When PVH wanted to improve the online experience it provides to its customers, the global fashion giant turned to management consultancy SparkOptimus.
PVH, one of the world’s largest fashion companies operating in more than 40 countries, is best known for its iconic brands Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger. However, as the digitization trend continues to sweep all industries – and the rise of e-commerce continues apace – even the world’s largest companies are having to adapt their offerings.
PVH’s ambition was to transform from a transaction-driven fashion wholesaler to a consumer-driven multi-channel fashion player – with a triple European e-commerce business by 2025.
To turn this ambition into reality, the company decided it needed to connect with its consumers “in the moment” – in other words, be able to serve consumers in real time based on their individual needs. For example, providing real-time transparency about the status of delivery and payment, or quickly providing adequate customer support in the event of an incident.
Together with experts from SparkOptimus, PVH created an overall consumer data strategy and then translated that strategy into a process, governance and data governance plan. The fashion retailer then worked with consultants to implement a new foundation and way of working.
Commenting on the work SparkOptimus has enabled, PVH’s Executive Vice President for Omnichannel, Jesper Waerum commented, “SparkOptimus has been instrumental in our journey to real-time customer activations. Pragmatic and results-oriented, they know how to bring an inspiring vision to life by defining the path, getting things done, and breaking down organizational silos.”
A three-step process
SparkOptimus, in collaboration with PVH, kicked off the transformation by detailing what consumers of fashion firms really need and how to activate them “in the moment”. Workshops with approximately 30 participants from various business teams were deployed to brainstorm ideas on how to better serve PVH consumers.
SparkOptimus shaped the overall journey towards PVH’s ultimate ambition to become a consumer-driven fashion player.
The consulting firm then designed the required technology and data infrastructure needed to enable real-time data collection and streaming. By starting the subsequent “build” phase, SparkOptimus deployed a multidisciplinary way of working between technology, analytics and business departments – through structured operational beats and agile work through development teams.
In parallel, the consultants detailed the priority use cases from the earlier phase together with the business owners by refining the success measurements.
Finally, experts conducted a thorough handover to the PVH team to equip them with the capabilities to carry out the rest of the change program independently. This included kick-starting the implementation of the first use cases – before the team became more coachable than hands-on.
Elsewhere, SparkOptimus has also defined the necessary internal team and capabilities for the short, medium and long term, such as short-term job descriptions, to help complete the handover.
PVH’s ultimate ambition to triple its e-commerce business in Europe is still two years away. But the company now has a very clear idea of that goal and is – at the time of writing – on track to achieve the goals.
With a data foundation, PVH can activate consumers in real time by connecting more than 10 different data sources and targets. The first pilot use case was launched in three European countries with promising results.
Meanwhile, PVH now has a structured, cross-functional way of testing and learning working between technology, analytics, business, legal, security and data governance – enabling the business to ambitiously increase the number of active use cases to activate consumers in the moment, improve customer experience and create value for PVH.
SparkOptimus was founded in 2010 by a duo of former McKinsey & Company consultants. The firm has since grown into an award-winning digital strategy consultancy with approximately one hundred employees.