Executive Summary
BearingPoint worked with Currys to improve its customer service and reduce the cost of aftersales. Together, we developed a single business architecture model to unify acquired areas of the business.
BearingPoint worked with Currys to improve its customer service and reduce the cost of aftersales. Together, we developed a single business architecture model to unify acquired areas of the business.
BearingPoint Currys Client Story
In 2022 BearingPoint engaged in a project focusing on Currys’ ‘Aftersales’ experience, completing an initial diagnostic phase, which identified significant opportunities to reduce costs, increase efficiency, and deliver an improved aftersales experience for its customers. To understand the best approach to realise the opportunities identified, BearingPoint were asked to complete a further project to identify and size specific initiatives that could be conducted by Currys.
As part of this engagement BearingPoint were also asked to complete an assessment of Currys capabilities to deliver transformational change, as they recognised that business areas often worked in silos and did not retain a single view of the aftersales business capabilities. This meant that impacts of continual improvement initiatives across different business areas and customer journeys were not fully understood or utilised. This piece of work identified the need to for Currys to create a consistent framework for modelling, analysing, and improving business processes.
Working with Currys’ aftersales teams, BearingPoint completed an objective review of the delivery network and aftersales service operations. This led to identifying quick wins and longer term initiatives with the aim to reduce costs, improve employee satisfaction and build customer loyalty. To do this, BearingPoint completed a focused data analysis exercise to a level of detail and breadth of scope that Currys had not previously undertaken. This uncovered significant opportunities to reduce the variation of performance across the different customer service delivery centres (CSCs) as well as ways to optimise how delivery partners and in-house delivery teams are utilised.
A programme of site visits and interviews with key operations team members was conducted as part of this activity together with a deep dive investigation into the delivery and installations business area. This uncovered pain-points, cost leakage and opportunities to enhance current practices and behaviours. BearingPoint then reviewed the best practice processes across retail and wider service industries which Currys could implement within their own aftersales teams. The various opportunities and process improvements recognised as part of the review were further qualified with Currys service operations leaders and heads of department. Their impact and feasibility were then assessed before translating them into To-Be Process maps and actionable recommendations with detailed project definitions and benefits qualification.
BearingPoint developed a 6-step approach to create a business architecture model, which was focused on providing Currys with a consistent framework and best practice approaches to support future business transformation. Initially the focus was to engage with various stakeholders across the business to identify the core capabilities required for the business to function effectively. This evolved into a business capability map with over 80 capabilities detailed and consolidated in one place.
The aftersales transformation projects identified clear opportunities for Currys to reduce their aftersales operating costs and enhance the services delivered. This included a programme of work to optimize their delivery partner network and increase the utilization of their in-house delivery and installation crews. Other key recommendations included proposals to improve the mechanisms required to charge for bulky item deliveries and enhance customer delivery communications which save in delivery and install failures costs.
The deep dive analysis also highlighted key process and operational changes required for Currys to become leaders in the delivery and installation space in the future. This included the need to develop core business capabilities to support the operation to realize and embed the improvements identified and drive the consistency in performance standards across the Customer Service Centre (CSC) network.
The corresponding playbook has delivered a best-practice process and capability reference point to form the basis for all future transformation initiatives as the business evolves. This has positioned Currys to make considered strategic transformation decisions and an accelerated approach to deliver and embed future change within the business.
Currys is a leading omnichannel retailer of technology products and services, employing over 32,000 people and operating through 830 stores in 8 countries. Currys’ vision is to help everyone enjoy amazing technology. In 2021, the business consolidated Carphone Warehouse, Team Knowhow, Currys PC World and Dixons Carphone into one UK brand. Currys (UK) is now the largest electronics retailer with 26% market share.