Fjällräven is an outdoor clothing and equipment company committed to making nature more accessible while respecting the environment.
Hailing from a small coastal town in Sweden, its global expansion includes dozens of stores across North America. It also exposed gaps in their communications processes that they couldn’t ignore.
They needed to:
- Ensure an accurate, reliable communications flow from HQ to store teams
- Empower retail employees and improve their working experience
- Align the company’s processes with their core values
- Boost team efficiency and productivity
Clear communication, clear execution
In her first 6 months as Director of Brand Stores for Fjällräven North America, Sarah Tava visited with each of the 34 store managers to understand what was, and wasn’t, working.
“A common thread was that store managers didn’t understand why they were being asked to do certain tasks and were constantly surprised by new campaigns and programs. It really boiled down to frustration around communication,” she told us.
Sarah had used Zipline in her previous role at lululemon and knew it was the ticket to solving this problem. Now, messages and tasks are clearly assigned and accessible to everyone in one handy place, while tracking ensures delivery and execution. Fjällräven employees understand the “why” behind what they’re doing and feel more empowered, accountable, and engaged in their roles.
“Our low turnover is a great signal…store managers understand the role they play within the company and why the job they’re doing is so important to the brand. We couldn’t do that without Zipline,” said Sarah.
A better relationship with its planet and its people
As an outdoor retailer committed to sustainability, HQ was thrilled about making communications completely digital. Eliminating physical binders and the reams of paper used during onboarding was just one of reasons Sarah was able to get buy-in. “Everything comes back to our mission statement, and operating with the lens of nature in place,” she emphasized.
Alignment with Fjällräven’s core values was an immediate win. But it was clear Zipline could also bring employees closer together, for the better.
“I likely only met some [employees] a couple of times given shift schedules,” said Sarah. “With Zipline, I was able to establish relationships with them and support them in a way that showed I care about their development and role within the brand. It allowed me to share more of myself with the team.”
The agility to succeed, no matter what comes
Fjällräven rolled Zipline out weeks before Covid-19 shut down its North American stores. Turns out, it was just in time.
While everyone was working from home, they were able to assign and track activities without missing a beat. Managers could continue to work and keep up productivity. In fact, they opened a new store during a period when many companies were struggling to keep things running.
That agility has continued to prove itself an asset. Store managers can see what’s being done in Zipline, quickly address any issues, and ensure tasks are completed up to standard.
As Sarah puts it, “Zipline really helps us organize everything in one place and makes it really easy to ensure the fleet and HQ are aligned and working together.”
“Our low turnover is a great signal we’re doing a better job at ensuring our store managers understand the role they play within the company and why the job they’re doing is so important to the brand. We couldn’t do that without Zipline.”
– Sarah Tava, Director of Brand Stores for Fjällräven North America
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