SITUATION

Seek validation of short-term and long-term strategy with pro customers

The client was in the process of evolving their customer experience strategy with pros, with a potential commitment to developing a robust range of digital tools and content in a sophisticated experience. Before giving the strategy the green light, the retailer realized they needed more insight about the competitive landscape, ranging from what competitors currently do to how pros view competitors. And they needed it quickly. Unsure about how to get the needed insights efficiently, the retailer turned to Content Science for help.

SOLUTION

Conduct secret shopping, contextual inquiry, and content auditing across competitors to generate insights 

Drawing on our CS Brain and CS Lab solutions, our team rapidly formed an achievable research plan and assembled a range of pro partners to participate. Within 6 weeks, our teams executed and analyzed communications around seven complex orders across six building and construction suppliers. We also conducted contextual inquiries with the pro partners to understand nuances in their perspectives of competitors, use of technology, challenges in working with suppliers, and much more.   

RESULTS

Refine strategy with pro customers and focus execution plans 

In robust detail, our research benchmarked the current state of B2B customer experience and communications for the retailer and multiple competitors. This deep analysis both validated assumptions in the client’s strategy and revealed some surprises. The retailer used the insights to update the strategy as well as priorities for the execution.

We collaborated with the client to explore implications of the findings, such as the importance of content to adopting new digital tools and features and the value of an end-to-end content approach to customer experience interfaces and communications.