Case Study: Insight on Tap (Private Expert Network)
Introduction
A multinational home improvement retail corporation, operating across diverse segments of the home improvement industry, continuously seeks ways to refine its product offerings and go-to-market strategies. With multiple domain products in plumbing, electrical, carpentry, gardening, and more, the company relies on expert validation to ensure its products meet industry standards and customer needs.
Challenge
Managing a vast portfolio of home improvement products requires ongoing input from industry professionals. However, traditional market research methods and external consultation processes were time-consuming and inefficient. The company’s multiple product management teams needed a streamlined solution to quickly access expert insights without prolonged engagement cycles or excessive costs.
Solution
Maven partnered with the corporation to establish a private expert network, structuring multiple “committees” of on-the-ground industry professionals across key domains. These committees, composed of experts in plumbing, electrical work, carpentry, gardening/agriculture, and more, served as dedicated advisors on retainer. The network provided the company with:
- On-Demand Expert Access – Teams could quickly consult with relevant professionals whenever a product-related question arose.
- Real-Time Market Validation – Product management teams could validate design choices, functionality, and competitive positioning before launch.
- Scalable Expertise – Instead of sourcing new consultants for every project, the company had a continuous pipeline of trusted professionals ready to provide insights.
Results
By implementing Maven’s private expert network, the company achieved:
- Faster Decision-Making – Reduced time-to-insight for product teams, allowing them to iterate and improve designs quickly.
- Enhanced Product Relevance – Expert-driven validation ensured new products met real-world needs and industry standards.
- Cost Savings – Lower reliance on expensive ad-hoc consultants and traditional market research methods.
- Improved Competitive Edge – The ability to rapidly adapt products and strategies based on direct industry input helped the company stay ahead in the market.
Client Feedback
“We have so many challenges that we face daily, we need experts with deep knowledge in an unlimited number of categories. Maven offered us an option to leverage their external network of experts so we could expand our resources and depth of knowledge. We’re very appreciative of Maven‘s help to support our outside expert recruiting efforts. It has been a huge win for the business.”
–Sr. Manager, Product Engineering
Conclusion
Maven’s expert network model provided a scalable, efficient solution for the corporation’s ongoing product development and market strategy needs. By embedding real-world industry expertise directly into their workflows, the company improved innovation cycles, reduced risk, and strengthened its leadership in the home improvement industry.
