At a Glance
- Renoir’s engagement with an NGO in Asia was extended, to further strengthen the client’s marketing components and reinforce the structural foundation to facilitate their expansion plan
- The 24-week project included various workshops on branding, people, risk management, structure, and SWOT
- At the end of the project, the return on investment was 193%
Background
Our client is a non-stock, non-profit organisation (NGO) based in Asia that works closely with local government and civil society to develop and implement initiatives aimed at fostering positive change in local communities.
Its primary activities include setting up frameworks to cultivate partnerships and alliances, and effective project management. All its programmes and/or projects are carried out by different entities to improve specific social issues. This NGO improves the following aspects through specific units:
Economic
This entity provides financial resources, such as loans and related services, such as know-how training programmes to help micro-entrepreneurs run their businesses and promote financial independence.
Social
The NGO has set up a dedicated centre to address the erosion of local heritage, which has resulted in a diminished sense of cultural identity and pride within the community. Within the centre is an educational division that strives to address the shortage of leaders and role models capable of inspiring the community.
Physical
This domain focuses on building communities that are healthy and resilient. To date, the NGO has implemented a number of initiatives. These initiatives have included early childhood education, improving child nutrition, raising awareness on cancer prevention and providing post-treatment support to patients, as well as projects focused on biodiversity conservation and improving the livelihoods of local farmers through its environmental programmes.
The Challenge
The NGO initially engaged Renoir for a 35-week project to improve the overall operational performance of its economic entity. At the end of that project, the economic entity recognised the importance of maintaining the operational momentum.
In addition, the entity would also like to strengthen its marketing components and reinforce the structural foundation to facilitate its expansion plan. Therefore, the entity extended its engagement with Renoir for a further 24-week project.
Project Approach
The project team consisted of four task force members, and the Management Action Team (MAT). The MAT was made up of the entity’s Executives and the heads of various support teams, who are also key change agents in their domains.
The Steering Committee, comprising the President, the Chief Operating Officer (COO), and the Treasurer of the Board of Trustees (BOT), provided oversight and guidance for the project’s key initiatives and activities.
To ensure that the deliverables were delivered on time and in line with the Steering Committee’s direction, a robust review mechanism was established. This mechanism involved daily review by the Task Force team, working closely and on a full-time basis with Renoir consultants. Meanwhile, the MAT team conducted weekly reviews, and the Steering Committee convened for bi-monthly assessments.
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Implementation
The project had three focus areas, which are:
Sustainability of the first sales effectiveness and efficiency phase
Based on the behavioural audit methodology used in the previous phase of the project, the team applied a similar methodology to other branches, while simultaneously providing guidance to managers.
Training was also provided on active management techniques, and the use of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), to equip managers with a better understanding of how to effectively use and analyse the data available. This approach encouraged them to proactively seek solutions to drive performance improvement.
Strategic data analysis using non-operational KPIs
Additional non-operational KPIs were introduced to provide a comprehensive overview of the entity’s operations, including aspects related to people, processes, and programmes. These are in addition to the performance measures introduced in the previous phase.
These KPIs were integrated into routine business reviews, such as the weekly coordination meetings, monthly COO meetings, and were further incorporated into the quarterly business review process.
Marketing Management Control System and data analysis
As marketing was a new frontier for the entity, the team began to design and develop components within the Management Control System (MCS). Besides familiarising themselves with the entity, it was important to gain insight into competitors, the market, and the customer base.
A series of surveys were conducted to collect data relating to competitors and customers. The data collected was instrumental in the decision-making process, especially in the areas of strategic operational aspects, product design to meet customer requirements, and the development of internal improvement initiatives.
Prior to the strategic planning, the following workshops were held:
- Branding: These sessions discussed brand personality and essence, target market, and customer insights.
- People: Topics discussed during the workshop included improvements to recruitment processes, and employee engagement activities.
- Risk management: Identified risks in operations, purchasing, treasury, and accounting, based on a list of risk measurement criteria. Risk mitigation measures were discussed during the workshop.
- Structure: The session focused on defining the necessary functions within the entity, as well as the distinction between organic and inorganic positions. The overall organisational structure was also discussed, with participation from the branch level.
- SWOT: The workshop looked at the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats within the entity. Priority strategies were formulated during the session.
Results
“I am impressed with the change and the result of hard work from the team. It is the DDE that I see in the team during the project: Dream-Desire-Execute.”
President, Board of Trustees
Renoir’s consultants led the improvement process, actively engaged with employees within the entity. Throughout the process, they identified opportunities, developed and rolled out the solutions, ensuring a high level of buy-in and ownership among employees.
Number of loans disbursed to applicants
↑ 113%
Total loan amount to applicants
↑ 70%
Market share
↑ 125%
Return on investment
↑ 193%
Portfolio at risk
↓ 63%
Three-year strategic plan in place with clear direction
Marketing MCS toolkit ready for immediate use
*We have intentionally omitted client-specific details to uphold strict confidentiality.
My organisation needs expert guidance and strategic direction to effectively execute our expansion plan.
