Lacoste
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The Overview
Lacoste, a globally recognized fashion brand, sought to revolutionize its customer relationship management (CRM) strategy by implementing a 360° customer view platform. The project was designed to provide a comprehensive, unified view of customer interactions across all touchpoints. My role as the CRM Program Manager was to lead this large-scale project from concept to deployment, aligning it with Lacoste's strategic goals, and ensuring smooth execution across teams located in different parts of the world.
With my background in managing global Salesforce projects across various countries, I was well-equipped to navigate the complexity of cultural differences and team coordination, drawing on my experiences from working in Australia, South Korea, and France. This unique perspective enabled me to communicate effectively with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and build strong team cohesion.
The Challenge
Primary Goal: Successfully define, plan, and deploy a 360° customer view platform that improves customer engagement and operational efficiency.
Secondary Goals: Lead a diverse, global team; engage key stakeholders across departments; and ensure that the project was delivered on time, within scope, and on budget (€2M).
The Approach
Leadership & Stakeholder Management:
Led a cross-functional team of over 30 members from technical, functional, and business backgrounds, located across multiple regions. My experience working across cultures was pivotal in creating seamless communication, ensuring every team member felt aligned with the project vision.
Conducted thorough stakeholder analysis, managing expectations for over 20 key decision-makers across Lacoste’s IT, marketing, and customer service departments. I used agile project management methodologies to maintain flexibility while delivering on high-level business goals.
Fostered trust and engagement by maintaining clear, consistent communication, including real-time updates and regular reporting, resulting in high stakeholder satisfaction and alignment.
Project Planning & Execution:
Defined the project scope, objectives, and success criteria, mapping them against Lacoste’s broader strategic vision. My detailed project planning background, honed through years of managing complex global Salesforce projects, ensured that the €2M project was delivered within budget and on time.
Coordinated closely with cross-functional teams to ensure smooth integration across Lacoste’s global business units. Leveraged my deep Salesforce expertise to align technical needs with business goals, avoiding common pitfalls in large CRM deployments.
Risk & Issue Management:
Identified and assessed over 50 potential risks, leveraging my experience in Salesforce project risk management to develop and implement mitigation strategies. This proactive approach minimized disruptions to the project.
Implemented a dynamic issue resolution process, ensuring real-time adjustments were made to keep the project on track without sacrificing quality or exceeding the budget.
Ensured full compliance with Lacoste’s organizational policies and global standards, including data privacy laws and corporate governance.
Quality & Change Management:
Managed the delivery of 30+ project deliverables with high standards of quality. I implemented regular quality checks and conducted performance reviews to ensure deliverables met both Lacoste’s and stakeholders’ expectations.
Designed and executed a change management plan, training over 500 employees to adopt and transition into the new 360° customer view platform. This plan emphasized user adoption, using customized training sessions and feedback loops to ease the transition.
Established a robust project governance structure, facilitating transparent decision-making and timely escalations when needed.
The Solution
Leadership & Stakeholder Management:
Led a cross-functional team of over 30 members from technical, functional, and business backgrounds, located across multiple regions. My experience working across cultures was pivotal in creating seamless communication, ensuring every team member felt aligned with the project vision.
Conducted thorough stakeholder analysis, managing expectations for over 20 key decision-makers across Lacoste’s IT, marketing, and customer service departments. I used agile project management methodologies to maintain flexibility while delivering on high-level business goals.
Fostered trust and engagement by maintaining clear, consistent communication, including real-time updates and regular reporting, resulting in high stakeholder satisfaction and alignment.
Project Planning & Execution:
Defined the project scope, objectives, and success criteria, mapping them against Lacoste’s broader strategic vision. My detailed project planning background, honed through years of managing complex global Salesforce projects, ensured that the €2M project was delivered within budget and on time.
Coordinated closely with cross-functional teams to ensure smooth integration across Lacoste’s global business units. Leveraged my deep Salesforce expertise to align technical needs with business goals, avoiding common pitfalls in large CRM deployments.
Risk & Issue Management:
Identified and assessed over 50 potential risks, leveraging my experience in Salesforce project risk management to develop and implement mitigation strategies. This proactive approach minimized disruptions to the project.
Implemented a dynamic issue resolution process, ensuring real-time adjustments were made to keep the project on track without sacrificing quality or exceeding the budget.
Ensured full compliance with Lacoste’s organizational policies and global standards, including data privacy laws and corporate governance.
Quality & Change Management:
Managed the delivery of 30+ project deliverables with high standards of quality. I implemented regular quality checks and conducted performance reviews to ensure deliverables met both Lacoste’s and stakeholders’ expectations.
Designed and executed a change management plan, training over 500 employees to adopt and transition into the new 360° customer view platform. This plan emphasized user adoption, using customized training sessions and feedback loops to ease the transition.
Established a robust project governance structure, facilitating transparent decision-making and timely escalations when needed.
Conclusion
Outcomes
Successful Platform Deployment: The 360° customer view platform was successfully deployed on time, providing Lacoste with an enhanced capability to manage customer relationships across multiple touchpoints. This resulted in improved operational efficiency and more effective customer engagement.
Improved Stakeholder Engagement: Through strong stakeholder management, we achieved high levels of satisfaction and commitment from key actors across Lacoste’s global operations, ensuring long-term success beyond the project’s immediate deliverables.
Risk Mitigation and Compliance: Effective risk management and strict adherence to corporate standards ensured that the project was delivered smoothly, with no major issues or delays, despite its complexity and scale.
High-Quality Deliverables: All deliverables met or exceeded Lacoste’s quality standards, positioning the CRM strategy as a cornerstone for future digital transformation initiatives.
Analysis
This case study underscores the critical importance of effective global leadership in delivering complex CRM projects within a dynamic and fast-paced business environment. My ability to manage a diverse, multi-national team while engaging stakeholders across cultures was key to the project’s success. The comprehensive project management approach, grounded in agile methodologies and Salesforce expertise, ensured alignment with Lacoste’s business goals and operational excellence.
Reflection
The Lacoste CRM program highlights the value of applying structured, agile project management to high-stakes global initiatives. By leveraging my experience across multiple continents and business sectors, I was able to align teams, manage risk, and ensure high-quality project delivery. This project exemplifies the need for culturally aware leadership, meticulous planning, and rigorous risk management in achieving strategic business objectives in a global context.
