Improved service produces growth in southern Denmark:

Improved service, increased productivity and growth were some of the outcomes that came out of MindLab’s cooperation with the Enterprise and Construction Authority on improving the services provided by the business incubator known as Væksthus Syddanmark.

It is difficult for such incubators to attract entrepreneurs, who often associate public-sector institutions with rigid systems and time-consuming prescriptive formalities. Additionally, the users of the incubator range from a small hair salon employing one or two people to a large IT company that is preparing to capture international markets. Such a diversity of users self-evidently places great demands on the consultants employed by the incubators if they are to provide targeted guidance to businesses. In collaboration with the 1508 design firm, MindLab helped Væksthus Syddanmark to make its client companies’ service experience the central focus of its activities.

MindLab involved:

• 12 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the South Denmark region.
• Selected staff, via workshops and observations of the guidance sessions at Væksthus Syddanmark.

Principal results

• Improved service. Today, Væksthus Syddanmark is ranked top among the five regions in terms of customer satisfaction.
• Growth. The incubator is better able to generate growth and jobs among companies and in the region.
• Productivity. The incubator conducts fewer unnecessary meetings with businesses because communication is now more direct, and mutual expectations in the guidance sessions regarding goals and content are better aligned.

What MindLab did

MindLab employees and 1508 conducted field work at Væksthus Syddanmark and 12 SMEs. Jointly with 1508, MindLab then involved the consultants of Væksthus in a workshop process. Here, two elements of the project in particular contributed to the incubators’ ability to deliver improved service: personas, which are lavishly described archetypal company profiles; and service journeys, which illustrate the individual elements of the businesses’ guidance experience right from their very first contact with Væksthus through all the various individual interactions with its advisers. Both have helped Væksthus’ consultants to customize their guidance trajectories so that they position the entrepreneurs’ needs at the centre of their activities to a far greater degree.

In a final workshop, a number of firms then tested the structural concept of the new service experience, which is that Væksthus’ consultants will provide the businesses with their services while assuming the role of ‘dream catchers’. In other words, the consultants must familiarize themselves with the business owners’ unique situations and help them to rebuild their confidence if the project appears confusing at times.