A data-driven business that totally benefits the customer. By Jefferson Dowdy – Head of Operations

Digital tools are transforming how we all do what we do, and Catapult is no stranger to using data in seriously smart ways. In my role as Head of Operations, I shape how we use data as a springboard, not only innovating our business, but delivering improvements that change the game for our customers – ahead of the game.

Believing isn’t seeing.

We believe in constantly beating our own lead times, enhancing print quality, offering unrivaled customer service and bettering overall value for money. But believing in it and seeing how to make it happen are two different things. That’s where data comes in, because when you embrace its power, it shows you the way forward. And boy, is data taking us places. 

It’s not data, it’s what you do with it.

Now, obviously data can’t do the heavy lifting for you. But as a data-driven business, we use technology that lets us collect gold-dust data we can then interpret and fine-tune from. One of these technologies is our bespoke digital platform: Crystal, which is already arming us with insights to inform our next business moves.

Welcome to a win-win situation.

We developed Crystal to give our customers ultimate visibility of their orders, and optimum trust in us to deliver them. The idea stemmed from wanting our customers to have crystal-clear transparency, and while this system benefits our clients, it’s also helping us gain invaluable perspective and digital feedback on our efficiency. Crystal plays back every facet of the Catapult process through data that serves up our own taste of transparency, letting us see where we’re nailing things and where there are opportunities to up the ante.

The inside track on our track record.

Tracking how many of our orders arrive on time, early or late, holds a mirror to our values, and also holds us visibly accountable to our clients. We want to be peak Catapult every time, so we welcome the use of data to drive operational efficiency. Harnessing the hyper-relevant inside info Crystal makes available means we now know 27% of all our orders ship within 0-2 days, and 39.4% within 5 days – which is already good news, but only sets the record we want to smash. The numbers don’t lie, but why would we want them to when the truth is a 98% customer retention rate?

Adapt. Adopt. Repeat.

Knowledge is power, and data empowers the Catapult operation every day. We’ve invested in Crystal as the best strategy to gather data that lets us connect the dots, meet our business goals and our clients’ needs. With a culture of innovation embedded in Catapult HQ, who knows what new technologies or tools we’ll be adopting next? What we do know is putting data at the center of our business keeps our customers there too.