Challenge:

As the Business Head of reputed retail clothing store the  challenge was declining sales trend Quarter on  quarter due to significant drop in online market share or rather increasing market share of  competitors  in last 6 months.

Our CEO called for meeting and asked me to head the task force to come out with solution in six months  time with 20% increase in market share by next 6 months time frame with out compromising in rate of  return from the investment, he approved me certain amount of budget say  25 millions $. For R&D and  marketing expenses etc.

Selection :

I decided to use Learning Launch design thinking tool to identify shortcomings in our current product  offerings and methods in digital platform. I have called to my digital team to discuss and understand  what went wrong in past 6 months , During meetings we found out there were various current market  dynamics which our competitors are successfully using  and we are not like “Big sale day “ offers every  month apart from festive offers. More range of clothing’s  etc., The reason I selected learning launch is  because I noticed we were short of ideas that connects to online customers , we as team needs to  create hypothesis , search for the truth , rather assumptions which disconfirms our existing product  offerings Vs customer preferences/likes.

Application :

We first analyzed the problem of declining market share and primarily understood from initial internal  research that our offerings in digital space were standard and not tailer made/customized to arrive at  this there were tremendous man hours spent going through sales history not only ours but competitors  as well. We decided to identify market trends and hence the team was given task with standard  questionnaire to target customer audience (Persona) of different age bucketing them in Teen agers, Mid  Age and Old age etc , data on their likes /dislikes were primarily recorded in digital shopping experiences  based on this sample data plus buying of market research reports we started to generate assumptions  /hypothesis . On this assumptions several ideas were generated like shall we give discounts on certain  luxury clothing brands to age above 60 years customer , how can be delivery cancelation method can be  upgraded by reducing TAT etc, Increase TAT for premium customers having loyalty points etc.

Insights and Approach :

The insights I have learned from using Design thinking tools is the quick result either success or failure is  visible, the continuous methods of idea generation not only keeps you connected to market  but  gives  learning on market dynamics in tastes and preferences and technology used to customer delights, the  prototypes or solutions to problems be it customization in product or methods of delivery , price  offering is not static, Learning –Re-learning is vary essential.

I am happy to inform you that our market share in six months have started showing upward trends and  ROI has increased to my CEO’s delight, we have optimally used the budgeted amount while  experimenting R&D exercise.

In future I will explore different tool  of Design thinking for customer Engagement  and exploring new  market space which will keep me  and my team in high learning curve .

Thank you very much.


Challenge : As the Business Head of reputed retail clothing store the challenge was declining sales trend Quarter on quarter due to significant drop in online market share or rather increasing market share of competitors in last 6 months . Our CEO called for meeting and asked me to head the task force to come out with solution in six months time with 20 % increase in market share by next 6 months time frame with out compromising in rate of return from the investment , he approved me certain amount of budget say 25 millions $ . For R&D and marketing expenses etc . Selection : I decided to use Learning Launch design thinking tool to identify shortcomings in our current product offerings and methods in digital platform . I have called to my digital team to discuss and understand what went wrong in past 6 months , During meetings we found out there were various current market dynamics which our competitors are successfully using and we are not like “ Big sale day “ offers every month apart from festive offers . More range of clothing ’s etc . , The reason I selected learning launch is because I noticed we were short of ideas that connects to online customers , we as team needs to create hypothesis , search for the truth , rather assumptions which disconfirms our existing product offerings Vs customer preferences / likes . Application : We first analyzed the problem of declining market share and primarily understood from initial internal research that our offerings in digital space were standard and not tailer made / customized to arrive at this there were tremendous man hours spent going through sales history not only ours but competitors as well . We decided to identify market trends and hence the team was given task with standard questionnaire to target customer audience ( Persona ) of different age bucketing them in Teen agers , Mid Age and Old age etc , data on their likes /dislikes were primarily recorded in digital shopping experiences based on this sample data plus buying of market research reports we started to generate assumptions /hypothesis . On this assumptions several ideas were generated like shall we give discounts on certain luxury clothing brands to age above 60 years customer , how can be delivery cancelation method can be upgraded by reducing TAT etc , Increase TAT for premium customers having loyalty points etc . Insights and Approach : The insights I have learned from using Design thinking tools is the quick result either success or failure is visible , the continuous methods of idea generation not only keeps you connected to market but gives learning on market dynamics in tastes and preferences and technology used to customer delights , the prototypes or solutions to problems be it customization in product or methods of delivery , price offering is not static , Learning – Re - learning is vary essential . I am happy to inform you that our market share in six months have started showing upward trends and ROI has increased to my CEO ’s delight , we have optimally used the budgeted amount while experimenting R&D exercise . In future I will explore different tool of Design thinking for customer Engagement and exploring new market space which will keep me and my team in high learning curve . Thank you very much .