Case Study
How KeyBank Transformed Culture & Customer Experience with the “Moments Matter” Strategy
Industry: Banking & Financial Services
Solution: Enterprise-Wide CX & EX Cultural Transformation
Client: KeyBank
Consulting Partner: The DiJulius Group
Executive Summary
KeyBank partnered with The DiJulius Group to design and execute a large-scale customer experience transformation that would strengthen its internal culture and elevate client satisfaction. The result? A multi-year success story that increased Net Promoter Score (NPS) from 57 to 85, drove deeper emotional connections with clients, and positioned KeyBank as a competitive employer brand—all during its milestone 200-year anniversary.
The Business Challenge
Facing heightened competition and rapidly evolving customer expectations, KeyBank set out to:
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Create consistent and emotionally intelligent experiences at every touchpoint
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Equip employees with the tools and confidence to go beyond routine service
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Unify teams under a shared, purpose-driven cultural framework
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Increase retention of both clients and employees
The bank needed more than traditional training—it needed a sustainable cultural transformation.
The CX Strategy: “Moments Matter” Framework
At the heart of the initiative was the Customer Experience Action Statement:
“Make Every Moment Matter.”
This wasn’t just a tagline—it became the operational and emotional North Star for every team member. The transformation was structured around three core pillars:
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Head – Empowering expertise and process efficiency
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Heart – Fostering empathy, respect, and authentic care
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Hero – Encouraging above-and-beyond acts of service
To reinforce these values, KeyBank implemented signature practices:
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“Always & Never” Behavioral Standards – Clear, memorable guidelines for frontline consistency
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Empathy-Building Tools – Including “Day in the Life” client journey videos
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Embedded Rituals – Daily huddles, onboarding stories, and internal comms centered on Moments Matter
Implementation at Scale
This wasn’t a one-off training—it was a systemic change embedded across the organization:
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Trained over 8,000 employees in branches and contact centers
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Launched with a 6-week training sprint, followed by 7 weeks of daily huddles—a practice that still continues today
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Integrated the initiative into onboarding, sales/service processes, and team meetings
Every meeting begins with a Moments Matter reflection or story to keep it alive daily.
Ambassador Program: Scaling Cultural Influence
To ensure sustainability, KeyBank launched a unique CX Ambassador Program:
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25 high-impact influencers were selected not by title, but by their natural leadership and coaching ability
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Each ambassador completed 2 days of intensive facilitator training
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Ambassadors became internal trainers, coaches, and advocates—meeting regularly to share best practices and keep the program evolving
Measurable Business Results
This CX transformation delivered impressive business and cultural outcomes:
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📊 NPS rose from 57 to 85 over five years
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💬 Stronger emotional engagement with clients, improving retention and referral behavior
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🧑🤝🧑 Boosted employee engagement, particularly in frontline roles
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🏆 Positioned KeyBank as a standout employer, enhancing talent attraction and retention
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📆 Supported record-breaking performance during KeyBank’s 200th year in business
Lessons Learned from the Frontline
KeyBank’s experience offers powerful takeaways for any organization aiming to operationalize culture:
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Executive alignment is non-negotiable. Consistent senior sponsorship keeps initiatives credible and prioritized.
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Culture is built daily. Rituals like huddles and storytelling sustain momentum.
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Choose influence over hierarchy. Internal advocates must be trusted peers, not just senior managers.
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Clarity drives confidence. Actionable statements outperform abstract values.
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Kindness is powerful. Empathy remains a competitive advantage in service delivery.
Conclusion
KeyBank’s “Moments Matter” initiative demonstrates how intentional culture design—when supported by clear systems, strong leadership, and human-centered values—can dramatically improve both employee experience and customer loyalty.
This is more than a success story. It’s a model for how organizations across industries can operationalize purpose and achieve sustainable growth through people-first customer experience strategies.
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