How can a data-driven CRM strategy enhance customer experiences and drive growth? The collaboration between Beyond Retail and Outnorth shows how. When Outnorth embarked on an extensive upgrade of its CRM system, it quickly became clear that a strong strategy and expert guidance would be essential in order to succeed. With Beyond Retail, led by CRM expert Miona Matar, Outnorth gained the insights and strategic direction they needed to achieve more personalized and effective customer communication. Miona together with Emma Malmsten, Outnorth’s CRM Specialist, laid the groundwork for growth, creating a framework that not only boosted revenue but also advanced Emma’s skills and role within the company.

As one of the leading outdoor product retailers in the Nordics, Outnorth has been undergoing a comprehensive digital transformation in recent years. Alongside this transition, Outnorth decided to advance their CRM (Customer Relationship Management) capabilities to better deliver relevant, timely communication to their customers. Turning to Beyond Retail and Miona Matar’s expertise, Outnorth wanted to maximize the potential of the new CRM system during a six-month project to take customer experiences to the next level.

Emma and her team saw a lot of potential in their new CRM system, but to make the most of it, they needed both a clear strategy and expert support. Previously, CRM activities hadn’t been in focus, but at this point Outnorth had the opportunity to dig deeper into customer loyalty and drive repeat purchases.

– We really wanted to be more personalized and relevant in our communication to create a better experience for our customers, as well as strengthen our existing relationships. The project’s goal was to lay a solid foundation and define a clear strategy for our new CRM system Voyado, Emma explains.

Miona Matar from Beyond Retail brought her deep CRM knowledge and fresh perspectives to Outnorth’s efforts. Together, Emma and Miona could assess the current situation and from there, developed a high-level plan with defined goals for the upcoming months. Through structured meetings, a clear action plan, and prioritized tasks, they could work systematically and effectively—despite most of the project being conducted remotely, with Emma based in Växjö and Miona in Stockholm.

– Miona brought a great structure that helped us prioritize what to focus on. She really helped us find the right path forward and see what would add the most value to our work, Emma shares.

Recognizing early on that training and long-term skill development would be critical to this project’s success story, Miona introduced Emma to Beyond Academy, Beyond Retail’s training initiative. The Academy helped Emma develop her CRM skills further, enabling her to take charge and refine Outnorth’s CRM strategy herself. The training was seamlessly integrated into the project, providing Emma with tools and insights for everything from strategic development to more advanced CRM analytics.

"Beyond Academy is part of how we ensure clients gain not just short-term support, but lasting expertise that benefits them in the long run. Giving Emma a strong foundation has prepared her to take the next step, which is one of our main goals in these partnerships", Miona says.

The collaboration has resulted in significant outcomes, providing Outnorth with a solid CRM framework to build on. Revenue from automation, for example, increased by 72% compared to the same period the previous year, with the most recent figure reported in September. Additionally, revenue per email increased by 64% from May to September compared to January to April, while the customer club purchase rate jumped by 10 percentage points from April to May.

Emma reflects on how the collaboration and Beyond Academy support have enhanced her skills and given her a solid foundation:

"I really feel that I’ve grown in my role and gained a strong understanding of our CRM work. Working with Miona helped me build a solid base that I now not only can stand on but also expand further on my own."

Thanks to the collaboration with Beyond Retail, Outnorth now has a structured, data-driven CRM strategy they can build on as they grow. Emma highly recommends Beyond Retail to other companies looking to strengthen their CRM strategy and bring in external expertise.

– It’s been like taking a course specifically tailored to my work. Beyond Retail helped us refine our strategies and strengthen our internal skills — a long-term investment that will continue to benefit us, Emma concludes.