Since 2005, we have co-created groundbreaking propositions, strategies and brands for target markets that include mass consumer, parents, youth, 50+, investors and niche B2B. The results have included a strategy to add over £40 million to annual profits, a brand which has taken a client to the FTSE 100 and a consumer proposition which has demonstrated purchase intentions of over 50%.  Innovations co-developed by How Might are now being implemented in at least five European countries.

Every project is unique and most are highly confidential, but the example of one client, KidStart, illustrates elements of our approach. 

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KidStart’s innovation need

KidStart is a unique shopping club that allows its customers (members) to collect money back for their children, grandchildren, friends’ children, school or children’s charity when they shop at a wide range of retailers.

KidStart was enjoying rapid growth in customers, retailers and usage. To build on this success, management was looking for ways in which it could develop the business to build stronger relationships with its customers, improve the user experience and expand the product / service offering. It needed specific, actionable, prioritised ideas to achieve all of these objectives. It was also keen to be seen by its customers as a more innovative, listening company.

 

How Might’s solution

How Might designed, orchestrated and ran an innovation project to meet KidStart’s goals, working closely with KidStart throughout.

Our solution was to create an on-line innovation network with a large number and diverse range of people connected with KidStart. Some of the key elements of the process were:

  • Creating an innovation challenge that would be inspiring and relevant for KidStart’s customers and that would also encourage value-adding, actionable ideas.
  • Defining the right numbers and mix of customers (by segment), employees, partners, suppliers and experts to take part and the methods for inviting, motivating and managing them.
  • Building a collaborative ideas website for KidStart based on How Might’s core innovation platform, enabling everyone to share, vote on and discuss ideas.
  • Launching and running the on-line innovation process over a short, intensive period of time, with a series of stages and dynamic management to maximise engagement and innovation development.
  • Carrying out sophisticated analysis of the ideas using proprietary How Might tools to identify the best ideas from multiple points of view, both customer and internal.
  • Helping KidStart to prioritise and drive the winning innovations to action.

 

Business impact

KidStart believes that the project will result in a significant number of innovations being implemented, greater customer usage rates and ultimately increases in revenues and per-customer value to KidStart.

By the end of the project, there were 44 win-win innovation ideas which both customers and KidStart internal management thought were good or, in some cases, fantastic!  Almost 90% of the best ideas came directly from customers and the rest from internal management, partners, suppliers and experts.

The project has also had a number of additional benefits, including:

  • Demonstrating that KidStart is listening to its customers and willing to engage in open dialogue with them.
  • Providing a platform for cross-channel customer dialogue based on knowledge of what is really interesting and relevant for them.
  • Immediately and significantly raising the overall level of customer engagement, with more customers now getting in touch.
  • Generating broader insights about customers’ desire to engage with KidStart and their requirements and desires from KidStart.