Countrywide

Business Need

Countrywide Farmers was a traditional Farmer-owned business predominately providing animal feeds, fertilisers and agricultural energy products. With the appointment of an energetic new MD radical plans were put in place to develop and grow the retail business to address the emerging country leisure market and challenge the company to move from product based silo-working to be truly customer-facing. A vision had been developed collaboratively and there remained a need to develop the customer offer and create an internal and external customer expression of the vision

Andrum Solution

Andrum designed a four stage programme which built on the shared vision by defining and quantifying the market ambition to support the business plan. It started by developing a competitive positioning and proposition. This enabled the creation of a full product, service, retail environment customer offer and defined the communication programme to support growth. Research established insights into customer perceptions of the rural community and went on to create a customer segmentation which acted as a guide throughout the project. Using collaborative workshops, external stimulus and challenge to this knowledgeable and passionate company released creative responses to the market challenges. Integration of financial and attitudinal customer segmentation, with developing new skill-sets such as category management, created a practical and productive customer-facing programme

Outcome

In 2010 Countrywide reported a third consecutive year of record operating profits up 36% on the prior year. The Retail business continues to grow with like for like sales increased by 4% despite retail price pressure.  New marketing initiatives including a customer loyalty card, the appointment of a new public relations agency to enhance their profile in the rural community have been put in place.  A new advertising agency has been appointed. The registration of the Countrywide name as a trademark further protects and strengthens the branding of the business. Integration across the business continues with dedicated account managers providing the bridge between the field sales teams and the stores.

“Further growth and improvement in financial performance can be expected as the benefits of our business strategy and the various customer facing initiatives....... are delivered” Nigel Hall, Chairman. Annual Report 2010.