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Leading Tire Manufacturer
When Your Sales Reps Need to Become Business Partners with Customers, Rather than Transaction-Based Providers
 Business Issue
In this multi-billion dollar tire manufacturer's market, price and availability are the traditional deal-breakers. To differentiate itself and show customers it could support their overall business goals, the company wanted to replace transaction-driven, often adversarial dealer relationships with informed business partnerships. The company sought a new sales vocabulary and mindset that its 450-person sales force could use to provide broad value. And since sales reps' knowledge of their customers' business issues was limited, the company also wanted to provide tools for understanding business from the dealer's point of view.
Process
The Advantage solution was a comprehensive program for sales staff and management that incorporated consulting and customized case studies, Celemi's Apples & Oranges business finance simulation, and customer survey results.
First, Advantage created a segmented sales approach which showed sales reps that they could add value at four levels: product, service, sales and marketing, and overall business (ROA measurement, operating efficiencies, etc.). Then, the sales team built financial business literacy with Apples & Oranges. During the simulation, teams "ran" a model company and competed for business results. They learned how cash circulates through companies and how purchasing decisions, changes in productivity, inventory control, and resource management affect profitability. Customized case studies helped the sales reps relate learning to current dealer relationships. The three-day program utilized survey data which revealed how well customers felt the company understood-and supported-their businesses. Sales reps completed a similar survey and then referred to the combined data to close gaps and create effective dealer partnering strategies for use back on the job.
Result
- Competitive advantage and differentiation resulting from a strategic shift to customer business partnerships
- Group-wide, consistent approach to delivering value-added services
The sales team was able to demonstrate knowledge of dealers' businesses and work toward providing value in four strategic areas rather than simply negotiating one-time product deals. Sales reps learned the business reasons that often drove dealer confrontations and how to turn adversarial situations into positive sales interactions. By eliminating the need to "reinvent the wheel" for every deal, sales reps gained more time for partnering. Overall confidence improved as sales reps discovered their new competitive advantage. Comments included, "Now I won't be confused in conversations with dealers," "This was definitely worth my time-I can't wait to see some of my clients," and, "I'm much more confident. Now I can have a business discussion, not just a tire discussion." The Apples & Oranges-based program is regarded as the most well-received in company history and has become an integral part of the tire manufacturer's new hire curriculum.
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Apples & Oranges helps salespeople understand the financial implications of their customers’ business decisions. |
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