Case Studies
We deliver results.
We call it the "N-Touch Effect" because our process, our team, and the collaborative way we work with clients, makes us unique. So, whether we are helping translate data into actionable insights or using innovation to drive process improvements, we maximize profitability for our clients and we always put them first.
That's the "N-Touch Effect."
Click below to view case study >
Portfolio Growth Transformation
Procter & Gamble
Challenge
The Procter & Gamble professional haircare portfolio had lost market share. The leadership team was seeking to improve the financial health of the portfolio while transitioning for growth.
Description
N-Touch was tasked with delivering a strategy to grow the business. We delivered three critical workstreams: portfolio optimization, category and consumer expansion.
Scope of Services
Work on the portfolio optimization workstream included:
-
Aligned product and brand offerings to the organization’s vision and mission.
-
Developed portfolio objectives and oversaw 3-5 year financial glide path.
-
Restructured business team, workstreams, and internal processes to maximize resource allocation.
-
Redefined the target customer, which expanded the size of the prize by 33%.
-
Led brand and SKU rationalization to structure a profitable product mix.
-
Partnered with the supply chain for inventory phase-out of underperforming product offering.
-
Repurposed product technology for the international market.
-
Led volume gap closing initiative to ensure base business and innovation met management. expectations for top and bottom-line growth.
-
Recommended reinvestment of profit allocation for innovation.
Results
-
Portfolio profit increased from 12% to 43%.
-
The business reinvested the profit into upstream innovation, which delivered triple-digit sales growth 18 months later.
-
Portfolio outpaced market growth by 7%.
Organizational and Culture Transformation
RWJBarnabas Health
Challenge
As a part of the merger between Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and Barnabas Health, the management team identified the business need to conduct a leadership, organizational, and cultural assessment and transformation.
Description
RWJBarnabas Health sought to better understand leadership, organizational and cultural strategies that could be leveraged by the merged entity.
Scope of Services
N-Touch consulted in the design and implementation of the phased- approach:
1) Define 2) Assess 3) Plan and 4) Integrate. The scope of services included the following:
-
Designed and deployed qualitative research (i.e. in-depth interviews and focus groups) and quantitative research (i.e. survey of a representative sample of employees and stakeholders)
-
Developed a cultural plan that reflected specific actions, nomenclature, and rituals to promote cultural integration looking through the lens of multiple stakeholders – employees, medical staff, leadership, and the community, as well as a diversity and inclusion strategy and plan.
-
Executed the cultural integration strategies to create an inclusive organizational culture for employees, patients, business partners and the communities served by the organization.
Results
-
Strong employee engagement with culture tool - 98% response rate on the Leadership Action Commitment Tool.
-
Delivered cultural training program to nearly 1,000 RWJBarnabas Health leaders across 15 different facilities – the seminar evaluations scored a 4.7 for content and a 4.8 for facilitation.
Consumer Engagement Transformation
Virtual Center Pepsi
Challenge
Description
N-Touch designed an insight-based virtual information platform with personalized engagement tools. The highly innovative solution was augmented with a robust marketing campaign that integrated traditional brand and digital engagement assets.
Scope of Services
The scope of services included the following:
-
Identified the precise insights that would create consumer relevance and leverage consumer internet behavior.
-
Led the design and management of the virtual help center. Each customer was able to personalize their specific interface for their unique needs and interests.
-
Designed, developed and managed a break-through digital strategy and PR/grassroots campaign that generated 245MM impressions a 17% increase versus the goal. Assets included interactive website launch, digital media and search, the launch of 1Simplething (a brand-specific CRM program), widgets, a mobile app, and social media.
-
Developed platform revenue stream based on corporate sales partnership.
Results
-
Increased brand engagement +38%.
-
Transformed the Americas (U.S. and Latin America) hydration portfolio from a declining business into 8% growth through an omnichannel portfolio and an integrated, digital consumer experience.
Pepsi wanted to leverage technology to create an incomparable consumer engagement experience while providing relevant value and service for its target consumers.
Business Strategy and Innovation Transformation
Kimberly-Clark
Challenge
Kimberly-Clark had a $70MM risk-adjusted global innovation pipeline gap. The regions (EMEA, Latin America, Asia-Pacific and North America) had tried unsuccessfully for two years to develop a solution to decrease the gap.
Description
N-Touch Strategies was tasked with creating a globally aligned 3-5-year innovation strategy that included all ten manufacturing industries (automotive, aviation, mining, oil & gas, etc.) and provided support to close the $70MM innovation pipeline gap.
Scope of Services
Scope of Services
The scope of services included the following:
-
Assessed depth of customer and end-user insights.
-
Defined market and customer segmentation.
-
Evaluated platform value proposition.
-
Developed a $5MM global market research plan.
-
Led value proposition development and concept testing.
-
Assessed team capabilities (talent and technical expertise).
-
Designed 3-5 year innovation road maps.
-
Redesigned commercialization process to increase efficiency and evaluation criteria (e.g. global vs. local).
-
Partnered to design the sales and global compensation structure.
-
Integrated innovation strategy into each regions’ processes.
Results
-
Delivered $500MM risk adjust innovation 3-year plan; $100MM for 1-year plan.
-
K-C won an AMY Marketing Award for the work conducted by N-Touch Strategies.
-
Developed a winning value proposition (scored top box – top 25%).
Marketing and Sales Transformation
Shell Oil Company
Challenge
Shell’s Global Lubricant Division was experiencing zero prospect to customer conversion. Shell requested support to transform their sales approach from product-based to insight-based.
Description
The sales leader wanted teams to drastically improve new business close rate. Shell requested N-Touch Strategies to help redesign the industrial sales approach into a more effective selling model.
Scope of Services
The scope of services included the following:
-
Conducted primary and secondary market research.
-
Developed a differentiated value proposition.
-
Designed an insight-based structured sales approach and tool kit.
-
Created a service and product bundle with a tiered pricing strategy that aligned with the compensation structure.
-
Partnered to restructure market segmentation and sales resources.
Results
-
Accelerated the sales cycle by 90%; Increased confidence to close by 70% (vs. 15% prior).
-
Although the sales generated from the market offering is confidential, the Sales Leader won the annual sales award as a result of our work.
-
Our work product became the new benchmark for best-in-class integration of sales & marketing delivery mechanism and was deployed across all business sectors.
Marketing Communication Strategy and Tool Assessment
Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Challenge
The AHRQ funded PATIENT program is an initiative that empowers patients to propose questions about their healthcare and actively participate in ways to improve their care. AHRQ was seeking strategic marketing expertise to evaluate the effectiveness of their marketing and communication tactics as well as their technical assistance training.
Description
N-Touch Strategies evaluated their existing approach, strategies, and materials and provided guidance for improvement areas to increase community and patient engagement. We developed and deployed technical assistance training and provided marketing expertise to drive awareness, education and targeted communication.
Scope of Services
-
Created measurable goals to determine the success of the PATIENTS program and identified appropriate marketing tactics, messaging, goals, and metrics needed to support the desired outcome.
-
Assessed existing marketing (including marketing analytics), training and community needs.
-
Uncovered insights that motivated members to be active in their own care.
-
Helped PATIENT’S Program align to the best engagement strategy which included evaluating the patient experience/branding, channel excellence (acquisition), consumer value management, and risk management.
-
Recommended a viable approach that aligned with expectations of the patient target group along with the strategic objectives of the PATIENT program.
-
Developed personalized strategies that empowered and encouraged active patient participation along with the development of a family caregiver advisory board.
-
Provided technical assistance training for all social media tactics and recommended a suite of specific digital and non-digital marketing tactics to achieve recruiting and education objectives.
-
Created training structure, participant handouts, and engagement activities to facilitate learning and defined areas for continuous improvement and sustainable processes.
Results
The PATIENT’s program staff was able to significantly improve the effectiveness and efficiency of their marketing materials as well as their resource utilization.
Technology Transformation
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Challenge
The FDA was interested in finding an innovative approach in order to integrate FDA centers.
Description
N-Touch’s mandate was to instantiate the next generation of technologies at the FDA through the Information Technology Services and Support (Innovation) program.
Scope of Services
Consulted on the solicitation of ideas from various FDA Centers, gained consensus from executive sponsors to fund the idea, and ultimately conceptualized and designed the roadmap for development and execution. The scope of services included the following:
-
Designed a robust engineering end-to-end integration framework that incorporated AI (deduction and reasoning, knowledge representation, planning, natural language processing (NLP), learning, perception, and the ability to manipulate and move objects), machine learning (ML), deep learning (DL), robotic process automation (RPA) and blockchain.
-
Designed a mechanism for documenting the nuances and technical details pertaining to the prototypes being designed, developed and tested.
-
Built solutions based on both data-driven and model-driven AI while leveraging advanced architecture frameworks such as Mesh Application Services Architecture (MASA), use of Microservices, and use of DevSecOps engineering framework for enhanced automation and deployment.
Results
Increased the number of prototypes developed as well as turned around quicker iterations – averaging 5 to 7 innovative applications of artificial intelligence (IAAI) prototypes every 6 months (vs. 1 to 2 per year).
Data Transformation
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Challenge
FDA needed Business Intelligence (BI) and Analytics process for vast amounts of data in order to address FDA Centers’ business problem/challenges.
Description
Design an idea roadmap(s) process from development to execution based on process challenges and FDA leadership input.
Scope of Services
The scope of work included the following:
-
Collaborated with many FDA stakeholders to conceptualize design ideas in a range of technologies such as Big Data, NLP, and DL in producing capabilities and efficiencies not previously available.
-
Identified process workflows adopted by various offices for collecting data to conduct analysis.
-
Introduced the architecture behind Big Data concepts and supporting technology to assist with modernizing the backend reporting database and front-end dashboards to automate the workflows.
-
Developed detailed process maps to identify potential gaps in the business process (cycle times, defects, root causes, etc.) or patterns of behavior (adverse events reported in certain demographics) to analyze in connection with business process improvement.
-
Refined processes on the fly through rapid pattern recognition/matching.
-
Developed Advanced Analytical support from ideation to production-ready solutions.
Results
-
Streamlined and accelerated data analysis process for better FDA decision making.
-
Delivered project on-time and within budget.
The Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education (PACE)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Challenge
HHS was in need of a rigorous, next-generation, random-assignment evaluation of TANF strategies that could inform the work of policymakers and service agencies.
Description
Conduct a seven-year core study in six sites, with options extending to ten years and nine sites. The study was to examine innovative strategies for increasing employment and self-sufficiency among low-income families.
Scope of Services
-
Worked from a strong conceptual framework focused on personal and family challenges; employment; human capital and skill development; financial and non-financial work supports; as well as other financial incentives and penalties.
-
Selected interventions based on theory, evidence, policy-relevance.
-
Tested each intervention in multiple sites, running head-to-head tests of different interventions in single sites.
-
Calibrated measures to the conceptual model, using innovative measurement strategies.
-
Collected and analyzed data; reported observations and findings.
Results
Up to nine partners across the country have contributed to PACE by participating as sites in order to study the impact of specific intervention strategies as well as research on program implementation and benefit-cost analysis. Each partner achieved measurable performance improvements related to skill-building and/or engaging adults in work and training.
CED, JOLI and AFI Programs
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Challenge
HHS lacked a monitoring system and ongoing technical assistance needs assessment for the programmatic and financial performance of three core programs: Community Economic Development (CED), Job Opportunities for Low-Income Individuals (JOLI), and Assets for Independence (AFI).
Description
Conduct programmatic and financial reviews of CED/JOLI/AFI grantees to ensure the building of assets for low-income families and individuals, such as increasing homeownership, capitalization of small businesses, and post-secondary educational attainment
Scope of Services
-
Conducted site visits and program monitoring reviews of grantees.
-
Observed and documented procedures.
-
Identified material or significant weaknesses in programmatic, financial, personnel, procurement, travel, budget, or property systems that might hinder the intended outcome of a project.
-
Assisted HHS in establishing internal controls to provide assurances that grantees are effectively and efficiently in compliance with regulations.
Results
-
Developed the analytical framework for federal monitoring of grantees.
-
Successfully conducted over 80 site visits to grantees nationally.
-
Provided professional support and training for federal government staff in programmatic and financial monitoring of over $50M in grant funds.
-
Provided technical assistance to large and small non-profit organizations as well as state and local governments nationally.
