Welcome to our blog, where we delve into the transformative world of design thinking—a dynamic problem-solving approach that has revolutionized our approach to digital creativity. Over the years, we've championed design thinking across various contexts, from immersive workshops and LoFi test models to crafting innovative business models, especially during the challenging times of the pandemic.

Business Development Coffee Shop Franchise - Part Three: Transformation of client relationship & migration to digital business models.

The original project focus when the project was placed at the beginning of 2020 was to develop a system to increase customer satisfaction and maintain it at a high level. During past years, our customer was in a crisis. Difficulties in the management of the company led to a loss of the profitability and customer satisfaction indices.

With the outbreak of the pandemic in Brazil in March 2020, the project focus expanded. In addition to the focus on customer satisfaction, the new situation was to be used to develop possible new business models using digital tools and fundamentally increase customer loyalty. The general idea could be summarized as follows: more agility through digital services.

Is it possible to design projects with open results?

That is not easy.

Especially not if the initial situation was an acute crisis in very recent times. The threatening dynamics made open- ended thinking almost impossible. So you can only move forward from success to success.

This time the project definition was more differentiated. It was not about acute crisis management, but rather about a strategy to consolidate the position, or better, a further expansion using the prevailing crisis scenarios in Brazil. It was clear, however, that no enthusiastic adventures should be undertaken and that any strategic assumption must be robustly backed by operational-tactical measures. The implementation of these tactical measures should then also define the next steps or be used to adapt the strategy.

In 2012, the economic situation in Brazil was still largely unproblematic. The country had the longest phase of an economic and social upswing in democratic times behind it. The financial crisis of 2008-2010 had been overcome extremely well, without really causing major upheavals. A new sociological- economic middle class had emerged in the context of the emerging global economies.

Starting in 2014, Brazil's situation deteriorated rapidly and an economic downturn occurred, which has not really stopped until today.

After one year, growth of over 25% was achieved at the beginning of 2017 and profits increased by 100% compared to the previous year. The installed simple financial control system improved efficiency and cash flow in the small local coffee store chain. All installed coffeeshops were back in the blue zone.

The outbreak of the Lava-Jato crisis in Brazil threatened the future of a second generation family business, which manufactures machinery and plant for the oil and gas industry.

When the corruption cases first broke, management took immediate steps to mitigate the impact. As well as taking advantage of new construction projects to maintain production platforms in the Atlantic, the firm sought the help of iManagementBrazil Ltda., to reorganize the business and deliver a transformational change project.