2012 Gold Best data strategy

Client hmv

How did the campaign make a difference? This was a massive strategic change for hmv: creating an automated, dynamic, interactive, cutting-edge 1-2-1 retail eCRM and business management control initiative. It delivered £120,000 in efficiency each year, and a 79% average revenue increase per engaged customer.

What details of the strategy make this a winning entry? The unique hmvip eCRM programme harnesses 2.2 million pure hmv loyalty cards. The initiative captures, measures and responds to live feedback from in-store experiences and opinions. It includes dynamically-triggered emails, surveys, an integrated web platform for instantaneous access, personalised live customer call back and email follow ups, while dynamically published social media integration spreads the positive attentive service. 234 hmv stores are alerted to live customer feedback and can manage call back requests. This empowers staff to take ownership of their store’s customer experience and provides hmv HQ with invaluable local, regional and national satisfaction KPIs and store rankings. It sharpens the in-store experience in a live and innovative way never done before in the UK. It facilitates dialogue between hmv HQ, hmv stores and valuable loyal customers, and strengthens loyalty by acting on customer opinions.

How did creativity bring the strategy to life? Collecting customer feedback via email and surveys immediately after a store visit enables hmv to implement quick changes based on this feedback. The digital experience (email, survey, portal and response) is clean and intuitive. The portal allows hmv staff to manage and resolve call backs, plot satisfaction trends with live data, filter information by date to compare regional, divisional and company KPIs, and to group feedback by theme. Stores can view their position in league tables, introducing an element of healthy store competition. Throughout, the creative maintains a theme of reinforcing hmv's gratitude to their customers, returning to local service values from local stores and challenging the perception of broken retail Britain. Customers with positive feedback are encouraged to share their experience via dynamic social media links, and recommend their store.

Results Post-programme customer engagement revenue has resulted in exceptional ROI at over 2,109%. Huge financial savings have been made by replacing traditional NPS mystery shopping. In response to range and availability feedback, hmv HQ is now negotiating with suppliers to lease stock, providing customers with much greater range and depth, and empowering stores with the autonomy to buy stock, making niche genres and titles more accessible.

Team Sheryl Gannaway - Account Director, Mark Brennan - MD, Nicole Ward - Customer Experience Manager, Neil Taylor - Retail Operations Director, Dan Martin - Technical Manager, Tom Sheahan - Lead Designer, Peter Hall - Project Manager, Jason Toy - Head of Retail Central Operations