Marks & Spencer taps into data with new partnership

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Feb 7, 2018

Marks & Spencer has recruited a data science company to help it better understand its customers and their needs in a bid to boost sales.

The British retailer has been struggling to return to growth in recent months, with clothing and home revenue declining by 2.3% in the third quarter and dragging down its overall sales.

To reverse the decline, M&S has partnered with Starcount, which will use its innovative tech solutions to map out customer needs and wishes based on M&S’s loyalty and CRM programmes including the popular Sparks Card. The move is aimed at predicting future buying behaviour.

Edwina Dunn, CEO, Starcount, said: “We are delighted to be working with M&S and partnering with them on predicting their customers’ wants and needs. Starcount’s expertise is the science of purchase and intent, understanding the ‘why’ behind M&S customer purchases to help deliver growth, profitability as well as a seamless customer experience.”

Marks & Spencer is undergoing a series of changes as part of its five-year transformation plan. It recently announced plans to reposition 25% of its clothing and home space, and restructured its marketing team to ensure a closer alignment to the strategic priorities of the business.

The company wants to be faster, more commercial and acutely focused on our customers, it said in a statement.

Rob Weston who was recently appointed Marketing Director, Brand & Customer said: “I am really looking forward to working with Starcount in my new role. Sparks plays a huge part in helping with our transformation and having the best partners will enable us to focus on achieving a seamless experience for our customers.”