Customer Experience Management – EkoTekNord

We are seven Arcada students who participated on a course in customer experience management in Håverud, Sweden from the 31st of March until the 6th of April. The ambition was to familiarize and learn more about customer experience management and to meet students from other Scandinavian and Baltic countries. There were participants from Finland, Åland Islands, Estonia, Lithuania, Sweden, Norway and Iceland. Thanks to our very own Arcada exchange students participating on the course, there were more than ten nationalities represented. Truly an international participation. We were staying and had our lectures at Håveruds hotel, a humble little hotel in the municipality of Mellerud, Dalsland county.

The week was a very intensive one. We flew from Helsinki to Gothenburg on Sunday the 31st of March and took a train and a bus to reach Håverud in the afternoon. When we arrived in Håverud we were divided into seven different groups, and since we worked together with our teams during the duration of the week. Every team had one participant from each of the participating universities. Each team were assigned with a local company in the field of tourism. After hearing company presentations, each team worked hard to get solutions to each company’s challenges and problems. It meant early wake ups, hours of brainstorming and some lectures in between. Also, litres and litres of coffee and oh so amazing chocolate cookies. Completing 3 ECTS’ in around four days is no joke, and it has definitely had its toll after coming back home.

The course though wasn’t only about long days studying. On Tuesday 2nd of April we all participated in different activities provided by Dalslands Aktiviteter. The activities consisted of kayaking, zip lining, high rope climbing, riding and walking. After the activities the whole bunch of 50 students had a wonderful 3-course dinner at Baldersnäs Herrgåd – a highly appreciated manor with a phenomenal restaurant nominated in the restaurant guide “The White Guide”. Baldersnäs Herrgård was also one of the companies that participated during the week with one team finding solutions for their challenges.

The course ended on Friday the 5th of April when all groups presented their findings of the companies from the week. Most of the company representatives were listening to the presentations with the possibility to ask questions. After the presentations we had a final dinner at Hotel & restaurant Upperud 9:9, also one of the companies participating in the week.

On behalf of the whole Arcada team, we’d like to say thank you to Arcada and NordPlus who made this week possible for us. We’re forever grateful for all the experiences and lifelong friends made. A Nordic – Baltic co-operation is something to value very high.

Thank you also for the teachers (Therese Sjöblom, Dr. Ivar Soone, Pia Gulbrandsøy, Hjördís Sigursteindóttir, Jan Sedenka and Laima Jeseviciute-Ufartiene) for all the new insights and learnings from the week. On behalf of all the participants from Arcada,

Topi Heikkinen

Arcada students on the course: Sally Gabechava, Karin Degerth, Iina Haapala, Roosa Lundqvist, Julian Steinbach, Cristian Spiridou, Topi Heikkinen