Case Studies
Communications - A developer of an IT banking product had attempted to sell the product to the major banks in Australia without success. “We will not be pioneers” was their consistent response. Peter and his team developed a communications strategy that simultaneously communicated the benefits of the product to the banking senior executives as well as reaching many of the banks’ customers with the message that the new service (delivered by the IT product) would be available soon from the major banks. One of the banks recognised the demand from customers and began a trial. The other banks followed not long after.
Cost Advantage - A multi-national supplier of electronic test equipment had developed a low-cost product intended to open a new consumer market opportunity. The only problem was that its then current distribution channels were all geared to face-to-face sales and the margins in this new product would not support this cost burden. Peter and his team developed a direct marketing strategy and a fulfillment capability for this product in Australia. This approach was very successful and was replicated in many other countries. It even rated a mention in the Wall Street Journal.
Innovation – A large trans-national manufacturing company sought a customised training program that would facilitate innovation to identify and develop new products and extensions to existing products to enable profitable growth. A program was launched that precipitated approximately 200 new initiatives that were then assessed and prioritised. It was recognised that ideas need to be transformed into real products.
Peter Whitelaw was engaged to develop a course that enabled employees across the many divisions of the company to achieve this. The participants included technical staff, marketing teams, manufacturing and operations. The training was delivered in 7 countries to several hundred employees with outstanding results.
Pricing Strategy - A large steel manufacturer had determined that a new pricing formula was required. The impact of this change would be considerable as hundreds of quotations were issued daily from over 40 branches. This change would affect all customers. A team was assembled to devise the pricing formula and to introduce the change. Peter was engaged to coach the team through the change. He assisted the team in the planning and helped them recognise that they had three crucial levels who had to each receive appropriate communication and training for the change to be effective – the branch managers, the sales teams, the customers. The new pricing formula was effectively introduced, and the change management approach adopted for future projects.
Sales Strategies – A major supplier of records management and data storage services needed to transform its traditional order-taking approach to selling into a more proactive business development strategy. Peter was engaged to oversee this process. Additional sales people were hired and trained in relationship selling, a new advertising and direct marketing campaign was launched and a Customer Relationship Management system was installed that enabled the sales people to focus on high yield prospects with considerable success.
Negotiation – A new provider of telecommunications and data services was endeavouring to become a preferred supplier to a major corporation in Australia. The corporation resisted their approaches because of a close relationship with the incumbent supplier. When the corporation announced that it was moving its head office, Peter and his team proposed a solution of free telecommunications and data services between the two buildings (for a finite period) on the condition that the provider would be invited to bid on all new telco service contracts as they came up for renewal. The incumbent would not match this offer. The outcome was a series of multi-million dollar service contracts for the provider over many years.
Customer Centricity – Peter was engaged to assist a multi-divisional organisation in endeavouring to unify its approach to customers. They had a siloed structure with several unconnected sales teams often visiting the same customers. The feedback from a survey of customers revealed considerable dissatisfaction with the supplier organisation. A solution was developed that required a restructure to create one major accounts team for strategic selling. The divisions retained some of their individual transactional sales people. The new team merged their contacts and embarked upon a major account planning process in which customers were participants. The outcomes have been gratifying and financially successful. Later surveys of customers have endorsed the ‘one relationship’ approach.
Cost Advantage - A multi-national supplier of electronic test equipment had developed a low-cost product intended to open a new consumer market opportunity. The only problem was that its then current distribution channels were all geared to face-to-face sales and the margins in this new product would not support this cost burden. Peter and his team developed a direct marketing strategy and a fulfillment capability for this product in Australia. This approach was very successful and was replicated in many other countries. It even rated a mention in the Wall Street Journal.
Innovation – A large trans-national manufacturing company sought a customised training program that would facilitate innovation to identify and develop new products and extensions to existing products to enable profitable growth. A program was launched that precipitated approximately 200 new initiatives that were then assessed and prioritised. It was recognised that ideas need to be transformed into real products.
Peter Whitelaw was engaged to develop a course that enabled employees across the many divisions of the company to achieve this. The participants included technical staff, marketing teams, manufacturing and operations. The training was delivered in 7 countries to several hundred employees with outstanding results.
Pricing Strategy - A large steel manufacturer had determined that a new pricing formula was required. The impact of this change would be considerable as hundreds of quotations were issued daily from over 40 branches. This change would affect all customers. A team was assembled to devise the pricing formula and to introduce the change. Peter was engaged to coach the team through the change. He assisted the team in the planning and helped them recognise that they had three crucial levels who had to each receive appropriate communication and training for the change to be effective – the branch managers, the sales teams, the customers. The new pricing formula was effectively introduced, and the change management approach adopted for future projects.
Sales Strategies – A major supplier of records management and data storage services needed to transform its traditional order-taking approach to selling into a more proactive business development strategy. Peter was engaged to oversee this process. Additional sales people were hired and trained in relationship selling, a new advertising and direct marketing campaign was launched and a Customer Relationship Management system was installed that enabled the sales people to focus on high yield prospects with considerable success.
Negotiation – A new provider of telecommunications and data services was endeavouring to become a preferred supplier to a major corporation in Australia. The corporation resisted their approaches because of a close relationship with the incumbent supplier. When the corporation announced that it was moving its head office, Peter and his team proposed a solution of free telecommunications and data services between the two buildings (for a finite period) on the condition that the provider would be invited to bid on all new telco service contracts as they came up for renewal. The incumbent would not match this offer. The outcome was a series of multi-million dollar service contracts for the provider over many years.
Customer Centricity – Peter was engaged to assist a multi-divisional organisation in endeavouring to unify its approach to customers. They had a siloed structure with several unconnected sales teams often visiting the same customers. The feedback from a survey of customers revealed considerable dissatisfaction with the supplier organisation. A solution was developed that required a restructure to create one major accounts team for strategic selling. The divisions retained some of their individual transactional sales people. The new team merged their contacts and embarked upon a major account planning process in which customers were participants. The outcomes have been gratifying and financially successful. Later surveys of customers have endorsed the ‘one relationship’ approach.