Swiss Re

Our global organization has faced several critical business challenges that necessitated a strategic shift towards digital adoption. These challenges included:

Low User Adoption and Engagement: Despite investing in advanced digital tools and platforms, we observed low or slower-than-expected user adoption rates and engagement levels. Employees were struggling to navigate and utilize these tools effectively, leading to underutilization, use of technology and process functionality that was not as designed, and a lack of return on investment.

High Volume of Support Requests: The complexity of some of our digital tools resulted in a significant number of support requests, particularly Customer Knowledge tickets. This not only overwhelmed our IT support teams but also caused delays in resolving user issues, impacting overall productivity. Analysis of average Customer Knowledge tickets per month across numerous application and user communities we support revealed the greatest opportunities to help reduce these numbers. Additionally, the ticket turnaround from IT support averages 2 weeks; whereas, our WalkMe solutions can be released to Production within a few hours to a few days, depending on the need.

Inefficient Onboarding and Training Processes: Our traditional onboarding and training methods were time-consuming and often failed to equip new employees with the necessary skills to use our digital tools efficiently. This has led to prolonged onboarding times and inconsistent user experiences.

Data Quality and Process Adherence Issues: Ensuring data quality and adherence to processes has been a persistent challenge. Users often make errors during data entry or fail to follow established processes such as SOPs, leading to data inconsistencies and operational inefficiencies. In some cases these data and processing errors could impact regulatory compliance and lead to financial loss or even risk reputational injury for the organization.

Change Management Difficulties: Implementing changes and updates to our digital tools was met with resistance and confusion among users. Attendance to technology sprint reviews/release demos was very low and communications around these changes were not always delivered consistently to the right audiences. This often hindered our ability to roll out new features, processes, and improvements effectively.

To address these challenges, we chose a digital adoption strategy centered around WalkMe. This decision was driven by several key factors:

Enhanced User Experience: WalkMe’s in-app guidance and interactive walk-thrus provide users with real-time assistance, making it easier for them to navigate and utilize our digital tools. This has significantly improved user adoption and engagement.

Reduction in Support Requests: By analyzing, partnering with support teams, and offering contextual help and self-service options, WalkMe is empowering users to resolve their issues independently. This is helping us to drive a reduction in Customer Knowledge tickets, among other support tickets, and allow our IT teams to focus on more strategic initiatives.

Streamlining Onboarding and Training: WalkMe has enabled us to create personalized onboarding experiences and training modules that cater to the specific needs of our users. This accelerates the onboarding process and ensures that new employees are proficient in using our digital tools from day one. We are currently updating the Walkme onboarding experience and plan to standardize it across our application portfolio.

Improved Data Quality and Process Adherence: With WalkMe’s step-by-step guidance and automated validations, we are able to safeguard expected behavior and as a result, users are less likely to make errors during data entry. This improves data quality and ensures adherence to established processes, enhancing overall operational efficiency.

Effective Change Management: WalkMe has facilitated smoother change management by helping us to provide users with timely information and guidance on new features and updates. For example, we now publish the sprint review demo recordings and release notes directly within the applications to ensure the entire user community has the latest information they need to complete their work in the systems effectively. We also track the data to understand the adoption rates and drive visibility of the most important changes. This improves the outreach directly to the application user communities impacted, reduces resistance to change, and ensures that users are well-prepared to adopt new functionalities.

In summary, our digital adoption strategy, powered by WalkMe, has been helping us to address the critical business problems we face by enhancing user experience, reducing support requests, streamlining onboarding and training, improving data quality and process adherence, and facilitating effective change management. In addition, tracking and leveraging the behavioral data around these efforts has helped us to prove the value and impact of the digital adoption efforts we deliver. This transformational impact has strengthened our organization as a leader in digital adoption, user experience, and innovation.

To address the challenges our organization faced, we implemented WalkMe as a core component of our digital adoption strategy, integrating it with other strategies and technologies to maximize its impact. We’ve also been standardizing our WalkMe user experience and implementations around key focus areas. Here’s how we did it:

User-Centric Design and In-App Guidance:
We leveraged WalkMe’s in-app guidance and interactive walk-thrus to provide real-time assistance to users. Our content builders also meet regularly as a community to align on best practices for WalkMe solution design and content management. This approach ensured that users received contextual help exactly when they needed it, reducing frustration and increasing engagement. By designing user-centric experiences, we were able to improve the overall usability of our digital tools.

Data-Driven Insights and Behavioral Analytics:
WalkMe’s analytics capabilities provided us with valuable insights into user behavior and engagement. By tracking user interactions and identifying pain points, we were able to make data-driven decisions to optimize our digital tools. We also bridged WalkMe’s analytics with our internal dashboards to monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and measure the impact of our digital adoption initiatives. Additionally, we are currently standardizing our behavioral data dashboards, digital adoption data strategy, and benefit realization practices to increase stakeholder visibility and engagement.

Change Management and Communication:
Effective change management was crucial for the successful adoption of new features and updates. We used WalkMe to create and distribute release notes, demo recordings, and in-app notifications in a standardized way across our application portfolio to keep users informed about changes. This proactive communication strategy reduced resistance to change, familiarized users around this messaging experience, allowed us to better track engagement, and optimize that users would be well-prepared to adopt new functionalities.

Process Adherence and Data Quality:
Ensuring process adherence and data quality was a significant challenge. WalkMe’s step-by-step guidance and automated validations helped users follow established processes accurately, reducing errors and improving data quality. We are also using WalkMe to enforce compliance with data entry standards, ensuring more consistency across the organization.

Support and Self-Service:
By offering contextual help and self-service options through WalkMe, we are empowering users to resolve their issues more independently. This has led to a reduction in support requests and allows our IT support teams to focus on more strategic initiatives. Users can access help articles, process guidelines, FAQs, and troubleshooting guides directly within the applications, enhancing their self-sufficiency.

Collaboration with Hybrid Partners:
We collaborated with hybrid partners to extend WalkMe’s capabilities across various applications. This partnership allowed us to leverage external expertise and resources to implement WalkMe solutions more effectively and more sustainably. By also working more closely with product teams – business and tech, as well as operational excellence stakeholders, we are ensuring that WalkMe is seamlessly integrated into our digital ecosystem.

Continuous Improvement and Feedback Loop:
We worked with the product teams to establish a continuous improvement mechanism and process for collecting user feedback and leveraging the product owners to pipeline WalkMe opportunities to our team. Regular feedback sessions and surveys to the user community and additional stakeholders helped us identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments. This iterative approach ensured that our digital adoption strategy remained aligned with user needs and organizational goals.

Integration of Multiple Data Sources with WalkMe Insights:
We utilized WalkMe Insights in conjunction with other data sources such as PowerBI, Stargate, and HR Data to gain a holistic view of user interactions and behaviors. This integration allowed us to analyze and draw better associations and recommendations for improving user engagement and system adoption.

Leveraging Strategy with Senior Leadership:
Our strategy involved close collaboration with senior leadership to gain agreement to standardize WalkMe across our key focus areas and the Corporate Solutions application landscape. Regular touchpoints with leadership ensures that our goals are aligned and that we can share progress, impactful benefits realization examples, and insights effectively.

NextGen SOP Initiative:
We leveraged WalkMe as a key solution in our NextGen SOP initiative to modernize SOP content and bring it closer to users. By integrating WalkMe’s contextual guidance and interactive features, we have been piloting the effort to transform traditional SOPs, or critical processes within the SOPs, into dynamic, more user-friendly and safeguarded experiences. For example within one application, we created a WalkMe template to improve the quality of data captured in an open text field that often led to incomplete or inaccurate information and rework, causing significant productivity inefficiencies and delays.

Partnership with UX/UI Designers:
Our strategy includes a strong partnership with UX/UI Design to champion a user-centric approach. We are collaborating with our Corporate Solutions UX designer to better understand design system perspective and practices, ensure that WalkMe solutions are integrated seamlessly into the user interface, and to support them with enhancing the overall user experience.

In summary, our strategic use of WalkMe, combined with other technologies and approaches, enabled us to address our business challenges effectively. By enhancing user experience, streamlining onboarding and training, improving data quality, and facilitating change management to name a few, we are achieving notable improvements in user adoption, engagement, and overall productivity.

Our digital adoption strategy and execution have positively impacted our user communities, our team, and has even strengthened our visibility and partnership with leadership and stakeholders across our organization.

In the past year, we realigned our strategy to the organization’s objectives, we campaigned with operations and tech stakeholders to increase visibility and demonstrate WalkMe’s capabilities, we strengthened our WalkMe expertise through various certifications across each member of the team, we created active pipelines for WalkMe opportunities with Product Owners, Operational Excellence, Technical Support, and with objectives such as reducting Customer Knowledge tickets by up to 25% and to streamline Continuous Improvement cycles. We gained support from senior leadership to standardize WalkMe across key focus areas (CK ticket reduction, onboarding, change management, data quality and process adherence, employee productivity, behavior data and analytics, and UX/UI improvements) on core applications within our division. We expanded our hybrid partnerships to scale with additional resources, with more interest approaching our team. We have also been developing a broad stakeholder map around our efforts and the resources, partnerships, and subject matter experts that would further optimize what we do. And, we’ve been working diligently to develop stronger benefits realization practices, gathering clear and measurable examples of the before/after and overall impact of the WalkMe solutions we deliver.

WalkMe’s in-app guidance and interactive walkthroughs provide real-time assistance, reducing user frustration and increasing engagement. Across our primary applications with WalkMe for 2024 (excluding newer/onboarding applications), the percentage of active users who interacted with WalkMe averaged over 85%.

Our leadership has benefited from data-driven decision-making. WalkMe’s analytics provide insights into user behavior, helping us optimize our tools and our resources. We’ve integrated these analytics with our internal dashboards to monitor key performance indicators (KPIs). Collaborating with senior leadership has standardized WalkMe across our key focus areas, aligning it with our corporate strategy. Our NextGen SOP initiative has proven the ability to modernize SOP content, improving efficiency and user satisfaction.

Our experimental A/B testing has shown that tasks using WalkMe are completed 53% faster compared to traditional methods such as relying on external resources such as SOPs. Proactive notifications to user communities, even segmented groups, have improved data quality and compliance, reducing support tickets. WalkMe has also helped IT identify specific users impacted by technical issues, proactively communicating awareness of the issue and helping to prevent users from opening new tickets unnecessarily. Additionally, it has provided critical stop-gaps for regulatory and compliance issues, ensuring users follow the correct procedures.

Overall, WalkMe has noticeably improved user adoption, engagement, and overall productivity. Our team has strengthened as a result and are now looked to as a key resource from both business operations and technology sides of the house. Although we are still fairly early in our implementation of WalkMe across the organization, we are steadily maturing – with much progress in the past year alone. By enhancing user experience, streamlining training, improving data quality, and facilitating change management, we are effectively addressing our business challenges and delivering measurable outcomes for our organization.

Our strong focus on achieving positive, meaningful impact with our solutions and documenting the benefits realization are a direct part of our strategy. By educating and working with stakeholders to understand the significance of their requests and by tracking and showcasing examples of solutions delivered, we demonstrate the impact of WalkMe in meeting organizational and user community needs. This approach has helped us quantify the benefits, such as efficiency gains and cost savings, and align our initiatives with our mission, goals, and values.

Collaborating with senior leadership to standardize WalkMe across key focus areas has ensured consistent user experiences and maximized the impact of our digital adoption efforts. By partnering with UX/UI designers we can ensure a user-centric approach, making our digital tools more intuitive. Continuous feedback and improvements have also kept our strategy aligned with user needs.This supports our goal of achieving operational excellence and consistency.

WalkMe has also been crucial in our change management strategy by keeping users informed about changes through release notes, demo recordings, and in-app notifications. This proactive communication has reduced resistance to change and ensured users are well-prepared to adopt new functionalities. Additionally, WalkMe has provided critical stop-gaps for regulatory and compliance issues, ensuring users follow the correct procedures.

Last year, we leveraged WalkMe to deliver an organizational-wide Corporate Solutions Applications Quality survey to assess the sentiments from our global communities around key technical features and services of our applications within the ecosystem. The flexibility from WalkMe to reach the user-communities directly helped to drive the response rate.

We also delivered a targeted survey to our partner stakeholders (Product Owners, Digital Transformation Leads, Operational Excellence, etc.) to understand their overall satisfaction level with WalkMe, estimation of benefits that they see, what focus areas are most important to them, and what capabilities they’d like us to expand on. 69% of respondents believe that WalkMe saves the average application user a bare minimum of 5 minutes for each employee every day. In aggregate, that’s a significant savings. 100% of respondents were either Satisfied or Very Satisfied by our turnaround and delivery time of WalkMe solutions (with most solutions being built and delivered within a week).

I am incredibly proud of our implementation of WalkMe and the transformative success it has brought to our organization. The aspect that makes me most proud is the significant and measurable impact we have achieved in enhancing user adoption, improving productivity, and driving business outcomes through our digital adoption strategy. Some examples are:

1. Increased User Adoption and Engagement: One of our primary goals was to improve user adoption of our digital tools. By leveraging WalkMe’s in-app guidance and interactive walk-thrus, we have seen a steady increase in user adoption rates. Employees are more engaged and confident in using our digital platforms, which has led to higher productivity and satisfaction. This success is a testament to the effectiveness of our user-centric approach and the power of real-time assistance.
2. Reduction in Support Requests: The introduction of self-service options and contextual help through WalkMe has helped reduced the volume of support requests. Users can resolve their issues independently, which not only empowers them but also allowed our IT support teams to focus on more strategic initiatives. This reduction in support requests has streamlined our operations and improved overall efficiency.
3. Streamlined Onboarding and Training: Our onboarding and training processes are being transformed by WalkMe. Personalized onboarding experiences and training modules have accelerated the learning curve for new employees, ensuring they are proficient in using our digital tools from day one. Although standardization of onboarding is ongoing within our team, this has reduced onboarding times in key applications and provided a consistent and positive experience for new hires.
4. Improved Data Quality and Process Adherence: Ensuring data quality and adherence to established processes was a significant challenge. WalkMe’s step-by-step guidance and automated validations have minimized errors during data entry, leading to improved data quality and process adherence. This has enhanced our operational efficiency and ensured consistency across the organization.
5. Effective Change Management: Implementing changes and updates to our digital tools was often met with resistance. However, with WalkMe, we have been able to facilitate smoother change management by providing users with timely information and guidance on new features and updates. This proactive communication strategy has reduced resistance to change and ensured that users are well-prepared to adopt new functionalities.

The success of our WalkMe implementation is not just about the numbers and metrics; it’s about the positive impact on our employees and the organization as a whole. Seeing our employees become more confident and self-sufficient in using digital tools, witnessing the reduction in support requests, and experiencing the improved efficiency and productivity firsthand are incredibly rewarding.

Moreover, the collaborative effort and dedication of the Digital Adoption Platforms & Data team in building these solutions, tracking the data, and achieving these results with WalkMe makes me proud. We have fostered a culture of continuous improvement and innovation, and our success with WalkMe is a reflection of our commitment to excellence and our ability to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing digital landscape.

In summary, the most rewarding aspect of our implementation is the tangible and positive change it has brought to our organization. It has not only solved critical business challenges but also empowered our employees and positioned us as a leader in digital adoption and innovation.

Karyn McCrea, VP, Digital Adoption Platforms & Data Lead, Digital Transformation P&C: As Co-Lead for the Digital Adoption Center of Excellence (CoE) within Swiss Re’s Corporate Solutions division, and as manager for the Digital Adoption Platforms & Data team responsible for WalkMe within the CoE, I spearhead initiatives to enhance digital adoption and drive transformational business impact through innovative strategies and data-driven insights.

In my role, I am responsible for implementing a comprehensive data, insights, and reporting strategy that refines the use of digital adoption measurements across supported platforms. This strategy aims to provide stakeholders with actionable data and insights to improve adoption, efficiency, and technology enhancements. My leadership ensures that the CoE continuously evolves to meet the dynamic needs of the organization, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and collaborative decision-making.

As head of the Digital Adoption Platforms & Data team, I focus on empowering my team and our business and tech stakeholders with behavioral data to make impactful decisions. By leveraging WalkMe and other digital adoption tools, my team addresses key business challenges such as application usage, onboarding, change management, process adherence, and employee productivity. My efforts are unwavering in promoting a user-centric approach and enhancing the overall digital experience for employees.

Results Achieved:

Increased User Adoption: By implementing WalkMe’s in-app guidance and interactive walkthroughs, user adoption rates have significantly increased, leading to higher engagement and productivity.
Reduction in Support Requests: The introduction of self-service options and contextual help through WalkMe has led to a substantial reduction in support requests, allowing IT teams to focus on strategic initiatives.
Streamlined Onboarding and Training: Personalized onboarding experiences and training modules have accelerated the onboarding process, ensuring new employees are proficient in using digital tools from day one.
Improved Data Quality and Process Adherence: WalkMe’s step-by-step guidance and automated validations have reduced errors during data entry, improving data quality and ensuring adherence to established processes.
Effective Change Management: Proactive communication and in-app notifications have facilitated smoother change management, reducing resistance to new features and updates.

Vision for the Future:

I envision a future where digital adoption is seamlessly integrated into the fabric of the overall Swiss Re organization and aligned closely with the UX/UI designers and user communities at the onset of projects/initiatives, driving continuous improvement and innovation. Key elements of this vision include:

Expansion of WalkMe Capabilities: Extending the use of WalkMe across more applications and functional areas to standardize and improve user experience and satisfaction.

Data-Driven Decision Making: Leveraging behavioral data and analytics in a more integrated way to provide actionable insights that inform strategic decisions and optimize digital tool usage.

Enhanced User Experience: Continuously refining user-centric designs and in-app guidance to ensure a seamless and intuitive digital experience for all employees.

Scalable Solutions: Developing scalable digital adoption solutions that can be easily adapted to meet the evolving needs of the organization and its stakeholders.

Collaborative Innovation: Fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation by working closely with hybrid partners and product teams to implement effective WalkMe solutions.

My extensive experience in digital business transformation, user behavior analytics, and strategic vision positions me as a key driver of innovation and efficiency within Swiss Re Corporate Solutions. Along with my team, our commitment to excellence and our ability to partner cross-functionally helps reinforce our value to the organization.

Swiss Re is one of the world’s leading providers of reinsurance, insurance, and other forms of insurance-based risk transfer. With over 150 years of experience, Swiss Re works to make the world more resilient by helping clients and partners manage risk and recover from disasters. Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, Swiss Re operates through a network of offices worldwide, offering innovative solutions and unparalleled expertise to address the evolving needs of the global market.

Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, the division our Digital Adoption CoE resides, is the commercial insurance arm of the Swiss Re Group. Established to provide innovative and customized insurance solutions, Swiss Re Corporate Solutions leverages the financial strength and extensive knowledge of the Swiss Re Group to help businesses manage risk and protect their operations. With a global network of more than 50 offices in over 20 countries, Swiss Re Corporate Solutions offers a wide range of traditional and innovative insurance products designed to meet the unique needs of its clients. The company is committed to building lasting relationships and advancing corporate insurance to make businesses and the world more resilient.