Client Case Studies
Integrated Marketing Agency
Integrated Marketing Agency
The Brief
Following a run of successful years, the agencies personnel grew rapidly. What became apparent was the lack of integration amongst divisional personnel, with many individuals or departments struggling to know their specific role in the agency and how they needed to work with other individuals/departments. In short, despite the sales success, the levels of morale and employee engagement were low and needed to be addressed.
The Solution
Cogentum met with individuals and departments across the agency to listen to and understand the key issues concerning integration, responsibility, ownership and engagement. It quickly became apparent that management had done little to encourage dialogue regarding these issues and an external facilitation was needed.
A feedback session with the management team, which included anonymous employee video interviews and transcripts of group discussions, provided the catalyst for change. Not only did the management team accept that they had lessons to learn regarding shaping culture and internal communications, but they also supported a company wide engagement strategy which would focus on three core areas: transparent communications; owing your responsibility and shared accountability.
Cogentum, working with one of our Partners, developed and implemented both the management coaching sessions and the employee engagement program (which evolved to include a recognition platform).
Results
The Management team now undertake on-going coaching and mentorship initiatives to ensure they continue to improve as the agency grows and takes on more complex challenges (including European expansion). Staff turnover is down and whilst the agency is yet to implement a formal employee engagement and satisfaction survey, informal feedback indicates a significant improvement in interdepartmental engagement and shared ownership of core tasks and responsibilities.
Automotive Manufacturer
Automotive Manufacturer
The Brief
A major European car company was struggling to convince franchise owners of the direct correlation between Sales and After-Sales within dealerships and the need to better integrate these two customer facing departments to ensure long-term customer loyalty and satisfaction. And yes, this is a 21st century case study. Cogentum were hired to undertake the necessary research and consulting to gain buy-in from dealerships to an integrated sales and aftersales approach.
The Solution
Having conducted fairly rudimentary customer research, both telephone-based and in-person focus groups, the challenge was less about understanding the customer issues (which were fairly obvious) and more about convincing franchise owners and dealer principals of the need to change.
The automotive industry is awash with technological advances, creative engineering and stunning machinery, yet when you scratch the surface and get down to grass roots, little has changed across manufacturer or franchise owned dealer networks. This was our challenge, to convince those franchise owners that not only was change necessary, but change would result in improved customer satisfaction; increased customer ‘dealer loyalty’ and more sales revenue.
We took a unique route. With two new model launches imminent we hijacked these events and instead invited both existing and lapsed customers to give them the opportunity to meet with and share their experiences with franchise owners and dealer staff. What became apparent was that the vast majority of customers felt that they were customers of two different companies, a sales organisation and a service organisation, and that this did little to encourage/reward loyalty or demonstrate that customers were important.
Results
Having collated the results across multiple events, there was little doubt about the need for change, this was recognised and accepted. That change remains on-going, what’s important is that Cogentum appreciated that certain challenges require a different approach, a unique way of thinking, which is core to how we work with our clients to make companies great.
Digital Agency
Digital Agency
The Brief
A top five US based email and SEO agency approached Cogentum with a very clear challenge.
Employing upwards of 35 account directors and client management staff, the management team had conducted a sizeable survey with three audiences: current clients; past clients and sales prospects. The main purpose of this survey was to understand what they did well and why organisations left them or went elsewhere.
The finding that most alarmed the management team came from existing and past clients. Both sets of customers implied that the company didn’t truly understand their needs, had a less than perfect approach to account management, were strategically weak and often missed sales opportunities.
Our challenge was to fix this reality.
The Solution
It took little time to understand the problem. Not only did our client have no formal or informal Account Planning process in place, the team of 35 account directors and client managers effectively operated under their own steam, with little guidance, structure or accountability in place.
Sales was strong, our client had a good record of attracting new customers, the challenge was in growing them, satisfying them and retaining them.
We created six ‘teams’ from the 35 and we empowered these teams, under our instruction and guidance, to work together to analyse the results of the company survey and understand what was required to put this right. Account Planning formed a big part of the solution, and our consultants worked with Salesforce to implement a hybrid solution, but we also coached these teams across key areas including teamwork and collaboration; customer accountability; process management and general customer retention skills.
Results
Account Planning is now integral within our client organisation, indeed, the team of 35 (now upwards of 50) cannot ‘log-in’ until they have updated the task list and client account plans. Client satisfaction, as evidenced by a follow up survey, has improved and the changes have been appreciated.
Most importantly, client staff are now integrated, more engaged in the wider agency business and compete quarterly for the Account Planning Achiever accolades.