VAV Group

Strategy renewal made goals tangible

The VAV Group, which builds, owns, and manages rental apartments in City of Vantaa in Finland, needed to engage its stakeholders and redefine their objectives through a strategy renewal project. The new strategy encompasses changes in the operating environment and was translated into practice right away.

 

The challenge

Success in change requires a shared direction

VAV is a rental housing company owned by the City of Vantaa in Finland, consisting of a parent company and three subsidiaries. A shared group level strategy guides the operations of these companies from the management level down to customer experience.

For some time, VAV had managed well by making mere adjustments to their strategy, but at this point, they saw a need for a more substantial strategic overhaul. In addition to the disruptions in the housing and construction industries, significant changes had also occurred within the group.

”Our new CEO Mirka Saarholma had recently started, and we saw the strategy process as a good opportunity for the entire management team to come together. It was also important for us to align our purpose and goals with our governing bodies”, says Lasse Käck, acting CEO of the VAV Group.

VAV required a partner with a clear and fresh approach to leading the strategy process, in a way that would embrace the changed operating environment and actively involve all their stakeholders. Moreover, employees and customer experience were to be given more attention and importance in the new strategy.

Our new CEO Mirka Saarholma had recently started, and we saw the strategy process as a good opportunity for the entire management team to come together. It was also important for us to align our purpose and goals with our governing bodies.

Lasse Käck, Acting CEO, VAV Group

Our approach

Commitment to the strategy emerges from engagement

After a competitive selection process, VAV Group chose Gofore to support them in their strategy renewal journey. Work started with finalising the planned activities in collaboration with the management team and the new CEO. In parallel, the project team initiated the gathering of materials and insights, which included employee and resident surveys as well as analyses of the operating environment.

“In the first phase, we wanted to elevate our understanding of the operating environment from different perspectives. Following this, we focused on what VAV wants to be in the future,” says Eemeli Hemmi, the strategy consultant at Gofore responsible for the strategy process.

The process emphasised fostering a trusting atmosphere and openly collaborating on and co-creating the materials. Hemmi and Saarholma, the CEO of VAV, worked on the strategy in a partnership mode, with Gofore providing continuous sparring and suggestions.

The approach was divided into management team workshops, where elements of the strategy, such as values, vision, and goals were discussed. Gofore engaged employees, representatives of the city, and the board in the process through stakeholder workshops, where materials produced with the management team were discussed and further refined.

The strategy project was a well-designed process, and Gofore’s Hemmi carried it out with consistency and determination. He provided the right amount of challenge and managed to articulate our thoughts correctly. Our management team is sincerely unanimous in believing that the strategy work was a success and that all of its goals were met.

Lasse Käck, Acting CEO, VAV Group

Outcome

Compelling and actionable strategy translates to customer experience

The nearly finished strategy was presented to stakeholders at a full-day strategy seminar, less than four months after kick-off. After finishing touches, VAV had a completed strategy document, including all the main elements of strategy, as well as metrics and actions prepared as a basis for the annual operational plan.

The new strategy, which encompasses all group companies, has been pleasingly adopted and integrated into everyday activities, providing a perfect indicator of the success of the strategy process.

“The CEO’s reports presented at board meetings follow the elements of the strategy. The goals and metrics of the annual operational plan are also strongly based on the strategy. Overall, it guides us to focus on the right things. When everyone knows why we exist and for whom, it translates to better customer experience, as our metrics have already indicated”, says Käck.

The captivating pull of the strategy work was so strong that the collaboration, which started as a strategy renewal, first produced a strategy illustration and eventually a complete brand update. Käck sees the successful brand update as a sign that the new strategy is understandable, concrete, and easy to implement.”

“The strategy project was a well-designed process, and Gofore’s Hemmi carried it out with consistency and determination. He provided the right amount of challenge and managed to articulate our thoughts correctly. Our management team is sincerely unanimous in believing that the strategy work was a success and that all of its goals were met.”

Project highlights

Challenge

Rental housing company VAV was facing significant changes both internally and in their operating environment, necessitating an extensive renewal of their group level strategy. The strategy work aimed to provide a sparring partner for the new CEO and the management team, engage various stakeholders, and give more consideration to employees and customer experience.

The approach

Gofore’s strategy consultant tailored and phased a four-month strategy process suitable for VAV’s needs, starting with the collection of diverse materials and existing insights. All elements of the strategy were based on well-prepared and facilitated management team workshops, the outcomes of which were then reviewed and validated in workshops engaging stakeholders.

Outcome

VAV received a comprehensive strategy document, including all the main elements of strategy, as well as metrics and actions prepared as a basis for the annual operational plan. The new strategy guides employees to focus on the right things, resulting in an improved customer experience. The success of the strategy work and its illustration eventually led to an update of the entire brand.

Case in numbers

  • 9 Management team workshops
  • 7 Surveys
  • 5 Workshops with employees and stakeholders
  • 1 Strategy seminar
  • 4 Months from start to finish

Expertice

The skills used in this project

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