Rebuild major project sales and execution

Context

Matrixed process engineering company, global leader in products & services needed a multi-divisional strategy to crack the code on winning and successful execution major projects (+25M€).
Winning major projects was essential to deliver on the overall growth targets and maintain global market leadership.An aligned approach, roles & responsibilities and strategy were needed across Key Accounts, Project Pursuit and country Field Sales.

Approach

The first step was to identify a team and to apply the seven-step process particular focused on;

• Win-loss analysis on major projects over the last 5 years including customer feedback. 
• Get transparency on divisional expectations, growth contribution and market potential
• Developing a new go to market approach and proposal for board approval

Key findings

1. DIVISION BY DIVISION APPROACH; The company had been very successful for decades running an essentially product divisional approach by country.Budgets, targets, rewards, recognition, roles and responsibilities were all broken out by division and by country.To win large projects the company had to present one face to the customer and so a multi-divisional, multi country approach was essential for major project pursuit and success.

2. INVESTMENT BY THE COMPETITION IN LINE WITH THE MARKET;The company had fallen behind the competition in investing in major project pursuit.This was largely due to the success strategy of the division by division approach.The multi-division approach needed specific above division investment and focus to compete and to win.

Solution

ARTICULTED OPPORTUNITY – It was critical to raise multi-divisional awareness of the market opportunity and the danger of the current approach.  We assessed and shared the market data, identifying the industries and applications targeted for major investment over the next five years and the resulting need for a dedicated team focused on strategic cross divisional projects with a measurable contribution to the overall global and divisional profits.

ESTABLISHED CROSS DIVISIONAL BUDGET AND COST CENTRE – Institutionalized a dedicated Major Project P&L including measurable KPI’s aligned with all divisions and world areas.

BUILD THE ‘A’ TEAM – Agreed to build a full-service team to include Major Project Sales, Proposal and Project Management and to hire the best at the top of the market. In addition, existing Global Account and EPC teams where merged into one organisation called Strategic Sales.

ARTICULATE ‘MAJOR PROJECTS’ AND BUILD NOMINATION PROCESS – Develop a transparent qualification and nomination process to separate ‘Major Projects’ from the rest and ensure clarity and enabling the right focus and effort for each pursuit. In addition, a global, standardized sales and execution tool and process was developed based on Miller Heiman consultative selling methodology and PMI project management best practices.

Board approval & Implementation

Prior to board approval the revised Major project strategy was aligned with all 14 divisions and 5 regional leaders. Following approval, the plan was implemented, and a dedicated team was hired in 4 months.

In order to mature and embed the revised major project pursuit concept communication and ongoing operational alignment was critical to embed the team, and to both add value and demonstrate that added value.  This was achieved through a comprehensive internal communication process the core of which was a quarterly multi divisional multi country roadshow to review progress, get the issues on the table early, create awareness and generate continued buy in. In addition, regular “deal winning sessions” where organized for qualified major projects

Results

Agreement on the opportunity, subsequent relentless communication, embedding of the dedicated team and the processes were the major contributors to the 30% year on year growth and 60% improvement of the hit rate. In addition, the team was a significant accelerant to the success of global emerging markets (e.g. ME, CEE, Russia) where this new route to market was more easily embraced and optimally exploited