Changes in company ownership or management can result in shifts in sales strategy that often have more to do with incoming corporate policy or perception rather than market reality – with dire consequences for the bottom line.
Client: Briggs Equipment UK
Business: Materials handling equipment supply
Issue: The company experienced a fall in the number of long-term forklift rental contracts as a result of sales being re-focused on equipment servicing rather than supply. The business was not in profit.
Solution: Vertical’s Cathy Bennett joined the internal task force charged with reviewing the policy. She played her part in high-level strategic meetings held offsite which drilled down into the business and built a case for refocusing on rentals with a special emphasis on national accounts.
“The lower margins yet higher volume of this business would actually deliver a greater return on investment for Briggs, and would allow the rental fleet to be grown without adding to headcount,” Cathy added. “It also presented greater opportunities to sell maintenance services on top.”
Result: The company’s 80-plus sales force was reorganised on a national rather than regional accounts basis and is targeting a 30 percent growth in the rental fleet by 2012.
