Overview

Re-evaluating COOP’s “Last Ten Yards” Initiative with Barclays

Background

COOP, in collaboration with a third-party agency, embarked on the "Last Ten Yards" initiative. This multiyear programme aimed to enhance the customer journey and improve in-store sales by focusing on the final stages of the shopping experience. As an innovation and design consultant, I was brought in to reassess the project's brief, validate its relevance, and ensure it was on track. The initial approach centred on improving the checkout experience and related aspects, yet a deeper analysis revealed a critical misalignment in focus, which, once addressed, realigned the project and yielded significant cost savings.

Initial Analysis

Upon my engagement, I conducted a thorough review of the project's brief and its progress using a User-Centered Design (UCD) methodology. This included stakeholder interviews, customer journey mapping, and a detailed review of the persona data and behavioural insights previously gathered by the team.

Key Findings

Persona Misalignment

The project's focus on the "Last Ten Yards" did not align with the actual customer pain points. Initial personas developed were based on a combination of COOP's membership data and Barclays' payment personas, but they did not sufficiently reflect the real-time customer experience at the start of their shopping journey.

Data Gaps:

There was a lack of integration of recent customer research, and significant insights from COOP's latest data were not considered, leading to skewed priorities in the project.

The Shift in Focus: "First Ten Yards"

Through further investigation and application of the Fogg Behaviour Model—steps, helping hands, and signposting—I identified that the primary issues affecting in-store sales were not at the checkout but at the very beginning of the customer's journey.

Key Insights

Initial Engagement

Customers often faced difficulties in locating products, understanding store layout, and finding relevant offers, which led to frustration and reduced overall satisfaction.

Customer Behaviour

By examining behavioural metrics, it was clear that enhancing the initial touchpoints—entry, navigation, and initial product interactions—would have a more significant impact on customer experience and sales.

Methodology and Realignment

User Research and Personas

We revisited the personas using a data-driven approach, integrating COOP's updated customer insights and aligning them with actual in-store behaviours. This process involved empathy mapping and creating more realistic, actionable personas that represented the diverse customer base.

Behavioural Metrics

Leveraging the Fogg Behaviour Model, we restructured the project to focus on the "First Ten Yards". This model helped in identifying specific triggers that could motivate and ease customer interactions at the start of their shopping experience.

Design Thinking Workshops

Conducted co-creation sessions with COOP staff and customers to ideate solutions. These workshops focused on pain points identified in the initial stages of the shopping journey, resulting in actionable design principles that guided the project's next steps.

Prototyping and Testing

Rapid prototyping of new store layouts, enhanced signage, and digital touchpoints was followed by rigorous testing in selected stores. This iterative process ensured that the solutions were practical and met customer needs.

Challenges and Issues

Third-Party Agency Resistance

The external third-party agency involved in the project initially resisted our involvement. They viewed our participation as a threat to their role and influence. Navigating this political landscape required diplomacy and strategic communication to ensure collaboration and alignment on project goals.

Significant Existing Investments

COOP had already invested substantial sums in the original "Last Ten Yards" initiative. Convincing them to shift focus required a precise and structured presentation of evidence. Detailed data analysis and compelling arguments were necessary to demonstrate the validity and potential impact of the proposed changes.

Time Constraints

The entire consultancy had to be completed within a tight six-week timeframe. This period was particularly challenging as it coincided with Barclays' efforts to re-sign a multi-year banking and payments contract with COOP. Balancing the consultancy work with the ongoing sales pitch added an extra layer of complexity and urgency.

Driving Upwards to Senior Leadership

Achieving buy-in from senior leadership within COOP required navigating multiple layers of the organization. The team successfully managed this by employing direct and focused communications backed up by a transparent, pragmatic, flexible, and structured approach. This ensured that senior leaders were kept informed and engaged, facilitating smooth decision-making and alignment.

Outcomes

Improved Customer Experience

The redesigned store layouts and enhanced signposting significantly reduced the time customers spent searching for products. Customer satisfaction scores improved markedly in pilot stores.

Increased Sales

By addressing the initial engagement issues, there was a notable increase in basket size and overall sales. Customers were more likely to explore and purchase additional items when their initial shopping experience was smooth and intuitive.

Cost Savings

The realignment of the project focus saved COOP millions in potential misallocated investments. By targeting the actual problem areas, resources were used more efficiently, resulting in better returns on investment. COOP operates over 2,500 stores, and the cost to refit 30% of these stores would have been substantial. Through our consultancy, we saved COOP approximately £10 million.

Behavioural Insights

The project established a robust framework for using behavioural metrics to guide future initiatives, ensuring that customer behaviour and preferences remained at the core of COOP's strategic decisions.

Stakeholder Commendation

COOP commended our team for our speed, professionalism, and straightforward approach. Despite initial resistance, we managed to keep the third-party agency engaged and motivated, ensuring a collaborative environment that was crucial for the project's success.

Conclusion

Revisiting and realigning the "Last Ten Yards" project to focus on the "First Ten Yards" was crucial in addressing the real challenges faced by COOP customers. This shift not only enhanced the in-store experience but also drove significant business results, demonstrating the power of user-centered design and behavioural insights in transforming retail environments. The success of this consultancy underscores the importance of continuously validating project assumptions against real-world data and customer feedback, while adeptly managing stakeholder dynamics and tight deadlines. Our ability to deliver under pressure, maintaining a cooperative atmosphere with all stakeholders, was key to the project's triumph and subsequent commendations from COOP.

Additional Metrics

A typical London-based design agency would charge around £500,000 for an 18-month strategy and innovation project. Our consultancy delivered project findings in six weeks, potentially saving COOP over 85% in costs, amounting to approximately £425,000 in savings.

Role

Consultant / Innovation Lead

Team

x3 Me / Digital Strategist / Business Analyst

Client

Barclays sales team / COOP