OS Experience Center & Content Studio: project management for market pilot projects
The project involves increasing efficiencies by centralizing marketing activities. In the first project phase, a strategic objective was developed for the previously outsourced marketing activities, which was validated in the second project phase. The goal of the project is to reduce the dependency on local marketing agencies and achieve cost efficiencies. In doing so, we supported the customer in the agile planning, structuring and implementation of the project as well as in the formation of prices and corresponding business cases for the respective marketing activities. Key questions were: How do I structure my project planning in an agile and efficient manner? How can I pricing my marketing activities? What does a corresponding business case look like?
An agile project structure was established and efficiently managed by means of sprints. The concept was validated via structured pilots to reveal optimization potential. The focus was on creating the business case including the transfer prices. To this end, product prices of the respective marketing activities were calculated in order to sell them as bundled campaign prices in three ticket sizes. The campaign prices had to be structured in such a way that a price-subsidy model enables the same discount to be awarded across the region, less expensive than the local marketing agencies. The project also involves a major change in local working methods. Targeted change management measures were used to address the needs of the affected employees. Mercedes-Benz Consulting continues to successfully support the project.
“In 2022, the overseas region started setting up a completely new marketing and data team in Malaysia (Region Overseas Experience Center- RO.EC), in order to start operating various digital marketing activities starting in January 2023, which is carried out centrally for over 17 OS markets and aims to achieve significant financial as well as qualitative benefits. Since there was neither a blueprint nor a structure for such a setup in our group, RO.EC had to be realized from scratch, which meant hiring over 40 full-time employees, on-boarding, training, product development, process description, business case, communication concept , IT tools, financial flow, etc. MB Consulting was an integrative partner and was able to professionally support RO.EC in the ramp-up and go-live phase. What impressed me the most was MB Consulting’s professional way of working (particularly David Buergin), while also having the necessary flexibility to tackle new, highly complex topics in order to find entrepreneurial solutions together, which ultimately generated considerable added value for our company.”
Alexander Elsas, MS/OSM, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.
Three questions for
Marcel, Mercedes-Benz
Consulting,
Sales & Connectivity
What was challenging for you during the project?
The sheer complexity and the one-of-a-kind scope of the project. We had to listen and structure a lot at the beginning, in order to be able to set up and realize the project in a clean manner. Above all, it was challenging to set up and optimize an interactive price subsidy model with over 15 markets. The range was broad due to detailed activities as well as different international price points. Combined, these had to yield a sustainable business model. Moreover, the project involves extensive change management and requires a lot of sensibility.
What is the take-away for you personally?
Personally, I think I’ve learned a lot. Above all that structure and transparency are necessary for the cooperation and management of larger interdisciplinary teams, which must be facilitated through communication. Furthermore, it is possible to build up an established internal team based upon a strategic conceptual idea, which can be managed profitably. For me, the greatest validation is the enormous impact on the companies’ pricing.
What does the future have in store?
In the future there will be a clear, centrally controlled and high-end brand communication as “One Voice of Luxury”.