Gardena - customer advisors in home improvement store chain
Client
Gardena is an international brand of products aimed at garden enthusiasts. It offers a comprehensive range in irrigation systems, pumps, lawn care and smart system garden solutions, as well as gardening tools for trees, shrubs, soil cultivation and urban gardening. The history of the German brand Gardena dates back to the 1960s, and its success has been driven primarily by the systematic implementation of innovative and, over time, smart systems for garden care.
Today, the brand is present in more than 80 countries around the world, and has been a member of the Husqvarna Group since 2007.
Challenge
Gardena struggled with a challenge that afflicts many seasonal businesses - how to effectively support sales during the crucial spring and summer season. Their products, which required specialized knowledge and advice, were sold mainly in garden centers, home improvement stores and DIY chains. Wanting to maintain the highest standard of customer service and professionalism, the company needed trained and dedicated advisors to support sales, take care of product display and build an excellent customer experience in addition to their own team during the peak season.
Solution
To meet the challenge, we partnered with Gardena to offer comprehensive support in the areas of customer experience and sales support. Our activities were divided into several key stages that led to significant improvements in performance and service quality.
Phase 1
Recruitment and Training of Seasonal Advisors
We created, recruited and trained a team of seasonal advisors who were equipped with expert knowledge of Gardena products. We ensured that each advisor was prepared to efficiently identify customer needs, present product benefits and take care of point-of-sale displays.
Stage 2
Scaling the Collaboration
We started by supporting one store chain in 2021. Thanks to positive results, we expanded our cooperation the following year, doubling the number of outlets supported and covering another chain.
Stage 3
Implementation of the "Mystery Shopper"
The first step was the design and production of mobile kitchens that could be installed in the space of large-format stores and at dedicated events such as anniversaries, picnics and fairs of large retail chains, among others. Each kitchen was a fully functional station with an island that allowed professional chefs to prepare dishes in front of customers.
Stage 4
Ad-hoc Support and Flexibility
With an experienced team, we were able to respond quickly to Gardena's ongoing needs. An example of such flexibility was the setting up of 50 displays for the new Eco product line in just one day, ensuring that the goods were immediately available to customers.
Effects and results of cooperation
Cooperation with OEX Cursor provided the Gardena brand with solid support to successfully achieve sales targets and maintain a high standard of service. Thanks to our actions, the customer gained:
- Professional team of advisors: we have created and manage a team of dozens of trained advisors to help achieve advisory and sales goals.
- Scalable support: We extended support to new store chains, doubling the number of outlets where the support team was active.
- Ongoing quality monitoring: The "mystery shopper" service provided valuable information about the work of advisors and allowed quick corrections to be made.
- Flexibility of operation: The support team is ready to handle urgent, non-standard tasks, such as the rapid deployment of product displays.