Optimising Internal Customer Development Systems – Circular Economy in The Food Industry
Description
Business Context & Description
Compost-It is a Leeds-based food-waste recycling service supporting households and businesses in reducing their carbon footprint by converting food waste into renewable energy and fertiliser. While the company has its core operational process (collections and recycling) in place, its internal processes for managing customer development, sales channels, and performance tracking are not yet formalised.
As the business grows, Compost-It needs practical, resource-friendly internal systems to manage customer information flows, align activities with the customer journey, and measure performance effectively.
The Challenge & Objectives
Core Challenge:
How can Compost-It design simple, structured information flows and internal systems to manage customer interactions across the journey (from awareness to retention) and measure performance, without requiring complex or costly technology?
Objectives:
- Process Mapping (Operations & Information Systems): Document Compost-It’s current customer-related processes and identify gaps in information flow.
- Customer Journey Stages (Marketing & Strategy): Map out the full journey and highlight key touchpoints where information is created, transferred, or lost.
- Information Flow Design (Business Process & IS): Propose simple systems (spreadsheets, shared templates, dashboards, reporting structures) to capture and share information efficiently at each customer stage.
- Performance Measurement (Strategy & Operations): Recommend key performance indicators (KPIs) and simple tracking mechanisms aligned with the customer journey.
Deliverables
- Customer Journey & Process Map: a visual map linking customer stages with internal processes.
- Information Flow Framework: suggested system of capturing, sharing, and using information across teams.
Guidance for Students Taking On This Project
If you’re planning to submit a proposal for this project, here are some pointers to help you secure this project and deliver well.
1. Familiarise Yourself With The Industry Landscape
Review the company's website to understand its offerings and identity. Also, review a few of their competitors to understand the market landscape.
2. Useful Academic Frameworks
Various academic frameworks, such as BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation) or Porter’s Value Chain, can help map out all activities that create value and reveal where customer-related processes fit within the overall business operations. For a more customer-focused view, Customer Journey Mapping can be helpful to identify key touchpoints from awareness to retention, ensuring alignment between internal processes and customer experience.
Additionally, Knowledge Management (KM) frameworks enable you to design how information flows through the sales process. Models like Nonaka & Takeuchi’s SECI and the Knowledge Management Cycle guide how to capture, store, and share knowledge effectively. Combine these with information system principles (e.g., DIKW hierarchy, CRM logic) to create simple, resource-friendly tools.
3. Useful Data Sources
Internal:
- Customer inquiries and existing channels
- Current customer development process
External:
- Customer behaviour insights from sustainability studies
4. Next Step
Prepare a short proposal (Project Proposal Guide) outlining your strategy to tackle this project. Your proposal helps you secure a place and a scholarship.
Video
Interested in this project?
233 days left to apply