How ROI Automotive Builds Connections With Mystery Coffee

“Mystery Coffee creates connections that simply wouldn’t happen through our day-to-day work. It gives people the opportunity to meet colleagues from across the business, understand different roles and perspectives, and build relationships that help us feel more connected as one organization.”

Challenge: Staying Connected While Working Remotely

When the COVID pandemic changed the way people worked, many of the informal interactions that had previously happened naturally disappeared almost overnight.
At ROI Automotive, remote work meant fewer spontaneous conversations and fewer opportunities for employees to get to know colleagues outside their immediate teams. The informal “water cooler” moments that help people exchange perspectives, learn about other parts of the business, and build personal relationships were suddenly much harder to create.

ROI Automotive wanted to provide employees with an easy way to maintain these connections, even when they were no longer working together in the same location.

The Solution: Creating New Connections With Mystery Coffee

ROI Automotive introduced Mystery Coffee during the pandemic to create opportunities for the informal conversations that were missing from everyday remote work.

Employees who participate are regularly matched with colleagues from across the business for an informal conversation. The format gives them a simple way to step outside their usual teams and professional circles and connect with people they might otherwise never meet.

The initiative quickly received positive feedback and continued even as ROI Automotive transitioned to a more hybrid way of working.

Today, Mystery Coffee remains an established way for employees to meet new colleagues across the business. ROI Automotive also encourages participants to meet in person whenever possible, adding another opportunity to build stronger relationships.

The Impact: More Than 2,200 Matches Across 29 Departments

More than 100 employees from 29 departments have participated in Mystery Coffee at ROI Automotive, resulting in more than 2,200 matches.

For remote employees and those who are relatively new to the company, the program offers an especially valuable opportunity to build their internal network and gain a broader perspective on the business.

“Being a remote worker, who is fairly new to the company, I get a lot out of talking to people from across the business. Most of the time I have never seen the person before, never mind worked with them, so it’s great to find out more about them and the company.”

Participants also value the opportunity to discover projects, perspectives, and expertise outside their own areas of work – sometimes opening the door to future collaboration.

“Mystery Coffees are great for making connections and bringing the outstanding work that is happening in the wider business closer for future collaborations.”

For others, the conversations have become a regular part of their working routine:

“Every two weeks I meet with someone – some I know, some I’m meeting for the first time – and I love that I always come away feeling I’ve learned something new about someone, and how lovely everyone here is. It’s a really positive experience for me, and I will always make time for this.”

Mystery Coffee can also make a tangible difference to how connected employees feel while working remotely.

“It has been great to connect with different people that I wouldn't normally meet. Working from home can be isolating, but Mystery Coffee has helped me feel more connected and part of the ROI team.”

What started as a response to remote work has developed into a lasting part of how ROI Automotive connects employees across the business. By creating space for conversations beyond everyday projects and meetings, Mystery Coffee gives colleagues the chance to better understand each other’s roles, discover new perspectives, and build relationships across departmental boundaries.

“Mystery Coffee is a great opportunity to meet colleagues you may not normally interact with and to understand how everyone's roles come together.”

About ROI Automotive
ROI Automotive operates at the heart of the fleet industry, combining technology, data, marketing, and specialist teams through a connected digital and human fleet sales platform.

For more than two decades, the company has worked with OEMs, fleets, leasing companies, and retailers to make fleet sales and services more connected, efficient, and effective. Its platform connects more than 1,400 major fleets, 31 passenger car brands, eight commercial vehicle brands, and over 500 retailers across the fleet ecosystem.

Learn more about ROI Automotive.