Toolstation Appoints Havas Helia to Revamp Data and CRM Strategy

Toolstation, one of Britain’s fastest growing retailers of tools, accessories and building supplies to trade and DIY customers, has appointed Havas helia to revamp its data and CRM strategy. The appointment – the first time the brand, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Travis Perkins, has employed a dedicated customer engagement agency – reflects changing consumer habits and a dramatic increase in DIY customers acquired during lockdown. 

The customer engagement agency, powered by Havas CX, has been tasked with developing Toolstation’s overarching customer engagement proposition, including the strategy and implementation underpinning it, with a remit including database and technology development, data analysis and planning, business and communications strategy and creative execution. The account was awarded without a pitch following an initial exploratory data analysis project. The brand previously handled the vast majority of its CRM activity in-house. 

The first initiative to come out of the new partnership will launch in November and aims to help Toolstation’s trade customers manage their cashflow – critically important to sole traders and SMEs, particularly in the current environment. 

John Danter, director of digital and CRM at Toolstation says: “Like many businesses, we have found both consumer behaviour and our customer database have evolved significantly since the start of the pandemic. As such, the ability to understand both our trade and DIY customers and their needs and to target them much more effectively has become an increasingly high priority and a considerable opportunity for growth. That’s why the time is ripe to invest in our overarching customer engagement vision, strategy and implementation, and we’re excited to partner with the leading agency in this space, Havas helia, to do so.” 

Lucy Halley, head of strategy, London, at Havas helia adds: “As people adapt to spending more time in their homes, home improvement has captured the collective consciousness in a major way. For a brand such as Toolstation, which makes such DIY or larger projects possible, that’s a powerful and meaningful opportunity, particularly in an otherwise challenging climate. 

“Together, we have the chance to speak to both trade and DIY customers – two very distinct audiences with distinct sets of needs – through a unified suite of communications and tools that are genuinely useful and help improve people’s day-to-day lives. Our ambition is to convert that initial enthusiasm into an engaged and loyal customer base.”