CASE STUDIES
COMPANY A
INITIAL NEED: To secure an ongoing license with the NBA – National Basketball Association.
SURFACE PROBLEMS: Business was not making money, had debt, had an inferior, unfinished product.
REAL PROBLEM: CEO did not have the knowledge to run a business, relied on unqualified “experts”, was too trusting and was taken advantage of.
SOLUTION: First was meeting with NBA to restore trust and confidence in new leadership. Then a trip to Bowling Green, Kentucky meeting with Spalding to for the same purposes, as well as obtaining credit for defective goods and establishing accountability for future quality control. Identified the true product purchasers and contracted with the publisher of Game Day magazines and Yearbooks for all NBA teams. Established protocols with Fanatics for online sales. Established and monitored policies and procedures to maintain a successful collectible business.
BIGGEST SUCCESS: Developed and sold for the first time ever in the history of the NBA, a licensed basketball with All Star Players’ signatures at the All Star Game.
COMPANY B
INITIAL NEED: To increase sales.
SURFACE PROBLEMS: Product development was too slow; the closing cycle was too long.
REAL PROBLEM: The company had a technology division and sales division that were operating as separate silos rather than one company, and there was limited communication between them at best. The offsite CEO was micro managing the company not listening to his team.
SOLUTION: Initially all employees were interviewed one on one. Given that members of the technology team were from Russia, India and China, cultural challenges needed to be overcome. The sales team communicated to the technology team what the actual paying customers were seeking and when. Deliberate scheduling was established as to which sales members could travel to trade shows and events, which could conduct training, and which would remain local. A new and consistent marketing message was created for the company. Staff members’ High Impact – High Income skills were identified and then they were utilized.
BIGGEST SUCCESS: The schedule of the most senior salesperson was cleared so that the upgrade of the software, which had been put off for years, was designed and the specifics were given to the technology team to code. This resulted in greater satisfaction from existing customers, leading to increased sales.
COMPANY C
INITIAL NEED: To adapt to changing business climate.
SURFACE PROBLEMS: Customer growth was slowing.
REAL PROBLEM: Systems were antiquated, management was not being held accountable, employees were apathetic, lack of uniformity throughout all levels of the organization.
SOLUTION: A review of the limited policy and procedure documentation that the company actually had memorialized over the years. Hard discussions with personnel at all levels of the company to understand the strengths and weakness. Accountability contracts prepared and executed by all management levels. Creation of project action steps from commencement to completion. Dissemination of new procedures throughout the company, as well as requirement for actual written sign offs by employees creating pride and renewed excitement. Establishment of new operational systems integrating the different departments of the company so as to avoid waste and duplicity.
BIGGEST SUCCESS: One Hundred Percent growth in customer base after twelve months.
