National Optical Care (NOC) has expanded its portfolio, adding several optometry practices to the business throughout 2021. Established in late 2020, NOC has been actively growing its portfolio since inception.

With an expansion to partnering with 45 optical practices by the end of 2021, NOC can attribute some of this success to the marketing automation capabilities of its email database. Partnering with Taguchi while still in a start-up phase, NOC turned the typical technology partnership approach on its head.

Investment from the start

It’s common for start-ups to choose inexpensive or basic marketing automation technology to begin with. These systems often don’t have quality support or, even more important, technology capabilities to grow with the business. NOC decided to invest in a sophisticated Marketing Automation provider in Taguchi from the get-go, and it has proven to pay off.

General manager of marketing at NOC, Paula Sadler, saw the early benefit of investing in an integrated platform. 

“Investing in a trusted technology partner who delivers results has been hugely beneficial to the business,” she says. 

Understanding marketing, Sadler knew the dangers of clunky systems – the sort of systems that can slow down and frustrate teams, as well as cause missed opportunities and alienate current or potential customers.

Taguchi was the obvious choice for Sadler and the team as it has extensive customisation options tailored to suit an individual business’s needs. The most valuable elements that Sadler identified were the integration, time-saving features and local customer support. It was the combination of these that has allowed NOC to prosper and continue to expand its footprint. 

Risk versus reward

It’s rare that a start-up will budget for an email marketing system at its inception. However, the decision to invest early in Taguchi and build a communications strategy on the platform is proving to be rewarding. 

The early key to success for NOC was to create partnerships that would be long term. As the business grows, it is already storing behavioural and profile data. This allows an ever-growing and customised communications strategy using the sophisticated system built by Taguchi.

Email marketing is the primary channel for NOC to talk to its customers, so investment in a platform that provides support and insights allows continual opportunities for conversion, engagement and loyalty.

The proof is in the results

When it comes to positive results, NOC cites integration, time-saving and customer support among the reasons the partnership has been so successful.

Describing Taguchi as being wonderfully detailed, but also fast and efficient, NOC finds working with Taguchi beneficial because not only does its team understand the requirements, but they also forward plan for any obstacles that may come up. 

A well-structured and rich database that can be updated daily, populated into an internal dashboard and provide instant results, was a necessity.

“I don’t have to dig around for results. My colleagues and I can view email performances and other metrics in our own Power BI dashboard,” says Sadler.

Alongside understanding the requirements and streamlining processes and results, time-saving was also on NOC’s wish list. Taguchi worked with NOC to ensure that an infinite number of customisable email templates were created. This provides important branding consistency and reduces email build and deployment time. 

With this, NOC created multiple templates, including various campaigns per brand, that it has under its expanding network.

At any one time, NOC can have roughly a dozen campaigns in motion, including welcoming customers, individual birthday messages, appointment reminders, retention emails and win-back messaging. These are prepared and ready to roll across the new brands and, with NOC’s expansion rate, these rapidly deployable features are imperative.

The partnership between Taguchi and NOC is proof that early investment in technology can be a key facet of business success. NOC is able to attribute much of the success – from customer retention, to direct marketing and instant results – to the Taguchi platform. 

Sadler credits Taguchi as being an important function for the business. “The Taguchi platform truly helps organisations of all sizes, from all industries to create and support marketing automation journeys,” she says.