Strategic Realignment: Stream One - Changing the Corporate Culture

• Structured Senior Management Team process established (January 2009). Workplan review process established to link planned activities more closely to results (January 2009).
• Results-based management and evaluation training program launched (December 2009).
• New Program Management and Performance Section set up to assist program managers in objective-setting and evaluation and to strengthen the results based management framework (October 2008).
• Baselines introduced for the first time in the 2010/2011 Program and Budget to facilitate measurement of progress (October 2009).
• Independent validation conducted of peformance indicators in the 2008 Program Performance Report.
• Performance Management and Staff Development System (PMSDS) introduced (Phase 1 in March 2009;  Phase 2 launched November 2009).  Supported by extensive training program for staff. Director General's video message to staff (November 2009). Video
• Financial disclosure program initiated (June 2009) and an ethics officer recruited (November 2009).
• Carbon Neutrality (February 2009) and Accessibility initiatives launched.
• Medium Term Strategic Plan consulations launched May 2010.

• Communications Division restructured to improve focus on new communications and customer service objectives (October 2008). 
• Communication with Member States representatives strengthened through regular informal information and consultation meetings at all levels throughout the year (from October 2008).  Transparent communication furthered through publication of, inter alia,  HR statistics, an online WIPO Observatory (access limited to representatives of Member States) to enable Member States to monitor key financial parameters and trends during the economic crisis (February 2009).
• Internal communications improved through bimonthly Townhall meetings(from October 2008), bimonthly Directors' meetings and monthly informal meetings of the Director General with mixed groups of staff.
• Presentation of press releases improved for increased user-friendliness.

• Customer Service Section created within the Communications Division to lead and coordinate efforts across the Organization.
• Phase 1 of  WIPO Customer Service project launched (October 2008)  with short/medium term objective (2008-2010) of improving the experience of customers contacting WIPO through a number of practical, rapidly implementable measures:
• Informal internal audit conducted to identify main strengths and weaknesses of existing customer service (October - December 2008).
• Benchmarking conducted of a number of IP offices which had recently set up customer service systems, in order to investigate best practices applicable to WIPO (October - December 2008).
• Customer service focal points established in each sector to service enquiries received through generic email boxes and to act as first substantive contact point for enquiries routed through switchboard.  Supported through regular meetings, guidance, wiki-space. (February 2009).
• Practical steps taken to improve and streamline the processing of all enquiries via WIPO's central public interfaces (i.e. switchboard, generic WIPO email, website), to ensure prompt and effective responses:  Switchboard service interruptions eliminated, opening hours increased, coaching provided to switchboard operators to improve understanding of who does what (March 2009). Improved “Contact us” page published on the WIPO website to ensure enquiries reach the correct unit (June 2009).
• New Customer Service routing table developed and implemented as tool  (July 2009).
• Detection and elimination of duplicated generic email requests to reduce duplication of effort (from June 2009).
• Service Catalogues developed with each unit to define benchmarks for services provided, customer profiles, response times, languages etc. (30 service catalogues developed and published internally by December 2009).
• Dedicated customer service units set up in key service areas, including Trademarks, Finance,  Procurement, HR, Hague System (February 2009 onwards).
• Statistical monitoring of enquiries via the website Contact Page (approx 1,000 per month), and of switchboard calls (approx 2,500 per month) initiated to quantify improvements and weaknesses. Number of abandoned calls, long wait times or multiple re-directed calls reduced by approx. 20% (August - December 2009).
• WINS (WIPO Inquiry Notification System) "ticketing" application (designed to enable tracking of calls and responses by customers and by WIPO) piloted in several departments.  WINS deployed live internally in Finance Department (December 2009).
• Telephone "on hold" music and messages on Switchboard voicemail provisionally improved pending more extensive overhaul (October 2009).
• Preliminary report concluded to prepare introduction of an Automatic Call Distribution system.

• Travel policy tightened to align it with the UN and specialised agencies, including use of economy class airfare for travel of under 5 hours.  Guidelines issued regarding participation in meetings, including increased use of video-conferencing.  Expenditure on staff  travel was reduced by 32.8% in the period January to November 2009 compared to the same period in 2008 as a result of the cost reduction measures.

More information

• Overview and Progress Report to the Audit Committee (June 2009)
• Stream 2: Re-engineering horizontal business processes
• Stream 3: Restructuring programs and resources in line with new strategic goals