From bankruptcy to growth.
The following is a high level case study involving projects I led during my tenure at Robbins Brothers, a jewelry and engagement ring chain of stores in the United States. The organization reached out to me for support after filing for bankruptcy and having closed many of their brick & mortar locations. This is a story of how we turned the ship around!
Rediscovering DNA.
It's not uncommon to see organizations with a history of longevity begin to lose their identity and “secret sauce” over time. Robbins Brothers was not the exemption. In order to shift the company into a growth-position, we first had to perform a series of rediscovery sessions to uncover the brand’s perception and customer roadblocks. These are tough conversations to have, but listening to customers was central to the company’s growth path. This is a sample of the results of a white boarding session I led with the executive team.
Mental Mapping & Wireframing
Given the recent bankruptcy, every investment, including time, had to be well justified. We carried out a series of rapid prototyping sessions, often times with senior executives and users, in order to reach deliverables and solutions quickly. Here are a few of the wireframe prototypes I developed along with the early rounds of mockups which would begin moving the company toward success.
Rebranding & Redesign.
Due to tight budgets, the company had relied on engineers to make design decisions. While the website was functional, it lacked the human characteristics necessary to build emotion, persuasion, and trust with our customers. We improved usability, decreased call center costs, improved the information architecture, increased empathy, raised emotion, and helped people become excited about a milestone in their lifelong journey. It was such a successful redesign that other jewelers began to emulate our aesthetics…. imitation is the greatest form of flattery, indeed!