From raw data to customer insights: Ton Sluiter and Peter Ellen lead the way at HeadFirst Group
In the dynamic environment of HeadFirst Group, Ton Sluiter, Manager of Data, and Peter Ellen, Journey Manager on the Customer Experience (CX) team, are at the helm of an evolution towards a future driven by data and customer experience. Their shared passion for the power of data and customer experience serves as the driving force behind their continuous pursuit of improvement and innovation.
Valuable insights
Ton enthusiastically begins by explaining the role of the data team, "We dive into all incoming data and turn it into valuable insights. Whether it's generating reports for our customers and partners, or internal information for management, our goal is to optimize operations both internally and externally."
Peter adds, "My job is to collect and analyze customer feedback. Based on that analysis, I can identify the biggest impact on how people experience our company, and work to improve." Although Peter has not been with HeadFirst Group long, he shares some successes, "I am especially proud of how quickly we have established a foundation and structure for measuring what clients think of us. This is essential because it forms the basis for improving the customer experience for the future."
"We share our passion for the power of data and customer experiences." - Ton Sluiter
Foundation for the future
Ton is optimistic about the future of data-driven work, but acknowledges that there is still room for growth: "We are currently in the data analytics phase and moving toward predictive analytics and models that help with future business decision-making. We aim to generate more insights and become truly data-driven in all our processes." Peter acknowledges this growth, having come at a time when there was no CX team. "In the beginning, the whole CX Journey Management was a blank page: nothing was fixed. It was a period of pioneering and discovering what I could add."
"It's great to see how fast we are growing, with the ability to innovate quickly." - Peter Ellen
That immediately made it interesting for me, the feeling of a blank canvas. As time went on, a clearer picture emerged of what I could contribute. CX is now rolled out for all HeadFirst Group brands."
Innovation & growth
When asked what makes his work so fascinating, Ton responds enthusiastically. "Working with data is actually similar to refining: raw data comes in, is processed and eventually leads to valuable insights. We not only collect data for its original purpose, but also discover unexpected applications. We call this serendipity. I get energized when we can take clients or ourselves further with it!"
Peter shares Ton's enthusiasm: "It's great to see how fast we are growing but still have the ability to innovate quickly. I really appreciate that drive. Our shared commitment to unlock the potential of data and improve the customer experience reflects the energy of HeadFirst Group."
Want to read more about how we operate at HeadFirst Group? Download the 2023 annual report here.