We all always talk about big projects and significant achievements. But sometimes, a small project can give you a lot of satisfaction if it is related to your passion. As a lifelong cricket enthusiast, I was thrilled when I was assigned a project that combined my passion for the sport with my professional expertise. The project was part of Specsavers’ marketing campaign in partnership with County Cricket, a historic competition that has been a cornerstone of English cricket for over 126 years. Specsavers, Britain’s largest optical retail chain, has been the main sponsor of this prestigious tournament and recently secured a four-year extension to their sponsorship. Our task was to revamp the competition’s fulfilment process, transitioning from a traditional, physical approach to a streamlined, digital solution.
The Challenge
Specsavers had initially planned to distribute competition prizes through physical letters and tickets. Winners would receive a printed letter notifying them of their win, along with instructions on how to redeem their tickets. While this approach had its merits, it was time-consuming, costly, and lacked the immediacy that modern consumers expect.
The Solution
I approached to provide a fresh, digital perspective that would enhance the customer experience, reduce costs, and ensure faster prize delivery.
To meet Specsavers’ goals, I designed and implemented an automated digital process that streamlined the entire competition fulfilment journey. Here’s the step-by-step breakdown of how I transformed the process:
Step 1: Daily Data Import
The process begins with Specsavers sending us daily customer data to an SFTP location, including each participant’s favourite county cricket team. This data is the foundation of the competition, as it ensures that winners receive tickets to matches featuring their preferred teams.
Step 2: Automated Data Import
We developed an automated process for importing customer data into our database. This step eliminates manual data entry, reducing the risk of errors and ensuring that the data is processed quickly and efficiently.
Step 3: Data Verification and Qualification
Once the data is imported, we run an automated verification process to ensure its accuracy and completeness. For example, if a customer’s entry lacks an email address, it is flagged as invalid and returned to Specsavers for correction. This step ensures that only valid entries are included in the competition, maintaining the integrity of the process.
Step 4: Lottery Selection
After verifying the data, we run a lottery process to select the winner once a week. To keep it simple and under budget, this is done through an SQL job randomly selecting a row from the database. The randomness ensures fairness, while the automation ensures speed and efficiency.
Step 5: Winner Notification
Once a winner is selected, an automated email with a link to claim their ticket is sent to them. The custom email template, which includes a deadline for claiming the prize, was confirmed with the client, creating a sense of urgency. We used MailGun as our email management service to track the delivery rate and monitor how many users successfully claim their tickets, providing valuable insights for future campaigns.
Step 6: Voucher Redemption
When the winner clicks the link in the email, they are directed to a digital voucher that admits two people to their selected county cricket ground. This digital approach eliminates the need for physical tickets, making the process faster and more convenient for the winner. A small ASP.net application was created to generate the voucher based on the user selection of the county.
Step 7: Voucher Printing
The winner prints the voucher at their convenience. This step ensures that they have a physical copy to present at the ground, while still benefiting from the speed and efficiency of the digital process.
Step 8: Match Day Entry
On the day of the match, the winner takes the printed voucher to the cricket ground. This step maintains the excitement and tradition of attending a live cricket match, while the digital voucher ensures a seamless entry process.
Step 9: Ticket Validation
On the ground, staff members validate the voucher using the reference number provided. This final step ensures that only legitimate winners gain entry, safeguarding the integrity of the competition. The same ASP.net application for step 6 was designed with an API interface to validate the ticket.
By moving from a traditional fulfillment approach to a fully automated digital process, we significantly improved efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The digital approach achieved an impressive 81% attachment rate, meaning 81% of winners successfully claimed their tickets. Eliminating physical mailing costs and manual intervention led to significant cost reductions for Specsavers.
This project was a perfect blend of my love for cricket and my passion for digital innovation. By automating the process, we not only enhanced the customer experience but also demonstrated the power of digital transformation in marketing campaigns. As Specsavers continues its partnership with County Cricket, this automated process can serve as a foundation for future initiatives, ensuring that fans can enjoy the thrill of the game with the convenience of modern technology.
