How Core dna Shaped Clark Rubber Digital Transformation

Clark Rubber is Australia's most recognized franchise and a heritage brand known for its pool, rubber, and foam products. It has been a part of the Australian retail landscape for decades. 

After a recent acquisition, Clark Rubber undertook a transformation rooted in its comprehensive growth strategy focusing on innovation, customer experience, and digital transformation. Core dna was selected to collaborate with Clark Rubber and power its eCommerce and digital experience for both franchisees and customers. 

Challenges

Clark Rubber faced several challenges that needed addressing to stay competitive and enhance customer experience: 

• Inflexible e-commerce Platform: The existing platform (Shopify+) was not equipped to handle the evolving specific needs of franchise e-commerce, including split ordering, multi-store fulfillment, and personalized customer portals. 
• Inconsistent Customer Experience: There was a need to harmonize the in-store and online shopping experiences. 
• SEO and Digital Presence: Ensuring robust SEO practices during the migration to a new digital platform was crucial to maintain strong organic search visibility. 
• Operational Efficiency: Enhancing back-end operations while maintaining business as usual (BAU) processes. 

Core dna Solution

To address these challenges, Clark Rubber partnered with Core dna, leveraging its robust capabilities to overhaul their digital infrastructure. 

The key elements of the solution included: 

• Migration to Core dna Platform: This move was the first critical step in Clark Rubber’s strategic digital growth plans for FY24 and beyond. The new platform supports split ordering, multi-store fulfillment, and a personalized customer portal. 
• Phase 2 will introduce B2B functionality, further expanding Clark Rubber’s digital capabilities. 
• SEO Migration and Optimization: Core dna, in collaboration with SEO experts StudioHawk, executed comprehensive SEO migration tasks, including search intent mapping, URL mapping, and 301 redirects. This ensured that Clark Rubber maintained its strong organic search visibility and online presence. 
• Enhanced Customer Experience: The new platform provides an improved online shopping experience with endless aisles, offering more variety and choice. Customers can access detailed product information and content, enhancing their purchasing decisions. 
• Collaborative Project Management: The success of the migration and the new platform's launch was due to the collaborative efforts of Clark Rubber's internal teams (Merchandise, Masterdata, Marketing, Operations, IT, and Finance) and their suppliers. 

This teamwork ensured that BAU processes continued smoothly while implementing the new digital initiatives. 

Results

• Improved Online Engagement: The new website, clarkrubber.com.au, offers an enhanced customer journey, leading to increased online engagement and higher conversion rates. 
• Operational Efficiency: The new e-commerce platform has streamlined operations, reducing the need for extensive retail staff and improving the efficiency of order fulfillment. 
• Customer Satisfaction: Customers benefit from a seamless shopping experience, whether they are researching products online or making purchases in-store.

The integration of innovative technologies, such as the app for visualizing made-to-order cushions, has significantly improved customer satisfaction. 

With the improved digital platform, Clark Rubber is well-positioned to drive growth and sales across its digital channels, complementing its robust in-store sales performance.

What's Next?

Clark Rubber is not resting on its laurels. The company is already looking ahead with its “Store of the Future 2025” project. 

This initiative aims to further integrate the online and in-store experiences, creating a retail environment where customers can easily find and purchase what they need, supported by rich product information and exceptional service. 

By leveraging advanced digital tools and collaborative efforts, Clark Rubber is poised for sustained growth and enhanced customer satisfaction in the competitive retail market.