Sharing customer-focused practices across MET Group to transform local success stories into Group-wide benefits – this is why the Customer Excellence Centre was created. Let’s see how it works in practice.
“Customer-driven business is a strategic priority across all European Sales Divisions within MET Group, but many best practices remain local and under the radar. We aim to give visibility to best-in-class, customer-centric practices, allowing others to adopt successful models,” explains Senior Gas Flow Trader Bence Erdélyi, the mastermind behind the Customer Excellence Centre (CEC) initiative.
The idea was born in 2024, when MET Group Chairman and CEO Benjamin Lakatos announced a renewed focus on customer-related ideas throughout the company, introducing the Customer Experience Excellence Award. Bence submitted the CEC idea which was officially endorsed by top management and received the Award.
“It’s about avoiding the need to constantly reinvent the wheel, when excellent ‘wheels’ already exist inside the Group,” summarizes Bence. There are already great customer-centric practices in the 21 countries where MET operates subsidiaries, the objective is to make them visible across the entire company, so that everyone can benefit. This is all the more important in a Group which is constantly growing – and where, with over 1,350 employees all over Europe and beyond, it is no longer possible for everyone to know each and every project.
Sharing real stories to inspire colleagues
Increased knowledge exchange will start with a series of interviews where top-performing colleagues share real stories from areas like sales, pricing and key account management. They will showcase specific examples which can be implemented in other entities as well.
“The goal is to inspire. Some practices might feel trivial to the colleagues already applying them, but they can be real eye-openers for others. It’s about making good ideas travel faster,” says Bence Erdélyi.
At a later stage, a unified European Sales knowledge-sharing platform will be established, to be continuously updated with case studies, tools and templates. In essence, it can become a living asset that helps MET Group deliver more consistent customer value across all markets.
Customer-driven business in the focus of MET Manifesto
Customer-focus is also a core topic in the Manifesto of the MET Sales & Trading Segment: “We believe that the deep understanding of our customers and counterparties is essential in shaping our strategy,” states the document in its set of values.
“We believe that customer-focus drives innovation and efficiency,” adds the Manifesto. MET Group wants to differentiate itself by the way the company interacts with and serves customers. “We believe that we can only be successful if we create value for them.”