Launching Controls Connect Support Website

GE Energy

The world leader in power generation had a problem. Customers were getting frustrated. They couldn’t get the information they needed quickly and easily, if at all. Partnering with GE, we came up with a strategy: design, create, implement, brand and promote a Knowledge Management (KM) tool that not only solves the problem, it changes the game.

Controls Connect is a self-service portal that gives easy and direct access to GE’s vast database of knowledge and solutions. It not only provides technical answers to customer questions but serves as a repository for new information, creating enriched content as a by-product of solving problems. Customer feedback is captured and used to improve the collective knowledge of the database.

Controls Connect is intuitive and easy to use thanks to our user experience design process. And based on data from multiple research methods, its features and functionality are just what users are looking for. We used feedback from a customer advisory board and an iterative approach of Alpha and Beta releases to validate and refine the tool prior to commercialization.

When it was time to introduce Controls Connect to the world, our marketing expertise was put to work as we developed a communication plan that targeted all customers, no matter where they fit within the commercialization lifecycle (initiation, activation, action or advocacy). The launch strategy included personalized email campaigns, webinar events, an online user guide, branded print materials and premium giveaways.

And besides being a great new tool to make the business better, this multi-channel, holistic approach to product development resulted in something else. GE’s Net Promoter Score, the measure by which customer satisfaction is gauged, has risen more than 180% with Controls Connect in place. Everybody wins.

For this new solution to succeed and be sustainable, GE Energy employees had to continually contribute their solutions into the knowledge management system so everyone could take advantage of them. Our marketing plan targeted GE internal stakeholders to encourage their participation and commitment to contributing to the knowledge base. We also wanted to create excitement and foster and cultivate a team culture.

Our tactics included KM coaching sessions, creating an internal KM Academy, BBQs, ICe Cream Socials, newsletters, videos, contests, recognition programs and many reinforcements such as polo shirts, brain stress balls, prizes, KM belts, banner ads and more.