The client

Our client was a US retailer with outlets in several states and a federal structure. The company is highly focused on customer experience and has a strong environmental, equality and diversity agenda.

The challenge

Change Associates was engaged to create a Target Operating Model for a US-based retail company. Local variations in operating models were seen across the US, the result of a previous approach that gave greater autonomy to local market management.

As a result, processes were rarely as good as they could be. Best practice was rarely shared and inconsistency around roles meant that career pathways were difficult to understand.

What we did

Change Associates visited the local markets to understand the variations on the core model and ran a joint assessment of where these variations were necessary, and where there were opportunities for improvement or the sharing of best practice.

After collecting baseline information about the current processes, people and systems, we presented a report highlighting the issues, impacts and opportunities for change.

Change Associates worked with the senior team to create three high-level design options. Each was accessed for its potential for simplifying the organisation whilst protecting those elements that differentiated it from competitors.

The result

  • The chosen design was refined in a series of meetings with each stakeholder and a business case and implementation plan were developed.

  • The changes were successfully rolled out by the organisation over the following 12 months.

“It was obvious within a few weeks of Change Associates arriving on site you would make things happen quickly, and you have excelled for the duration of the project. You quickly gave a clear picture of the issues we are facing and the best solutions. You draw on a wealth of experience, are trustworthy and always act with integrity.”