The Initial Problem: Declining Foot Traffic at a Regional Shopping Mall
A regional shopping mall, managed by the Property Management Head, was experiencing a steady decline in foot traffic. The Leasing, Marketing, and Customer Experience teams held multiple brainstorming sessions but stayed at a surface level in their discussions.
They assumed the primary problem was tenant diversity and the rise of online shopping. Their proposals included improving tenant mix, launching digital campaigns, and offering seasonal promotions.
However, these actions did not address the deeper, structural issues, and the mall continued to struggle.
Applying Stage 2-7 Problem Analysis: Going Beneath the Surface
Stage 2: Strategy Analysis Issue: Leasing decisions shifted from aligning with the mall’s premium lifestyle strategy to simply filling vacancies. Impact: Tenant mix no longer reflected the mall’s brand identity, creating a disconnect with the target audience.
Stage 3: Process Analysis Issue: Leasing, Marketing, and Customer Experience teams worked independently, with tenant onboarding disconnected from customer experience goals. Impact: Lack of coordination caused gaps between leasing efforts and customer expectations.
Stage 4: System Analysis Issue: CRM and property management systems were not integrated, limiting access to tenant feedback and performance data. Impact: Leasing decisions were made with incomplete insights, reducing tenant alignment.
Stage 5: Component Analysis Issue: The CRM lacked modules for foot traffic tracking and real-time tenant performance data. Impact: Decision-making was ineffective, as critical information was missing.
Stage 6: Implementation Analysis Issue: IT upgrades were inconsistently implemented, and marketing campaigns were misaligned with the leasing strategy. Impact: Disjointed implementation created delays, affecting tenant promotions.
Stage 7: Operational Analysis Issue: Promotional campaigns were delayed due to incomplete system upgrades and poor coordination. Impact: Delays further reduced foot traffic and tenant satisfaction.
Using the 1-13 Strategy Execution Steps to Build a Solution
Step 1: Define Strategy and Goals Re-align strategy to focus on premium tenants and lifestyle services.
Step 2: Define Processes Include input from Marketing and Customer Experience teams to ensure the tenant mix aligns with the strategy.
Step 3: Define Systems Models Reconfigure the property management system to integrate with CRM for real-time insights.
Step 4: Define Components and Specifications Add missing components, including foot traffic tracking and tenant satisfaction monitoring.
Step 5: Create Implementation Models Develop a synchronized rollout plan to align upgrades across IT, Marketing, and Leasing.
Steps 7-12: Linking Across Strategy, Processes, Systems, and Operations Establish clear links between strategic objectives, tenant processes, and marketing campaigns.
Step 13: Create One-Page Model Create a one-page visual model summarizing the strategy, processes, systems, and tenants for easy reference.
Table: ICMG Solutions for Retail Real Estate
Strategy | Associated Processes | Key Systems | Operational KPIs |
Maximize Property Utilization | Tenant mix optimization, Space analysis | Property Management Software | Occupancy rate, Revenue per sq. ft. |
Enhance Customer Experience | Customer service initiatives, Feedback collection | CRM System, Feedback Tools | Customer satisfaction, Repeat visits |
Drive Revenue Growth | Seasonal promotions, Cross-selling strategies | Sales Management Software | Sales growth, Revenue per campaign |
Optimize Operational Costs | Utility management, Vendor negotiations | Cost Management Tools | Cost reduction, Utility savings |
Increase Brand Visibility | Online campaigns, Social media engagement | Marketing Automation Tools, Social Media Platforms | Brand awareness, Engagement rates |
How the Visual Anatomy Model Brings It Together
Using the ICMG Enterprise Anatomy Model, we built a visual representation connecting:
Tenant mix processes with marketing campaigns.
Property management systems with CRM tools for real-time tracking.
KPIs with strategic goals to ensure operations are aligned.
This visual model offers a comprehensive view of interconnected elements, enabling analysis, review, and faster decision-making in meetings. It replaces fragmented thinking with a holistic approach.
Results: Achieving Sustainable Improvement
Within months, the mall achieved the following results:
Occupancy rates increased by 10%, with tenants aligned to the premium strategy.
Customer satisfaction scores rose as offerings matched customer expectations.
Foot traffic steadily improved due to synchronized marketing campaigns.
Beyond Brainstorming—Uncovering the True Anatomy of the Problem
This case demonstrates how superficial brainstorming often misses the deeper issues. The ICMG Stage 2-7 Problem Analysis uncovered root causes across strategy, processes, systems, and operations, while the 1-13 Strategy Execution steps ensured alignment and sustainable improvement.
Just as understanding human anatomy requires complete knowledge of interconnected systems, solving retail real estate challenges requires a structured, time-tested approach. We’d be happy to explore how the ICMG model can be tailored to your challenges, helping you save years of trial and error.