CRM on E-Channels

Posted 27-Oct-2004 04:50 AM
Hello

I am a marketing student at Strathclyde University and have to do a report on the CUstomer Relationship Management used by Laura Ashley on e-channels and other channels. Do you have any idea what kind of system they have in place or any general info about CRM on e-channels?

Graham Hill
Guru
Member

Posted 29-Oct-2004 12:49 AM
Stephanie

I did a little bit of searching around for you courtesy of Google.

It appears that as part of Laura Ashley's growth plans (it increased sales by 35% last year and online sales by 100%), it has outsourced customer data management to a UK company called (aptly) GB Group. GB Group has designed and built a customer database for Laura Ashley containing details of all its store, catalogue and online sales. Based upon other comments in the online press, I suspect the database is also enriched with customer socio-demographic information provided by another part of GB Group.

GB Group will also provide analytical & reporting tools to allow Laura Ashley management to monitor customer buying behaviour, monitor the success of marketing campaigns and manage the various channels it uses. I believe they use Frango for financial reporting which suggests they may be using Cognos as their analytical & reporting tool as Cognos has just bought Frango.

Laura Ashley long ago outsourced its entire distribution network to FedEx in Europe to help it cut its logistics bill. This was part of a 10-year deal worth $260m. This resulted in it closing a number of its distribution centres, leaving Wales to serve its customers.

As far as general CRM using eChannels is concerned, I suggest you look at Patricia Seybold's two books on eCRM (Customers.com and The Customer Revolution). They provide a thorough framework for thinking about eCRM. And for practical how-to advice, you just can't beat Jim Sterne's numerous books on eCRM. They provide practical examples of best-practice eCRM in action. Take a look at the websites of the big consultancies (IBM Business Global Services, Accenture, CGE&Y, Deloitte Consulting, Booz Allen Hamilton, PA Consulting, McKinsey, etc) too. They often have very well researched reports on eRetailing which you can download for free.

One thing to be very careful of. The world of retailing shouldn't revolve around eCRM no matter how topical it is, but rather, around the integration of the various touchpoints that customers use. A multi-channel customer using Laura Ashley's catalogue, local store and online website will base their perceptions of Laura Ashley on their experiences at all of these channels. If things go badly wrong—like they did a few years ago when the autumn catalogue was three months late delivering the goods—will rub off on all the other channels too.

Try and contact Laura Ashley and GB Group direct. They may be very willing to help you find out more about what they are doing together.

Graham Hill
Independent CRM Consultant