SVT designs concepts and solutions for retail, hospitality, care and service organisations. We believe that these concepts are only worthwhile if the commercial plan that backs it up is also well thought out. Powerful concepts create strategies that work.
Concept development: the big idea
Customers experience a shop or their surroundings as a holistic entity. By developing both the concept and the strategy, everything is brought together as one. This is a creative business plan – ‘The Big Idea’. We analyse the customer journey and discover where opportunities lie. Using the Platform Development Model®, we brainstorm the implications for all retail aspects. What do we want? What is feasible? What needs to be done? We translate the concept into a powerful document using both words and images.
“It’s not about a simple melting pot of commitments and design, it’s more about the accurate translation of a brand and its ambitions, and whether it follows through on its commitments.”
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We convert the concept into a strategy. We always consider the customer’s point of view when developing a new retail strategy. It’s not about a simple melting pot of commitments and design, it’s more about the accurate translation of a brand and its ambitions, and whether it delivers on those commitments. Our ultimate goal is to create a strategy that adds value and sets the brand apart, and whose success is then reflected in the numbers. We begin by looking at scenarios, exploring where the boundaries are and finding focal points within the strategy. Drafts, the tone of voice and sketches give a good sense of where things are going at this stage. In the draft stage, all aspects are imagined and designed. This includes the layout, routing, departmental structure, fittings, furniture, lighting, in-store communications and exterior. We consider everything the customer sees and experiences. From the draft, we move on to the final design and ultimately the implementation. We also produce strategic manuals, which provide guidance for independent strategy roll-out.
It is important to stay connected to the consumer mindset to stay relevant. This can be done with a multi-format strategy, or as a minimum by providing an omni-channel experience. Our omni-channel approach ensures that all consumer touch points augment each other. We bring online access into shops and push the boundaries of technology and innovation.
The ‘Kruidvat in de stad’ city strategy we developed is a brilliant example of this kind of multi-format strategy. Let’s face it, you’re more likely to buy make-up while out shopping in town, than buying discount toilet paper. The range, service and strategy were all adapted and redesigned accordingly.
