"We invest in soft values, because we believe that's what creates hard results"
Gustav Öhman, Head of Customer Service, Postkodlotteriet
Postkodlotteriet has won the Swedish Customer Service of the Year award three years running. It’s a deliberate philosophy built around soft values, data-empowered employees, and a clear sense of purpose. At High Tech High Touch, we sat down with Gustav Öhman, Head of Customer Service, to understand how they do it.
Soft values, hard results
When Gustav talks about Postkodlotteriet's success, he always comes back to the same paradox: the path to measurable, sharp customer service results runs through things that aren't immediately visible.
"I think it comes down to the fact that we invest heavily in soft values, believing that will create sharper, harder results."
That takes patience. Investments in culture, leadership, and employee development rarely show up in tomorrow's numbers.
"When we work on soft values, we might not see the difference tomorrow. But we always see a difference in the long run."
That conviction has carried Postkodlotteriet to three consecutive wins, and it isn't something they plan to change.
Data that empowers employees
One of the clearest shifts in recent years has been giving employees access to data, not to monitor them, but to strengthen them.
"The big difference is that we now have time to evaluate our performance in a broader, more consistent way. AI gives us a much wider base to work from."
The idea is straightforward: employees make better decisions when they have the right information.
"We want to delegate mandate, decisions, and authority to our employees. There is no one better placed to make decisions towards the customer than they are themselves."
The result is a team that feels ownership, and customers who notice the difference.
Hiring with a clear why
Bringing in AI support hasn't meant slowing down on hiring. A strong culture needs constant growth, but recruitment at Postkodlotteriet is driven by purpose.
"Postkodlotteriet exists because we want to make the world a better place – and we want people, animals and nature to have better conditions. It's easier to recruit when you have such a clear why."
That sense of purpose runs through how they recruit, how they develop people, and how they meet their customers.
Next steps: keep doing what works
What does the next chapter look like for a team that has already won three times? Gustav doesn't hesitate.
"I think we've found a concept that works. We invest in soft values believing that produces harder results, and that's what we'll keep doing. We'll put a lot of time into our staff and our employees to help them grow."
In the end, it's the employees who meet the customers. And it's the employees who will decide whether Postkodlotteriet takes home the title again next year.
Gustav Öhman was interviewed at Indicate me's annual customer event High Tech High Touch, 28 May 2026 in Stockholm.
