Warner Brothers Games - Best Customer Satisfaction Strategy

Company: Warner Brothers Games, Burbank CA
Entry Submitted By:Officium Labs
Company Description: Warner Bros. Games is a premier worldwide publisher, developer, licensor and distributor of entertainment content for the interactive space across all platforms, including console, handheld, mobile and PC-based gaming for both internal and third-party game titles
Nomination Category: Customer Service & Call Center Awards Achievement Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Customer Satisfaction Strategy

Nomination Title: WB Games transformed CS into a profit center through enhanced CX

Warner Bros. Games is a premier worldwide publisher, developer, licensor and distributor of entertainment content for the interactive space across all platforms, including console, handheld, mobile and PC-based gaming for both internal and third-party game titles.

Officium Labs is a best-in-class CX firm that helps brands deliver amazing experiences everyday to their customers.

This initiative covers a remarkable customer service transformation, led by Warner Bros. Games and supported by Officium Labs. In 2019, we began working closely with Warner Bros. Games. As part of the leading ServiceStack Maturity Model trademarked by Officium Labs, Warner Bros. Games made investments in people, process, and technology that have propelled the company far ahead of its competition in terms of how it treats and supports its players.

The overarching goal of the new CX strategy: become a best-in-class service center that delivers revenue and LTV impact that creates “super fans.”

Most gaming companies see customer service as a necessary cost to be minimized. We are proving that customer experience is, in fact, a strategic function that can improve the overall player journey and deliver long-term value.

The transformation began with a shift in mindset, with the goal of delivering experiences that would increase player happiness and get users back to playing the game they love. This mindset has since spread through the customer service department, and well beyond to other areas of the studio.

Warner Bros. Games had a goal to transform the company’s customer service department into a best-in-class service center. The company believed that investing in customer service and demonstrating a player-first mentality would serve as a competitive differentiator for them. Naturally, they were right!

To measure progress, we began tracking two important metrics: customer satisfaction (CSAT) and player lifetime value (LTV) based on revenue. Improvements in these metrics clearly show that our mindset shift has delivered tremendous results for our client’s team, its studios, and—most importantly—its players. One of our client’s games, for example, has seen these dramatic improvements:

CSAT increased more than 60% for most valuable players (MVPs) in one year

LTV increased approximately 10% for players who report receiving great service

Everything from technology, to the service model, to analytics capabilities, to leadership mentality, the pieces came together in a remarkable way. We are so proud of our results with this strategy. Not only has player experience been greatly enhanced, but there has already been a significant financial impact back to the organization. This is a true example of how an excellent CX strategy can help the business win in every way.

Many successful experience strategies are built on data and analytics. Others are centered on innovative technology and process improvement. Still others focus on the human side and the up-skilling of people - but forever rooted in the power of our players and customers.

The core leaders of the initiative include: the SVP of Digital Publishing at Warner Bros. Games, core CS team members and a vendor manager, training manager, workforce manager, experience manager, a big data BI analyst, and many more. A critical role was the project manager, who ensured everyone was unified and that communication was flowing across all aspects of the initiative.

To help us understand stakeholder needs, we hosted a transformational workshop in June 2019. Through an exciting and interactive format, all essential leaders expressed their key needs and desires. Using a unique approach designed by Officium, priorities were identified in a collaborative manner and an “all in” vote of confidence was collected. Weekly transformation meetings have become a staple of the organization, giving all stakeholders a chance to report out and learn from one another’s progress.

From the beginning, Warner Bros. Games took a significant project management approach to ensure the fulfillment of key activities on time and on budget. Using a custom project management tool, core stakeholders mapped out a sophisticated series of “transformation work streams” that included milestones, supporting activities, and associated timelines. A top project manager was put onto the initiative full-time and has been essential in the coordination and communication aspects of the work.We've gone even deeper into areas of training, workforce management, analytics and so much more to achieve results no one would have thought possible.