A Logistics Company Transforms Its Salesforce and Account Planning Processes

A multibillion-dollar logistics company was able to supercharge its sales performance by transforming its go-to-market capabilities. We worked closely with LogisticsCo* to develop solutions that not only boosted revenue but reinvented how the company manages customer relationships.

Prior to our engagement, sales had underperformed at LogisticsCo due to frequent M&A activity without integration, leading to diminished customer experiences. We identified the need for a centralized global sales team that would have accountability for all the company’s most important customers.

We began with a data-driven assessment of LogisticsCo’s existing talent and capabilities, and then helped the company design a new salesforce operating model supported by a disciplined results-tracking system. Aided by new digital tools and a weekly cadence of meetings, LogisticsCo’s sales leaders could constantly monitor progress on high-priority sales plays and collaborate on new initiatives.

Next, we improved the company’s account planning processes to maximize the value of its customers. Using a combination of interviews, surveys and market data, we showed LogisticsCo how much share of wallet it was earning from each customer. This allowed the company to identify its highest-priority accounts and target them more strategically, while uncovering new opportunities.

We also designed a dashboard for LogisticsCo that tracks sales activity, CRM compliance, win rates and more. Centralizing these metrics not only helps the company make better strategic decisions but also inspires behavior changes; for example, the tool includes a “league table” that unlocks the inherent competitiveness of the company’s sales talent and inspires diligent follow-up work. Every salesperson now has clearly defined targets, incentives and accountability.

Over the course of our 12-month engagement, we provided LogisticsCo with a detailed view of its order-to-pay processes. Billing mistakes, outdated fee structures, loose credit rules—the combination of these and other small process problems represented significant revenue leakage. By tightening some rules and setting new procedures, LogisticsCo was able to recover the equivalent of nearly 33% of its EBIT.

LogisticsCo is now on a solid growth path. It increased the size of its salesforce by about 50% and has exceeded an already ambitious annual sales target that was three times higher than the previous year’s performance. The new capabilities and tools we embedded will bolster the company’s P&L and bring out the best in its salesforce for years to come.