In each of the 140-plus countries we do business in, we aim to deliver the benefits of electronic payments to local consumers, corporations and governments. While at its core Visa is a payments company, products and services are customised to suit local market needs. Leadership that understands both Visa’s fundamental business as well as the workings of a local market needs therefore to be developed. Offices in the major operating centres – San Francisco, Miami, London and Singapore – typically serve multiple countries and have a broad view of the business.
Staff in our country offices are closest to our clients and are critical in delivering on revenue goals. However, they often require broader insights to Visa’s business outside their territory. That is why Visa continues to develop and grow its talent pool by broadening the experience of country-based workers. In many emerging markets, Visa’s need for talent is greater than the local pool. By bringing people from markets with extensive payment expertise into an area where there is a shortage, the visiting Visa staff can share their skills with local managers.
Why Sharing is Key to Succeeding
To accelerate this process, Visa introduced the ‘Go-Share’ programme last year. ‘Go-Share’ simply places staff in one country to operate in another. While there are other Visa programmes to develop staff, this one leverages on the company’s core business and vast geographic footprint. In the programme, staff are no longer in their day-today environment, and can therefore apply and test the viability of their knowledge and skills in a different context.
By bringing people from markets with extensive payment expertise into an area where there is a shortage, visiting Visa staff can share their skills with local managers
They are exposed to on-going actual market challenges and thereby gain practical experience when attempting to resolve them. Staff projects are wide-ranging and include performing account reviews, brainstorming opportunities with specific clients, sharing business practices from one country to another, and discussing different ways to structure a client deal.
The implementation of ‘Go-Share’ has been flexible in order to support the company’s human capital development objectives. For an individual working an assignment, where a staff member is assigned to another country for a short time, the staff member is given the opportunity based on their interest and career growth aspirations.
Even when resources are scarce and the staff member’s work still needs to continue, we have piloted a peer exchange option, where two individuals fulfilling a similar role are moved to each other’s countries or areas. Finally, individuals considered to be high potential may be assigned to a higher-level role in another country.
Results Orientated
Even at this early stage of the scheme, we have seen client service improving strongly. This is due, in part, to a deeper understanding of how client relationships can be managed, as staff were exposed to different best practices in different markets, cultures and countries. Participants in the programme also learned from each other key market issues such as regulation of the payments industry, innovation or emerging competitors.
One example of improved client service through the knowledge exchange involved sales pitches. The sales staff from the visiting country would present a case study of a successful client deal. The presentation to the local staff would include lessons learned and insights so that the local staff could then work on improving a pitch on a live deal. The visiting staff would also work on the pitch with the local staff. Finally, there are also great benefits to individuals: by working across teams on practical challenges, an in-depth relationship is quickly fostered with other country offices. Participating in ‘Go-Share’ is a sign of recognition of their talent and contributions.
Overall, while the ‘Go-Share’ programme has been offered on a small scale, those who have participated gave the following feedback:
"‘Go-Share’ was a big learning curve for me in terms of getting up to speed with the market and customers, as well as absorbing the cultural elements and nuances within the Visa team. The second part of ‘Go-Share’ was focused on client specifics and improving overall Business Development techniques to apply in our respective countries."
"We worked on very real problems and mentored the (sales staff) on a list of key issues they were facing. We utilised techniques that we had applied in our own countries and shared best practice and material that we felt would be relevant in the Russian context."
What We’ve Learnt
We have learnt quickly that for the programme to work requires conviction from the management and to ensure that the staff member can meaningfully participate in such learning programmes and not be distracted by their normal day-to-day responsibilities. In addition, a tighter structure and more cultural training would assist in accelerating the learning curve of those participating. The ‘Go-Share’ programme has proven itself successful in motivating staff members to contribute to the best of their ability and provide clients with top-quality service. This in turn has endowed the company with the capacity to improve on its client best practices and knowledge sharing of operational excellence.
This article was first published in HQ Asia (Print) Issue 02 (2011)