Tips for a competitive SuperNova Award application.

Also included in this post, an explanation of the SuperNova Award categories and a sample application may be found below. 

Tips: 

  1. Keep it short. Judges will only review each application for 5 minutes. Please try to stay close to the word limitations. 
  2. Vendors may enter the awards for their clients. Client contact information must be provided on application.
  3. Results v. Metrics - results are a verbal explanation of how your project created a disruption; metrics are numbers that provide evidence of your results. 
  4. Be clear and concise. If we're asking why your project is disruptive--tell us why its disruptive! Minimize the amount of digging for the judges.
  5. Emphasize before and after implementation results/metrics and disruptivenes
  6. "Disruptiveness" may mean creating an internal or external disruption OR using disruptive technology to change business models
  7. Remember: In two minutes, readers should be able to ascertain 1. What your project was 2. Why your project was significant 3. The success of your project 4. How disruptive/game changing your project is.
  8. All applications should be web ready. Do not include any information that can not be made public. 
  9. You may submit for more than one category. 
  10. International applicants welcome
     

Categories

  • Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Humanity
  • Internet of Things - A network of smart objects enables smart services. (examples: sensors, smart ‘things’, device to purchase)
  • Data to Decisions - Using data to make informed business decisions. (examples: big data, predictive analytics)
  • Digital Marketing Transformation & Sales Effectiveness - Personalized, data-driven digital marketing.
  • Future of Work: Social Business - The technologies enabling teams to work together efficiently. (examples: enterprise social networks, collaboration)
  • Future of Work: Human Capital Management - Enabling your organization to utilize your workforce as an asset. (examples: talent management)
  • Matrix Commerce - Commerce responds to changing realities from the supply chain to the storefront. (examples: digital retail, supply chain, payments, omni-channel retail)
  • Next Generation Customer Experience - Customers in the digital age demand seamless service throughout all lifecycle stages and across all channels. (examples: CRM, customer experience)
  • New C-Suite
  • Digital Safety and Privacy - Strategies to secure sensitive data (examples: digital identity, information security, authentication)
  • Technology Optimization Innovative methods to balance innovation and IT budgets.

Sample SuperNova Awards application. This is just a sample. 



Sample SuperNova Awards Application
 

Application name: Sample Applicant

Applicant title: VP, Customer Insights

Applicant Company: Sample Company Co.

Email address: [email protected]

Phone: xxx-xxx-xxxx

SuperNova Award Category: Next Generation Customer Experience

Your Company: 

Sample Company Co. is the largest canned food producer in the western market. We ship our canned goods to several international markets. 

The Problem

Sample Company recently expanded horizontally, acquiring farms, and canning equipment manufacturers to what was once just a canning company. Expansion meant a disapparate customer service system. Files regularly got lost in transfer, and slow communication of information between systems slowed the resolution process. In addition, an increasing number of customers were requesting to use social, mobile, video channels to reach customer service. We needed a unified, streamlined customer service solution. 

The Solution

We decided to completely replace the three disaparate customer service systems with a cloud-based customer service offering that worked for our acquisitions as well as handling mobile, social, and video requests in a streamlined manner. 

The Results

Immediately after implementation, we noticed a marked improvement in our customer satisfaction surveys. Because all requests are now  routed into one system, requests are readily available to all support agents. Reduction in resolution time and follow up have improved dramatically. Additionally, incorporation of social, mobile, and video channels into our support platform have enhanced customer experience even further

Metrics

Before implementation: 30% file loss when transfering between systems
After implementation: .01% file loss. No transfering between systems

Before implementation: avg 12 minute wait time to speak to customer service
After implementation: avg 3 minute wait time to speak to customer service

Before implemenation: resolution time avg 12 hours
After implementation: resolution time avg 3 hours

Before implementation: no social, mobile, video support
After implementation: respond to tweets, mobile requests and video chats can all be conducted directly from the platform

Before implementation: customer satisfaction with customer service 4/10
After implementation: customer satisfacion with customer service 9/10

The Technology

Customer Service Technology X, The X Company

Disruptive Factor (how you created a disruption, or how you used disruptive technology to change a business model):

We could have found a way to connect the three existing on premise customer service platforms, but decided to completely rework our customer service architecture and move to the cloud. Recognizing the pressures of social, mobile, and video, we requested these features be incorporated in our service offering. Moving to streamline our customer service offering by moving to the cloud, and incorporating mobile, social, and video represents a change to our business processes as a result of disruptive technology

Shining moment

Our implementation of video technology in our customer service platform was featured on The Colbert Report--the episode where Stephen gets frustrated because customer service departments are becoming 'too efficient these days'.