Sports retail, consumer market researchBuild

    Decathlon BARI

    From raw data file to a decision-ready insights report

    Stunden

    manuelle Arbeit je Auswertungszyklus, die entfällt: Datenaufbereitung, Berechnung, Reporterstellung und Gestaltung

    über 30.000 Datensätze

    je Erhebungsjahr, in einem Durchlauf ausgewertet und gegen die Vorjahresdaten abgeglichen

    unter 8 Wochen

    von der ersten Konzeption bis zur einsatzfähigen Version, die über alle Auswertungsebenen fertige Reports liefert

    Overview

    Decathlon's CMR department regularly runs store surveys on NPS, purchase behaviour, and staff contact. BARI analyses this data across three levels (national, regional, store) and produces standardised reports.

    Starting point

    What was blocked

    • Recurring survey analysis without a fixed format or guardrails
    • Risk of overinterpreting small samples without statistical thresholds
    • No repeatable path from raw data to actionable recommendations
    Voyage Digital's role

    Prompt architecture and technical build of the system prompt, AI enablement coaching for the CMR team, co-developed with the team, not as sole author.

    Approach

    How we thought about it

    • 01Built a three-tier reporting model across the national, regional, and store evaluation levels
    • 02Defined an eight-section report structure with clearly named KPI formulas
    • 03Defined a fixed layout for the finished report: KPI cards, charts, colour-coded deviations, ready to share directly as a PDF
    • 04Coded a 12-point metacognition checklist for workflow fidelity
    Stations

    The stations

    1. 01 Getting the data into shape first

      Before any automation, the data foundation had to be settled: which fields come from which survey, under which naming, so every analysis runs reproducibly on the same basis. Without this step, everything that followed would have stayed a one-off.

    2. 02 Locking the calculation logic in place

      Every metric is stored as a fixed formula, from recommendation rate to conversion rate to lost sales. On top of that, three evaluation levels and a fixed eight-chapter report structure, from the summary to the recommendations. What used to be decided fresh for every wave is now defined once.

    3. 03 Guardrails against false statements

      Statistical thresholds flag small samples and skip detailed analysis for very small ones altogether. On top of that, a hard rule to report missing values as missing rather than estimate them, plus a self-check the assistant runs before every output. That replaces exactly the risk that comes with manual spreadsheet work.

    4. 04 The finished report as the deliverable

      The assistant doesn't output numbers, it outputs the finished document: a formatted report in the client's colour scheme, with KPI cards, charts, and colour-coded deviations, ready to share directly as a PDF. The layout is fixed, so every report looks the same. That removes the last manual step too: building the presentation.

    Execution

    What was built

    BARI forces a clarification step on scope and time frame before every analysis, computes KPIs exclusively from the CSV data, and delivers the report fully formatted to a fixed layout, ready to share directly as a PDF.

    Impact

    What it produced

    Production-ready system prompt with a full data schema and guardrails
    Three real, multi-tier store and regional reports produced
    Transparency rule confirmed in practice: real data gaps are honestly flagged
    Joint development work with the CMR team confirmed

    Voices

    What the collaboration says

    Alicia Brandt — Portrait
    “Anyone who wants to bring order into complex topics and take their marketing to the next level needs you on the team. You gave my team essential support in setting up a well thought through CRM strategy, building automated lifecycle journeys and establishing the right processes. Together with you we made the leap from simple newsletter sending to real, working CRM. You are extremely clear, structured and honest, you combine strategic foresight with pragmatic solutions, you think along actively and you stay reliably on top of the projects. Throughout the whole time you were a firm part of the team for us and a great sparring partner on equal footing. Thank you for your outstanding commitment!”
    Alicia Brandt — Marketing Lead VAN RYSEL, Decathlon Germany
    Joshua Wenzel — Portrait
    “Together we developed a solid CRM strategy, built a lifecycle system with automated journeys and designed and rolled out the processes that go with it. That is how our classic newsletter turned into real CRM. What makes the collaboration so valuable beyond that: alongside his pragmatic and structured way of working, we also value him enormously on a personal level. With his genuine interest in the projects and his consistently open, helpful manner he is a real asset you can rely on 100 % at any time.”
    Joshua Wenzel — CRM Project Manager, Decathlon Germany
    Tristan Hain — Portrait
    “With Andy we built and automated our entire lifecycle system, among other things. Working with him was always clear and structured, we could rely on him, and we never lost the fun on the way to the goal.”
    Tristan Hain — CRM Project Manager, Decathlon Germany
    Merle Walter — Portrait
    “Over the past five years or so you have always been a constant and reliable point of contact for me across different stations and for the most varied projects. From process development and optimisation through coding and technical topics, the holistic view and consolidation of the CRM area, all the way to strategic direction and the implementation of a wide range of subject areas, I could always count on you. With your way of working you were able to give us, and me, structure and guidance. Setting up the automated post purchase strategy was, I think, our most intensive collaboration. I was able to benefit and learn an incredible amount from you, and for that I am immensely grateful. Working with you throughout was always great fun, and I really valued that we could talk about more than just work while keeping productivity high. I will definitely miss our regular exchanges.”
    Merle Walter — Loyalty Manager, Decathlon Germany
    Sebastian Schermer — Portrait
    “Andreas is the structuring element most teams are missing. Focused, targeted execution. Maximum ownership. Ruthless prioritisation. He takes topics that look difficult and complex at first and brings them to the finish line. If need be, he takes them over himself. Anyone looking for someone who takes ownership instead of just advising is in the right place with him.”
    Sebastian Schermer — Founder & CEO, digitalforce
    Johannes Auffermann — Portrait
    “Andi held our delivery together. Projects, infrastructure, coordination, that was on him. Weeklies and dailies ran without me, and for me that was the real proof. I never had to ask whether the status was accurate. On the bigger calls, offers, partners, budgets, he was my counterweight, even when that was not comfortable for him. No agency speak, straight answers.”
    Johannes Auffermann — Founder & Managing Director, Astral
    Jonny Crawford — Portrait
    “Andy and the team rebuilt my whole online presence from the ground up. What changed is who shows up: every qualification call I took in the first month closed. Three out of three. Anyone landing on my page now can see straight away that I'm an exclusive high ticket coach. So impressed with you lads and what you've built, this is phenomenal.”
    Jonny Crawford — Founder & Coach, Project Knight
    Eric Lehmann — Portrait
    “Andreas kept the overview in a complex project, including when things around it got chaotic. Thank you for your commitment and your overview in the shared chaos. Without him a lot would have been lost on the agency side. I very much hope we work together again.”
    Eric Lehmann — CTO, Constantin Film
    Cihan Erben — Portrait
    “In Andreas I have a professional partner who is able to think across industries and to look at my business model afresh from his perspective. That lets me steer my company toward the future with more confidence and keep challenging it.”
    Cihan Erben — Founder & CEO, Erben Bau
    Konstantin Doerr — Portrait
    “Andreas stands out through an exceptional strategic understanding and the ability to consistently think from the outcome backwards. He reliably supported our CRM team in structuring processes and prioritising projects efficiently. Beyond strategy development, his strengths include leading workshops and producing concise management presentations. With his direct communication he is a valued sparring partner on equal footing.”
    Konstantin Doerr — CRM Team Lead, Decathlon Germany
    Sarah Krone — Portrait
    “Andy built the whole thing for me in like no time, and it was a banger. What amazed me most is that he got my tone of voice right straight from my instagram, I didn't even have to explain it. Changes I asked for were often live the same day. And he kept delivering even when things got messy on my side. I'm really grateful for all he's doing, it means a lot.”
    Sarah Krone — Tattoo Artist, Kroneink
    David Solk — Portrait
    “Thank you for everything you did for us. It was genuinely seen and appreciated. You worked closely with both our team and the people doing the work, helping to keep things moving and well coordinated.”
    David Solk — CEO & Co-Founder, SOLK
    Marvin Burmester — Portrait
    “Andy and I have exchanged regularly on product, data and strategy for years. Beyond his technical expertise, I value his entrepreneurial drive: he meets challenges with vision and openness. He sees opportunity where others fear complexity. What makes him stand out for me is that he doesn't just develop concepts, he digs rigorously into the details of digital products, as his own online shop shows. Andy never shies away from conflict and always gives a direct, honest picture. A fearless sparring partner you'd want at your side.”
    Marvin Burmester — Founder & CEO, Growing Forward
    Solveig Schmerer — Portrait
    “With Andreas we were able to run a highly successful AI workshop and develop a well-founded AI roadmap for our team. He did an excellent job of making the opportunities and possibilities of AI tangible – without stoking fears, but with a clear focus on real potential. Together we developed AI solutions that took our work in Customer & Market Research to a new level. Andreas supported us perfectly with his expertise, his neutral perspective and enormous solution orientation. He was a sparring partner and a reliable advisor at once – always honest, structured, pragmatic and to the point. The partnership was consistently on equal footing. What I particularly value is that it did not stay in grey theory, but created real, lasting value for our everyday work. The result has a noticeable impact on my daily work and my professional development. Thank you so much for your outstanding support!”
    Solveig Schmerer — Insight Analyst, Decathlon Germany
    Deni Panknin — Portrait
    “Andreas and I kept overlapping over the years: me deep in the technical implementation, him in the strategy and the process above it. That fit together cleanly. He operates more strategically than most people you deal with on projects like these. Strictly speaking he is only half a service provider, at his core he builds business models.”
    Deni Panknin — Salesforce Architect, Aviando
    Michael Bauer — Portrait
    “My collaboration with Andreas has been with me and Decathlon since 2023. What started back then in CRM with automating customer journeys in email marketing and support in day-to-day operations has grown over the years into a genuinely strong partnership. As head of the Customer & Market Insights team it was clear to me that I wanted Andreas at my side again in 2025. He was instrumental in developing the strategy for our team and the project. His AI expertise was a huge gain: through his hands-on training and the implementation of deep-research projects he moved the team forward enormously. But what truly sets Andreas apart for me goes far beyond the technical side: over the years the purely business relationship has grown into a real, trusting foundation – and a friendship. Andreas is both a sparring partner and a coach to me. He knows how to motivate me again and again, to see things from a new angle and to push my own projects forward boldly. What I value enormously: he is never too proud for anything. He acts lightning-fast, helps me sort topics correctly and shares his wealth of experience completely without fuss. For me Andreas brings exactly that rare mix of deep expertise, real hands-on mentality and human class that you wish for in a partner. Thank you for the great support over all these years!”
    Michael Bauer — Insight Team Lead, Decathlon Germany

    Conversation, not pitch

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