HomeResearch & Knowledgeback to HomeGeneral Managementback to Research & KnowledgePioneering customer experience transformation in Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Developmentback to General Management

Case Study

Pioneering customer experience transformation in Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development

By Goutam Challagalla, Mahwesh Khan and Pallivathukkal Cherian Abraham

19 pages

February 2023

Order this case study

Reference: IMD-7-2403

The Human Resources and Social Development Ministry (HRSD) was one of the largest and most important ministries in Saudi Arabia, with 22,000 employees serving more than 30 million customers and beneficiaries. The ministry consisted of four sectors – labor which served and regulated the private and non-profit sectors; civil service which served government entities and employees; social development which served disadvantaged groups; and shared services which served the three customer-facing sectors. The three customer-facing sectors had been separate ministries until they were merged, and still operated mostly in silos. A new minister appointed in 2018 determined that the ministry had to be transformed to allow it to play its part in meeting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 roles. He brought in Mohammed Al Jasser in 2019 as Assistant Minister for Shared Services to spearhead the transformation. Customer experience (CX) transformation was a key part of this. The case describes the initial phase of the ministry’s CX transformation. It included creating a CX deputyship, putting CX strategy and governance in place, and carrying out pilot projects to address immediate problems and build support within the organization. The next phase of the CX transformation would be scaling up and implementing it across the ministry. The case discusses the challenges the ministry will face in this phase, including initiative fatigue, limited interest in improving CX, policy changes not aligned with CX, and fragmented service ownership. The case ends by mentioning two important issues for a successful CX transformation: Ensuring that the outsourcing of customer-facing activities, which was happening in parallel, supported this; and engineering a mindset and cultural shift among ministry officials. Although the first phase of the CX transformation had been successful, scaling up across the ministry would be challenging. How should Al Jasser and his team proceed to achieve this objective?

Learning Objective

Explore what it means to be customer-centric (job to be done).
Explore what it means for customer experience to be customer-centric (effortless and engaging).
Explore how companies can transform their customer experience to be customer-centric by building a CX culture and implementing the CX strategy effectively.

Keywords

General Management, Human Resources, Leadership, Marketing, Operations, Customer Experience, Customer Care, Transformation, Culture Change, Government, Public Sector, Non-profit

Settings

Middle East, Saudi Arabia
Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, Services, Government Administration
2020-2022

Type

Field Research

Available Languages

English

Related material

Teaching note, Video

IMD case studies are distributed through case clearing houses. In order to browse the collection and purchase copies please visit the links below.

The Case Centre

Cranfield University

Wharley End Beds MK43 0JR, UK
Tel +44 (0)1234 750903
Email [email protected]

Harvard Business School Publishing

60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163, USA
Tel (800) 545-7685 Tel (617)-783-7600
Fax (617) 783-7666
Email [email protected]

Asia Pacific Case Center

NUCB Business School

1-3-1 Nishiki Naka
Nagoya Aichi, Japan 460-0003
Tel +81 52 20 38 111
Email [email protected]

IMD retains all proprietary interests in its case studies and notes. Without prior written permission, IMD cases and notes may not be reproduced, used, translated, included in books or other publications, distributed in any form or by any means, stored in a database or in other retrieval systems. For additional copyright information related to case studies, please contact Case Services.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Best-selling Case Study

Keep reading

Article

Feeling Stuck - Career Move - Expert Tips

Thinking about a career change? Keen to move industry or transition into a new role? IMD professors share the best advice they have received or gleaned over their careers.

Leadership

By Julia Binder, Robert Hooijberg, Alyson Meister, Michael D. Watkins, John R. Weeks, Stefan Michel and Howard H. Yu

in I by IMD

Report

Lead the change: Pushing past roadblocks to drive sustainable business transformation in Europe

In today’s rapidly changing world, the urgency to maintain focus on sustainability has never been greater. While the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution demands immediate action, new challenges such as geopo...

Sustainability Business Transformation Innovation Leadership

By Julia Katharina Binder, Mahwesh Khan, Esther Salvi, Divya Bhatia, Florent Andrillon, Juliette De Maupeou and Liza Garay de Vaubernier

10 January 2025

Article

Why leaders don’t engage in strategic thinking

Strategic thinking is key to success. Overcome common excuses and develop the skills to navigate change, drive innovation, and prepare for future business challenges.

Leadership Strategy

By Michael D. Watkins

in I by IMD

Article

Leadership 2025 - 5 Key Behaviors - Tania Lennon

The increasing pace of disruption and change means leaders need to cultivate behaviors that support their sustained success. From building strategic flexibility to broadening stakeholder connections, here is our expert guide to leading in an age o...

Leadership 2025 - 5 Key Behaviors - Tania Lennon

Leadership Disruption Strategy

Where to start: Attracting the best Gen Z talent

By 2025, Gen Z will shape the workforce. They seek purpose, flexibility, and work-life balance, making startups and large companies adapt to their unique needs.

Business Transformation Change Management Corporate Governance Human Resources Talent Management

By Lars Häggström

in I by IMD

Case Study

The seven stages of culture transformation

Business Transformation Leadership Organizational Culture

By Michael D. Watkins

Article

Recruitment in 2025: AI is a great aid, but don’t forget the personal touch

AI is rewriting the rules of hiring – job seekers and recruiters alike must adapt to a process driven by algorithms but grounded in human connections.

Artificial Intelligence Human Resources

By Lars Häggström, Christian Dummett and Evgeniya Yaroslavtseva

in I by IMD

Article

Use head, heart, and hands to lead sustainable transformation

Effective leadership, a clear narrative, and a shared vision are vital ingredients for bringing lasting change on sustainability.

Leadership Sustainability

By Julia Binder and Knut Haanaes

in I by IMD

Article

In an uncertain 2025, it’s time to reframe and break through

Leaders risk getting lost in information overload and complexity. It’s time to reframe and look at the world through fresh eyes.

Geopolitics Innovation Leadership

By Stefan Michel

in I by IMD

Lead the change: Pushing past roadblocks to drive sustainable business transformation in Europe

By Julia Katharina Binder Mahwesh Khan Esther Salvi Divya Bhatia Florent Andrillon Juliette De Maupeou and Liza Garay de Vaubernier
10 January 2025

Summary

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Sustainability

Business Transformation

Innovation

Leadership

Browse all topics

Leadership 2025 - 5 Key Behaviors - Tania Lennon

By Tania Lennon
in I by IMD 8 January 2025

Summary

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Leadership

Disruption

Strategy

Browse all topics

Where to start: Attracting the best Gen Z talent

By Lars Häggström
in I by IMD

Summary

By 2025, Gen Z will shape the workforce. They seek purpose, flexibility, and work-life balance, making startups and large companies adapt to their unique needs.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Business Transformation

Change Management

Corporate Governance

Human Resources

Talent Management

Browse all topics

The seven stages of culture transformation

By Michael D. Watkins
Case reference: IMD-7-2615 ©2024

Summary

This note presents an integrated model for organizational culture transformation, addressing common pitfalls and barriers to successful change. It outlines seven key elements: (1) defining the target culture, (2) clarifying leadership’s role, (3) driving change through team cascades, (4) building a culture coalition, (5) aligning HR systems, (6) fostering employee engagement, and (7) measuring progress and making adjustments. The approach combines top-down direction with bottom-up engagement and emphasizes the crucial role of middle management in facilitating change. It provides actionable strategies for each element, including how to assess current culture, develop culture commitments, empower teams, train culture champions, redesign HR practices, implement feedback mechanisms and establish metrics for measuring cultural change. It also incorporates established change management principles to address resistance and ensure sustainable transformation. By offering a comprehensive framework that balances structural and human elements of change, this note equips executives and HR leaders with the tools to navigate the complexities of cultural transformation.

Reference IMD-7-2615

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Business Transformation

Leadership

Organizational Culture

Browse all topics

Recruitment in 2025: AI is a great aid, but don’t forget the personal touch

By Lars Häggström Christian Dummett and Evgeniya Yaroslavtseva
in I by IMD

Summary

AI is rewriting the rules of hiring – job seekers and recruiters alike must adapt to a process driven by algorithms but grounded in human connections.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Artificial Intelligence

Human Resources

Browse all topics