Matalan is a privately owned value retailer with a turnover of £1.1bil, operating through over 220 sites in the UK and Internationally and its own digital platform. Established in the 1970s the business grew rapidly as a market leader in the family value, high volume, out-of-town market
Facing into the strategic challenges with omnichannel and an increasingly competitive fashion market, Q5 were asked to conduct a comprehensive review of Matalan’s Commercial Function: Buying, Merchandising, Design, Sourcing and Technical teams and processes
This work helped to identify a number of opportunities for driving efficiency, cost savings and core process improvements
Our Approach
Over a six weeks period, Q5 conducted a series of 1:1 interviews with Matalan’s operating board, and Senior Leadership Execs to establish the AS IS
Simultaneously through workshops and interviews with Merchandisers, Buyers, Designers and Members of the Sourcing and Technical teams we mapped out 9 core Commercial processes
Within these processes, Q5 identified opportunities for efficiency and improvement. We facilitated focus groups to complete deep dives into individual process steps and extracted key themes
Using Q5 expertise of Commercial processes we developed recommendations focused on optimising the product journey in line with Matalan’s future strategic goals
Working with Central Planning and Finance we developed cost scenarios to ensure Matalan exceeded cost targets
Key Outcomes
Q5 identified a number of opportunities within each process area to drive improved efficiency and help the business understand where its challenges were within the core Commercial processes
Q5 provided a clear indication of areas with potential for cost optimisation for the business going forward and helped advise on the shape and structure of the Future Commercial operation support the deliver of their long term strategic priorities.
What our clients say about us
“Q5 is not afraid to give you the really difficult messages, and they deliver it in such a collaborative way that you can’t help but want to take it onboard.”
