+ Menu
The client is the market leader within their industry and consists of over 150 entrepreneurs spread out in Sweden. Within the last decade they had noticed a worrisome trend. Their market share was slowly decreasing, they experienced a decline in sales for important product categories and saw a difference in customer behavior; especially in younger age groups. The client had unsuccessfully tried to launch an e-commerce and other centralized scalable initiatives in the past.
The company contacted Harper to help form and implement a strategic direction including a new operating model that enabled the organization to successfully initiate and execute scalable initiatives for the benefit of the 150 entrepreneurs. An obstacle was a general lack of trust from the entrepreneurs in the efficiency in central initiatives and because of that an unwillingness to finance large change projects.
A 3-step agile process was used to meet the key challenges and approach the question with an open mind, yet in a structured manner.
Understand the market, consumers and the business opportunity
The client’s current situation was evaluated through a quantitative feasibility study in which changes in the outside world, customers' future needs as well as business potential and capabilities were examined.
Set the strategic direction and new market position
The strategic direction was set in close collaboration with senior management and adapted to the clients’ vision and desired future position in the market landscape. The way forward was investigated as well as how the company had to proceed to get there. It was revealed that, to ensure that the client would succeed, a new operative model with new capabilities adapted to the market landscape was required.
Apply change management and establish new ways of working
The client had over 150 stores; each owned by an entrepreneur that had to invest money for it to be possible to execute the new strategic direction. A tour to meet with the entrepreneurs and convince them of the future changes needed was made. To prioritize the most impactful initiatives a structured business development process was developed where initiatives were tested to prove the efficiency of the process.
A very successful partnership where the clients' potential was unlocked.
A new organizational structure with new divisions and competencies
>95% buy-in from the entrepreneurs
100 million secured
The client has in less than a year recruited ten new stores
A successful e-commerce platform has been implemented
OKR-structure taught and implemented to align the whole organization towards the strategic objectives.
