Rabobank: from an online skills session to cracking an old vault
An online skills session. Chances are you immediately picture a Teams link, a digital presentation and a screen full of talking heads. Not exactly a recipe for energy and enthusiasm. At Rabobank, they wanted to do things differently.
Rabobank’s marketers are taking part in Beeckestijn Business School’s in-company program People-Centered Marketing Excellence. A program in which they develop both new and advanced skills linked to the competencies that are important within Rabobank. One of those skills? Complex Problem Solving.
And for this particular session, we decided to leave the standard online classroom behind.
“From the very first moment we got in touch with Beeckestijn, we experienced just how enthusiastic and knowledgeable they are when it comes to creating a tailor-made program for us. The result was a learning track consisting of 8 online sessions and an in-person closing session later in the year.
The sessions and trainers align seamlessly with our day-to-day professional practice and help us further develop Rabobank’s internal skills. Developing our marketers and strengthening our marketing capabilities has truly turned into an online learning experience to look forward to.”
Thies van Zadelhoff, Marketing Academy Manager at Rabobank
Beeckestijn’s solution
Trainer Bob Muntjewerff wasn’t standing behind a desk or in front of a virtual background. He was right in the middle of the Rabobank Museum, inside the old vault where gold was once stored.
The reason for the in-company program was clear. Rabobank wanted to equip its marketers with new and advanced skills aligned with the organization’s core competencies. At the same time, there was a clear vision for how this knowledge should be delivered. The sessions had to be fun, interactive, surprising and energetic. Anything but dull or old-fashioned. Instead, they needed to be something marketers genuinely enjoyed taking part in. A moment that not only develops knowledge and skills, but also feels like a little treat during the working day.
Bob’s session brought these ambitions together perfectly. Solving complex problems is about more than finding a solution as quickly as possible. It starts with looking closely, recognizing patterns and noticing details that others might miss. Then it is about connecting the different pieces of the puzzle and continuing to experiment when the solution is not immediately obvious. These were exactly the skills the marketers put into practice.
During the session, participants first explored what actually makes a problem complex. Then they immediately started practicing the skills needed to solve these kinds of problems. Not simply by listening and taking notes, but above all by doing, discovering and experiencing.
And the exercise came with a surprising twist: participants had to crack the code to the old vault. Suddenly, an abstract topic like Complex Problem Solving became very tangible. By connecting the content to a playful and unexpected experience, everyone remained actively engaged. The response was enthusiastic and attendance was high. The marketers actively participated and fully immersed themselves in the challenge.
This achieved exactly what Rabobank had envisioned: an energizing learning experience that allows participants to develop new skills in an accessible way. Because online learning does not have to be boring. With the right combination of content, interaction and experience, an online session can become something you genuinely look forward to.
Schematic representation of the program
Did this case inspire you?
Want happier, more engaged customers? What we do for Rabobank, we’d love to do for your organization too. Naturally, everything is tailored to your specific ambitions, whether you’re looking for a different postgraduate program, a Young Talent Program or a custom program.
Beeckestijn is the right place for training and education in:
- Leadership & Change
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- Communication
- Customer Experience
- Digital & Marketing
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Over 100 organisations already benefit from our incompany training and customised programs. Overall, they give us a strong 8.
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More than 100 organizations have successfully developed further with our in-company and customized programs. We also have a solution for your specific challenge. Do you want to brainstorm with us first, no strings attached? Please feel free to contact Bionda and Marc.
