Alain Thys - Shall we talk about transformation?

Transformations typically struggle for three reasons

  • The desired state is too vague.

  • The people don't care enough.

  • The business gets in the way

Recognise one or more?

THEN LET'S TALK

Or follow me on Substack

Whether for AI, customer-centricity or strategic change.

I help you make transformation real

Tell the story of who your business wants to become, in words your neigbour understands.

Let the vision resonate with your teams, customers, shareholders, and ecosystem partners.

Make the top 2-3 moves to reduce organisational friction and create momentum.

Alain Thys looking out of the window

Hi, I’m Alain

I’m a transformation architect

Over the past few decades, I've helped executives make customer and organisational transformation work.

Big programmes. Global standards. Top-decile NPS results. 

With my teams, we touched 500m+ customers and 1m+ employees in insurance, accounting, beauty, automotive, wine and 20+ other industries. We generated hundreds of millions in value. Even more smiles.

I’m proud of what we did.

But I had doubts

The more I worked on transformation, the more I found myself challenging the popular forms of transformation theatre. That people could be aligned, nudged and measured into change. That the impact of a traditional cascade would outlast the executive in charge. 

So I started looking for a better way.

The Transformation Code by Alain Thys: How to really transform your customers, your organisation, yourself.

The Transformation Code

I stepped out of my business bubble

  • I studied with narrative designers, neuroscientists, theatre makers, systems thinkers, psychologists, improv teachers.

  • Hung out with Nepalese monks, tarot readers, soldiers, poets and people in taboo professions.

  • I took seven years to integrate their thinking with what I already knew about change in business.

The resulting method looks deceptively simple, but it works: 

  • Craft a Story that expands what feels possible.

  • Make it Resonate with your customers. Organisation. Market.

  • Create the conditions for change to Flow.

Or written as a Code:  ​𝚫  = S × R × F

GET THE BOOK ON AMAZON

Why clients contact me

Mid-market and large company executives reach out when they feel that the usual transformation theatre won't create the deep and lasting change they seek. They're not looking for another operational consultant, guru framework or agile design workshop. 

They seek someone who talks straight and helps identify the real levers of change. Even if this conversation gets uncomfortable.

My strongest roles

I tend to do what is needed to make things move, but I’m told that my best roles are to:

  • As your executive sparring partner, I can:

    • Help clarify your objectives and the challenges to overcome.

    • Think through transformation challenges on your behalf.

    • Co-produce key content and presentations.

    • Tell you the truth, even if it hurts.


  • As your fractional transformation architect I can help:

    • Shape the future vision for your business.

    • Identify and plan your highest impact transformation moves.

    • Get your teams excited about a new direction.

    • Coach your project leads - and consultants - through uncertainty.

    • Keep your implementation plan on track.

  • As your inspiration partner I can:

    • Offer inspirations through keynotes and mini-workshop.

    • Let you and your teams ‘experience different’ through immersions.

    • Fuel the appetite for change through emotion led communications.

Need specialist expertise or scale?

If the job is too big for one pair of hands I can call on my colleagues from The Transformation Architects.

What others say about me

  • Alexandra de Greck

    "​With his collaborative, commercial and hands-on approach, Alain sparked a fire for customer experience across the company from the moment he started."

    Alexandra de Greck
    ​VP, Head of Global Operations & CX 

    Oriflame

  • James Wallman

    From our first interactions, I thought: "Wow, this guy's sharp - super smart & also super honest. He exemplifies the concept of radical candour."

    James Wallman
    CEO

    World Experience Organisation

  • Nikolaas Tahon

    For the first time in my life, I got a more structured way of thinking about customer experience and client satisfaction.

    Nikolaas Tahon
    ​Global Board Member

    Deloitte

  • Dominik Endler

    Alain helped define and form our customer-centricity program. His skill to listen, understand and bring everything into the context of his client is amazing.

    Dominik Endler ​
    VP Customer & Commercial Excellence and CMO 

    Bekaert

  • Paul English

    Alain has worked with us on our CX agenda from the beginning. He brings clarity, relevance and a commercial mindset to engage a diverse and international audience.

    Paul English
    ​Global Leader - Markets & Clients 

    Grant Thornton International

Credentials

​I know I'm only as good as my next project.

But as part of your due diligence, you probably want to know what I've done and where I've been.

I’ve been involved in too many projects to list, but these already give a flavour.

I'll happily discuss other credentials and limited case details in a personal conversation (subject to NDA). 

  • ​Since 2006 I'm a regular collaborator with Toyota and Lexus Europe on a variety of strategic projects.

    Deliverables

    • Help create Europe's best automotive experience (Lexus)

    • Achieve industry leading NPS results
      Drive new vehicle sales
      Increase impact of after sales teams
      Improve brand clarity
      Enhance employee experience

  • I helped a global non-food retailer reconcile it’s AI-first ambitions with its people-centric culture.

    Deliverables:

    • A clear AI narrative within the corporate strategy.

    • A motivating positioning of AI towards all employees.

    • A programme to make AI relevant to store staff.

    • A movement plan for positive AI engagement..

    • Deeper strategic questions and recommendation.

  • ​For a crematorium group, I am leading a project to transform McFunerals into meaningful farewells.

    Deliverables:

    • Three customer resonant farewell experience scripts

    • Design guidelines for new facilities opening in 2029

    • A new resomation ritual

    • 150+ innovation opportunities

    • The start of an industry movement

  • Over the years I have supported ING Insurance (and later NN) on number of strategic customer projects.

    Delverables:

    • An internationally unified set of customer promises and experience standards.

    • A detailed “gap-closing” programme leading to #1 NPS position in all but one market.

    • An organic change movement with hundreds of initiatives across all offices.

    • A move towards interest-led lead generation.

  • Over the years I've assisted Grant-Thornton in multiple client relationship programmes.

    Delverables:

    • A globally aligned client journey

    • A set of client experience standards

    • An experience capability development roadmap

    • A global client experience implementation programme

    • Practical (NPS) ClientVoice programme improvements

  • For the Generali Group, I led the development of global customer experience standards​

    Deliverables:

    • A global customer experience manifesto

    • Purchase, claims, service and renewal journeys for motor, home, life and health insurance

    • Minimum and differentiating experience standards for each journey stage

    • People, technological and organisational capability requirements to deliver on the experience ambitions,

    • 12 avenues for experience innovation

  • I helped Philips International’s marketing teams develop the capabilities to become more customer-centric.

    Deliverables:

    • one of the world’s first global, cross-functional Net Promoter implementations.

    • significant increase in customer-led marketing capabilities.

    • better alignment of marketing, sales and technology agendas.

  • Some other projects include:

    • Creating and implementing international experience standards at Oriflame, Vodafone, Bridgestone, …

    • Implementing customer-centricity programmes at Bekaert, Deloitte, Weber-Stephen, Mercedes, McLaren, …

    • Developing and introducing new value propositions at MCE, Lantmännen-Unibake, Sanoma Group, …

    • Setting up a global advocacy programme for Bordeaux wines (tasty!)

    • and so on …