Innovation is not just a buzzword – it is woven into the fabric of Crown Worldwide Group. Founded by Jim Thompson, an entrepreneur who placed a high value on creative thinking, Crown has grown into a global leader in logistics, information management, workspace management and relocation services by continually embracing new ideas and approaches. Today, innovation is not just a value; it’s a practice that is embedded in the company culture through initiatives like Innovation Fridays (detailed below), where every team member is given dedicated time to think, experiment, and address challenges that matter to them and the business.
Why innovation matters
Innovation is more than just inventing new products or services. Instead, it’s about doing things differently to create value for clients, employees, and the business as a whole. In a fast-moving world, companies that prioritize innovation are better equipped to:
- Gain a competitive advantage by developing unique solutions that set them apart
- Meet evolving customer demands with agility and creativity
- Drive business growth by opening new opportunities and diversifying revenue streams
- Increase efficiency and productivity through smarter processes and technologies
- Attract and retain top talent by fostering a culture of engagement and continuous learning
At Crown, innovation isn’t just a response to change, it’s a driver of change. Whether it’s integrating AI into logistics, digitizing customer experiences, or investing in robotic process automation, Crown’s commitment to innovation ensures it remains at the forefront of the industry, delivering sustainable and customer-centric solutions driving tangible value.
Some notable examples of innovation that have driven improvements that address specific client needs within the services we offer at Crown Worldwide include:
- The launch of virtual consultations in our Crown Relocations business providing a simple and convenient way to get the moving process underway, reducing waiting times.
- On demand document scanning and imaging in our Crown Information Management business responding to immediate customer need, providing digital documents that are ready to use in seconds.
Innovation Fridays: empowering every voice
One of the most distinctive ways Crown nurtures innovation is through Innovation Fridays. Every week, employees are given two hours to step away from their regular tasks and focus on ideas that could help the business grow or solve pressing challenges. The initiative encourages people to brainstorm with others and come up with the initial spark of an idea. These ‘light bulb’ moments can then be built upon by a wider team to create a new way of working that helps us to overcome existing challenges that the business, or our customers, may be facing. This echoes the best practices seen at some of the world’s most innovative companies, where giving employees time and space to experiment has led to breakthrough solutions and improved job satisfaction.
Innovation Fridays are also supported through innovation-focused training where Crown invites external speakers to deliver innovation masterclasses to the business to provide inspiration and focus on the challenges at hand. Learning through external platforms and internal subject matter experts are also provided to facilitate the positive change in the organization.
Innovation Fridays empower everyone, regardless of their role, to contribute to Crown’s evolution. By encouraging cross-team collaboration and individual exploration, the company taps into a diverse pool of ideas, ensuring that innovation is not top-down but truly collective.
Failing Forward: the role of experimentation and learning
At the heart of transformative innovation is the willingness to take risks and learn from failure. Crown recognizes that not every idea will succeed, but every attempt brings valuable insights. This “fail forward” mindset reframes failure as a stepping stone to success, not a setback. Failing early in the process can also result in success early. Mistakes sometimes need to be made to learn and grow and create an even better idea in the future.
By embracing failure as part of the innovation process, Crown cultivates resilience and a growth mindset across the organization. Employees are encouraged to experiment, reflect, and iterate with the knowledge that each lesson contributes to better outcomes for clients and the business. This approach not only accelerates problem-solving but also builds a culture of trust, openness, and continuous improvement.
During its 60th year, Crown is embracing experimentation through an initiative called the Pioneers Challenge. This is a global business competition that is designed to discover the next exciting business proposition for the company but driven from within. Employees are being encouraged to pitch their business ideas to the Executive Board and senior leadership team to secure the investment necessary to turn the vision into a reality. The ideas should be focused on leveraging Crown’s expertise and resources to create solutions that address customers’ needs, are commercially viable and potentially transformative for Crown.
How innovation shapes Crown’s future
Innovation is shaping Crown’s growth and evolution in several ways:
- Customer experience: Digitization and automation have transformed how Crown interacts with clients, making processes more transparent, efficient, and tailored to individual needs.
- Sustainability: New technologies and workflows are helping Crown reduce its environmental footprint while maintaining high service standards.
- Global reach: Investing in local partnerships and market-specific solutions ensures Crown remains relevant and responsive in every region it serves.
- Employee engagement: Initiatives like Innovation Fridays foster a sense of ownership and pride, unlocking the creative potential of every team member.
Crown Worldwide Group approaches innovation as a core principle, woven into the very DNA of the business. By empowering every employee to think boldly, experiment freely, and learn from setbacks, Crown continues to deliver transformative change that benefits both clients and the business at large. As the world evolves, so does Crown, driven by the entrepreneurial spirit that started it all, and the collective creativity of its people.