www.evaluagent.net
CULTURE
CODE
THE EVALUAGENT

www.evaluagent.net
WHAT DO WE MEAN BY
CULTURE?
It’s a set of shared beliefs, values and
ways of working.

www.evaluagent.net
WHY SHOULD
WE CARE ABOUT
CULTURE?

www.evaluagent.net
REASON 1:
CULTURE is to recruiting
as product is to marketing.
Like customers who are more easily
attracted with a great product.
Talent is more easily attracted
with a great culture.

www.evaluagent.net
REASON 2:
A GREAT CULTURE
helps us to challenge and support
each other to deliver great work.
Something that’s very
close to our heart!

www.evaluagent.net
REASON 3:
CULTURE
HAPPENS.
Whether specifically designed or
not, all companies have a culture…

www.evaluagent.net
So, rather than just let habits define how
we work together, we’ve created a
CULTURAL CODE
to express our beliefs, values,
and ways of working.
(We’re not perfect, so sometimes
they’re more aspirational than real)

www.evaluagent.net
THE
EVALUAGENT
CULTURE
CODE
OUR PEOPLE COME FIRST
Clients and employees are always considered first.
Without them, we have no business.
WE RECRUIT PEOPLE WHO
SHARE OUR VALUES
Skills and knowledge are important, but not when
they have a negative impact on culture.
SIMPLY BE USEFUL
Every action is undertaken with the intention of a
useful and obvious result.
BE MISSED
We strive to do work that matters and that will
be missed when gone.
PROUD OF PRODUCT
We develop technology and services that we’re
proud to tell our family and friends about.
1
2
3
4
5

www.evaluagent.net
This document is part manifesto and part
employee handbook.
It is part who we are and
part who we aspire to be…

www.evaluagent.net
OUR
PEOPLE
COME FIRST

www.evaluagent.net
OUR PEOPLE
COME FIRST
Clients and employees are always
considered first.
Without them, we have no business.

www.evaluagent.net
SFTC
Solve For The Client.
By addressing the root cause of
the problem, not the symptoms.

www.evaluagent.net
So… “Solve for the Client”
doesn’t mean quickly responding to
their list of requirements…
…then customising our products and
services to meet those requirements
without challenge.

www.evaluagent.net
Instead,
to solve root cause,
we need two things…

www.evaluagent.net
1
A software platform
including “best
practice” features
that can be easily configured to
meet common business needs,
and…

www.evaluagent.net
2
Highly responsive
and experienced
service support
that helps clients use the
software to fix problems at root
cause.

www.evaluagent.net
In order to do that (and survive in
the short-term)
we need to stay true to our
PRODUCT VISION.
(which covers software AND client support).

www.evaluagent.net
Does that mean we
sometimes have to
SAY NO
to clients?

www.evaluagent.net
YES IT DOES
WITH ONE CAVEAT.
Solving for the client
requires us to actually
have some clients.
We’re on the right path as
long as we can manage
expectations and sell to
clients that we can
reasonably expect to delight.

www.evaluagent.net
This is the key.
We should never support a client to
“paper over the cracks” and we
should always be able to explain why
our approach is in their best
interests.

www.evaluagent.net
It’s about securing the right clients
and then engaging and supporting
them in a way that ensures long
term success for them and for us.

www.evaluagent.net
Of course, in order to
engage clients in the right
way, we need engaged and
engaging employees.
So…

www.evaluagent.net
We want to be as proud
of the people we develop
as we are of the products
and company we build.
We want to motivate
employees to solve for the
client, so we enable four
core ways of working…
We invest to improve each employee’s
leadership skills and encourage everyone to
own their professional development.
We avoid getting bogged down in
corporate red tape. We treat each other
like adults and we only protect the business
on the big stuff
We don’t let ego, emotion, organisational
levels, or boundaries get in the way.
We share (almost) everything.
1
2
3
4

www.evaluagent.net
WAYS OF WORKING #1
We invest to improve each
employee’s leadership skills
and encourage everyone to
own their professional
development.
• How do we do this? In a nutshell -
Big scary challenges.
Empowerment. Exposure. Constant
challenge and support. On-the-job
learning.
• Some specific initiatives:
• Leadership & Business Coaching.
• Mentoring programme.
• See a course or an event that would
benefit you and the business, book it.
• Unlimited Free Books Program. Buy a
book on Amazon and simply expense it.

www.evaluagent.net
WAYS OF WORKING #2
We avoid getting bogged
down in corporate red tape.
We treat each other like
adults and we only protect the
business on the big stuff.
• We don’t have pages of policies
and procedures.
• Instead we have a 3-word policy on
just about everything: USE GOOD
JUDGMENT.
• Internet policy. Travel policy.
Sickness policy. Work from home
policy. Buy a round of drinks at an
event policy. Our policy on all of
these (and most other) things: USE
GOOD JUDGMENT.

www.evaluagent.net
WAYS OF WORKING #2
We avoid getting bogged
down in corporate red tape.
We treat each other like
adults and we only protect the
business on the big stuff.
• Here’s the mathematical equation
that describes good judgment:
Client > Team > Individual.
• Team > Individual. Ensure that
your personal interests and beliefs
are never detrimental to the Team.
Be a team player, not a politician.
• Client > Team. Never solve for the
Team or the Company’s interest at
the expense of the Client. Solving
for Client’s interests is in our long-
term interest.
(> is the symbol for
“greater than”)

www.evaluagent.net
WAYS OF WORKING #2
We avoid getting bogged
down in corporate red tape.
We treat each other like
adults and we only protect the
business on the big stuff.
• Results matter more than the hours
we work.
• Results matter more than where
we produce them.
• Results matter more than how
much holiday we take.

www.evaluagent.net
WAYS OF WORKING #3
We don’t let ego, emotion,
organisational levels, or
boundaries get in the way.
• Decisions should be insight-driven
and data-powered. We’re not Mr
Spock, but we do try to avoid
making emotionally-led business
decisions.
• DEBATES SHOULD BE WON BY
BETTER INSIGHT NOT BIGGER
JOB TITLES.
• We DISCOURAGE pulling rank. It
happens sometimes, but we don’t
like it.

www.evaluagent.net
WAYS OF WORKING #3
We don’t let ego, emotion,
organisational levels, or
boundaries get in the way.
• We treat everyone with courtesy
and respect, whatever their title or
job is.
• We will always tailor our
conversation to the audience, but
no-one should ever feel that they
shouldn’t be “in the conversation”.
• We always try to resolve problems
with our day-to-day contacts, but
we know when to escalate, and
we’re not afraid to do it.

www.evaluagent.net
WAYS OF WORKING #4
We are transparent.
• WE SHARE (ALMOST)
EVERYTHING. We make
uncommon amounts of information
available to everyone in the
company.
• We protect information only when
it is legally required or where the
information is not completely ours
to share.
• We have open access to anyone in
the company. It’s not an open door
policy. It’s a no door policy.

www.evaluagent.net
The intent behind these ways of
working is to encourage behaviours
and decisions that are aligned with
our values and shared beliefs.

www.evaluagent.net
With this kind of approach we
need to recruit people who
thrive in this type of
environment.
It’s not for everyone. So…

www.evaluagent.net
WE RECRUIT
PEOPLE WHO
SHARE OUR
VALUES

www.evaluagent.net
WE RECRUIT PEOPLE
WHO SHARE OUR
VALUES
Skills and knowledge are important, but not
when they have a negative impact on culture.

www.evaluagent.net
What makes someone a great fit for
EvaluAgent?
What makes them right for us?
What does it mean to be an
EvaluAgent?

www.evaluagent.net
There are 5 attributes
that we value in
people…
SELF-AWARENESS
We use ego to solve problems, not cause them.
RESPECT
We value different viewpoints and champion other
perspectives.
TRANSPARENCY
We share pertinent information and we openly share our
opinion.
INTEGRITY
We’re honest in action as well as conversation. Disagreement is
based on genuine motives, never a hidden agenda.
CURIOSITY
We constantly seek new insights and never assume we have all
of the answers. We recognise that differences of opinion are
opportunities for learning.
1
2
3
4
5

www.evaluagent.net
ATTRIBUTE #1
SELF-AWARENESS
We use ego to solve
problems, not cause them.
• Hold on – isn’t ego a bad thing?
• NO.
• Ego is simply a person's sense
of self-esteem.
• As leaders of change, we all
need a healthy dash of positive
self-esteem to help convince
others to follow us.
(but let’s always be aware
that it’s a fine balance)

www.evaluagent.net
ATTRIBUTE #2
RESPECT
We value different
viewpoints and champion
other perspectives.
• Respectful people listen more
than they talk.
• They are self-critical and not
arrogant.
• When things go well, they share
the credit. When things go
poorly, they own the problem.

www.evaluagent.net
ATTRIBUTE #3
TRANSPARENCY
We share pertinent
information and we
openly share our opinion.
• WAIT. Aren’t some people
more private than others?
• This is not about sharing
personal information or being
indiscrete. (What happens in
Vegas stays in Vegas)
• This is about sharing
knowledge, data and insights
generously.

www.evaluagent.net
ATTRIBUTE #4
INTEGRITY
We’re honest in action
as well as conversation.
Disagreement is based
on genuine motives,
never a hidden agenda.
• You can build trust with people
very quickly by being open and
honest in what you say.
• You can only maintain and build
that trust by being open and
honest in how you act.
• Do the first without the second
and you’ll lose hard won trust
very quickly.

www.evaluagent.net
ATTRIBUTE #5
CURIOSITY
We constantly seek new
insights and never assume
we have all of the answers.
We recognise that
differences of opinion are
opportunities for learning.
There’s nothing more to
really say on that subject…
“The important thing is
not to stop questioning.
Curiosity has its own
reason for existing.
Albert Einstein

www.evaluagent.net
ATTRIBUTE #5
CURIOSITY
We constantly seek new
insights and never assume
we have all of the answers.
We recognise that
differences of opinion are
opportunities for learning.
There’s nothing more to
really say on that subject…
“
Constant development is the law
of life, and a man who always
tries to maintain his dogmas in
order to appear consistent drives
himself into a false position
Mahatma Gandhi

www.evaluagent.net
We don’t just believe in these values.
WE’VE BUILT OUR
BUSINESS ON THEM.
We recruit, support and challenge
people based on these values.
Ultimately, we’ll performance manage
against them.

www.evaluagent.net
From day one, we only ever
recruited people who we
believed would be a strong
cultural fit.

www.evaluagent.net
It’s reasonable to want to recruit on
skills and experience when the
need for help is painfully acute.
It’s reasonable.
But, it’s also wrong. The impact on
culture is simply too painful.

www.evaluagent.net
Just to clarify.
We would never recruit
a superstar who was a
bit of an arse.

www.evaluagent.net
Does this mean we only
recruit people that match
our values perfectly?
NO.
Confucius has good
advice here…
“Better a diamond
with a flaw than a
pebble without.
Confucius

www.evaluagent.net
WITH A TEAM OF GREAT
PEOPLE ASSEMBLED
we need to achieve our
business goals.
So…

www.evaluagent.net
SIMPLY
BE
USEFUL

www.evaluagent.net
SIMPLY BE
USEFUL
Every action is undertaken
with the intention of a useful
and obvious result.

www.evaluagent.net
“The greatest ideas
are the simplest.
William Golding, Author

www.evaluagent.net
USEFUL PEOPLE:
Can balance creativity and action.
They solve problems proactively.
Have a sense of ownership.
They quickly recognise threats and thrive
on turning them into opportunities.

www.evaluagent.net
We constantly
CHALLENGE
THE STATUS QUO
both internally and with clients.

www.evaluagent.net
We use agile methods for business
decisions as well as software development.
We are focused on quick responses to
change and continuous development.

www.evaluagent.net
Put another way, we’d rather
be failing frequently than
never trying new things.

www.evaluagent.net
That also means taking
calculated risk and making
decisions in times of uncertainty.

www.evaluagent.net
MISTAKES
ARE OK!
(As long as we learn from them and avoid making the same ones again)

www.evaluagent.net
We believe simplicity is a
competitive
advantage.

www.evaluagent.net
Things start simple…
THEN COMPLEXITY
CREEPS IN.

www.evaluagent.net
WHY DOES
COMPLEXITY CREEP IN?
It is typically the easy, fastest way to
solve the symptoms of a problem rather
than the root cause.
(This is how we used to do things)

www.evaluagent.net
FIGHTING FOR
SIMPLICITY
takes courage and commitment to
the long game and the product vision.
(Especially when the client wants a quick and dirty solution)

www.evaluagent.net
For Example:
“I need to hit my target
this month, so I’m going to
push for this piece of
client customisation.”
Result:
You may hit your target,
but we all pay the price of
that complexity and tech-
debt forever.
Focus on the long game. Team > Individual.

www.evaluagent.net
You cannot add
simplicity in.
The only way to keep things simple
is to avoid and remove complexity.

www.evaluagent.net
This philosophy needs
to apply to our business
as much as our product.

www.evaluagent.net
In order to keep things simple, we will
• Remove unused features
• Avoid unnecessary rules
• Stop generating useless reports
• Automate manual processes
• Cancel unproductive meetings
• Prune extraneous process.

www.evaluagent.net
Let’s always fight for
SIMPLICITY.

www.evaluagent.net
As a product, we want EvaluAgent to be:
EASY TO BUY.
EASY TO USE.

www.evaluagent.net
As a business, we want EvaluAgent to be:
EASY TO BE
PART OF.

www.evaluagent.net
If we get this right,
we will…

www.evaluagent.net
BE
MISSED

www.evaluagent.net
BE MISSED
We strive to do work that
matters and that will be
missed when gone.

www.evaluagent.net
WHY?
Because, being missed is the most
genuine way of appreciating that
we made a difference.

www.evaluagent.net
When we miss someone or
something, we’re specifically missing
the
positive feelings and
impressions
that we experience by being with that
person or thing.

www.evaluagent.net
Let’s not get too deep
It may be a bit of a stretch to
expect clients to “miss” our
product when they’re at home
watching Coronation Street….

www.evaluagent.net
However, we should strive to make
sure that our software is talked about
and championed as the
standard for contact-
centre software.

www.evaluagent.net
We also want our client support
model to make a difference.
Always true to our values, we will
interact with clients in a way that
leaves a lasting positive impression.
(EVERY single interaction with a client
is an opportunity to do that!)

www.evaluagent.net
“Their capabilities, tools and the
technology enable them to bring
objectivity and this is a massive
differentiator.
“They do what I expect and are
always positive, helpful and keen
to keep supporting us. Really
helpful is the fact they roll their
sleeves up and get involved when
required.
“The product is unique but the
insights from their consulting
service is the difference.
“They are fast paced, approachable
(not a corporate body), and come
across as a bunch of people who are
truly interested in our success.
“Their responsiveness and the
personal relationship they built
meant that I knew them and
trusted them – and fully
understood their capabilities.
Some feedback from clients:

www.evaluagent.net
As we grow, we need to be
able to support clients in a
way that continues to leave
POSITIVE IMPRESSIONS
like these.

www.evaluagent.net
To do that, we will constantly
evolve and refine our unique
SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL
and be rigorous in our adherence
to the model so that our support
is always consistent.

www.evaluagent.net
By adhering to the model, we can also
ensure that our efforts are largely
focused on
making a difference and leaving
a positive, lasting impression.

www.evaluagent.net
To further enhance that
impression, we also
need to be fiercely…

www.evaluagent.net
PROUD
OF
PRODUCT

www.evaluagent.net
PROUD OF
PRODUCT
We develop technology and
services that we’re proud to tell
our family and friends about.

www.evaluagent.net
CLIENT OBSESSION
IS CONSTRUCTIVE.
COMPETITOR OBSESSION
IS A DISTRACTION.

www.evaluagent.net
We should continue to be influenced
by the market and the competition.
But we always need to be original.
We need to be
market leaders, not followers…

www.evaluagent.net
We will become known as the people who
made
contact centres home to great
customer experience through
workforce engagement.
(our vision)

www.evaluagent.net
To achieve this, we will
provide products and services that
make contact centre employees
better at delivering great
customer experience
(our mission)

www.evaluagent.net
How will we
know if we’ve
been successful?

www.evaluagent.net
It’s partly down to
financial success.
It’s partly down to bringing this
culture code to life…

www.evaluagent.net
But on a personal level we’ll know
when our product invokes a feeling of
deep pleasure and satisfaction
because it’s widely used and admired.

www.evaluagent.net
On that rather emotive
note, there’s just one
phrase left to share…

www.evaluagent.net
“Envision. Create. Believe.
Tony Hsieh. CEO of Zappos

www.evaluagent.net
SO IN
SUMMARY

www.evaluagent.net
THE
EVALUAGENT
CULTURE
CODE
OUR PEOPLE COME FIRST
Clients and employees are always considered first.
Without them, we have no business.
WE RECRUIT PEOPLE WHO
SHARE OUR VALUES
Skills and knowledge are important, but not when
they have a negative impact on culture.
SIMPLY BE USEFUL
Every action is undertaken with the intention of a
useful and obvious result.
BE MISSED
We strive to do work that matters and that will
be missed when gone.
PROUD OF PRODUCT
We develop technology and services that we’re
proud to tell our family and friends about.
1
2
3
4
5

www.evaluagent.net
We’re on a journey to build a
business where
we all reap benefits
from the effort we put in.

www.evaluagent.net
The culture we’ve described here is
not yet fully realised, and it’s not
always going to be a perfect fit for
everyone.

www.evaluagent.net
As we continue to
grow quickly, we’ll
continue to
experience growing
pains.
Here are a few…
We’re getting better at shrugging off our corporate
experiences. However, with corporate clients we
sometimes revert to form.
There is tension when we don’t SFTC in the right way.
We aim to be transparent. But, transparency is not the
same as democracy. Decisions are not by popular
vote. Not all decisions are popular but indecision is
even less popular.
Because things are moving fast and changing
constantly, it can feel chaotic. It feels chaotic because
often it is chaotic.
There is usually tension between short-term goals
versus long-term ambitions. As the business becomes
less chaotic, we’re starting to remove this tension.

www.evaluagent.net
As we continue on our journey
together, we’ll keep refining our
Culture Code and look to everyone
to play a part in its constant
evolution.

www.evaluagent.net
WE WERE INSPIRED BY, AMONGST OTHERS
• The Hubspot Culture Code
• “Drive” (Daniel Pink)
• “Maverick” (Ricardo Semler)
• “Rework” (Fried and Hansson)
• “Delivering Happiness” Tony Hsieh