The challenge

When a long established organisation, like the UK Post Office, needs to appeal in a fresh way to existing and new audiences, it is vital to provide a compelling proposition.

By proposition, we mean answering the customers’ challenge – ‘what can you do for me?’ For Post Office, a proposition had to be crafted that would help customers make more use of an overlooked post office network. With a revival in customer demand would come the opportunity to look for better terms and margin from merchandise and services.

What did we do?

Alongside Quadrant’s work to deliver a Category Management strategy, we knew that media advertising would play a part in the revival of post offices. The link between a portfolio of great new services and the intended broadcast message to millions of viewers would need to be a compelling and credible proposition.

Looking deeply into how customers regarded post offices and into how new services could be designed better, Quadrant delivered a proposition founded upon the unresolved needs of post office customers. We created ‘simple ways through important matters’, combining process simplification of bureaucracy with many life stage burdens (managing money, getting mobile or online, getting a tailored insurance quote).

What was the breakthrough for the Post Office?

The breakthrough was in creating a virtuous circle, where efforts long made by the post office colleagues began to build to a better (and less frustrating) outcome.

• Answer the customer question ‘What can you do for me?’
• Know who the ‘me’ is in every customer, and design better products in categories
• Get suppliers to recognise the shift in service expected from all involved
• Allow advertising agencies to create great campaigns – the amazing mice!
• Be rigorous about delivering products that people value

In doing this, Post Office has earned a longer lasting and more worthwhile place on the UK high street.