How it started

Embracing a true customer-centric approach, Nest – the National Employment Savings Trust in the UK – is dedicated to serving its members in the best possible way. To achieve this, Nest needs a better understanding of their members’ profiles, and this across different key life stages. While pension engagement across the UK may vary, being close to its members allows Nest to keep their finger on the pulse of what matters to them most.

How we inspired change

We set up and managed an ‘always-on’ online community with over 2,900 Nest pension members. Participants were invited to take part in surveys, in-depth video interviews, qualitative activities, discussions, or even to join site visits to Nest investment acquisitions – such as visiting a solar panel farm. To boost community engagement, we consult members to understand what they would like from the community and to co-create the future of ‘Your Way’.

The online community is instrumental in delivering consistent high-quality insights and helped Nest in rolling out their Customer Closeness Programme. Beyond that, the community serves as a valuable resource for other Nest stakeholders, extending its impact to contribute insights for broader sector publications.

How it lives on

The ‘Your Way’ community allows members’ voices to be heard within Nest, from tactically helping to refine communications through to behavioural deeper dives into the world of pensions from a consumer perspective. An example of the latter includes exploring what ‘risk’ means for customers and how this subsequently influences their investment actions.