Customer Center

Case Studies

Generating Products and Revenue Through Innovative Solutions

The Challenge

Experian is the world-leader in the financial and information services industry.

As a century-old company with employees literally spread across the globe, the organization underwent a vast amount of growth and transitioning over the past few years. The more it grew, the more it realized the significant need to centralize information and innovation among its divisions. In the U.S. alone, Experian subsidiaries accounted for over 16 units, in more than 20 locations. The North American division employs more than 4500 individuals and maintains databases containing over 65 terabytes of information.

Previously, innovation was managed via the use of spreadsheets and other desktop business tools. Such antiquated methods proved problematic and time-consuming, as these tools are less than ideal for information-sharing and innovation development. This is particularly true at an organization such as Experian, where information is shared across multiple divisions of a global organization and where security is a major concern.

In addition, the company was also up against an extremely time sensitive deadline. The date the company was slated for going public was soon approaching, and the ability to manage the innovation process was a key factor in improving return on investment. Accordingly, the ability to implement a system which could effectively manage the process and be done in an extremely short time frame was a key component in the ultimate selection of Brightidea.

The Solution

Interestingly enough, Experian’s Innovation team quickly learned that the Brightidea Platform was already being utilized within one of its U.S. divisions. After researching and witnessing the Brightidea Platform in action, the global Innovation team at Experian approached Brightidea about enacting the Platform across its entire Americas division. Furthermore, by learning of the early successes associated with the Brightidea product, Experian immediately decided to implement the Brightidea Platform to manage its Innovation pipeline. Thanks to immediate and proven success, as well as the ability to implement the Platform in literally a matter of days, Brightidea had an entirely new Innovation Pipeline Management system in place for Experian within the necessary timeframe and according to all required specifications.

One of the primary goals was to stimulate and develop the employee idea submission process. Experian’s hope, along with managing and gathering ideas, was to harness employee ideas and in turn improve employee morale, productivity and involvement. By utilizing the Brightidea Platform, managers could witness the entire idea management process, literally viewing idea development from beginning to end. This full view process kept management in the loop at all times, helped filter out non-viable ideas and, in turn, focus on ideas with the greatest revenue potential. As a result, significant strides in product enhancements, new product development, and new market development were seen company-wide.

Experian executives were also quick to point out the important aspects of integrating Innovation management with the beneficial elements of Web 2.0. By combining social networking into a critical business process, both company and employees benefit from networking, brainstorming and consistent, relevant, work-related engagements. Embracing Web 2.0 from the on-set also helps organizations stay ahead of the curve in terms of implementing advanced technology and ideas, and stand out from the crowd when compared to competitors within existing markets.

The Results

Experian's success with the Brightidea Platform has been an overwhelming tribute to the financial, social, individual and developmental strides Innovation management can offer organizations. In the year following implementation, Experian launched over 100 new products, including the major launch of an employee generated new product know as ChoiceScore. Thanks to the Brightidea pipeline, this employee idea submission proved extremely valuable, possessing significant revenue and growth potential for the entire organization.

In addition to the financial implications of the Platform, the Innovation process continues to actively engage and involve Experian employees in a positive manner. By maintaining connectivity to the company, its products and the development process, employees remain loyal, happy and productive.

Furthermore, global implementation of the Brightidea Platform is expected in 2008 thanks to the overwhelming success of Innovation process within Experian Americas.