Skip to main content
    Back to Webinars
    WebinarPositive Vision of the Future 2010 60 min

    Delivering Growth by Transforming an Iconic Organization

    Priszm Brandz (KFC Canada) is one of the largest owners and operators of quick service restaurants in the world. Prior to beginning its transformation, Priszm’s stock price had declined from 9.78 to 1.75. Its past thirteen campaigns had not generated the desired results; same store sales growth had declined; the customer base had eroded, and the brand had not resonated with customers. To dramatically improve overall business performance, the company needed to transform its operational, marketing, product development, merchandising, and human resources processes. The Klapper Institute was asked to help the company begin the transformation through the creation of “Model Store” which would provide tremendous insight as to where value was created (and lost) and serve as a template for the national roll-out. Finally, “Model Store” was executed with one budget goal in mind… make it happen in 45 days!

    Presenter

    BK

    Brian Klapper

    Brian Klapper, the President and founding partner of The Klapper Institute will lead a “how to” discussion on Model Store, lessons learned along the way, and offer his insights and perspective about how to use a “Model Store” concept as a catalyst for enterprise-wide business transformation.

    Key Takeaways

    • 1.A holistic transformation of operations, marketing, product, and HR is essential for a business turnaround.
    • 2.Declining sales and an eroding customer base can be reversed through strategic, integrated changes.
    • 3.Rapid prototyping, like a "Model Store," can provide quick insights into value creation and loss.
    • 4.Successful pilot projects can serve as a template for a larger national or organizational rollout.
    • 5.Executing transformation initiatives with aggressive timelines and clear budgets is crucial for maintaining momentum.
    • 6.Even iconic, mature organizations must adapt and transform to survive in today's business landscape.

    The Challenge: Revitalizing an Iconic Brand

    Priszm Brandz (KFC Canada), one of the world's largest quick-service restaurant operators, was facing a significant downturn. The brand had lost its resonance with customers, leading to an eroded customer base and declining same-store sales growth. This was reflected in a stock price collapse from 9.78 to 1.75 and a series of thirteen marketing campaigns that failed to produce desired results.

    A Strategy for Rapid Transformation

    To reverse the decline and drive growth, Priszm Brandz initiated a comprehensive business transformation. The company enlisted The Klapper Institute to help guide the process, focusing on revitalizing its operational, marketing, product development, merchandising, and human resources functions.

    The "Model Store" Concept

    A core component of the strategy was the creation of a "Model Store." This initiative was designed as a rapid pilot program to gain critical insights into where the business was creating—and losing—value. Executed with a demanding 45-day timeline, the "Model Store" served two primary purposes:

    • To test and validate new strategies across all business functions in a contained environment.
    • To create a successful, proven template for a subsequent national rollout.

    A Holistic, Integrated Approach

    The transformation was not siloed. It required an integrated effort that connected operational improvements, marketing strategies, new product development, and human resources processes to achieve a holistic business turnaround.

    Key Learnings for Today's Leaders

    This case study offers timeless lessons for leaders in mature organizations facing similar challenges:

    • Analyze Value Creation: Begin by conducting a thorough analysis to identify precisely where value is created and lost within your organization.
    • Embrace Holistic Change: True transformation requires integrating changes across all major business functions, from operations to HR.
    • Leverage Rapid Prototyping: Use contained pilot projects like the "Model Store" to test new strategies quickly, gather crucial data, and validate concepts before a broader, riskier rollout.
    • Execute with Urgency: Maintain momentum and drive tangible results by implementing initiatives with aggressive timelines and clear budget goals.

    This session delves into the critical strategies for transforming an iconic organization to deliver sustained growth, even in challenging environments. It highlights how a multi-faceted approach, encompassing operational, marketing, product development, and human resources changes, can revitalize a business and improve financial performance. The insights shared remain highly relevant for leaders facing similar challenges in mature organizations.

    What you'll learn

    • Strategies for initiating a comprehensive organizational transformation.
    • How to identify and address declining sales and eroding customer bases within established brands.
    • The importance of integrating operational, marketing, product development, and HR changes for holistic improvement.
    • Methods for rapid prototype development, such as the "Model Store" concept, to gain quick insights and build momentum.
    • Techniques for creating a template for national roll-out based on successful pilot initiatives.

    Who this webinar is for

    • CEOs and senior executives in organizations seeking significant business growth.
    • Leaders responsible for strategic planning and organizational change initiatives.
    • Human Resources, Marketing, and Operations leaders involved in large-scale transformations.
    • Managers looking to understand how to revitalize declining brand performance.
    • Anyone interested in the process of turning around an established company's trajectory.

    Why it matters now

    In today's fast-paced business landscape, even iconic organizations can face rapid decline if they don't adapt and transform. The principles discussed, such as the need for agile prototyping and comprehensive changes across all business functions, are more critical than ever. The lessons from how Priszm Brandz (KFC Canada) addressed severe financial and brand erosion provide a timeless case study for navigating complex organizational challenges and driving measurable growth through strategic interventions and a focus on inclusivity.

    How leaders can apply this

    Leaders can apply these insights by first conducting a thorough analysis to identify areas of value creation and loss within their organizations. Emphasize a holistic approach that connects operational improvements with marketing strategies and human resources development. Consider implementing rapid, contained pilot projects, similar to the "Model Store" concept Brian Klapper helped develop, to test new strategies quickly and gather crucial data. This allows for validation before a broader rollout, minimizing risk and maximizing impact. Ensure that transformation initiatives are executed with clear budget goals and aggressive timelines to maintain momentum and achieve tangible results.

    About this session

    Key takeaways

    Watching this webinar gives you grounded, practical perspective on Inclusivity. Expect ideas you can use in leadership conversations, not abstract theory, drawn from Brian Klapper's direct experience.

    Who this is for

    CHROs, HR business partners, talent leaders, executive coaches, organizational development practitioners, and senior leaders who are responsible for positive vision of the future inside their organization.

    Why it matters now

    Workforce expectations, hybrid work patterns, and AI-driven change keep raising the bar on culture and leadership. Sessions like this help leaders make smarter, more evidence-informed decisions about Inclusivity.

    How to apply it

    Use the ideas here to challenge a current assumption on your team, design a single concrete experiment in the next 30 days, and bring one finding back to your leadership group for discussion.

    Frequently asked questions

    Best Practice Institute

    Best Practice Institute is the research organization behind Most Loved Workplace® certification, the SPARK Model, the Love of Workplace Index™ (LOWI™), and The Workplace Report.

    The Workplace Report

    The Workplace Report is BPI's original workplace culture research and editorial briefing series for CEOs, CHROs, people leaders, talent leaders, and employer-brand teams. It turns BPI's 25 years of research, Most Loved Workplace® certification data, SPARK findings, and current workforce signals into practical analysis leaders can use.

    The report format includes executive summaries, research-backed articles, company examples, methodology notes, and practical implications for retention, hiring, culture, leadership, and employee experience. New research and analysis is published on an ongoing editorial cadence at /workplace-report.