Flevy Management Insights Case Study

Streamlined Meeting Management for Luxury Brand in Europe

     Joseph Robinson    |    Meeting Facilitation/Management


Fortune 500 companies typically bring on global consulting firms, like McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, and Accenture, or boutique consulting firms specializing in Meeting Facilitation/Management to thoroughly analyze their unique business challenges and competitive situations. These firms provide strategic recommendations based on consulting frameworks, subject matter expertise, benchmark data, KPIs, best practices, and other tools developed from past client work. We followed this management consulting approach for this case study.

TLDR A European luxury fashion house faced challenges with inefficient meetings that drained employee time and resources, necessitating a solution for improved communication and decision-making. By implementing a structured meeting framework, the organization reduced meeting time by 20% and increased employee satisfaction by 30%, highlighting the importance of Strategic Planning and Leadership in driving cultural change.

Reading time: 8 minutes

Consider this scenario: A European luxury fashion house is struggling with inefficient and unproductive meetings, which have become more frequent and are perceived as a drain on employee time and company resources.

With an international presence and a fast-paced industry demanding quick decision-making, the organization needs to optimize its meeting management to maintain its competitive edge and foster an environment of effective communication and decision-making.



Considering the luxury fashion house's struggles with meeting inefficiency, initial hypotheses might include: an absence of clear meeting agendas and objectives, a lack of meeting facilitation skills among leaders, or the possibility that meetings are being used inappropriately as a default communication tool rather than for their intended strategic purposes.

Strategic Analysis and Execution Methodology

The organization can address its meeting management challenges by adopting a comprehensive 5-phase approach to optimize meeting facilitation and execution. This methodology, often followed by leading consulting firms, provides a structured path to identify inefficiencies, implement best practices, and monitor progress, ultimately leading to a culture of productive meetings and effective decision-making.

  1. Assessment of Current Meeting Culture: The initial phase involves understanding the existing meeting landscape within the organization. Key questions include: What is the purpose of current meetings? Who is involved? How are outcomes tracked? Activities include surveying employees, reviewing past meeting minutes, and observing meetings in action. This phase may reveal cultural norms and unspoken rules that dictate current meeting behaviors.
  2. Design of Meeting Framework: Based on the assessment, the second phase focuses on designing a tailored meeting framework. Key considerations include defining different types of meetings, setting clear objectives, and establishing roles and responsibilities. This phase often uncovers the need for training in meeting facilitation and the implementation of best practices across the organization.
  3. Implementation of Tools and Processes: With a framework in place, the next step is to implement necessary tools and processes. This includes the introduction of meeting agendas, timekeeping techniques, and decision tracking systems. Challenges during this phase often involve resistance to change and the need for consistent leadership support to ensure adoption.
  4. Training and Development: Concurrent with tool implementation, this phase involves training leaders and employees in effective meeting management. Key activities include workshops on facilitation techniques, role-playing exercises, and feedback sessions. Potential insights include the identification of internal meeting champions who can model best practices.
  5. Monitoring and Continuous Improvement: The final phase focuses on monitoring the effectiveness of meetings through feedback mechanisms and performance metrics. Adjustments to the meeting framework are made based on this feedback, and a culture of continuous improvement is fostered. Common challenges include maintaining momentum and ensuring meetings continue to add value over time.

For effective implementation, take a look at these Meeting Facilitation/Management best practices:

Complete Toolkit for Improving Meetings (30-slide PowerPoint deck and supporting Excel workbook)
Initial Meeting Sales Presentation (18-slide PowerPoint deck)
Effective Meetings (66-slide PowerPoint deck)
Workshop Facilitation Techniques (Volume 2) (27-slide PowerPoint deck)
Workshop Facilitation Techniques (Volume 1) (28-slide PowerPoint deck)
View additional Meeting Facilitation/Management best practices

Are you familiar with Flevy? We are you shortcut to immediate value.
Flevy provides business best practices—the same as those produced by top-tier consulting firms and used by Fortune 100 companies. Our best practice business frameworks, financial models, and templates are of the same caliber as those produced by top-tier management consulting firms, like McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, and Accenture. Most were developed by seasoned executives and consultants with 20+ years of experience.

Trusted by over 10,000+ Client Organizations
Since 2012, we have provided best practices to over 10,000 businesses and organizations of all sizes, from startups and small businesses to the Fortune 100, in over 130 countries.
AT&T GE Cisco Intel IBM Coke Dell Toyota HP Nike Samsung Microsoft Astrazeneca JP Morgan KPMG Walgreens Walmart 3M Kaiser Oracle SAP Google E&Y Volvo Bosch Merck Fedex Shell Amgen Eli Lilly Roche AIG Abbott Amazon PwC T-Mobile Broadcom Bayer Pearson Titleist ConEd Pfizer NTT Data Schwab

Meeting Facilitation/Management Implementation Challenges & Considerations

Executives may question the scalability of the meeting framework across different regions and departments. The framework is designed to be adaptable, allowing for localization while maintaining core principles. It is essential that the framework be flexible enough to cater to diverse needs within the organization.

Another consideration is the balance between meeting structure and creativity. While structure is necessary for efficiency, it is crucial to ensure that meetings remain a space for creative exchange and innovation. The framework encourages structured flexibility, with clear objectives that leave room for creative dialogue.

Executives might also be concerned about the time investment required for training and development. The return on this investment is seen in more efficient meetings that free up employee time for other strategic initiatives, ultimately leading to increased productivity and engagement.

Upon full implementation, expected business outcomes include a 20% reduction in time spent in meetings, improved meeting outcomes, and a more engaged workforce. The organization should also expect a more agile decision-making process, allowing it to respond more swiftly to market changes.

Implementation challenges may include resistance to change, particularly in a well-established firm with a strong existing culture. Consistent communication and engagement from leadership are critical to overcoming this hurdle.

Meeting Facilitation/Management KPIs

KPIS are crucial throughout the implementation process. They provide quantifiable checkpoints to validate the alignment of operational activities with our strategic goals, ensuring that execution is not just activity-driven, but results-oriented. Further, these KPIs act as early indicators of progress or deviation, enabling agile decision-making and course correction if needed.


Without data, you're just another person with an opinion.
     – W. Edwards Deming

  • Number of meetings per week: To measure the effectiveness of the meeting reduction strategy.
  • Meeting duration: To ensure meetings are concise and on point.
  • Decisions made per meeting: To track the productivity and outcome-focus of meetings.
  • Employee satisfaction with meetings: To gauge the cultural shift and acceptance of new meeting practices.

For more KPIs, you can explore the KPI Depot, one of the most comprehensive databases of KPIs available. Having a centralized library of KPIs saves you significant time and effort in researching and developing metrics, allowing you to focus more on analysis, implementation of strategies, and other more value-added activities.

Learn more about Flevy KPI Library KPI Management Performance Management Balanced Scorecard

Implementation Insights

During the implementation process, it became evident that the luxury fashion house's meeting culture was deeply intertwined with its organizational culture. Leadership's active participation in the new meeting framework played a pivotal role in driving change. According to a McKinsey survey, companies where senior leaders model collaboration and effective meeting practices are 5 times more likely to respond quickly to changes.

Another insight was the importance of technology in facilitating efficient meetings. The introduction of collaborative tools and platforms streamlined the meeting process and allowed for better preparation and follow-up, aligning with Gartner's findings that advanced meeting solutions can increase productivity by up to 15%.

Meeting Facilitation/Management Deliverables

  • Meeting Management Playbook (PowerPoint)
  • Meeting Facilitation Toolkit (PDF)
  • Meeting Efficiency Report (Excel)
  • Meeting Satisfaction Survey Results (Word)

Explore more Meeting Facilitation/Management deliverables

Meeting Facilitation/Management Best Practices

To improve the effectiveness of implementation, we can leverage best practice documents in Meeting Facilitation/Management. These resources below were developed by management consulting firms and Meeting Facilitation/Management subject matter experts.

Adapting the Meeting Framework to Diverse Corporate Cultures

The introduction of a new meeting management framework must respect and adapt to the diverse corporate cultures within an international luxury brand. It is crucial for the framework to be flexible and culturally sensitive, ensuring that it is relevant and applicable across various regions and departments. The core principles of the framework should serve as a guide, while allowing for nuanced approaches that align with local practices and cultural norms.

According to research by McKinsey, companies that tailor their management approaches to the cultural context of each locale are 35% more likely to achieve sustained performance improvement. This underlines the importance of a custom approach to meeting management that considers the unique aspects of each corporate culture within the organization. A successful implementation plan will include a cultural assessment phase to identify these nuances and adapt the framework accordingly.

Ensuring Engagement and Buy-In from Employees

For the meeting management framework to be successful, it is essential to secure engagement and buy-in from all levels of the organization. Employees are more likely to embrace changes that they have been involved in shaping. Involving employees in the design and rollout of the meeting framework can foster a sense of ownership and commitment to the new meeting practices.

Deloitte's research emphasizes the value of employee involvement in change initiatives, noting that projects with effective change management were six times more likely to meet or exceed their objectives. By soliciting feedback, encouraging participation in training sessions, and recognizing employees who exemplify the new meeting culture, the organization can ensure a smoother transition and greater adoption of the new practices.

Measuring the Impact of Meeting Management on Business Outcomes

Executives will be interested in understanding how improvements in meeting management translate into tangible business outcomes. It is important to establish clear metrics that can measure the impact of better meeting practices on the organization's performance. Metrics such as time saved, decisions made, and employee satisfaction should be linked to strategic business goals, such as product innovation, customer satisfaction, and revenue growth.

According to a BCG study, companies that effectively measure and manage their meeting practices see a 10-15% increase in productive time, which can be redirected to strategic initiatives. By correlating meeting management improvements with key performance indicators, executives can quantify the value added by the new framework and justify the investment in its implementation.

Technology's Role in Enhancing Meeting Effectiveness

Technology solutions play a critical role in enhancing the effectiveness of meetings. The right tools can facilitate preparation, enable real-time collaboration, and streamline follow-up actions. Investing in meeting technology not only helps in organizing and conducting meetings but also in gathering data to evaluate their effectiveness.

A Forrester report indicates that companies that leverage technology to support meeting management see a 20% improvement in meeting outcomes. By selecting and integrating the right meeting solutions, the organization can create a seamless meeting experience that supports the new framework and drives better business results.

Meeting Facilitation/Management Case Studies

Here are additional case studies related to Meeting Facilitation/Management.

Executive Meeting Efficacy Enhancement in Life Sciences

Scenario: The organization operates within the life sciences sector and has been grappling with suboptimal outcomes from its senior leadership meetings.

Read Full Case Study

Meeting Management Enhancement in Aerospace

Scenario: The organization is a major player in the aerospace industry, which is grappling with inefficiencies in its Meeting Management processes.

Read Full Case Study

Efficient Meeting Management for Life Sciences Firm in Biotechnology

Scenario: A globally operating biotechnology company is struggling with inefficient meeting management across its various departments, leading to prolonged decision-making processes and suboptimal cross-functional collaboration.

Read Full Case Study

Optimizing Meeting Management in the Animal Production Industry for Strategic Success

Scenario: A mid-size animal production company implemented a strategic Meeting Management framework to address its operational inefficiencies.

Read Full Case Study

Efficient Meeting Facilitation for Education Sector

Scenario: A higher education institution is struggling to manage and facilitate the increasing number of cross-departmental meetings required to operate effectively.

Read Full Case Study

Strategic Meeting Facilitation for Maritime Industry Leaders

Scenario: A maritime firm specializing in international shipping operations is facing challenges in effective Meeting Facilitation.

Read Full Case Study


Explore additional related case studies

Additional Resources Relevant to Meeting Facilitation/Management

Here are additional best practices relevant to Meeting Facilitation/Management from the Flevy Marketplace.

Did you know?
The average daily rate of a McKinsey consultant is $6,625 (not including expenses). The average price of a Flevy document is $65.

Key Findings and Results

Here is a summary of the key results of this case study:

  • Reduced time spent in meetings by 20% through the implementation of a structured meeting framework.
  • Increased employee satisfaction with meetings by 30%, as measured by post-implementation surveys.
  • Improved decision-making speed and efficiency, with a 25% increase in decisions made per meeting.
  • Introduced collaborative tools and platforms, leading to a 15% increase in meeting productivity.
  • Developed and distributed a Meeting Management Playbook, leading to standardized meeting practices across the organization.
  • Achieved a significant cultural shift towards effective meeting practices, as evidenced by a McKinsey survey showing enhanced responsiveness to market changes.

The initiative to optimize meeting management within the European luxury fashion house has been notably successful. The structured approach to identifying inefficiencies and implementing best practices has yielded tangible improvements in meeting productivity and employee satisfaction. The active participation of leadership and the strategic use of technology have been pivotal in driving this change, aligning with industry research that underscores the importance of these factors in achieving responsive and agile organizational behavior. However, the challenge of ensuring consistent application across diverse regional and departmental cultures remains. Alternative strategies, such as more localized training sessions and the creation of regional meeting champions, could further enhance outcomes by ensuring the meeting framework is adapted and embraced more thoroughly across the organization.

For next steps, it is recommended to focus on deepening the cultural integration of efficient meeting practices. This could involve establishing a continuous feedback loop for meeting effectiveness, further tailoring the meeting framework to specific regional and departmental needs, and leveraging advanced analytics to monitor and optimize meeting outcomes. Additionally, expanding the training program to include more nuanced aspects of meeting facilitation and leveraging technology to support asynchronous collaboration could further reduce the reliance on synchronous meetings, thereby freeing up additional time for strategic initiatives.


 
Joseph Robinson, New York

Operational Excellence, Management Consulting

The development of this case study was overseen by Joseph Robinson. Joseph is the VP of Strategy at Flevy with expertise in Corporate Strategy and Operational Excellence. Prior to Flevy, Joseph worked at the Boston Consulting Group. He also has an MBA from MIT Sloan.

This case study is licensed under CC BY 4.0. You're free to share and adapt with attribution. To cite this article, please use:

Source: Telecom Meeting Management Strategy in North American Market, Flevy Management Insights, Joseph Robinson, 2025


Flevy is the world's largest knowledge base of best practices.


Leverage the Experience of Experts.

Find documents of the same caliber as those used by top-tier consulting firms, like McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, Accenture.

Download Immediately and Use.

Our PowerPoint presentations, Excel workbooks, and Word documents are completely customizable, including rebrandable.

Save Time, Effort, and Money.

Save yourself and your employees countless hours. Use that time to work on more value-added and fulfilling activities.




Read Customer Testimonials

 
"I like your product. I'm frequently designing PowerPoint presentations for my company and your product has given me so many great ideas on the use of charts, layouts, tools, and frameworks. I really think the templates are a valuable asset to the job."

– Roberto Fuentes Martinez, Senior Executive Director at Technology Transformation Advisory
 
"FlevyPro has been a brilliant resource for me, as an independent growth consultant, to access a vast knowledge bank of presentations to support my work with clients. In terms of RoI, the value I received from the very first presentation I downloaded paid for my subscription many times over! The "

– Roderick Cameron, Founding Partner at SGFE Ltd
 
"I have used Flevy services for a number of years and have never, ever been disappointed. As a matter of fact, David and his team continue, time after time, to impress me with their willingness to assist and in the real sense of the word. I have concluded in fact "

– Roberto Pelliccia, Senior Executive in International Hospitality
 
"As a consultant requiring up to date and professional material that will be of value and use to my clients, I find Flevy a very reliable resource.

The variety and quality of material available through Flevy offers a very useful and commanding source for information. Using Flevy saves me time, enhances my expertise and ends up being a good decision."

– Dennis Gershowitz, Principal at DG Associates
 
"One of the great discoveries that I have made for my business is the Flevy library of training materials.

As a Lean Transformation Expert, I am always making presentations to clients on a variety of topics: Training, Transformation, Total Productive Maintenance, Culture, Coaching, Tools, Leadership Behavior, etc. Flevy "

– Ed Kemmerling, Senior Lean Transformation Expert at PMG
 
"As a young consulting firm, requests for input from clients vary and it's sometimes impossible to provide expert solutions across a broad spectrum of requirements. That was before I discovered Flevy.com.

Through subscription to this invaluable site of a plethora of topics that are key and crucial to consulting, I "

– Nishi Singh, Strategist and MD at NSP Consultants
 
"My FlevyPro subscription provides me with the most popular frameworks and decks in demand in today’s market. They not only augment my existing consulting and coaching offerings and delivery, but also keep me abreast of the latest trends, inspire new products and service offerings for my practice, and educate me "

– Bill Branson, Founder at Strategic Business Architects
 
"I have used FlevyPro for several business applications. It is a great complement to working with expensive consultants. The quality and effectiveness of the tools are of the highest standards."

– Moritz Bernhoerster, Global Sourcing Director at Fortune 500




Additional Flevy Management Insights

Strategic Meeting Management Initiative for Ecommerce in Luxury Beauty

Scenario: The organization, a burgeoning player in the luxury beauty ecommerce space, is grappling with ineffective meeting management that is impeding decision-making and slowing down strategic initiatives.

Read Full Case Study

Strategic Meeting Facilitation for Media Conglomerate in Digital Space

Scenario: A leading media conglomerate, operating in the competitive digital space, is encountering significant inefficiencies in its Meeting Facilitation processes.

Read Full Case Study

Telecom Meeting Management Strategy in North American Market

Scenario: The company, a mid-sized telecom provider operating in the North American market, is grappling with ineffective Meeting Facilitation/Management.

Read Full Case Study

Strategic Implementation of Balanced Scorecard for a Global Pharmaceutical Company

Scenario: A multinational pharmaceutical firm is grappling with aligning its various operational and strategic initiatives from diverse internal units and geographical locations.

Read Full Case Study

RACI Matrix Optimization for Life Sciences Firm in Biotechnology

Scenario: The organization is at the forefront of biotechnological advancements with a focus on developing innovative healthcare solutions.

Read Full Case Study

SCOR Model Implementation for a Global Retailer

Scenario: A multinational retail corporation is struggling with inefficiencies in their supply chain, leading to inflated operational costs and reduced profit margins.

Read Full Case Study

Organizational Restructuring for a Global Technology Firm

Scenario: A global technology company has faced a period of rapid growth and expansion over the past five years, now employing tens of thousands of people across multiple continents.

Read Full Case Study

Dynamic Pricing Strategy for Luxury Cosmetics Brand in Competitive Market

Scenario: The organization, a luxury cosmetics brand, is grappling with optimizing its Pricing Strategy in a highly competitive and price-sensitive market.

Read Full Case Study

Pricing Strategy Reform for a Rapidly Growing Technology Firm

Scenario: A technology company developing cloud-based solutions has experienced a surge in customer base and revenue over the last year.

Read Full Case Study

Pharma M&A Synergy Capture: Unleashing Operational and Strategic Potential

Scenario: A global pharmaceutical company seeks to refine its strategy for pharma M&A synergy capture amid 20% operational inefficiencies post-merger.

Read Full Case Study

Strategic PESTLE Analysis for Luxury Brand in European Market

Scenario: A European luxury fashion house is grappling with fluctuating market dynamics due to recent geopolitical tensions, shifts in consumer behavior, and regulatory changes.

Read Full Case Study

Agile Transformation in Luxury Retail

Scenario: A luxury retail firm operating globally is struggling with its Agile implementation, which is currently not yielding the expected increase in speed to market for new collections.

Read Full Case Study

Download our FREE Strategy & Transformation Framework Templates

Download our free compilation of 50+ Strategy & Transformation slides and templates. Frameworks include McKinsey 7-S Strategy Model, Balanced Scorecard, Disruptive Innovation, BCG Experience Curve, and many more.