No stone left unturned

Multiple sales records achieved by improving customer experience

Stonex knows stone. Specializing in granite, quartz and marble, Stonex is the top fabricator and installer of stone surfaces, like kitchen countertops, bathroom vanity tops and fireplace surrounds, in southern Ontario. Stonex is not as well versed in marketing. They felt their marketing could be improved but they weren’t sure what was working, what wasn’t working or how to fix it. Lacking the expertise and internal resources, Stonex needed a marketing partner who could develop and execute a strategic marketing plan that would pave the way towards higher foot traffic and increased sales.

Our analysis uncovered significant issues that were impacting the customer experience and represented lost sales opportunities:

• They were hard to find online
• They looked and sounded like their competitors
• Their website content wasn’t as helpful as it could be to buyers
• There were gaps in their customer communication that led to poor customer experiences and lost sales

Our marketing plan for Stonex took a multi-pronged approach to solving these issues. In this case study, we look at one of the approaches to increasing sales: improving the customer experience.

Improving the experience at every step along the customer journey

We mapped Stonex’s customer journey step by step from first exposure to the brand to final sale. Then we identified which areas of the customer experience needed to be strengthened and implemented improvements.

To strengthen Stonex’s presence in the marketplace and help more buyers find them, we tested several types of advertising and installed tracking to measure the return on investment. We also changed how they were spending their advertising money by moving from mass advertising to ads targeting specific audience segments.

To differentiate Stonex from competitors and make their offering more clear and compelling to buyers, we improved the design and messaging of the brand. This included a logo adjustment, new tagline, and a website refresh.

We then worked with Stonex’s internal operations to create a more seamless process as customers move from sales to install to afterservice. We helped the team develop better internal processes, and launched an electronic welcome system in the showrooms for a better showroom and sales experience, too. The customers now enter their information electronically when they check-in at the showroom. This information enables Stonex to monitor and support these customers through their buying journey. For example, it triggers an automated email nurturing campaign that takes them from which stone to select to caring for their stone. Customers are also getting answers to their questions faster.

We also created several pieces of printed sales collateral to help educate customers and improve their shopping experience, such as branded pocketed folders to hold any product information that customers collect while visiting the showroom.

In response to COVID-19, our team further transformed the customer showroom experience to take it fully online. On the website, customers can book a consultation. During the consult the sales rep can give them a live virtual tour of the showroom to help them narrow down their stone selection. We also introduced delivery of stone samples by mail or curbside pickup.

Achieving record sales with an enhanced customer experience

Stonex started experiencing record sales within six months of improving its customer experience, including two of their best sales months ever. The improved shopping experience resulted in fewer complaints and more positive reviews. And their automated email nurturing campaign experienced a 60% open rate and 30% click through rate. These are the kinds of results we love to deliver for our clients.

Case Studies