Examples of Our Impact

Direct to Consumer Strategy Review

At the direction of our client we can perform an initial evaluation of developing a direct to consumer offering based around the creation of a target market consumer community. This tends to involve a high-level followed by detailed gap analysis between Current Operating Model (COM) and the "to-be" Target Operation Model (TOM). This enables a detailed impact assessment and a change management role, working closely with Business Owners, SMEs and technical leads.

In anticipation of moving into full scale development we have also been engaged to undertake a short, sharp external challenge review of the thinking to date and planned activity. Some assignments have been completed and delivered in 3 months, whilst also balancing the undoubted advantages of utilising a community to build valuable long term customer relationships against the challenge of re-shaping the organisation's brand, culture and skills to be capable of building such a community. The information, analysis and risk profile we presented allowed them to re-assess the suitability and appropriateness of the planned community/digital initiative and the associated significant investment.

The result was a decision to revise their approach and focus on strategic developments based more closely on their current in-house competencies, experience and skills with a view to re-visiting the community concept some time in the future.

Direct to Consumer Response Example

Our client, one of the UK's largest banks engaged Sopica, following their merger with another bank, to help shape its response to the challenge presented by the Retail Distribution Review (RDR) and Corporate Distribution Review (CDR). 

Leveraging its extensive experience in financial planning tools and workplace marketing, Sopica was instrumental in helping the client to develop its response - a web based regulated, guided choice digital financial service for consumers. We worked closely with the client to take the proposition from initial concept to prototype and ultimately launch. Sopica fulfilled both an advisory and an implementation role - fielding strategists, designers and developers; orchestrating third-party suppliers and supporting the stakeholder management, vital to ultimately realising an innovative personal financial management service.

The new platform was successfully launched in October to wide acclaim from industry and consumer alike.

Digital Community Build

Our client had ambitions to re-shape its market positioning and consumer offer based upon the changes in consumer behaviour driven by digital communications. This ambition was wide ranging and multi-faceted and their major Executive challenge was moving from idea generation to the creation and delivery of a cohesive and coherent target model. Our role was to support them in this process bringing an innovative approach that combined elements of traditional governance with free flowing creativity.

The result was the identification of a target model capable of delivering their ambition but flexible enough to leverage the digital ‘listen, learn, adapt' philosophy. In addition we created a mechanism, structure and resources to deliver the target and allowed the organisation to learn and develop in line with it.

Trade Finance IT Selection

A global bank's Investment Bank's division engaged us to assist in the development and delivery of a re-platforming strategy for its global Trade & Finance operation. Using our extensive experience and market knowledge we designed and led a process which identified the most suitable solution.

The result was a broad vendor list, a streamlined assessment approach and an overall de-risked selection process focused on the clients key business drivers.

Digital Payment Strategy Development

A leading Insurance firm engaged us to look at their credit card platforms and processes. This was necessary in order to impact for PCI DSS card and payments provider needed to urgently create a strategic response to the emergent impact of digital consumer payments. Such an innovative area draws input from a variety of stakeholders and we were engaged to assist in clarifying their thinking and develop a robust proposition design and delivery plan.

Utilising our structured approach we synthesised a plethora of inputs (corporate, Group, leadership team, influencers etc.) into a coherent proposition with a clear three-to-five year delivery roadmap.

Multi-country Strategic Assessment

A prestigious Investment bank wished to rationalise & harmonise its cards and payments strategy and portfolio within three global markets - Europe, Asia and USA. Our structured process allowed them to quickly assess and assimilate performance to date, consumer insight and the competitive marketplace to design the target product portfolio, common target segments and harmonised product value proposition per segment across the three markets.

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