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Case Study: Sporting Goods Department Fix-it Project
“Lawrence Merchandising’s rapid response prevents loss of licensee status for client”
Prompt action required at retail to correct in-store hang tag issue.
Lawrence Merchandising was selected by a worldwide manufacturer of insulated food and beverage containers to quickly resolve an in-store product issue at 1740 stores of a leading mass merchandiser’s chain. This was an urgent service directive because the client, a licensee, inadvertently used a new logo prior to launch on a hang tag included with their product’s Care and Use instructions. Failure to correct the matter in a time-sensitive fashion threatened to result in the client’s loss of their license.
Our Role:
To maximize our frequent presence within the nationwide retailer to promptly execute a time-sensitive issue resolution project in multiple locations simultaneously.
The Challenge:
The issue was identified by the client and licensor as the product was in transit to the stores. Although the project was immediately deployed, Lawrence reps were advised to coordinate their service call to meet the planned in-store product POG set date. Rapid deployment and careful coordination of store visits was required to ensure project success within a timely manner. It was a concern that there may be issues locating the product on the selling floor or locating missing or delayed shipments in the retailer stock rooms.
The Solution:
Timing was critical to coordinate the project deployment and planning of service dates in conjunction with product shipments and the retailer’s product set date. It was our primary objective to remove the licensed hang tag as soon as possible to prevent the disclosure of the new licensed logo to the consumer prior to the licensor’s product launch. Lawrence Merchandising utilized our state-of-the-art technology to quickly communicate to our reps and to immediately deploy the service calls. We rapidly produced an address specific rep mailing from our centralized headquarters to provide the necessary materials in time for the project start date. Through our prompt execution, reps were able to service close to the shipment arrival and set dates, minimizing the potential for missing product or lost shipments. The careful planning also reduced the risk for the potential of customers to purchase product with the licensed logo hang tag. We were well-positioned to successfully meet the objectives of our client due to our years of experience resolving such in-store issues.
The Result:
Lawrence Merchandising visited over 97% of the stores within the first five days of service and completed calls at 99.7% of all locations by the end of the second week. We removed 89% of the licensed logo hang tags in all locations. At 11% of the stores where the inserts were not removed, product could not be located. Reaching 97% of the stores at the onset of the project ensured that the licensor was satisfied with the prompt issue resolution of the licensee. Our thorough execution of the time-sensitive service ensured the client continued privileges to license product under the specific brand. In addition, the support provided by Lawrence enabled the issue resolution to occur with minimal interruption and inconvenience to store personnel. This enhanced a positive retailer and manufacturer relationship while maintaining the integrity of the manufacturer and the represented licensor brand.
