Services

Business Planning and Strategy

A comprehensive and thorough Vision to Action (V2A) business approach, which provides a cohesive Integrated Activity Plan (IAP), by making key strategic choices and by connecting and synchronising sales and marketing plans together.

It is worth to highlight the following:

  1.  We allocate special focus on both Consumers and Customers. The end in mind is the Consumer, but we reckon that execution excellence is imperative. This means that we have to approach customers effectively and efficiently in order to be able to deliver outstanding results.
  2. We synchronise Consumer Plans and Sales Plans in terms of aim, content and timing. This will bring the maximum impact.
  3. The whole approach is Action oriented. It goes through Vision, Business Goals and Core Consumer Challenge, to Jobs To Be Done and Key Activities Overviews in a concrete way, including activity description, concept, timings, scope/scale, execution and KPIs.
  4. Key Activities Evaluation is a vital part of our approach, in order to maximise Return On Investment (ROI) and sharpen effectiveness and efficiency of activities mid term and long term.
    We provide the framework of analysis, in order to measure progress, learn, improve and make the right choices. 
  5. We provide Risk and Opportunities assessment together with What-If scenario analysis for growing the confidence and readiness of our business partners in relation to what will happen, if basic assumptions of business plan take place.
    We also include a Stretched Plan for giving to the business the opportunity to accelerate at maximum speed and know what it means and what it takes.
  6. We examine and analyse current Business Processes, Structures, People and Capabilities in order to be able to include and propose a thorough Winning Framework in the years to come.
Customer Development Strategies

It is deeply inherent in our culture to pay particular attention to the customer base of our clients. Who they are, how they perform, how we manage, etc.

Consumer is in the center of mindset, but we must achieve perfect execution of our commercial plans at the level of point of purchase, in order to deliver outstanding results and outperform competitors.

In this context, we define and connect the following:

  1. Understand the Market Place
    • Route-to-Market
  2. Brand Strategy
  3. Define Commercial Strategy and Planning
    • Channel highlights
      • Segment Attractiveness and Company’s Ability to Win
      • Identification of Key Priority Segments
      • Prioritisation of Sales Drivers by Key Priority Segment
    • Link channel strategy to long term strategy development and brand plans
    • Channel segment planning
      • Analytical Commercial Calendar
    • Execution planning
    • Customer development strategy and plans linked to channel strategy and channel plans
    • Evaluation and tracking
  4. Execute and Track
Execution Excellence at the Point of Purchase

” To me, ideas are worth nothing unless executed. They are just a multiplier. Execution is worth millions.” Steve Jobs

The way from the creation of the idea to its transformation into practice and real successful business is long and passes through great strategy and brilliant execution.

Having worked for many years in World Class Selling multinational companies, we are keen advocates of execution excellence at the point of purchase. In order to achieve excellent execution, we analyse four areas:

  • People and Capabilities
    Review and sharpen Sales Organisation in terms of structure, key people/talent, performance review systems and development plans and training programs.
  • Sales Processes
    Review and sharpen selling system, forecasting, sales planning process, customer marketing role, structure and services, key account management and field management practices.
  • Sales Drivers
    We focus on 6 drivers of sales growth with different intensity and mix, depending on industry, channel, outlet type and brand.     The drivers are:

    1. Availability
    2. Visibility
    3. Quality
    4. Promotion
    5. Advocacy
    6. Pricing
  • The Commercial Way
    We work on a systematic 9 steps approach to Win at the Moment of Purchase:

    1. Shopper and Consumer Insights
    2. Market Segmentation
    3. Picture of Success (Execution Excellence)
      • How we perceive and how we measure perfection at the point of purchase
    4. Coverage Plan
    5. IT tool
    6. Training and Change Management
    7. Picture of Success/PoS Scorecard (Measuring Execution)
    8. Incentive System
    9. Target Setting and Routines

The 9 step Way is aligned with overall business objectives and plans. It is comprehensive and systematic. But at the same time it is lean and mean, in order to make it meaningful and user friendly to Sales.

Revenue Growth Management

We apply Revenue Growth Management (RGM) in order to sharpen the commercial approach and make it effective and efficient in order to grow and maximise the Gross Profit of business.

RGM is particularly important and useful especially in mature markets for any type and size of organisation. It fits very well to small and medium size companies which show a relatively low transparency in their commercial approach, but also in new business development projects and startups, as it provides a clear and rational base, upon which we can build and develop the business from the very beginning in a healthy way.

In this context, we apply a Gross Profit Accelerator model (GPA), in order to analyse and provide the following:

  1. Market Highlights
  2. Business Performance Highlights
  3. Pricing
  4. Trading Terms (contractual and non-contractual)
    • Definitions
    • Transparency and Conditionality
    • Effectiveness and Efficiency
  5. Promotion Evaluation
    • Review effectiveness and efficiency
  6. Mix of Sales in terms of channels, customers and brands
  7. Distribution/Assortment per channel, customer and brand
  8. GP Opportunities Identification
    • Pricing
    • Trading Terms
    • Promotion
    • Mix of Sales
    • Distribution
  9. Action Plan
Business Financing

Calculate and analyse the business financials and establish a thorough plan for the sources and uses of funds needed for the multi year development plan.

In this context, we analyse:

  • Cash Flow per month
  • Working Capital financial needs
  • Investment Plan and Capital Expenses
  • Target Capital Structure and Business Financing

Our approach can be action oriented, which means that we are able to interface with banks, funds, institutions, board of directors, auditors and attorneys, both locally and internationally.

Coaching, Mentoring and Interim Management

Our multi year experience in senior executive roles within world class multinational organisations, together with our passion to develop high caliber people and High Performing Teams, guarantee a high level of Mentoring and Coaching services.

Our Aim is to unlock the potential of the executives to maximise their own performance. We help them to learn, rather than teach them. We more motivate them to bring their own expertise to a situation, than to tell them what to do.

We help them to GROW, by calling them to set the Goals in a particular situation, understand the Reality, examine the available Options to cope with it and set the Way forward.

We develop High performing Teams (HPT), by building blocks of high performance through Clarity, Communication, Co-operation and Confidence. We challenge constructively the mindset in the following sequence:

  • Aim           : what do we want to achieve and why?
  • Situation  : resources, constraints and ideas
  • Plan           : options, decisions and the plan
  • Inspire      : inform, inspire and implement
  • Reinforce : lead by example and action
  • Evaluate   : measure progress, feedback, learn and improve

We provide Interim Management services upon request.