If the Shoe Fits: A Timberland Company Case Study
September 04, 2008
Edited by Karen Yi
Company: The Timberland Company was founded in 1933 by the Swartz family and was officially named Timberland in 1978. The Swartz family continues to own 70% of the company's voting power under CEO Jeffrey Swartz. Based in Stratham, New Hampshire, Timberland sells footwear, apparel and accessories through both wholesale and retail channels, including its Web site, www.timberland.com.
The Timberland Company employs about 6300 employees, developing, marketing and distributing internationally with its 200 company-owned and 550 franchised stores across the US, Asia, Canada, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. They distribute under Timberland brands PRO, SmartWool, Timberland Boot Company, Mion, GoLite, and Howies.
Problem: Seeking to control costs, enhance service to customers and grow revenue, The Timberland Company investigated ways to streamline communications with its wholesale customers in the US and Canada.
Solution: Timberland implemented iCongo's ICE3 suite of e-marketing and e-commerce systems to allow its wholesale customers and account executives to conduct their sell-side business processes online. The business-to-business application, which was implemented in 2006, includes an online order entry system, product catalog, e-mail campaign manager, content management system and more.
To support the business's international requirements, the solution is currently offered in two languages (English and French) to customers across the US and Canada.
The platform has a strong sales and marketing orientation. It enables Timberland's wholesale customers and account executives to place orders online, and also access product images and descriptions, product availability, order statuses, shipment tracking, UPC codes, sales promotions, customer-specific pricing, and much more. Among some of the most compelling features and benefits are the following:
• Product inventory is available and updated hourly online, which ensures customers and account executives always have access to timely information.
• The tool allows Timberland to send e-mail blasts and customize the homepage banners to communicate information such as new product lines, top-selling styles, special promotions and new Web site features. The e-mail campaign manager and content-management tool help ensure that customers are better connected to Timberland than ever before.
• Products are turning faster, because customers are able to place orders at their convenience—including evenings and weekends.
Results: Timberland recently conducted an online survey among existing users of the Web site (wholesale customers only, no account executives). The survey confirmed that Timberland’s business-to-business Web site is helping it to achieve the service, efficiency, and revenue benefits it originally identified. Here are some of the survey highlights:
• 98% of existing users are satisfied with the Web site (61% very satisfied and 36% somewhat satisfied)
• 92% say the site allows them to serve their own customers even better
• 91% say they can accomplish tasks faster with the site than without it
• 93% say the B2B site has enhanced their impression of Timberland
•62% say the Web site has caused them to do more business with Timberland than they would have otherwise
• 87% say less time passes between when they need a product and when they place an order, because of the site, which leads to faster turns for Timberland.
• 52% and 43%, respectively, say they are calling their customer service representative (CSR) and account executive (AE) less frequently than they were before using the Web site (which has allowed Timberland CSRs and AEs to focus more time on value-added initiatives)
• 80% say they are more informed about Timberland products because of the Web site
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