iXerv is a SAP SuccessFactors Gold Partner known for their high scoping accuracy and team consistencies throughout implementations. Boasting an 8.45/10 software satisfaction score, customers who use iXerv are 7.6% more likely to be satisfied with their SAP SuccessFactors products than the industry average (7.85/10).

This week, we had the opportunity to talk with Bruno Silva, CEO of Americas at iXerv, about his career path that led him there.

Silva started his career in various technical roles implementing SAP SuccessFactors. When he moved from Brazil to the US, he had an opportunity to build the LATAM market for iXerv in January of 2019.

“It was challenging because by that time, iXerv was well-recognized in North America and other countries, but Latin America was an empty box of opportunity,” said Silva. “The company’s existing reputation offered a strong building block for iXerv to enter the market.”

Silva was initially tasked with developing operations for Latin America but soon expanded his efforts and took on his current role as CEO of the Americas.

When asked why he was interested in joining the iXerv team, Silva said: “I liked the challenge of being an entrepreneur and building something new. iXerv was still small at the time and operated kind of like a start-up. They had a good reputation and I could build upon that.”

What type of customers does iXerv support?

iXerv’s ideal customers have a large global footprint and are looking to roll out SAP SuccessFactors globally.

“Most of our customers have an integration issue,” Silva noted. “iXerv offers a solution to their integration needs and then we stay involved with the client to help them continue operating smoothly.”

iXerv provides support for all SuccessFactors modules with a specialization in implementing Employee Central, Employee Central Payroll, and WorkForce Software. They are SAP SuccessFactors Gold Partner, and this expertise opened doors for iXerv to enter new geographies as they continue to build out their operations.

“For example, in Italy, Employee Central was a niche that opened up additional doors,” Silva said.

How does iXerv handle challenges?

“Challenges are always going to come up in an implementation,” says Silva. “These types of HR transformations aren’t easy. We try to be proactive as much as possible to stay ahead of challenges that may arise.”

Silva mentioned that changing teams – both on the customer side and on the consultant side – often causes problems, so they strive to keep teams the same throughout the entire implementation.

“When something comes to light, we get together internally to understand what is going on with the client. We do our best to be proactive and understand from the client’s perspective what needs to be done to resolve the problem.”

What is iXerv’s approach to customer satisfaction?

iXerv achieved their reputation by thinking about implementations as if they were in the role of the customer to understand their needs and timeline, which can be seen in their 8.82/10 partner satisfaction score.

“I would attribute our high customer satisfaction rate to our people and the number of implementations that we’ve done in the past. We bring a lot of experience to the table,” Silva noted.Once a customer implementation arrives at go-live, iXerv offers their Cloud Care support package designed specifically for SAP SuccessFactors operations. This package provides ongoing support and the customer can choose their level of care, such as upgrades, project support, etc.

“Our goals are always to keep satisfaction high. This is very important to us and with every implementation, we try to move the client to Cloud Care, our support module, to keep the client engaged on an on-going basis,” said Bruno. “Over 90% of our customers choose to use our Cloud Care System after go-live. This allows us to build a long-term relationship with our customers.”

Team consistency also plays a large role in overall partner and project satisfaction for HCM implementations. According to data collected by Raven Intel, 18% of iXerv implementations have no change in team and 82% experience a slight change.

“During the sales process, our consultants are actively involved and understand the requirements. We act as one time, not two, to prepare the scope document. We seek to name the consultants directly on the proposal and don’t swap that out during the project,” said Silva.

How does iXerv create a culture dedicated to customer satisfaction?

With iXerv being a small company, it’s crucial to ensure that each team member who joins reflects the company’s values and commitment to customer satisfaction. When hiring, iXerv turns to their existing team members to see if they know anyone in their professional network who is interested. This approach ensures that the referrals are quality and have experience similar to the person who is referring them.

“Over 90% of those who work at iXerv are internal referrals,” said Bruno. “This is a benefit to us because larger organizations can’t typically deploy that model. Potential team members must have a great track record of success in the industry, which we verify through personal references.”

iXerv does not experience much turnover, as they strive to keep consultants happy and motivated by giving them rewarding projects not just in the geography where they are located, but around the world.

“If we do need to hire externally, our consultants are the first ones to talk to them because they’ll ask questions about hands-on work,” continued Silva.

What should potential customers be looking for in a partner?

Reputation plays a large role as potential customers explore consulting partners. As mentioned in Raven Intel’s 10 Questions You Should Be Asking a Potential Consulting Partner, customers need to be asking questions and doing their own research on what is being said about a consulting firm.

“Use Raven Intel and find the background of a firm you are considering,” says Silva. “Read the reviews and customer references to see what others are saying.”

Silva also urges customers to talk to SAP to confirm a potential partner’s reputation and to utilize review platforms to really get to know what customers are saying about the firm.

“With iXerv, the proof of our quality is in our customer references,” continues Silva. “You can find that proof on Raven Intel or ask SAP and they’ll confirm our reputation and the way that we deliver excellence to our customers.”