Thanks for reading my experiment! As I am searching for a new opportunity, I decided to try a reverse job hunt, by sharing my own “job ad”.
If you are interested or just curious, I’d be delighted to have a conversation!
Background
More than just delivering great experiences, Arjan has a track record of delivering business results. Where CX can often be seen as tactical, Arjan has a highly strategic approach, to achieve customers who are more loyal, come more often and spend more.
Where many leaders like to litter conversations with buzzwords and jargon, Arjan cuts through the clutter and focuses on the outcome.
What makes Arjan’s approach unique is his tendency to think connectively; he breaks down silos. That applies just not to his work, but his entire career. He has developed and delivered strategies, but also worked in operations across functions. As a result he is able to shift gears quickly, to translate strategies into action, or relate operational issues back to past strategic decisions. Arjan is a connector, who works collaboratively across the organisation. He brings people together and makes them active part of the solution.
Experience
To give an idea of the variety of companies and industries: electronics (Philips, Nokia), consulting (PwC, Quest Worldwide and Schimmel Consulting), telecom (Telewest, Vodafone), retail (eBay, The White Company, Asda, Littlewoods), hospitality/leisure (Pizza Hut, McDonald’s), air travel (Lufthansa, Airbus), manufacturing (Philips, CSM, TMD), IT (Interactive1, &samhoud creative tech AR/VR), power supply (Aggreko), wholesale (Spicers), logistics (TNT Post Group), real estate / living communities (Majid Al Futtaim, ROSHN, FirstPort), banking (Mizuho, Lloyds TSB) and insurance (Tawuniya, Willis, Skandia, Unum, Dela).
He has done this across Europe, but also in the US, India and across the Middle East. He is currently based in Dubai.
Examples
For example, with Pizza Hut restaurants in the UK he implemented a new service model across the network (300+ restaurants). Instead of focusing on standards, scripts and procedures, staff were made responsible for delivering the right experience for customers. This led to a dramatic improvement in results: NPS increased by 24 points and complaints decreased by 40% within only 1 year. He then led analysis of new concepts that were tested in “alpha restaurants” before rolling them out across the network.
Arjan also created physical experiences, such as the experience centre of ROSHN, one of the world’s biggest real estate developers, in Saudi Arabia. He led this from beginning to end, from conception of concept to implementation. It is a highly successful destination in Riyadh (see here: https://eventcomm.com/projects/roshn).
Role
- Strategic role, focused on customer experience and innovation
- Part of leadership team (reporting to CEO or CEO -1)
- Full ownership of planning and implementation
- Empowered to take initiative and drive results
Requirements
- High performance culture
- Networked, highly collaborative organisation
- Diverse environment that encourages new approaches
