Companies in the fulfillment sector know a thing or two about follow-through. But even by their lofty standards, the transitioning of a large client’s rebate fulfillment business to Skybridge™ Marketing Group set a new standard for success.

“No margin for error.”

 “It’s not just the scale of the transition that was impressive, but also the circumstances,” says Sean Silver, Director of Client Services at Skybridge. “We transitioned 135 existing programs, and in the first month had to execute 50 new ones. There was simply no margin for error.”

To transition the client smoothly, Skybridge assembled an experienced Client Services team that included a transition director, an account manager and account coordinator, along with Operations, IT and Customer Service representatives.

“Projects of this scale require expert planning and a high degree of coordination, both internally and between Skybridge and the client,” explains Silver. “So the first thing we did was set up weekly meetings with their stakeholders to track progress on assigned responsibilities. At the same, we held weekly multi-department meetings to guarantee all internal processes were in place for the launch. From detailed timelines to constant updates, we ensured that everyone worked in concert.”

Perfect orchestration

Skybridge placed a premium on communication and synchronization because, as industry veterans, they understood the multifaceted nature of the transition challenge: “Not only did we have to bring existing programs in house, but right off the bat we were launching new programs. And in addition to the rebate program, we also transitioned customer service.”

Skybridge worked with both the client and its previous fulfillment provider to forward all mail and begin processing at Skybridge with minimal delay or customer issues. Skybridge™ Customer Service also utilized historical data and the previous partner’s rebate status website to transition all ongoing customer inquiries. For new rebate inquiries, the team worked with the client’s customer service group to ensure open communication.

“Skybridge delivered.”

One year later, Silver assessed the project’s success. “We had two goals: a smooth transition for the client, and an invisible one for consumers. On both counts, Skybridge delivered.”

And the client concurred. On the first anniversary of transitioning its rebate fulfillment business to Skybridge, it provided detailed feedback on the new relationship. Executive leadership and frontline team members alike registered a high degree of satisfaction with overall service quality, including the timing and accuracy of rebate processing, customer service capabilities and efficiencies, and productivity and problem solving.

“We transitioned the client on schedule, launched its fulfillment and customer service on the dates promised, and executed all new programs accurately and on time,” says Silver. “Moreover, between spring of 2008 and spring of 2009, consumer complaints dropped by 50 percent. And by maintaining the lines of communication established at the outset, our relationship with the client gets stronger by the day.”

"We had two goals:
a smooth transition for the client, and an invisible one for consumers.

On both counts, Skybridge delivered."