Service: Brand Audit
Leading brands know that great instore delivery makes for the best sales performance. But how do you know if your brand is living up to its potential?
That’s where getting our expert assessment and in-depth analysis on your brand delivery can provide the answers you need for more effective long-term retail development strategy. As pioneers in this specialist research field, our experience, expertise and service is unrivalled.
Visual Thinking brand audits offer an integrated, multi-disciplined approach and provide authoritative feedback on what’s happening instore and explain the reasons why. We research all aspects of brand delivery including; visual merchandising, store operations and retail training and development needs.
Our research is used to to support a wide range of brand delivery objectives, including; market insight and competitor benchmarking, and for assessing the quality, effectiveness and consistency of VM methods, customer service and retail standards.
We have an enviable reputation for detailed and accurate reporting, expert analysis and objective feedback. Unlike basic mystery shopping activities, which still leave many unanswered questions, our brand audits provide in-depth retail critiques that give clarity on the key issues to maximise effective decision-making. As a result, our brand audits are used for strategy development and many practical brand delivery improvement projects, within all market sectors.
Using a range of effective information gathering techniques, we collect qualitative and quantitative measurement data including; comment based findings, statistics and photography.
Information is compiled into clear and comprehensive summary management reports for client presentation and discussion. We can also provide feedback on interactive online platforms to cascade information quickly and effectively across an organisation to maximise the value of the insight gained.
Global insight and expert analysis for trusted advice.
Case Studies:
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Client: Lloyds Pharmacy
Project: Brand Audit
Brief:
Lloyds Pharmacy engaged Visual Thinking to conduct a comprehensive research exercise to critique the visual execution and retail delivery of the store estate. Our research findings were to be compared against a new store design brief and ongoing development work, to ensure that it was 100% fit for purpose and to influence any further design, development and operational delivery of the new pharmacy outlets.
Solution:
Working alongside the client’s customer research agency and store design partners, the Visual Thinking team created a detailed brand audit questionnaire. This included a series of feedback sessions with staff to evaluate the direction of the development. This was followed by a comprehensive SWOT report, which went on to shape the new design concept, VM merchandising hierarchy and product presentation principles for all product categories. The team went on to complete a series of layout planning activities and planogram tools for various options of product display density and on-shelf methods. We then supported the practical set up in five new trial stores and coached Lloyds Pharmacy staff on how best to manage the changes.
In addition to the new store programme, Visual Thinking led a visual standards programme for stores not involved in the trials. This included producing a step-by-step monthly magazine, each issue based on improving a specific visual aspect of the stores. A store would be briefed on the required improvements then, following successful implementation, the Visual Thinking team would photograph the results, write the copy and produce the magazine; stores were then given one month to introduce the changes.
The new concept was rolled out across the entire Lloyds estate, resulting in improved customer satisfaction scores, and being voted ‘better than other pharmacies’.
“Visual Thinking combines a wealth of knowledge with sharp insight. They challenge the way you work to ensure there’s clarity in how you operate and communicate, providing solutions for customers, and simplicity for your teams.”
Terry Walsh - Marketing Project Manager – Lloyds Pharmacy (Former)
