descriptions or performance metrics. It was about purpose. The exercise required participants to keep asking “why?”—peeling back layers of routine, assumption, and habit until they reached the core of their personal motivations. The result was a room full of professionals who began to see their roles with fresh eyes and renewed meaning.
From Insight to Action
While the orientation workshop was an eye-opener, we knew that sustained transformation requires consistent reinforcement. One impactful day is valuable—but only if it becomes the catalyst for ongoing action.
To ensure the momentum continued, we proposed a 6-month roll-out of hands-on, tactile CX engagement exercises and team challenges, each designed to build on the workshop insights and encourage active collaboration. These exercises would blend learning with doing, ensuring that the principles of customer-centricity didn’t remain theoretical but became embedded in day-to-day work.
Alongside these activities, we began crafting a bespoke Customer Experience Book—a living document to guide the team on their journey. This book would serve as both a strategic compass and a cultural artefact, documenting their progress, capturing the ideals they aspire to, and providing practical tools for CX thinking in everyday contexts.
The book was not just for reference—it became a symbol of their commitment to transformation.
Tangible Results: A Shift in Culture
Already, the client has reported noticeable changes in their internal environment. Communication between departments has improved, and previously siloed teams are showing early signs of genuine collaboration. Individuals are taking ownership of how their work contributes to the bigger picture, and there’s a renewed sense of energy around purpose and impact.
Perhaps most importantly, the idea of customer experience is no longer something “out there” for front-line staff to worry about. It’s something that lives inside the organisation—within systems, behaviours, processes, and people.
As one participant shared after the workshop:
“I’ve always thought of the customer as someone else’s problem. Now I see that everything I do has a ripple effect on the customer experience—even if I never meet them.”
Looking Ahead
Transformation, particularly cultural transformation, doesn’t happen overnight. But with the right strategy, tools, and mindset, it can take root in powerful ways.
Our continued work with the bank includes regular pulse checks, evolving the customer experience book as the team matures, and developing new ways to embed CX thinking in their daily operations. The upcoming months will see the launch of more team challenges and reflection sessions designed to maintain momentum and track progress.
At Interact, we believe that customer experience begins with employee experience. When your teams are aligned, connected, and empowered with purpose, the ripple effects reach your customers—whether you’re a bank, a retailer, or a telecoms giant.
This engagement has been a reminder that the most impactful CX work often starts from the inside out. And with this South African bank, the future of CX is looking brighter every day.
Visit us at: /https://www.interactrdt.com/