All Posts By

michael

Jul 10
0
Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity

Pulling people together for Great Ormond Street

By | Case Study, Events, Shopping Centres

The Challenge

Shopping centres up and down the country support One Great Day, an annual charity fundraising day, raising money for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity. Like many schemes, the challenge was to engage retailers and get them and the many stakeholders in the centre onboard, and create an event that would not only bring in footfall and drive spend, but would provide entertainment, fun and most importantly raise money for GOSH. Our challenge at OnBrand was how would we achieve this and make sure we raised more money than we would spend putting the event on.

With a proven soft spot for charity, aided by the fact a member of our team has received help from GOSH for the past 15-years, we decided that given the available budget and the great work GOSH do for so many young people we would throw a party that made Baytree proud.

Right off the bat we offered two dedicated staff members – an Account Manager and an Events Manager – to visit the centre on a weekly basis. With these visits, we could take a hands-on approach to engaging with retailers in the centre, as well as others throughout the High Street, leading to an impressive number of donated gifts for our central raffle.

Posters and postcards with striking designs went up on walls and in shop windows to advertise the event, and an online marketing campaign ensured daily activity via the centre’s website and social media channels, where a mixture of content and event articles ranged from touching to funny, inspiring to truly interesting.

To spread the word of the event (playfully titled The Only Way Is GOSH) we contacted bloggers, press and radio stations in the surrounding area of Brentwood, Essex, informing them of our event line-up. Radio mentions followed, as did a number of print and online articles bringing awareness to our campaign.

And it wouldn’t be an OnBrand event without a number of catchy radio messages playing in the centre, informing shoppers of upcoming events, as well as highlighting what shoppers could do on the day itself.

The icing on the cake was the inclusion of a handful of pop-up shops, including a fashion retailer, a jeweller, a milkshake stand, local publishers, a pop-up gym, and a local cake firm that sold some dazzling treats. And of course, there was live music provided by up-and-coming artist Rozen Child, who performed four mini-gigs.

Key Wins

  • Great event that enhanced shopper experience for customers
  • Feel good factor for all stakeholders – retailers, centre and shoppers alike
  • Tenant relationships and engagement improved
  • Footfall spike achieved
  • Good local media coverage
  • Donation raised for GOSH far outweighed costs

What They Say

“The Baytree Centre Management consists of a small team with a family feel. We quickly identified that OnBrand shared the same passion for Charity, and with their expertise we believed they could help us deliver a truly great event.

OnBrand accepted the challenge and quickly got to task, in line with our views and ethos, OnBrand increased their workload and extended the vision to the High Street retailers as well as the local community. What was delivered was truly remarkable and is still the talk of the town.”
Dan Foley, Centre Manager

Jul 05
0
Records and headphones

No background music?

By | Blog, In-Store

So I just returned from an interesting shopping centre managers conference, where a centre manager challenged by his owner on the budget, went out to a small segment of retailers and shoppers to ask the simple question – what do you value? Topics ranged from Xmas decks to background music.

Universally across the two groups, the same feedback came back about background music – neither party felt they ‘needed’ it. Now, i have to say i found this interesting to say the least, least of all of course as we supply many malls with music and messaging services.

By coincidence, i also had an email the same day from another centre, who had a customer complaint regarding their music. This scheme has a large student population so it didn’t come as a surprise to read the following “Hi, just wanted to draw your attention to the fact that you now have a song on your playlist called “First Time” by Ellie Goulding, the lyrics of which include “getting drunk on a train track, way back when we tried our first cigarettes”. This line is repeated often throughout the song, and the word “cigarettes” is the clearest word to come through on the PA system. This could be construed as a pro-smoking announcement, which is illegal under current UK legislation….”.

Finally, this was added to by a marketing manager who liked the ambient music played when they entered the public entrances of the car park of a large scheme, and questioned if this should be the mood of the whole mall.

So on one hand, we don’t notice music, yet on the other, boy do we notice the detail.

And so lies the debate – music is clearly highly subjective, highly divisive and whilst small, clearly sensitive. Now without trumpet blowing, I’ve been involved in music profiling and supply since 2001 and worked with a whole host of retailers, malls, supermarkets, leisure centres, department stores, hotels and cinemas in the UK and abroad. (But ask me what i listen to, and i don’t even have the time to make my own spotify favourites!) The question this begs, is simply, what qualifies us to make a decision on the music played, or whether we play music. Is it driven by the single shopper who makes a complaint, by centre management or by the provider? Why do we all believe so strongly in our own music as the measure of global taste?

I recall two experiences, one – after the launch of Westfield, where we had a hand in the spec of the PA system and music consultancy. We were told, that out of the whole £x million spent, one of the top 3 things commented on in exit surveys was the music, against a whole host of design features, lighting, ambience, advertising, glass store fronts etc. A few months later, we seeded in a media partnership with HMV and a record label Matt Cardle’s X factor song once an hour and lit up the twitterverse with accusations of trying to manipulate him to No.1 (maybe we succeeded!).

So I challenge you, turn off the music on a quiet Sunday morning, and see how empty the big spaces feel without music. Go out in the cold and feel the warmth when you put music with it, see how long you hang around just that bit longer when your favourite track comes on, or see how many people tap and nod when Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean plays out.

You see, its a strange thing music. You might not appreciate or notice it everyday. But take it away or deliver it either controversially or badly and it stands out. Did you know Abercrombie and Hollister deliberately play the music loud and in a way to alienate the customer base they don’t want? Or McDonalds who use faster tempo at lunchtime to rush customers and staff alike? Or how it’s been proven that a certain classical music playlist in mainline rail stations has reduced crime by 30%? If you want to read more research, then please visit musicworksforyou.com an independent music research site, on the power and influence of music.

For us, its crazy that the security guard turns down the music when the centre is quiet not to increase/decrease the volume during the day as footfall demographics change. It’s crazy not to change your playlist at different times of the day and in tune with the mood of your shoppers and in line with who your customers are. No wonder your shoppers don’t notice it – in fact, they do – they notice it when its set to compete with their conversations – or its not relevant, or out of touch. Maybe that’s why they can take it or leave it?

All in all, its a good thing to challenge, and put a focus on music – we love music at OnBrand and we crave the attention from our shopping centres to spend a little more time reviewing it. Get it right and its very rewarding. As they say… all you need is love….

Jun 01
0

Father’s Day Audio Messages

By | Campaigns
Have a quick listen of our four great messages, prepared just for you – in both male and female voices!

Option #1 
We’re counting down to Father’s Day on Sunday 18th of June and we’re bursting with fantastic ideas for gifts to suit every taste and budget, so don’t forget dad whilst shopping with us today.

Option #1 Male

Option #1 Female

Option #2
Why not spoil your dad this Father’s Day and treat him to something really special to show him how much you care? Father’s Day is on Sunday 18th of June. Don’t forget!

Option #2 Male

Option #2 Female

Option #3
Don’t forget dad! Father’s day is on the 18th of June, so now’s the chance to pick the perfect present for your old man, and win some brownie points too!

Option #3 Male

Option #3 Female

Option #4
Treat your dad to something special this Father’s Day. Our mall is packed full of great gift ideas & cards, which are sure to put a smile on his face. Don’t forget Father’s Day, Sunday 18th of June.

Option #4 Male

Option #4 Female

If you like what you hear then please take a moment to schedule them in your client area.

Update my Messages

Got a question? Simply sayhello@onbrand.co.uk or give us a call on 03333 220 022 to find out how we can help your business.

May 19
0
case study smooth journey

A smoother, more cost effective journey with visual IVR

By | Call Centres, Case Study

The challenge: To create a smoother, more cost efficient process in dealing with repairs for a housing association in North West England.

After initial discussions with our client, we highlighted two main objectives:

1. To make it easier for customers to book repairs and to receive reminders
2. Make the repairs process cheaper and more efficient for the organisation

We started by analysing their existing telephone and web-based booking processes and realised there was a gap between the information gathered in the booking process and the information needed to conduct a single-visit repair.

Using our intuitive Visual IVR, customers are now able to book repairs through the service, with their request presenting itself on both the client’s website and also within a telephone call. It means customers can now book repairs within just three clicks after identifying themselves, and a reminder cycle is automatically implemented so they can upload photo’s of the repair or damage that needs fixing.

Within 3 months of implementing VIVR, our client experienced the following benefits:

1. Customer feedback indicates a much quicker, easier process, with the reminders keeping
tenants well informed of the time and date of their appointment. They also enjoyed the
convenience of being able to do it on any mobile device, wherever they happen to be.

2. Higher fix ratio on first-time visits, as well as a big reduction on missed appointments. Engineers
like the photo upload because it ensures they can take the right tools and estimate the time
needed for each job more effectively.

Overall using VIVR has reduced the cost of our client’s repairs process by 17% in just 3-months, with the savings set to continue.
Contact us today to discuss the many ways we can assist your business.

May 19
0
It only takes a minute to run a great campaign with Onbrand

It only takes a minute to run a great campaign with OnBrand

By | Audio, Case Study, Shopping Centres

The Challenge

In April of 2017, retail giants McArthurGlen teamed up with music moguls Universal to run a campaign for the launch of Take That’s much anticipated album, Wonderland.

The British boy band were established in the nineties, the same decade as McArthurGlen were established. Fast-forward 25 years and Take That are one of the most iconic bands in the history of pop, whilst McArthurGlen manage 22 major retail centres across 9 territories – 6 of which are located throughout the UK.

This event needed to be rolled out through the UK outlets in a way that had a core central theme, but that also needed a slightly unique feeling in each of the centres – a tall order given that the release date of the album was creeping ever nearer.

Enter OnBrand

With over 55 PA installations under our belt, the creation of music and messaging for over 1 billion shopper visits a year, and a history of research into customer behaviour, we’re used to providing content that becomes a big hit with modern shoppers.

Therefore, we created bespoke Take That playlists that would play in each of McArthurGlen’s 6 British centres and get their customers in the mood to celebrate this musical event.

Key Wins

  • Fast campaign response time
  • Good understanding of the client’s needs
  • Creation of bespoke and relevant content
  • Shopper-relevant content to enhance customer experience

What They Say

“OnBrand’s expertise really allowed us to run a memorable event that our customers loved. They did this by creating numerous bespoke playlists, which were high in quality and made at speed! We’d use them again in a heartbeat.”

Jon Shephard, Marketing Manager – McArthurGlen

May 19
0
Conga line at Octagon shopping centre

Moving your shoppers in exuberant ways with octagon shopping centre

By | Audio, Case Study, Events, Shopping Centres

The challenge: To encourage in-store shoppers to get involved in a giant shopping centre conga!

As we inched closer to Christmas in 2015, the management and staff at Octagon shopping centre developed a dream: to celebrate the success of various small businesses by arranging an impossibly long conga that would dance through the centre in a festive spirit.

At OnBrand, we’re a great believer of dreams, so we created an in-store audio message – complete with accompanying soundtrack – to ensure that this Christmas wish came true.

We could tell you that the people of Octagon were so thrilled with the customer experience, and the feedback, that they danced over themselves trying to express their gratitude, but we think that’s pretty evident from the pictures!

Contact us today to discuss what might make your shoppers dance through the mall.

May 19
0
helping educate the educaters all over the country

Helping educate the educators all over the country

By | Call Centres, Case Study

The Challenge

OCR is one of the most established awarding bodies in the UK and their Customer Contact Centre handles around 220,000 telephone contacts per year. As part of the body’s Customer Access Model, it was important to transform the initial point of contact and improve their customer experience.

As all of their IVR recordings were completed in-house, each caller could experience differences in voice, tone and volume. Over time, the number of options callers were presented with had increased, leading to extended queue times and increased levels of caller frustration.

Indeed, one survey revealed that 1 in 5 customers were finding it difficult just to navigate the IVR, leading them to skip options by selecting random options in order to reach a caller agent, but this often meant the agent had to re-direct them, causing further frustration and delays.

Enter OnBrand

We used our expertise to analyse the existing call flow and understand what messages were needed, and which ones were surplus to requirements. By condensing the number of options, the customer journey instantly became clearer, but as each call is routed to caller agents with specific knowledge and skills, we also took time to understand what questions absolutely needed to be answered to ensure the caller was routed to the right agent at the first attempt.

After implementing our new IVR menu and recording all messages professionally with a consistent brand voice, callers were suddenly able to identify what options they needed more easily. And even when a caller was placed on-hold, not only were the times greatly reduced, but the wait had less of a psychological burden due to the fact we educated callers about ways they could self-serve should they want to.

Overall, the caller experience became so much cleaner that callers reached the agent in a much better frame of mind, which was vital to protect the reputation of such as important brand.

Key Wins

    • Reduced the overall number of maintained options
    • Reduced volume of abandoned calls during IVR menu
    • Immediately improved NPS score for Key Customers
    • Promoted OCR services through on-hold messaging

What They Say

“We launched the new IVR options – designed by OnBrand – in April 2016. We were amazed by how they condensed a long and complex list of needs down to just 5 options, as well as how they introduced tailored messages based on the option selected, meaning that any time spent waiting to connect with an agent was filled with relevant customer messages. Improvements were seen almost instantly, with a 14.5% decrease in caller abandonments and a 29% increase in customer satisfaction.”

Krystyna Pasik, Customer Contact Manager – OCR

May 19
0
Getting to the point with legal & general

Getting to the point with Legal & General

By | Call Centres, Case Study

The challenge: Could we decrease the number of abandoned callers, helping increase L&G’s profit margins and improve customer relations?

Legal & General receive thousands of calls every day about a multitude of different issues. Because of the customers’ varied needs, the telephone journey can be quite complicated, and as emotions can be running high, the company were acutely aware that they were losing custom due to high levels of caller abandonment.

We used a little fairy dust along with our unique IVR design methodology to remedy the problem.

By working with the client, we were able to map out each part of the telephone journey, taking into account projected call times along with how the customer would be feeling. We used our experience to suggest new messages, managing to exclude any unnecessary information, and then applied our technology to L&G’s system.

The customer experience was dramatically improved and on one sales line alone, caller abandonment lowered from 45% to just 5% – increasing revenue by £25,000 per month.

Experiencing similar issues with your business? Contact us to discuss the many ways we can help support you and your business.

May 19
0
Shortening waiting times at call centres

Swapping red faces for red noses with Comic Relief

By | Call Centres, Case Study

The challenge: Could we help shorten waiting times – and therefore increase donations – for a great cause?

Due to nurturing and maintaining close working relationships with our clients, we’ve become fully aware of how challenging it can be for call centres to cope with demand – particularly during special events.

Being that we’re a company with a big heart, we knew the inevitable spike in calls would stretch the resources of any call centre supporting Comic Relief, so we offered to record messages that would assist them.

Through a series of professional voice messages we were able to effectively communicate to customers that the businesses were supporting Comic Relief, making it clear there would be issues such as early closing times and longer waiting times.

Our involvement contributed to a smoother and happier IVR process, enhancing the customer experience for countless callers during an important event. What’s more, it allowed more calls to be taken for Comic Relief, increasing the amount of money raised – and that was great to be a part of.

Contact us today to discover the many ways we can help support and improve your own customer experiences.

May 19
0
Bing bonging with Virgin Trains

Bing-bonging with Virgin Trains

By | Audio, Call Centres, Case Study

The challenge: Could we improve the on-board sound of Virgin Trains?

Having already worked with Virgin Trains – reducing call volumes at their customer relations contact centre – we knew that repetitive announcements were preventing customers from listening to them, meaning they weren’t being engaged with. As a result, we were asked to research the voices used on-board, along with the all-important ‘bing-bongs’ that preceded each message.

We gathered feedback from both customers and train managers, who heard the messages on a daily basis, and devised a cunning plan. You see, we know a lot about how audio makes customers feel, so with some creative magic, a refreshed tone of voice and several ‘bing-bong’ auditions, we struck gold.

Our new strategy involved the use of contrasting male and female voices, depending on the type of message Virgin Trains was aiming to deliver. The next stop was to hold a feedback session and to test the new messages on a real train at the Virgin Training Centre. Once this was done, we rolled out an all-encompassing plan to suit the client.

So the next time you’re travelling, be sure to listen out for the ‘bing-bongs’ and remember how much love, craft and wisdom went into each message.

Contact us today to get on-board and arrange a meeting, where we can discuss the many ways we can help improve your customer experience.