The How

FOSS lacked both sufficient knowledge regarding customer behaviour and loyalty as well as knowledge on how customer-facing staff should address the customers’ requirements in a strategic, value-adding context.

A complete rethinking of the value proposition and transformation of the sales and marketing organisation were started. This included a multi-phased programme involving analysis, design and implementation of a new “operating model”.

First step was to map the customer journey in order to uncover the customer loyalty drivers and to put the findings into specific value-creating solutions. This included creating or raising customer-focused activities that were missing but also the elimination and/or reduction of activities that did not add value to the customers.

Next step was a profitability analysis of each product group, customer segment and sales subsidiary that led to transparency in revenue and costs.

Last but not least, senior managers and employees were engaged in designing the new operating model, realigning marketing, sales and service as well as changing the mindset to become customer-oriented.

The results are an outside-in approach to customers, implementation of a best-practice operating model for marketing, sales and service, increased financial transparency and significant improvement in the financial results.