Customer experience and human-centred innovation strategy expert
vanderbeeken@me.com
+39 333 194 9545
Senior professional and independent strategic consultant specialised in customer insight and customer-centred innovation strategies
I support B2B and B2C companies in enhancing their Customer Experience and innovating their product and services, building on a deep understanding of the needs and behaviors of customers, employees, and other stakeholders.
Products that lack intuitive design, services that fall short of expectations, fragmented experiences, and frequent requests for support can all undermine user satisfaction, damage the relationship with the company, and diminish the effectiveness of investments.
I bring over 20 years of international experience in Human-Centered Design, gained through projects for major organizations, including Samsung, Sony, Intel, UniCredit, Intesa Sanpaolo, Stellantis, and Roche.
I founded and led Experientia (2005–2024), a human-centered design consultancy, where I held strategic, organizational, and financial responsibilities.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Customer & User Research: understanding the needs, behaviors, and expectations of customers, employees, and stakeholders to identify pain points and opportunities for improvement
- Customer Experience: enhancing how people interact with a company’s products and services, fostering satisfaction and trust while reducing the need for support
- Product and Service Innovation: transforming research findings into design requirements and new solutions that align with both user expectations and business objectives
- Product and Service Validation: verifying the effectiveness of proposed solutions with users prior to implementation, helping to reduce the risk of ineffective investments.
MY APPROACH
- Using Human-Centered Design and Design Thinking methodologies, I combine qualitative and quantitative research, behavioral analysis, and the design of new solutions.
- I work closely with management and internal teams – from identifying needs and defining design requirements to validating proposed solutions – ensuring that people’s expectations are balanced with business goals.
LET’S TALK
If your company is looking to improve the customer experience, rethink a service, or develop new solutions, please get in touch for an initial discussion.
What I can do for your company
Identify new opportunities for improvement and innovation
by analysing the needs, behaviours and experiences of customers, users and employees
Define the requirements for new products and services
translating customer research findings into project proposals that foster long-term satisfaction and trust, while remaining aligned with corporate objectives
Verify the effectiveness of solutions prior to implementation
through user analysis, behavioural modelling and user testing, in close collaboration with internal business teams, to reduce the risk of ineffective investments
Methodologies, approaches and tools
Human-Centered Design and Strategy Development | Design Thinking | User Research & Behavioral Analysis | Customer Journey Mapping | Personas | Service Design | Co-Creation | Prototyping & Usability Testing | Data-Driven Platforms
My added value
Entrepreneurial experience and business vision
founded and lead a consulting firm, managed with full strategic, financial and organisational responsibility
International and cross-sector leadership
managed complex projects for multinational groups across diverse markets and business environments
Strategic and design-oriented approach
integrating research, behavioural analysis and the development of concrete solutions, aligning customer needs with business objectives
Clients, sectors and projects
Key clients
UniCredit, Intesa Sanpaolo | Samsung, Sony, Intel, Midea, 3M | Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone | CVA, Repower | Tarkett | Changan Automotive, Stellantis | Takeda, Roche
Areas of focus
Financial Services | Consumer Electronics & Technology | Telecommunications | Energy & Utilities | Industry & Building Materials | Automotive & Mobility | Healthcare & Pharma
Project examples and results
Since 2005, numerous projects and assignments for Fortune 500 clients. See examples below:
UNICREDIT [IT – financial services] | Digital Customer Experience Innovation
Redesign of the ATM interface through customer research, prototyping and usability testing
→ solution implemented on over 6,000 ATMs, with transactions 33% faster, a 25% increase in non-UniCredit customers, and an error rate of less than 1%
INTESA SANPAOLO [IT – financial services] | HR Digital Transformation
Support in defining the HR digital transformation strategy through the engagement of 105 internal stakeholders
→ identification of priorities and courses of action for the redesign of HR services, as part of a program involving over 80,000 employees
INTESA SANPAOLO [IT – financial services] | Evolution of Consulting
Creation of behavioural models on how clients approach the management of their investments and expenses, based on 60 interviews
→ a new advisory model allowing Intesa Sanpaolo to become the first Italian bank to engage with clients in a way that addresses their actual aspirations, practices and needs
TARKETT [FR – settore materiali per la costruzione] | Experience Transformation
Analysis, modelling (e.g. customer journey maps) and redesign of the customer experience in the interactions between a multinational industrial company specialising in flooring solutions and its various stakeholders (installers, architects, and end customers) across European, U.S. and Russian markets
→ identification of over 150 innovation opportunities and key priorities for the evolution of the Tarkett services
DEUTSCHE TELEKOM [DE – telecommunications] | Customer Service Innovation
Research across five countries into new behaviours and needs related to home internet connectivity
→ redesign of online services for home Internet networks based on the value they bring to people’s lives
CVA ENERGIE [IT – energy] | Improvement and extension of the retail service
Reconceiving the retail user experience for a sustainable energy service
→ design of an integrated service offering capable of attracting customers from outside the company’s primary target region
DIRECT FERRIES [IRL – travel] | Improvement of the purchasing experience for passengers on Italian ferries
Analysis of the reasons behind the low conversion rate of Italian purchases on the international platform
→ interface changes which enabled the company to achieve a rate comparable to that of other countries
CHANGAN AUTOMOTIVE [China – automotive] | European research project on the customer experience of electric vehicles
Studies conducted in Sweden, France, Germany and Italy regarding lifestyles and behaviour, aimed at helping the Chinese company better understand potential customers, develop superior products, and promote its brand more effectively
→ identification of innovation opportunities to support the company’s Design, Marketing and Innovation functions
MIDEA [China – HVAC] | Analysis of heat pump installer requirements
Interviews with heat pump installers in France, Germany and Italy to gather information on their practices and needs
→ complete redesign of support services for installers, which is their decisive factor in choosing a particular brand
SAMSUNG [South Korea – home appliances]: EU Dwelling Explore
Analysis of trends in housing in Europe and their impact on consumer preferences
→ insights and strategic and design recommendations for integrating household appliances into the living spaces and lifestyles of upwardly mobile European families
Professional experience, education and languages
2025-now | Independent strategic consultant | Customer Experience & Service Design [IT]
International customer insight, market research and innovation expert
2005-2004 | Experientia Srl [IT]
CEO & Senior Partner 2014-2024 | Founder & Senior Partner 2005-2014
2001-2005 | Interaction Design Institute Ivrea [IT]
Head of communications
1999-2001 | WWF International – European Freshwater Programme [DK]
Director of communications
1996-1999 | Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects [USA]
Head of Marketing
Other professional achievements
Business leadership: management of Experientia, an international consulting firm with a workforce of up to 30 people and a turnover of approximately €2.8 million
Business development: development and management of relationships with multinational clients, including Samsung, for whom I managed over 35 strategic projects
Education
Cognitive Psychology
Master, Columbia University, New York, USA
Baccalaureate, KU Leuven, Belgium
Languages
Dutch (mother tongue) | English, Italian and French (advanced) | German (professional)