Michele L. Ross
Most organizations are active, well-resourced, and full of capable teams, yet leadership often lacks confidence about which go-to-market decisions will matter most next. Growth, cost pressure, AI, and channel complexity have increased the speed of execution, but not the clarity of decision making. I work at the go-to-market system level, helping leadership teams restore decision clarity by aligning how strategy, demand, channels, execution, and governance actually function together. The objective is not more activity or change for its own sake, but clear priorities, explicit trade-offs, and coordinated execution that can hold under pressure. My background spans senior leadership across commerce, strategy, and consumer execution in complex, omnichannel consumer businesses, including retail-led and luxury environments. Having worked both inside organizations and in advisory contexts, I focus on correcting the upstream decision logic that ultimately determines downstream outcomes, including customer experience, sales productivity, and capital efficiency.
Affianco i CEO DTC a mettere il consumatore al centro, facendo di più con meno: allineando strategia, operazioni e team intorno ai gruppi di consumatori più strategici per una crescita profittevole. Attraverso il nostro framework proprietario C(EO)X, aiutiamo i CEO a individuare questi consumatori e a riprogettare l’azienda - strategia, operazioni ed esecuzione - per servirli in modo efficace. Nessun trucco. Nessun effetto speciale. Solo ciò che funziona, partendo da quello che hai già. Cosa Offriamo: No More Guesswork Segmentazioni e insight chiari e azionabili che sostituiscono le decisioni basate sull’istinto. One Strategy. One Standard. Una strategia unificata, guidata dal consumatore, che allinea ogni team e funzione. Clarity That Performs. Esperienze più forti per il cliente, operazioni più snelle, risultati di business misurabili. A Foundation Built to Adapt. Un’infrastruttura di crescita scalabile che si adatta a mercati, consumatori e sfide in evoluzione. Guidiamo la trasformazione consumer-led attraverso strategia, segmentazione, design dei percorsi, espressione del brand, operazioni e disegno organizzativo, sempre con la chiarezza al centro e l’impatto sostenibile come obiettivo.
The brand had a broad, aspirational customer target, but real data showed a different story. Marketing, Product, Retail, eCommerce, and Design were misaligned, leading to inefficient spending and missed opportunities. I restructured customer engagement, shifting from aspirational targeting to real customer segmentation based on behavior, product affinity, and lifecycle phase. I also transformed customer service into a revenue-driving function that contributed to the Consumer Engagement Ecosystem (CRM, Analytics, and Customer Service). The impact: * Increased conversion rates & marketing efficiency through data-driven targeting * Improved go-to-market speed and efficiency * Cut Customer Service outsourcing costs by 12% while improving CSAT by 31% * Reduced KPIs like contact rates and handling times by up to 30%+ through process implementation, tools, training, and reporting * Tripled transaction codification rates globally * Mitigated GDPR issues by ensuring company-wide compliance
A 20-year-old CRM system existed, but it wasn’t driving meaningful impact - client data was underutilized, segmentation was inconclusive, and clienteling efforts were left to the stores. I redesigned Zegna’s CRM strategy from the ground up without relying on new systems, making better use of existing data and analytics to drive higher client retention and repeat purchases. I introduced refined segmentation models, overhauled direct marketing, and optimized in-store clienteling, ensuring a personalized approach to high-value clients. By leveraging data in smarter ways, we drove overall incremental growth by 5%, including: * Increased new client retention by 21% for our prioritized segment * Drove 17% growth in incremental sales with clienteling pilot * Grew eMail and Direct Marketing sales by 24% * Created a cross-functional planning and forecasting model and process to allow for quick, in-season action and accurate budgeting * Defined and implemented processes and reporting to ensure all aspects of CRM, Customer Service, and VIP Clienteling, and Analytics were always performing
Steered digital transformation for a global brand, integrating eCommerce with in-store experiences and optimizing digital operations to drive profitability and improve customer experience.
It was a moment in which luxury and fashion brands looking to evolve beyond single or multi-channel models and build direct relationships with consumers - without diluting brand equity. As part of Bain’s Fashion & Luxury Practice, I advised global brands on OmniChannel, brand positioning, and go-to-market strategies to help them make them resonate more effectively with their consumer and leverage scale and efficiencies for their business. I worked closely with C-suite leaders to embed a retail and consumer-focused way forward for their brands.
Drove 38% growth in accessories and underwear through strategic assortment planning and digital marketing, contributing €10M in incremental first-year sales.
Led digital sales strategies across Europe, driving eCommerce growth through strategic product assortment, pricing, and marketing initiatives. Contributed to multi-million Euro business growth in key categories.
Drove eCommerce growth by optimizing product assortments and pricing strategies across key categories. Boosted sales by aligning online merchandising with consumer demand, improving conversion rates and maximizing profitability.
Covered major off-price accounts writing $100k+ orders from offer creation, including special make ups, to delivery.