oko

the engagement business

Profit from deeper engagement with your customers and employees

Is your vision to truly differentiate your business from its competitors? To deliver propositions customers will pay more for, rather than compete on price? To create genuine loyalty rather than rely on inertia?

Then engage oko. We'll work inside and outside of your business - using our skills in research, innovation and consulting - to help you turn your vision into reality.

Outside

Outside is all about immersion. Getting into your customers' shoes, experiencing your proposition and the world as they do, feeling what they're feeling and thinking what they're thinking. When you connect in this way, you can begin to re-shape your business in genuinely different ways.

Engaging customer experiences

Using every opportunity to reinforce your brand, creating the sense of an authentic relationship between yourselves and your customers

Marketing that connects

Resonating with your customers and prospects at an emotional and unconscious as well as rational level, telling stories that ring true
Deep brand engagement

Developing a brand that customers can really believe in, that promises big and delivers

Real customer loyalty

Delivering so that customers are encouraged to behave in a way that makes sense for your business, creating loyalty, advocacy and upgrading
Meaningful propositions

Developing a brand that products, services and marketing wraps that really make sense to customers, and value they'll be happy to pay more for

Inside

Inside is all about connections. Making sure that your employees are fully connected to your vision and strategy, connected to each other - both inside and outside of their immediate teams - and connected to your customers.

Deep employee engagement

A business that employees can believe in, where their actions and input are valued and add real value to the organisation and its objectives

Connected vision and strategy

Knowing where you want to get to, and understanding how to get there - as an organisation, a division or a team - and feeling a strong sense of connection to the journey and the destination

Customer-connected business

Deep empathy for the customer embedded within the organisation, that informs strategic change, development and innovation, as well as the ways in which the business interacts with its customers day-to-day

Step Outside hand

Deeper

Need to go deeper? oko's research goes deeper to identify the connection points between people - whether they are customers, employees or other stakeholders - and brands, and the experiences they deliver. These deep connection points give meaning to the relationship between people and the brand. Brands can create deeper engagement by creating relationships, communications and propositions that tap into this meaning.

Want to go further? We use research insight as a stimulus for doing things within your organisation - we're driven by more than knowing, our aim is to help you take action. We use our expertise in engagement to get buy-in, our creative skills to turn insights into ideas, and our business, coaching and consulting skills to turn ideas into actions that are realistic and commercial.

Go Further

All clear? We recognise that great research needs to be expertly communicated if it is to have impact on your organisation and people. We also recognise that our clients are looking for direction, not equivocation, and we are committed to being bold and showing a clear and achievable way forward.

See Clearer

strategy and direction
coaching
advanced analysis
mobile research
quantitive research
experience mapping
multi touch-point research
action planning

implementation support
development and testing
data mining
creative workshops
shadowing
communications
co-creation

longitudinal research
training and consulting
live-prototyping
exploratory workshops
immersion
opportunity mapping
ethnography

Clearer

We live, breathe and love what we do. And we're constantly thinking about how we can do it better. You can check back here to read, hear about and watch what we're thinking and doing now.

From the blog...

Further

Don't just take our word for it, have a look at some examples of our work. We're very proud of the impact we make, and the value our clients are able to create through our work with them.

Social media and marketing strategy - b2b
Brand development - investment banking
Customer experience - business information
Innovation - media

Customer loyalty - insurance
Opportunity identification - law
Customer relationships - retail and private banking
Innovation - science publisher

Internal vision and strategy - publishing
Account management strategy - telecoms
Customer centricity - telecoms
Restructure - marketing

OUTSIDE Social media and marketing strategy - b2b

Marketing strategy overhaul

High cost of sale
Excessive face-to-face interaction
Unfocused lead generation
Limited use of 'social' and content marketing

Internal mapping

Mapping the internal perspective on the journey from prospect to customer

External mapping

Interviews with customers to develop an external perspective
Needs for/ use of related content
Triggers to sign-up/ make moves along the journey
Role of social media

Connected map

A single map joining internal and external perspective together and identifying opportunities

A defined prospect to customer journey, identifying key needs for information and interaction at each point, designed to encourage the prospect along the path towards purchase

Also ask us about.... marketing strategy for an investment bank; information / content needs across a range of b2b markets; business and professional search.

"Calm, intelligent and incisive, always picking exactly the right moment to make exactly the right point"

OUTSIDE Brand development - investment banking

Modernising the brand

Traditional approach to marketing
Rational approach to creative
Little understanding of how investment decisions are made beyond rational aspects

Deep customer/ prospect immersion

In-depth interviews about investment decision-making using non-directive techniques based around metaphor, imagery and story-telling

Ideation

Customer insights turned into a range of brand concepts using lateral thinking in ideation workshops

Redefined brand concepts reflecting unconscious and emotional, as well as rational, drivers of customer decision-making in relation to investments

Also ask us about.... marketing strategy for a private bank; branding for an online search service, branding in the personal care market.

"Challenged our thinking"

OUTSIDE Customer experience - business information

Inconsistent service experiences

An information/ product focus in the business
Different customer journeys for each product and market
Lack of shared best practice across the organisation

CE Champions set-up

Recruited a team of Customer Experience champions for the business who will drive the project across the organisation
These champions worked on a first market as the project team to learn the process

Focus on a first market

Inside: detailed analysis of the end-to-end customer journey
Outside: in-depth interviews with customers at each stage of the journey, including behavioural analysis in relation to each interaction
Development of a template best practice customer journey

Roll-out across the organisation

Customer champions acted as coaches for projects in each major market, rolling out consistent customer experience across the organisation

A consistent way of thinking about and delivering positive customer experiences across diverse products and markets, without the need for extensive consultancy intervention

Also ask us about.... customer loyalty for a mobile telecoms business, an insurance company, a building society and a global airline.

"Put their heart and soul into every project"

OUTSIDE Innovation - media

Opportunities for growth

A personal care media and events brand with untapped market potential
Stable market, with pockets of growth, despite recessionary pressures

Discovery

Opportunity mapping exercise using market data, internal information and analysis to identify key trends and potential opportunities
In-depth research amongst people in the market, including interviewing, ethnography and analysis of their interactions with key competitive and non-competitive brands

Development

Created a package of stimulus (images, stories, personas, video) from this research
Used this stimulus as a basis for ideation - using lateral and connective thinking techniques - to develop new proposition ideas

Delivery

Developed four new business propositions, including business case, supporting evidence and action plans for delivery

New income-generating business

Also ask us about.... innovation in road transport, retail banking, science, publishing, agriculture.

"These propositions are genuinely different from what we would have come up with ourselves..."

OUTSIDE Customer loyalty - insurance

Tracking to action

A robust customer loyalty measurement system in place
A solid understanding of the drivers of loyalty understood and accepted by the organisation
A need to turn data into action, specifically focused around the way the organisation communicated with customers

Deep research

In-depth research with customers at different stages of the lifecycle
Discovery of real experiences in relationship to receipt of communication
Analysis of mechanisms and detail of communication - words, design, media

Action

Specific recommendations as to how to communicate at each stage of the customer lifecycle, in order to create deeper engagement
Took these recommendations to the business through internal conference presentations

New ways of communicating with customers using style/ language which is driven by how customers understand the relationship and their journey with the client organisation.

Also ask us about.... service improvement in mobile telecoms, action planning for a manufacturer, loyalty in banking, customer-centric business transformation in telecoms.

"Strong recommendations and really well communicated back to us"

OUTSIDE Opportunity identification - law

Forward strategy

A market that is rapidly changing due to new legislation
Major business restructuring and change in focus, specifically in marketing
Budget flow likely to change

Cross-market research

Budget holder research across key market segments
Questions designed to identify direction of investment flow
Deep analysis to clarify sizes/ shape of this flow

Action

Specific recommendations down to the sub-segment level
Leading to identification of new business opportunities

A robust market map giving the business a clear strategic framework for development over the next 2 years

Also ask us about.... opportunity identification in inter-banking transactions, financial IT, IT services, mobile telecoms .

"Our MD was very impressed with you as an organisation..."

OUTSIDE Customer relationships - retail and private banking

Creating customer relationships

A desire to move from a transactional, lifecycle based 'arrangement' to a customer relationship in order maximise up- and cross-selling opportunities

Internal research

Interviews with key stakeholders and personnel involved in the delivery of service (customer service, relationship management)

Customer research Qualitative and quantitative interviews with customers to provide

Tracking scores for key aspects of the customer experience of the banking relationship
Key driver analysis prioritising the most important aspects of the relationship in terms of creating customer loyalty
In-depth tactical analysis of critical improvement areas to deliver specific recommendations for action

Action

Workshops to agree actions, assign responsibilities and timelines

A customer-driven strategy for business improvement

Also ask us about.... customer relationship research in the airline industry, for a software business, for an IT hardware business, for a pub chain.

"A proper, customer-centric strategic framework for our business..."

OUTSIDE Innovation - science publisher

Differentiating the business

A much-loved global brand
Very strong traditional media income
Growing digital business
Untapped potential through delivery of new propositions

Opportunity mapping

Opportunity mapping exercise using market information, government data, internal metrics and information from relevant bodies

Market research

Qualitative research to uncover the underlying customer benefits associated with brand interactions, used to generate six key themes about how and why people involve themselves with science
Quantitative research to make assessments of behaviour, media consumption and lifestyle

Ideation

Developed ideas for six new propositions designed to stretch the brand in new directions, including through events, fiction and business-to-business tools

New income-generating businesses

Also ask us about.... innovation in road transport, retail banking, personal care, publishing, agriculture.

"Great communicators and extremely creative and inventive..."

INSIDE Internal vision and strategy - publishing

Significant business challenges

Rapidly changing business environment
New business strategy
Significant reorganisation
Major acquisitions and divestments
An internal consulting team needing to maintain the relevance of their proposition aimed at key brand owners within their business.

Internal fact-finding mission

Commercial realities
Bring internal clients' experiences to life
Identify challenges and pressures
Understand application of strategy

Workshop with the team

Scope commercial realities, now and into a 3 year future
Flip thinking about internal client relationships
Develop strategies to overcome challenges

Re-orientated strategic vision. Strategic and tactical action plan for the team, with individual application, to enable them to achieve this vision. An internal consulting team who can stay relevant and add value to the business as it changes.

Also ask us about.... Customer centric team building for a telecoms business; facilitated brand mapping for a business publisher; strategy consultation in the education sector.

"Definitely added value to our business over the years."

INSIDE Account management strategy - telecoms

Fast-growing business

Balance between sales and ongoing relationship management
Unstructured account management approach
Inconsistency
Blocked internal communications

Interviews with account managers

Workflow
Tools used
Relationships/ interactions with internal support teams
Client relationships

Interviews with clients

Experiences of account management
Competitive (direct and indirect) experiences
Requirements and expectations

A reinvented account management strategy. A standardised pack of communications and marketing materials. A defined contact strategy. Overall, a consistent approach to account management delivering a coherent client experience.

Also ask us about.... More effective sales techniques for technology business sales team; tech hardware support improvement; better relationship management in private banking

"Get people enthused, keen to be creative and think differently, and put ideas into action."

INSIDE Customer centricity - telecoms

Sales orientated business

Focus on acquisition not retention
Product development driven by company capability rather than customer need
High levels of customer churn

Customer engagement training

Customer centricity champions created within the business
Practical training around sampling, interviewing and analysis skills
Set-up of the customer centricity programme driven by the champions

Implementation of an effective product development and customer management strategy

Structures for using customer insight to improve/ develop methods of customer management, and develop new products and services based around real customer needs

A structure through which to bring customer insight into the business in a sustainable way, and to use this as stimulus to drive the business forward away from a sales-only culture towards a more effective sales and retain approach

Also ask us about.... Customer panel for a telecoms business, activity cycle research for a b2b business, customer loyalty research for an industrial manufacturer.

"Excellent... "out of the box" thinkers... Sharp and thoughtful approach."

INSIDE Restructure - marketing

Major business change

Role of marketing has changed
Lead generation now critical
Technological revolution in the business to deliver this

Interviews with marketing team

Understanding of and buy-in into team vision and strategy
Task analysis
Priorities
Internal relationships

Interviews with internal clients

Delivery
Value added
Interactions
Improvements

A clear vision for the business function. Defined roles for people within the business. New ways of engaging with internal clients.

Also ask us about.... Coaching employees on empathy skills; business improvement workshops; restructure of an internal creative department.

"I would not hesitate to recommend them"

Together

We work collaboratively. Our team, our clients, their employees, customers and prospects are all part of this collaboration, each participant's contribution is equally valued and forms part of the overall solution for our client's business. We believe that everyone involved in our projects - whether from inside or ouside of your organisation - should be enthused and inspired by the experience. Our clients' customers enjoy participating in our research projects, and our clients' employees often experience significant personal and professional change and development as a result of their involvement.

We also take wider participation seriously. Outside of oko, our people are involved in a range of social, charity and educational projects as volunteers, and every year we give a proportion of oko's profits to children's charities.

We

We're a crack team of specialists, with a passion for creative use of insights and an unswerving focus on commercial outcomes.

About Jeremy - Graduate trained in a top 3 research agency. Running successful consultancies since 2000. Advising from Insight-Level to C-Level. Most likely to be working on transformational customer loyalty programmes, £multi-million new business launches, significant service innovations and insight-driven employee change, and loving it! Find me on Linkedin.

Caroline - Impassioned innovator
Martine - Facilitation fanatic
Vaughan - Marketing maestro
Carl - Sales superman

Illugi - Creative catalyst
Choee - Digital diva
Rachel - Cool colaborator

blue chip companies — Our team has worked with an amazing list of blue chip clients including:

Engage

Catch up with us at our flexible working space at 12 Bayley Street
London
WC1B 3HD
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Call for an engaging conversation on 07884 337106
Or feel free to drop us an email at hello@engageoko.com

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oko

Profit from deeper engagement with your customers and employees

Outside

Engaging customer experiences

Marketing that connects

Deep brand engagement

Real customer loyalty

Meaningful propositions

Inside

Deep employee engagement

Connected vision and strategy

Customer-connected business

Deeper

Clearer

From the blog...

Further

OUTSIDE Social media and marketing strategy - b2b

OUTSIDE Brand development - investment banking

OUTSIDE Customer experience - business information

OUTSIDE Innovation - media

OUTSIDE Customer loyalty - insurance

OUTSIDE Opportunity identification - law

OUTSIDE Customer relationships - retail and private banking

OUTSIDE Innovation - science publisher

INSIDE Internal vision and strategy - publishing

INSIDE Account management strategy - telecoms

INSIDE Customer centricity - telecoms

INSIDE Restructure - marketing

Together

We

Engage