The Livestock Production Assurance (LPA) program, overseen by the Integrity Systems Company (ISC), plays a crucial role in assuring global consumers about the safety of Australian red meat and the ethical practices that underpin its production. It is an essential system designed to safeguard market access by ensuring product integrity and traceability from the farm to the consumer.

Delivering exceptional customer service for the LPA program presents the ISC Customer Experience(CX) team with several unique challenges. One significant issue is the three-year cycle for LPA Accreditation, which can lead to the program’s 175,000 participants losing touch with the process and system. This gap poses a substantial challenge in providing a smooth user experience.

Additionally, the demographic profile of Australian farmers, predominantly over 55 years old, with many lacking digital proficiency, complicates the transition to digital platforms like the myMLA platform introduced in July 2021. This platform requires additional digital steps to access LPA Accreditation, further challenging these users.

Faced with these obstacles, along with the need to extend support on a limited budget and the decision to outsource call centre operations for broader coverage, ISC deployed innovative strategies to enhance customer experience. By streamlining digital engagement and strengthening support systems, ISC CX aimed to meet the diverse needs of farmers and stakeholders while laying the groundwork for ongoing improvements in customer experience.

Adopting a methodical approach grounded in Six Sigma principles, enhanced by a bespoke Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system and a strategic operational plan, ISC’s CX team successfully managed and significantly reduced support volume. This achievement was realised without major capital investments, highlighting the effectiveness of lean management and resource optimisation.

Notably, customer effort decreased from 50% to 28.16%, and customer satisfaction increased from 87% to 97% among farmers expressing satisfied to very satisfied levels. These results reflect the ISC CX team’s commitment to operational excellence and high-quality service, proving that enhancing user experience and reducing support demands can be achieved without sacrificing service standards.

For information about Integrity Systems Company, visit integritysystems.com.au