Data-driven storytelling: Ingka Group's path to operational excellence

With a drive for continuous improvement, global retailer Ingka Group has found innovative ways to tackle operational challenges. This commitment is particularly evident in its efforts to enhance process efficiency while managing extensive customer interactions.

""We started our engagement with Celonis just over three years ago ... doing a proof of concept," said Tim Hills (pictured), process and data insights development manager at Ingka Group. "Can we get something we need which we cannot get in another way? That was the first question. And the answer to that was undeniable, yes. The transparency, the exposure of what's really happening, and to then make sure that we can come to conclusions on that, it was a real game changer for us at that moment in time."

Hills spoke with theCUBE's Savannah Peterson and Rob Strechay at Celosphere 24, during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media's livestreaming studio. They discussed how the Ingka Group is leveraging data-driven insights to optimize customer order flows and enhance overall process efficiency. (* Disclosure below.)

In their pursuit of a seamless customer experience, the Ingka Group team faced complex, multi-layered data challenges. Tackling these challenges required a deep understanding of data in context, particularly how it relates to operational processes.

"What we really wanted to then do is look at data in context of the process. Are we then getting the right data to understand and interrogate and interpret what's going on in our reality?" Hill asked. "Do we have the transparency, consistency [and] completeness?"

As the company honed in on the "perfect order," the team focused on both preventing imperfections and enhancing efficiency. Their commitment to eliminating disruptive events became foundational to their process improvement strategy, providing a framework to better meet customer needs.

"You can't really make an order more perfect, but you can prevent it from becoming imperfect," Hills said.

In addition to operational efficiency, data has empowered the Ingka Group to instill change within the organization. By weaving data with narrative, the company inspires action and fosters alignment across teams, driving a deeper commitment to process excellence.

"We're using the data to ... give that narrative storytelling layer to then be able to use people and tug at those emotional heartstrings as well to ... get that change agency and to really get that movement happening," Hills said.

Here's the complete video interview, part of SiliconANGLE and theCUBE Research's coverage of Celosphere 24: