HBO

Background

HBO, a renowned entertainment company, was undergoing a significant growth phase, building various departments and maintaining a good grasp of key numbers. However, this expansion came with its challenges.

The integration with agencies was effective, but internal departmental silos and an over-reliance on external agencies were leading to scattered efforts. The absence of a structured approach to launching new features, along with a lack of coherent customer journey mapping, posed substantial obstacles. The main website suffered from a cluttered layout, and there was no systematic approach to testing new features or web pages.

HBO was a strong and well known brand. Starting the streaming business in Sweden and applying it to the whole EMEA the quick growth had its pain points.

Identifying the Challenges

Stepping into this complex scenario, I identified several critical issues!

  1. Scattered Departmental Efforts: Departments like Sales, CRM, and others operated in silos, lacking a cohesive strategy.
  2. Over-Reliance on External Agencies: A heavy dependence on external agencies limited internal capability building and agility.
  3. Absence of a Testing Culture: New features were rolled out based on assumptions rather than data-driven insights.
  4. Disjointed Customer Journey: The holistic view of the customer’s interaction with HBO was fragmented and unstructured.
  5. Inefficient Web Layout: The primary web pages were cluttered and failed to engage new users effectively.
  6. Lack of Process Around Testing: There was no established process or tool for testing and optimizing web pages.

Implementing Solutions

To tackled these challenges I needed a multifaceted strategy:

  1. Deep Dive into Customer Psychology: Understanding the customer journey became paramount. Different phases of customer interaction were identified, requiring tailored actions.
  2. Establishing a Testing Process: A systematic process for testing, including selecting the right tools, was put in place. This process allowed for more controlled and measurable experiments.
  3. Cross-Departmental Collaboration: Fostering a culture of collaboration, bringing together Growth, Product, IT, CRM, and Legal departments to establish a unified view and strategy.
  4. Advanced A/B Testing: This approach was used to resolve key questions and drive improvement in KPIs. It allowed for a more nuanced understanding of what features resonated with the audience.

The Outcome

The strategies led to significant improvements across the board:

  1. Icreased Sales: The implementation of targeted strategies and optimization of the customer journey directly contributed to a boost in sales.
  2. Reduced Churn: By understanding customer needs better and enhancing user experience, HBO saw a reduction in churn rates.
  3. Enhanced Customer Understanding: The new strategies provided deeper insights into customer behavior and preferences.
  4. Clearer User Interaction: Redesigning functions and the web layout led to a more intuitive and user-friendly experience.
  5. Reduced Workload through Targeted Efforts: Streamlining efforts resulted in a more efficient use of resources and reduced unnecessary workload.
  6. Optimized Marketing and CRM Communication: Adjustments in communication strategies further aligned with the newfound customer insights.
  7. Knowledge Growth: The entire process led to an increased organizational understanding of digital strategy and customer engagement.

Conclusion

The impact of a well-thought-out digital strategy that focuses on customer experience, data-driven decisions, and cross-functional collaboration is key to create impact in complex environments. It is important not only to resolve existing issues but also set a strong foundation for continuous improvement and innovation where that place might be.