An energy company operating in German-speaking Switzerland had grown with different business areas that were not immediately apparent to customers. In addition, there were significant operating and IT problems with the company's website. In order to significantly improve the customer experience and reduce marketing costs in the long term, the interim manager initiated the comprehensive relaunch of the website and the underlying processes, including the IT structure, during a mandate as Head of Digital Marketing.
Analysis: Website identified as the Achilles' heel of digital marketing
In the analysis of the current digital and structural situation, the interim manager identified the company's website with its various online services as the Achilles' heel of the organization. Historically, the technical platform was inadequate - and the user-friendliness also left a lot to be desired. Usability tests showed, for example, that site visitors often found it difficult to find the desired content, abandoned projects such as online orders and then contacted the customer contact center - with a corresponding increase in effort for the company. At the same time, the customer data generated online was difficult or impossible to use for the accounts. It was therefore clear to the interim manager that a website relaunch would be the key to successful digital marketing.
CEO and CDO convinced of the necessity and cost-effectiveness of the relaunch
In fact, the company had already tried to revamp its website in the past. This had failed due to the different interests of various business units. The challenge for the interim manager was therefore initially to win over both the divisions and the company's management for the relaunch. Once the interim manager had convinced the CEO and CDO of the necessity and cost-effectiveness of the initiative, the preparations could begin.
Perspective shift from product-centric to customer-centric developed in workshops
In order to take the interests of all stakeholders into account, the interim manager formed a project team with representatives from all business units. In several workshops, he collected requirements and expectations from the business units. In addition, new processes were jointly defined and briefings created. The transparent communication in this phase of laying the groundwork formed the basis for gaining support for the project throughout the company.
In terms of content, the main aim was to convince the business units to change their perspective: away from looking at the products of their own business unit and towards an approach that focuses as much as possible on the customer, making digital activities as simple as possible - and at the same time offering the business units new starting points for follow-up business (CRM management). The interim manager successfully used methods such as Lego Serious Play in the workshops to find the best approaches.
Suitable long-term partner selected for the company's digital marketing
While the project team worked with the business units and IT to further develop the internal processes for the relaunch, the interim manager identified several potential agency partners for the website relaunch in consultation with the purchasing department. After workshops with four agencies, the choice fell on a partner who impressed both professionally and personally. A functioning "chemistry" with the partner was important to the interim manager in order to choose an agency that could offer the company long-term added value in digital marketing beyond the project.
Well-prepared website relaunch handed over to new Head of Digital Marketing
The interim manager's six-month mandate ended shortly after the start of the project. He was able to hand over the relaunch project and the digital business to the future Head of Digital Marketing in a well-structured and prepared manner.
New website quickly creates added value for customers, marketing and business units
The intended increase in efficiency and performance was achieved shortly after the new website went live. The increase in turnover and significantly lower maintenance costs make a significant contribution to the client's profitability - and form a healthy basis for the further expansion of the digital business.
The new website creates numerous benefits for customers and employees alike. For example, customers can find the content they want more quickly and, thanks to new IT processes, can conveniently handle services such as relocation, invoices or faults online. The company's marketing and business divisions benefit from reliable KPIs, more favorable online customer contacts, fewer expensive service center contacts and a simple and efficient content management system, among other things.
