Strategic Impact - Research - Service Design

SITUATION

Clients (global manufacturer and distributor of motor oil, auto care products) were seeing customer sales dips, negative shift share, suffering a reputation as being non-eco-friendly, and facing a future where their main product is becoming less and less in demand. Exxon Mobil was interested in building and launching a nationwide program of oil recycling.

Two needs:
1. They wanted to understand the sentiment around the brand, customer demand, customer attitudes around green, etc., to inform messaging/marketing and ultimately.
2. They wanted to know the level of interest around renewables and ID/test the waters toward diversification into new product and service opportunities - keeping their ear to the ground.


TASK

ExxonMobil sells via authorized retail outlets, e.g., AutoZone, O’Reily’s, Walmart and other auto parts stores.

Working in these retailers, the team observed and interviewed customers and employees to better understand their position on the brand, perception, and brand initiatives to boost perception around conservation and brand loyalty.


ACTION

EXECUTION
Working in collaboration with Directors in areas of Innovation and Research within ExxonMobil, I lead a research team working in AutoZone. I designed a study consisting of qualitative research in the field with customers, gathering insights on products and how they use them. The team conducted competitive analysis as well. Having two target audiences, I drafted a discussion guide for the customers and another for AutoZone employees.


LEADERSHIP
I was excited to have this opportunity to train two new researchers in the field. We observed, interviewed, and collected information from the participants (including asking staff about training, their role in the advertising of products in the store, and general awareness/insights on motor oil sales.

Tools & methods used - Contextual inquiry, Field Research, Qualitative Interviews, Mapping Service Ecosystems, Quantitative Data Synthesis & Analysis, Ethnography, Persona Creation,

Professional Development Learnings - Field Research Supervisor, Training and Coaching Research Methods, Team Personnel Development, Retail Rewards Marketing, Wayfinding, Employee buy-in, Service Design

We used research insights to create personas to then also created experience journey maps based on what we learned from interviews and taking into account product life cycle.

We made recommendations for building and promoting an oil recycling loyalty program to benefit the customer, the brand, and the retailers who carry brand products via used oil recycling and return discounts.


RESULTS

Our planned solutions centered on boosting recycling campaign effectiveness, leading to increased loyalty, sentiment, and sales lift. We recommended a roll-out strategy around employee engagement and customer interest.

We used this research to create personas to craft strategy and messaging around to help in retail and across digital media channels.

We designed a program involving:
- Pricing and rewards structure.
- An approach to training to employees, customer education
- Print media messaging around ecological implications of the program (brand love for EM)
- Aligned this campaign into a strategy for the future of product

Planned solutions would have a significant impact in boosting recycling campaign effectiveness leading to increased brand love, loyalty, and sales lift. Our strategy benefitted not only ExxonMobil, but all of its several thousand retailers, including Walmart, AutoZone, etc.


This is still in progress. The effectiveness of the program will be determined after the campaign is deployed and measurements can be taken.