Service objectives

The following list represents the Key Service Objectives (KSO) for the Appleton Greene Sales Strategy service.

Situation Analysis

Undertake a comprehensive analysis of the sales organization, including staffing, locations, communication strategy, customer needs, and corporate objectives. Working with sales executives and staff, we immerse ourselves in your organization in order to develop an understanding of your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Sales proposals and presentations are reviewed and critiqued for content, style, and adherence to customer needs. Particular attention is paid to the Unique Selling Proposition and how it is communicated. Additional analysis looks at competitors, market share, customer retention, and upper management expectations and attitudes toward the sales department and its performance.

Identify Improvements

Based on the information from the situation analysis we identify areas that need attention. The objective here is to illuminate ways to create a sustainable competitive advantage by maximizing strengths, eliminating weaknesses, addressing opportunities, and eliminating threats before they become unmanageable. In many cases, near-term changes that can improve results immediately can be implemented during this stage. Long term goals and objectives are developed for creating a sustainable competitive advantage that meets customer needs, addresses upper management expectations, and is adaptable to changing market conditions.

Action Steps

This is where the plan comes together. Strategies and tactics for meeting objectives are developed. A process and timetable for improvement is developed. Depending on the situation this may entail incremental adjustments or major modifications in the organizational structure and communication process. Qualitative and quantitative measures of success are developed. All levels of the organization are made aware of the plan so they understand and commit to implementing and adhering to it. Tasks are assigned and the plan is implemented. Internal stakeholders may be brought into the process to develop any product improvements, product extensions, or new products or services that were identified.

Process Management

Once changes have been implemented successfully they must be managed. This requires ongoing analysis of what is working and what is not, and modifying accordingly. Additional training may be necessary to ensure that all levels of the organization understand why change has occurred and the benefits they and their customers will derive from successful implementation.

Process Evolution

Continuous improvement is required to maintain your competitive advantage. Change is inevitable. Your organization will grow, corporate goals may change, and new competitors may emerge. Staying proactive and relevant is the key to maintaining and improving market share and profitability. Key Service Objectives One through Four provide the basis for sustainability. Process Evolution will provide the tools necessary to maintain your advantage through incremental modifications that ensure that your organization is a proactive leader in your industry.

This service is primarily available to the following industry sectors:

Technology

The technology sector finds itself balancing significant opportunities available from exponential and cognitive technologies with political and economic uncertainty. Advances that allow big data to integrate the physical world into computer-based systems that predict consumer behavior, rationalize inventory streams, and increase efficiency through smart manufacturing must find ways to overcome resistance based on concerns over the economy and regulation. The economic growth experienced since the election is based more on hope than actual results, and customers are concerned that power struggles in Washington can reverse the trend. Customers are asking for consumption-based models that compensates tech vendors for data and/or technology on an as-used basis. As companies plan for growth they must constantly be wary of new competitors that may disrupt their business model, and progressive companies are actively working to protect markets by preemptively introducing disruptive technologies and processes. Others are considering a shrink-to-grow strategy in order to provide the agility and quick response demanded by the marketplace.

The Internet of Things makes it possible to increase efficiency, accuracy, and economic benefit. More than 12 billion devices are already connected to the IoT, with as many as 30 million connections predicted by 2020. Connecting assets to the Internet allows sharing that can extract productivity, but the systems require expertise in a number of areas that require vendors to consider strategic alliances in order to build end-to-end solutions. Manufacturing companies realize the need to introduce technology that merges Operations and IT into a Smart Manufacturing model that reduces dependence on human measurements based on taste, sight, sound, and smell. By putting intelligence into the system rather than just people, they can decrease the variability of key inputs and reduce waste. Centerlining, a process that monitors inputs rather than outcomes, is a major component of Smart Manufacturing.

Digital

Over-the-Top Content, or OTT, is one of the fastest growing components of the Digital Sector. In many ways the growth of OTT resembles the early days of the Internet, as content owners hustle to grab real estate and develop their business plan as they go. Few in the broadcast industry realized when they licensed older programming to Netflix that it was the beginning of the erosion of traditional broadcast media. OTT has multiplied over the past several years, into SVOD (subscription-based services like Netflix the largest with over 90 million subscribers worldwide, Amazon, and Hulu), AVOD (Free and advertising-supported services like Crackle), and TVOD (transactional services that sell individual content like iTunes, Vimeo on Demand, and Amazon Instant Video). As the industry grows two issues stand out: Players will fight to get noticed in a sea of competitors, and content owners will demand a common measurement standard that will allow them to evaluate the effectiveness of their OTT relationships.

Solid state storage is poised for growth. Samsung is shipping 64 layer 3D Flash and some expect products approaching 100 layers soon. New ways to organize stacks to minimize height are needed, and SK Hynix is talking about stacking strategies that will allow 256 memory layers. Mergers, acquisitions, and IPOs continue to be big news in the industry. WD absorbed ScanDisk last year, and more upheaval is likely as companies jockey for increased efficiency, new distribution channels, and new technologies that allow them to remain on the cutting edge. The emerging memory market is projected to be worth over $2 billion per year by 2020.

Media & Marketing

Social Media will continue to grow as a percentage of ad spending, although advertisers will become more discriminant, reducing their social media presence to the few that serve them best rather than trying to be everywhere at once. Profitability pressure will force platforms to develop new, innovative advertising strategies to lure new advertisers as well as maintain their current customer base. Live postings, 360 images, and live video will gain favor as platforms endeavor to make users feel part of the experience as it unfolds. Snap (formerly SnapChat) will continue to impact the direction of moment-focused communication. It’s developing products outside its main communication methods, including real-world glasses to capture first-person visual communication. This is expected to open new and exciting marketing opportunities. Twitter, on the other hand, may decline. The barrage of incoming and outgoing messages that built the platform is expected to give way to more detailed communications that roll out less frequently. Facebook is looking at more professional communications that provide new advertising opportunities, such as Workplace by Facebook.

Native Advertising—the merger of product and content—is taking root, particularly in publishing, mobile apps, and social media. Spending is expected to reach nearly $8 billion in 2017 and $21 billion in 2018. The organic nature of this advertising form appeals to marketers anxious to become part of the user experience. Following the organic theme Influencer Marketing which targets personalities prospects follow and admire is growing. Targeting influencers who promote products through word of mouth is an age-old practice that gains traction thanks to the power of social media.

Internet

Once dominated by the country that invented it, the Internet is now truly international. Nearly half of the 3.7 billion Internet users are Asian, while North American usage, at 8.9%, is dwarfed by Europe, and even Africa. The total number of websites have declined, from over 2 billion in 2014 to about 966 million today. Global social media usage grew by more than 280 million users from 2015 to 2016, while the number of active users grew by 322 million. The U.S. doesn’t even crack the top ten smartphone markets globally. While this may sound gloomy for American Internet companies, it is just the opposite. Globalization opens new markets, and provides an opportunity for revenue growth. With global retail ecommerce expected to grow from $1.3 trillion in 2014 to almost $2.5 trillion by 2018. In fact, America’s domination of the social networking scene bodes well for United States Internet sites. Seven of the top ten sites are American, although international sites like Renren and Xing are gaining ground.

In order to maintain and grow U.S. sites must embrace globalization. This opens opportunities for consultants and service providers that can help new and existing ecommerce companies organize their sites for simpler navigation, adapt to cultural differentiation, and communicate clearly and effectively. There’s plenty of growth left in the U.S. market. 51% of Americans prefer to shop online, a figure that jumps to 67% for millennials. This signals that Baby Boomers are slowly adopting online purchasing habits, a fact that’s not surprising since most Boomers were indoctrinated in computer usage two decades ago when employers introduced computers in the workplace. Millennial and GenX techies who learn to consider the shopping habits of their parents and grandparents may see revenues increase as a result. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are giving way to Cyber November as ecommerce grows and retailers begin offering deals earlier in the season. Flash sales and deals spread throughout the sales cycles will keep purchasers coming back to sites more frequently as they hunt for bargains on the Internet and avoid crowded shopping malls, although brick-and-mortar retailers will attempt to keep their doors open by offering instore pickup of online purchases. This may cause additional headaches as store managers demand credit for instore pickup numbers in their reviews.

Automotive

The auto industry has shown a great deal of flexibility since its inception early in the last century, and another revolution is upon us. Tesla’s entry into the electric car market began with a low volume entry based on the Lotus Elise, but quickly grew to include the Model S, an expensive, but surprisingly capable full-size car. Further entries in the crossover and small car markets have captured the imaginations of Millennials and early technology adapters of all ages. Once Silicon Valley saw an opening, a number of companies started planning automotive ventures of their own. Self-parking and accident avoidance technologies have found their way into the mainstream, and are precursors of self-driving vehicles. The technology exists, has performed reasonably well in tests despite a few well-publicized mistakes, and is poised for introduction. This promises major upheavals in how automobiles are utilized, how government will regulate usage, and a potentially difficult transition period. The automobile retail business began early in the last century when manufacturers signed up hardware stores and related businesses in small towns across the country to distribute their cars. As these small retailers morphed into the mega-dealers of today dealers gained political strength and lobbied for laws to protect their interests. Today, most domestic manufacturers are over-dealered, and dealers admit their biggest competitors are dealers selling the same brand in the same town. This has led to intense competition that has cut margins to the point where the new car sales department is often operated at a loss. Ironically the service department those early hardware store owners had to establish to keep the cars they sold running is now the main source of profits.

Over the past several decades attempts have been made to alter the retail landscape. In the mid-Eighties Porsche announced a plan to convert dealers to sales-only outlets. Service, under Porsche’s plan, would be performed by regional repair centers. Within days hundreds of dealers filed suit and Porsche dropped the plan. Circuit City created CarMax not long after as a chain of used-car-only dealerships with a one price philosophy and enhanced customer service. The experiment was so successful CarMax outlived its parent and is still viable. The same with AutoNation, the creation of the investors behind Blockbuster, another defunct retail brand. AutoNation took a different route, buying new car retailers, rebranding them, and indoctrinating them in the AutoNation system. Today, Internet-enabled purchasing systems like Carvana are emerging, along with car sharing services like Lyft, Uber, and Zip Car that are attempting to change the dynamics of the industry. Traditional auto manufacturers have taken note, and some are positioning themselves to take advantage of the changes, if they take root. This opens opportunities for suppliers to the industry, but they must be prepared to face stiff pricing resistance. Detroit is famous for cutting supplier margins to the bone and stretching payments beyond the traditional Net 30 Days suppliers to other industries enjoy.

Bronze Service

Monthly cost: USD $1,500.00
Time limit: 5 hours per month
Contract period: 12 months

Bronze service includes:

01. Email support
02. Telephone support
03. Questions & answers
04. Professional advice
05. Communication management

SERVICE DESCRIPTION
The Bronze Client Service (BCS) for Sales Strategy provides clients with an entry level option and enables client contacts to become personally acquainted with Mr. Sawyer over a sustainable period of time. We suggest that clients allocate up to a maximum of 5 Key Employees for this service. Your Key Employees can then contact the consultant via email, whenever they feel that they need specific advice or support in relation to the consultant’s specialist subject. The consultant will also be proactive about opening and maintaining communications with your Key Employees. Your Key Employees can list and number any questions that they would like to ask and they will then receive specific answers to each and every query that they may have. Your Key Employees can then retain these communications on file for future reference. General support inquiries will usually receive replies within 48 hours, but please allow a period of up to 10 business days during busy periods. The Bronze Client Service (BCS) enables your Key Employees to get to know their designated Appleton Greene consultant and to benefit from the consultant’s specialist skills, knowledge and experience..

Silver Service

Monthly cost: USD $3,000.00
Time limit: 10 hours per month
Contract period: 12 months

Bronze service plus

01. Research analysis
02. Management analysis
03. Performance analysis
04. Business process analysis
05. Training analysis

SERVICE DESCRIPTION
The Silver Client Service (SCS) for Sales Strategy provides more time for research and development. If you require Mr. Sawyer to undertake research on your behalf, or on behalf of your Key Employees, then this would understandably require more time and the Silver Client Service (SCS) accommodates this. For example, you may want your consultant to undertake some research into your management, performance, business, or training processes, with a view towards providing an independent analysis and recommendations for improvement. If any research and development, or business analysis is required, then the Silver Client Service (SCS) is for you.

Gold Service

Monthly cost: USD $4,500.00
Time limit: 15 hours per month
Contract period: 12 months

Bronze/Silver service plus

01. Management interviews
02. Evaluation and assessment
03. Performance improvement
04. Business process improvement
05. Management training

SERVICE DESCRIPTION
The Gold Client Service (GCS) for Sales Strategy is intended for more detailed evaluation and assessment, that may require your Key Employees to have monthly meetings or interviews with Mr. Sawyer. These meetings and interviews can be conducted over the telephone, Skype, or by video conference if required. The consultant can also attend your business premises, an Appleton Greene office, or another mutually beneficial location, but please note that clients are responsible for the costs of any disbursements separately, including travel and accommodation. This service enables you to integrate the specific skills, knowledge and experience of your designated consultant into your Key Employee management team. The Gold Client Service (GCS) can also incorporate training workshops, business presentations and external meetings with customers, suppliers, associations, or any other business-related stakeholders.

Platinum Service

Monthly cost: USD $6,000.00
Time limit: 20 hours per month
Contract period: 12 months

Bronze/Silver/Gold service plus

01. Project planning
02. Project development
03. Project implementation
04. Project management
05. Project review

SERVICE DESCRIPTION
The Platinum Client Service (PCS) for Sales Strategy is our flagship service and will be required if you need Mr. Sawyer to facilitate the planning, development, implementation, management, or review of a particular project relating to his specialist subject, which would obviously require more time and dedication. This service enables you to reserve up to 12.5% of the consultant’s working month and provides a more hands-on service as and when required. If you need more time than this, then this can always be arranged, subject of course to the consultant’s ongoing availability. The benefit of having an external consultant involved in projects is they provide an independent perspective and are not influenced by internal politics, day-to-day responsibilities, or personal career interest. They provide objectivity, specific knowledge, skills and experience and will be entirely focused upon the tasks at hand. The Platinum Client Service (PCS) will provide your organization with a valuable resource as and when you need it.

Benefits

Management

Business growth
Process improvement
Agility
Competitive analysis
Sales strategy
Reduced risk
Evaluation criteria
Success culture
Training analysis
Field alignment

Marketing

Business positioning
Business growth
Competitive edge
Process improvement
Strategy development
New markets
Success culture
Proposal strategy
Gatekeeper buy-in
Customer retention

Customer Service

Customer retention
Value proposition
Partnership culture
Success orientation
Training analysis
Needs analysis
Relationship management
Process improvement
Communication strategy
Customer satisfaction

Clients

This service’s current clients or employers include:

R. L. Polk & Co. Now part of IHS Markit

Although the US light-vehicle sales market ranks as one of the world’s largest, flattening sales growth has amplified the competition for customers. Within this environment, holding onto your loyal customers and winning new buyers is more important than ever. To help address this challenge, IHS Automotive, driven by Polk, offers a web-based loyalty analytics tool that tracks all vehicle purchases per household during the past ten years. Going beyond traditional survey methods or partial data samples, this transaction-based tool allows you to quickly assess owner loyalty and defection regarding all new vehicle purchases by geography, vehicle traits, financing and demographics over time, so you can agilely respond to the market and preserve long-term growth. Automotive dealers, financial institutions, product/marketing managers and OEM corporate/field staff use the tool for market research, field alignment, sales planning, product planning, competitive analysis, and marketing.

R. L. Polk & Co. Now part of IHS Markit – Click Here

Hydromentia, Inc.

HydroMentia is a water pollution control company specializing in natural, cost-effective, and sustainable water treatment technologies. Nutrient pollutants are recovered within managed aquatic plant systems, which utilize high-rate biological nutrient uptake capabilities of aquatic vegetation. The HydroMentia team, with over 80 years of combined experience, has dedicated its efforts to the protection and restoration of our most vital natural resources. HydroMentia, combined the expertise of two leading groups specializing in the implementation of managed aquatic plant systems for nutrient removal. HydroMentia holds the exclusive world-wide license to the Algal Turf Scrubber® (ATS™) water treatment technology. Proprietary components of the Algal Turf Scrubber® (ATS™) technology include components of the system design, harvest methods and methods for enhanced nutrient pollutant removal. HydroMentia’s team includes several of the nation’s leading experts in the design and operation of commercial scale managed aquatic plant systems. These treatment systems have been successfully implemented throughout the United States, from California to Florida, in settings as diverse as aquaculture and municipal waste-water treatment facilities.

Hydromentia, Inc. – Click Here

Revize, Inc.

Revize is renowned as a leader in providing practical, high-value, easy to use content management software designed for municipalities only – Revize eGov CMS. This simple-to-use yet powerful solution enables clients to manage their online presence with unparalleled functionality and style. The Revize CMS is the best in the industry as far as ease of use and features are concerned. Two decades of development have yielded an interface that’s powerful yet easy to learn. Best of all, there’s no special software required to edit your website’s content; you can edit right on the web page after you login. With the proven ability to strengthen and deepen interpersonal connections, social networks present a wonderful opportunity for government organizations to increase community engagement and make themselves more accessible to the people they serve. Revize offers a comprehensive line of popular social media applications and networking using Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest.

Revize, Inc.- Click Here

Elan Technologies

Composites is Elan Technologies’ flagship division, with expertise in composite tooling and high –tolerance parts from a number of materials including carbon, uni-directional, pre=preg glass, aramids, Kevlar, and woven polypropylene. Many of their projects use either metallic or non-metallic honeycomb cores to reduce weight and improve structure. Whether using the heat and pressure of autoclaves, compression presses, or the simplicity of wet lay-up process, Elan’s parts are among the highest quality available. With a variety of manufacturing techniques and capabilities to choose from, their composite division has success in a number of industries. Elan Engineering’s creative minds have succeeded in every industry where they have worked. From motorsports to military/defense/aerospace projects, the engineering team has developed many Élan products and solutions. Their design team uses state-of-the-art integrated 2D/3D CAD systems to better transform ideas into reality. They have expertise designing composite structures to minimize weight while maximizing strength and performance. Their proven capabilities and solutions perform in some of the most demanding environments and industries in the world. Èlan Power Products provides innovative engine building development and management programs that supply cutting-edge technology for projects in any racing environment around the world. Èlan Power Products is known for developing, building, and servicing racing engines and drivetrain systems to deliver outstanding performance and reliability. They focus on making the car faster, not just making more horsepower. Elan Power Products analyzes all factors related to the engine-chassis interaction to enhance the entire program and help ensure success. Whether engine design and development, fuel management, rebuild services, or electronic and non-electronic engine management systems, Elan Power Products uses its extensive machining, flow test, quality control and dynamometer facilities to rebuild an engine or design one from the ground up. Èlan Power Products also supplies engines to entire racing series. Unlike building an engine for a single team where the challenge is to get the best performance from that one engine, building engines for an entire race series requires precision and exact tolerances because all must be identical. They have developed incredibly precise capabilities to build and certify performance, delivering outstanding performance and reliability consistency.

Elan Technologies – Click Here

Argus Associates

Argus Associates is a recognized pioneer in the field of information architecture. They organize large web sites and intranets so users can find what they need quickly and easily. Searching, navigating, indexing and labeling are the core of their work. Although their clientele consists primarily of Fortune 100 and Global 500 corporations, Argus works on a wide variety of projects covering many major industrial sectors as well as non-profits and educational institutions. Representative clients include Motorola, Square D, and Microsoft.

Locations

This service is primarily available within the following locations:

Detroit MI

The city many Americans gave up on is on the rebound. A decade ago Detroit was considered a lost cause. Dilapidated buildings, abandoned residences, and crumbling highways are the primary images many still hold of the city. Its economic collapse, and the flight to the suburbs, were widely reported and engrained in the minds of many. Mike Ilitch, the recently deceased founder of Little Caesars, and owner of the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings, may not have known what he started when he purchased the remains of the Fox Theater in 1987. His restoration of the facility to its former glory sparked a real estate boom fueled chiefly by the Ilitch family fortune and that of Dan Gilbert, owner of Detroit-based Quicken Loans. Their efforts created a thriving sports and entertainment business anchored by Ford Field—home of the Detroit Lions, Comerica Park—home of the Tigers, and Little Caesars Arena, currently under construction to host the Red Wings. The success of this area lit a fire under local developers who rushed to purchase the few properties left on the table by Ilitch and Gilbert. Revitalized office buildings and hotels, upscale condos, and apartments followed. Further north, the Cass Corridor near Wayne State University morphed from a desolate poverty pocket into a thriving home to restaurants, apartments, and entrepreneurship. Wayne State itself, third largest of Michigan’s state universities, enjoys a new image as a hip place to study, a stunning contrast with the past. The city that lost 39% of its manufacturing jobs in the Eighties still counts the auto industry as its major employer. While manufacturing has moved elsewhere, the brunt of the auto industry’s administrative, engineering, and testing functions remain in and around Detroit. Plus there’s a healthy complement of second and third tier suppliers in the area. More than 75% of the workforce is engaged in non-manufacturing duties like research and development, accounting, home loans, and computer services. Detroit is one of the top five financial markets in the country, and the Henry Ford Health System is the sixth largest employer in the state and a major medical research center. Economic growth in China and the rest of the world are a concern, and a strengthening dollar may make it harder for companies to compete abroad. The elimination of right-to-work union protections, reduced corporate taxes, and tax breaks for data centers contributed to Michigan being named one of the country’s top ten pro-business states.

Chicago IL

Chicago is one of the most diversified economies in the country. Four million employees generate a gross regional product of $561 billion. More than 400 major corporations call Chicago home, including 31 in the Fortune 500. Institutions in the Chicago area award 145,000 college and university degrees per year, providing a well-trained workforce to industry and commerce. Its centralized location and robust transportation system contribute greatly to the local economy. Virtually every major data network in the world intersects in Chicago. In October, 2016 unemployment stood at 5.5%, a slight increase from the previous October. Site Selection magazine named Chicago as the top metro area for corporate investment. The area saw more new and expanding corporate locations than any other area in the country. There were 350 business expansions and relocations in Chicago in 2016, accounting for $2.8 billion in investment and 14,000 new jobs. Companies that expanded or relocated included Beam Suntory, McDonalds, Wilson Sporting Goods, and Motorola. Global engineering and architectural design company exp announced it will move its operational headquarters from Toronto to Chicago. This requires the firm to revamp its Michigan Avenue office and add 150 jobs with local talent. Chicago’s reputation has taken a beating of late due to an abnormally high murder rate. Several American cities have experienced a hike in the murder rate although Chicago has received the majority of the media coverage. The murder rate’s effect on the economy is difficult to determine, although it can’t help. A drive by progressive groups and two lawmakers to raise the minimum wage to $15/hour could affect the economy if it succeeds.

Atlanta GA

Atlanta enjoys a large and diverse economy. Service industries employ the most people, but trade and manufacturing are also important. Delta Air Lines is the largest employer, and several company headquarters are located in Atlanta, including Coca Cola, Home Depot, United Parcel Service, GeorgiaPacific, and Bell South. German auto manufacturers also find Atlanta attractive. Porsche just built an impressive new U.S. headquarters there, complete with race track and Customer Experience Center, and Mercedes-Benz has relocated to Atlanta. Emory University, Georgia State University, and Georgia Tech are in Atlanta, in addition to a number of smaller educational institutions. High-tech industries including health care, cybersecurity, IT, and mobile apps are growing in Atlanta, and the Innovation District around Tech Square is attracting start-ups and established tech companies. Construction is booming thanks at least in part due to new sports stadiums and the infrastructure and business needs that accompany them. Home construction is rebounding and the real estate market is healthy. The cost of living and doing business in Atlanta is relatively low, and that as well as efforts to develop an inland port for warehousing and distribution are attractive to businesses looking to relocate. The city has always been the transportation hub of the Southeast, and continues to be to this day thanks to the busiest airport in the nation, interstate highways that connect the South to major markets in the North and West, and a robust railway system. Forbes Magazine ranks Atlanta the 9th best city for business and careers. It’s the fifth largest metro area in the country, and has the fifth largest Gross Metro Product at $312.5 billion.

Cleveland OH

Several Fortune 1000 companies make Cleveland their home. It is a major manufacturing and commercial center, one of the primary ports on the Great Lakes, and a collecting point for highway and railroad traffic from the Midwest. The health and medical field Is the largest employer in Northeast Ohio, and Cleveland is one of the nation’s leading medical centers with 60 hospitals in the region. Cleveland Clinic’s health care was ranked #1 in the United States for the 19th consecutive year, and the city is home to one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals. Entrepreneur Magazine recently ranked Cleveland higher than San Francisco, Boston, Seattle, and New York as a site for entrepreneurship, and more than 700 biomedical and biotechnology firms make it their home. The Cleveland region will add 123,000 jobs by 2025, and food manufacturing will play a big role in that growth. That sector contributes $2.6 billion dollars in economic activity, due to its central location and proximity to rural land. Manufacturing built Cleveland and still remains an important part of the economy. Auto manufacturing is strong, thanks to healthy sales, while steel and energy are relatively weak. Le Bron James’ return to the Cleveland Cavaliers did more than strengthen the basketball team. Locals speak of the “LeBron Effect’ and the impact the return of the local hero had on the economy. Initial estimates of a $500 million bump were likely optimistic, but it remains true that ticket sales, bar and restaurant revenues, and souvenir sales increased substantially, which also affected tax revenues. Perhaps the largest impact was the result of increased local confidence and visibility on the global stage as a result of the Cavaliers winning their first NBA Championship.

Columbus OH

Columbus has a strong and diverse economy that wasn’t impacted as much as the rest of the nation by the Great Recession. The Ohio State University is the largest employer, followed by the State of Ohio. Nationwide Insurance is the largest of 70 insurance companies headquartered in Columbus. It employs approximately 13,000 people in the area. Limited Brands is located in the region, and Honda has a manufacturing plant in Marysville. The unemployment rate is slightly over 4%, significantly better than the nation as a whole. Manufacturing, logistics, science and technology, and business services are major contributors to the Columbus area economy. More than 17,000 manufacturers employ over 86,000 people. A unionization rate of only 3.1% is attractive to employers. A centralized location that has greater access within a 10 hour drive than any other metro area makes logistics an important function, and the Rickenbacker Inland Port is the nation’s tenth largest foreign trade zone. CrossCHX is a major cog in the “Internet of Health Care”, while Honda’s R&D facility and Clarivoy’s marketing technology are important contributors to the Columbus area’s emergence as a tech power. Recently, Prevedere, Inc., a data analytics company, raised $10 million in funding. While Aviso Retention, a software provider helping colleges reduce the dropout rate attracted funding without giving up equity. Several restaurant chains call the Columbus region home, including Wendy’s, Bob Evans, Sbarro, Donatos Pizza, White Castle, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, and Max & Erma’s. Fashion marketing plays a big part in the local economy with Abercrombie & Fitch, The Limited Brands, Express Inc., and Schottenstein Stores. The varied nature of its economy has made Columbus, OH an economic powerhouse that is more likely than most US cities to weather an economic downturn.

Testimonials

Direct Marketing Express

“You have always been the one person that we could count on when a situation required a decisive and fair decision. While we were dealing with you our business revenues and profits increased over 100%. Today we stand at more than $90 million in sales and can attribute much of our success to the careful way you helped us shape our company. You have always given us the edge and we will always solicit your input.” I helped this customer understand how to target customers and create marketing programs that increased his sales and margins as well as grow customer satisfaction and loyalty.

The Ultimate Perspective, Ltd

“I’ve known Mr. Sawyer for over 10 years and have worked with him on major acquisition and strategic projects both in the US and in Europe. He has a real talent in intuitively understanding the bigger picture and knowing precisely what needs to be done to get the right result. His ability to lead and work with others is testament to his ability to make a big impact in whatever he does.” I actively participated in the team that identified this company as an acquisition target, and I led the team that introduced this company’s products in the U.S. market.

HydroMentia Inc.

“Mr. Sawyer came into a difficult situation. The company had suffered from a series of longstanding management difficulties, and was itself an in-front-of-the-cutting-edge emerging technology. He was able to save the company from eminent doom. Next, he was able to grow the company and advance its penetration of the marketplace. I do not hesitate to recommend Mr. Sawyer. He is in the top 5%.”As President and CEO of this company I developed a strategy to overcome a major product malfunction, and expanded into new, profitable markets.

Personal Profile

Mr Chicles is an approved Certified Learning Provider (CLP) at Appleton Greene who is a business leader and strategist with broad experience in the global multi-industrial, aerospace and defense sectors. He is a seasoned operational leader of global industrial businesses, leading transformational strategies in highly competitive markets.

As a senior, C-suite strategist for multiple major industrial corporations he has led multiple mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and restructurings, as well as corporate break-ups and spin-offs. He has a distinguished track record of successful transformations of complex organizations in dynamic and uncertain market conditions while engendering the trust and buy-in of employees, customers, vendors, owners, corporate leadership and boards of directors.

A highly engaged leader at the personal and team level he has demonstrated the ability to engender effective senior teams and boards. He’s also an active mentor, teacher and community leader.

Mr Chicles is an active board member with AES Seals, global leader in sustainable reliability engineering, and Micro Technologies Inc, an electronics and advanced manufacturing company. He is a principal partner with ProOrbis Enterprises®, a management science consultancy with premier clients such as the US Navy and PwC, as well as the principal of Xiphos Associates™, a management and M&A advisory. Recently, he served as Board Director and Chairman of Global Business Development with Hydro Inc. the largest independent pump and flow systems engineering services provider in the world.

He was President of ITT’s Industrial Process / Goulds Pumps business segment a global manufacturer of industrial pumps, valves, monitoring and control systems, and aftermarket services for numerous industries with $1.2 billion in revenue, 3,500 employees and 34 facilities in 17 countries. Preceding this role he served as Executive Vice President of ITT Corporation overseeing the creation of a newly conceived ITT Inc. following the break-up of the former ITT Corporation to establish its strategy and corporate functions such as HR, communications, IT and M&A, building the capabilities, policies and organizations for each.

He joined ITT Corporation’s executive committee as its strategy chief in 2006 and instituted disciplined strategic planning processes and developed robust acquisition pipelines to respond to rapidly changing markets. Created successful spin-offs of 2 new public corporations Exelis Inc. and Xylem Inc. ITT Corporation was named one of “America’s Most Respected Corporations” by Forbes for exemplary management and performance during his tenure there.

Before joining ITT, Mr Chicles served as Vice President of Corporate Business Development and head of mergers and acquisitions for American Standard / Trane Companies, where he initiated and closed numerous transactions and equity restructurings globally.

Additionally, he created and led the corporate real estate function which entailed more than 275 real estate transactions around the world.

He began his career at Owens Corning rising through the ranks in various operational roles to Vice President of Corporate Development.

Recently, he taught advanced enterprise strategy at Stevens Institute of Technology as an adjunct professor and still supports start-ups through the Stevens Venture Center. He continues to be active as the Founding Board Member with several successful start-up technology businesses and non-profit organizations. A community leader, Mr Chicles has held the role of President of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Tenafly, N.J., He also led trips abroad to Cambodia and Costa Rica to build sustainable clean-water solutions and affordable housing.

His formal education includes earning a Masters of Business Administration from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelors in Finance from Miami University.

(CLP) Programs

Appleton Greene corporate training programs are all process-driven. They are used as vehicles to implement tangible business processes within clients’ organizations, together with training, support and facilitation during the use of these processes. Corporate training programs are therefore implemented over a sustainable period of time, that is to say, between 1 year (incorporating 12 monthly workshops), and 4 years (incorporating 48 monthly workshops). Your program information guide will specify how long each program takes to complete. Each monthly workshop takes 6 hours to implement and can be undertaken either on the client’s premises, an Appleton Greene serviced office, or online via the internet. This enables clients to implement each part of their business process, before moving onto the next stage of the program and enables employees to plan their study time around their current work commitments. The result is far greater program benefit, over a more sustainable period of time and a significantly improved return on investment.

Appleton Greene uses standard and bespoke corporate training programs as vessels to transfer business process improvement knowledge into the heart of our clients’ organizations. Each individual program focuses upon the implementation of a specific business process, which enables clients to easily quantify their return on investment. There are hundreds of established Appleton Greene corporate training products now available to clients within customer services, e-business, finance, globalization, human resources, information technology, legal, management, marketing and production. It does not matter whether a client’s employees are located within one office, or an unlimited number of international offices, we can still bring them together to learn and implement specific business processes collectively. Our approach to global localization enables us to provide clients with a truly international service with that all important personal touch. Appleton Greene corporate training programs can be provided virtually or locally and they are all unique in that they individually focus upon a specific business function. All (CLP) programs are implemented over a sustainable period of time, usually between 1-4 years, incorporating 12-48 monthly workshops and professional support is consistently provided during this time by qualified learning providers and where appropriate, by Accredited Consultants.

Executive summary

Acquisitive Growth

In today’s context of changing markets, technologies and business models, and in conjunction with historic levels of available capital, acquisitive growth has emerged as an increasingly compelling approach to transformational growth. However, as has been empirically proven growth through acquisitions is fraught with pitfalls and inherently risky. Successfully acquisitive growth requires the confluence of many factors that go beyond the traditional phased steps of a typical process. In my experience success is a function of bringing together the elements of people, processes, and technologies into a set of capabilities that are custom-made for an organization’s particular strengths, circumstances and aspirations. Winning in today’s dynamic markets demands bold, unique and sustainable strategies. The following are the stages of such an approach that I have found to create high probability, profitable growth that stands the test of time.

Additionally, while the M&A industry has many advisors available, they tend not to be operating executives who have lived through all the elements I will lay out below. Many simplistic guidelines exist, however what its clear is that the difference between success and failure with acquisitive growth is not in rote adherence to some set of processes, rather it is found in the combination of process discipline and strong application of experiential, practical knowhow. The nature of this knowhow is to apply and allocate the elements below in a smart, efficient manner to achieve exemplary outcomes for the specific client’s unique situation and circumstances.

Strategy Development: Whether at the corporate level or in a specific business unit, clients would be taken through steps to clarify the markets and segments where they currently compete and where they want to go in the future, what differentiates them from competition, where capabilities need to be refined or built, and the various functional elements (e.g. systems, processes, structures, etc.) critical to sustain profitable growth. Approach would be a combination of review of current strategies/capabilities, interviews and facilitated discussions and structured workshops. Outcomes might be a strategy to bring a particular business into a new growth phase or to meet changing competitive environments, or at the enterprise level might entail “platform building” whereby new businesses, sectors or legs are build from the ground up through foundational initial acquisitions and subsequent organic and inorganic initiatives.

Market Focus: Where will we hunt for acquisition targets? If a company allows too-wide of a scope will find themselves suffering from expensive resource drains/distractions and/or dilute efforts. Therefore, following the alignment of enterprise/business strategies the process will seek to focus the market segments and the business criteria to qualify a company to be elevated to possible target.

Research Possible Targets: Simply put, take the descriptions and criteria from above and create lists of potential targets that might fit. Each such company is researched for available information, any currently available knowledge the client might have, etc. Output is a gross list of possible targets.

Target Approach: Utilizing a number of possible approaches, one that is appropriate for the client is determined. For example, some companies may have business development or sales teams who could participate in this stage, or on the other hand for reasons such as confidentiality, resource scarcity, etc this might need to be put into the hands of specific individuals (senior executives, dedicated M&A executives, 3rd party services, etc.). Each company is different, so this is an exercise of matching needs with capabilities. The objective is to screen the gross target list to elminate those who have “killer facts” such as big contingent liabilities, prohibitive complexity such as a company with a complex ownership structure, our any other aspects that renders a target not acceptable for the next step.

Cultivation: This is a very critical part of the overall process. The essence of this authentic, genuine and meaningful relationship-buidling which requires a combination of individuals with certain skill-sets to ‘sell’ the prospects on being acquired, patience and persistence. I have many approaches, processes and techniques that I have and continue to use to great effect in this regard. Output is a short list of interested targets who have moved to active discussions and in-person meetings.

Target Assessment: During the cultivation phase as it gets more advanced, a critical success factor for effective acquisitive growth is the ability to narrow the list with limited amounts of information. This is important because the next phase is quite intensive so any company can not practically thoroughly assess all such targets. In other words, how does a client gain the insights needed to do this? Some might consider this the ‘phase I due diligence’ whereby, prior to the engagement of expensive resources such as lawyers, accountants, etc., an overview of a target’s current status is determined. Through structured and open discussions, the client engages in discussions with the targets to learn as much as possible..

Preliminary Offer: Structuring of a term sheet or letter of intent based on finding to date. Depending on these findings, certain terms may be included to lay out a) value expectations; b) focus for due diligences and commitment to support it; and c) various legal terms typical for these agreements. This tend to be non-binding agreements meant to establish exclusivity of dealings for a period of time, high level terms that both parties agree to, and confidentiality. Given my background, I have the abilility to craft these documents with minimal legal cost.

Due Diligence: This is yet another element of acquisitions that can take several different forms. Depending on the situation and capabilities of both clients and targets, due diligence activites tend to have different scopes and approaches that match each particular circumstance. A simple example would be a private company target versus a public company. With the latter, sellers often limit potential acquirers to only publicly available information whereas private companies may have limited information at their disposal. Therefore, each approach must be designed for purpose, with the output being a customized plan for a particular target. This leads to both more efficient and cost effective processes as well as deeper insights to help with final decisions.

Deal Making: After the due diligence phase, and with a set of terms already agreed, the negotiations begin to finalized the terms of value, liabilities and the myriad legal and busses considerations that must be addressed and finalized. Whether as chief negotiator or as a trusted advisor to the same, I would bring my experience and talent to bear on this phase as well as some structured approaches/guidelines.

Integration Planning: Concurrent with the commencement of due diligence, full attention is required to determine the structure, resources, plans and teams for post-closing integration. Specific approaches and processes would be employed here to ensure that a proper integration leader is named (critical), robust but prioritized integration plans (e.g. IT and Finance integration might be a first priority for some companies), organizational and assimilation plans, and specific actions in several other area. Among the more difficult and critical elements of integration is culture. While culture is a key consideration in the pre-offer phases, it tends to be among the more challenging aspects to successful acquisitions and an area where experience from a career of hands-on accountability of acquisitions brings valuable insights. Several pro-active approaches can be introduced to the clients to determine which is best to employ with any particular integration.

Execution: From plans to execution requires much more than a roadmap. While such roadmaps are critical, it is the confluence of leadership and human capital, prioritized focused actions to achieve specific results, and finally sustainable integration to bring into the client’s company the full potential of the value creation possible. Tools exist and can be created to provide structure and management support to achieve this consistently.

Important And Strategic Elements Of A Growth By Acquisition Approach

This program has thus far concentrated on the role that acquisition strategies play in driving growth.

However, this assumes that the acquisitions are carried out properly on its own. Experience has shown that acquisitions may both produce and destroy value, with the execution of the transaction typically making the difference.

The following are crucial and strategic elements that support successful acquisitions:

• Considering strategic fit: Purchasing merely for the sake of purchasing is little more than management hubris. The target businesses should in some manner meet the needs of the buyer’s company strategy (i.e. product or service line, geographic reach, etc.).

• Addressing culture fit: Due to cultural mismatches between the two merging organizations, some of the largest mergers in history have failed. It is important to take into account a company’s culture because it directly affects how it creates value.

• Doing thorough due diligence: This guarantees that the buyer “looks beneath the hood” of the company they are buying and that the price they are looking to pay for the company reflects its intrinsic value.

• Integration: Even when the share purchase agreement’s ink dries, the deal is not finalized. The two businesses must now start an integration process to ensure that they grow into something greater than the sum of their individual parts.

What To Watch Out For During The Entire Acquisition Growth Process

Investigating less evident problems within the target company is the goal of the due diligence procedure.

This ranges from contracts with sizable clients that are about to expire to potential legal proceedings resulting from past business decisions.

But there are a few things that the buyer should watch out for on a more strategic level.

They consist of the following:

• Culture: Even if this phrase keeps coming up, it is crucial to the success of M&As. The culture of the target company should be thoroughly researched by prospective buyers in order to have a sense of what they are getting into.

• Competitive Edge: Is the target company “plain vanilla” or does it engage in any activities that offer it a competitive advantage (which we’ll define as the capacity to produce above-market value over the long term)?

• Leadership: Would the target company’s leadership complement your own leadership team in a positive way? Spend some time with them while conducting your research to see whether this might be the case.

• Possibilities: Are there any prospects that the target firm can take advantage of that your business won’t be able to in the near future? Let’s say it’s because of a service or product line they offer that is expected to see rapid expansion.

• Synergies: Where do your two companies’ synergies lie? Are they really complementary, or does purchasing the target company actually run the danger of causing some of your company’s income streams to be cannibalized?

Program Objectives

The following list represents the Key Program Objectives (KPO) for the Appleton Greene Acquisitive Growth corporate training program.

Acquisitive Growth – Part 1- Year 1

Part 1 Month 1 Business Assessment – Assessments can be incredibly valuable tools for organizations of all sizes. A comprehensive assessment methodology can help you evaluate your organization across multiple dimensions. But what are business assessments, what do they entail, and what are the benefits? Business assessments can help you identify areas of improvement and potential acquisitive growth. By taking a comprehensive approach, you can get an accurate picture of your organization’s strengths and weaknesses. Assessments can also help you develop actionable plans to improve your business. At their core, business assessments are all about providing clarity. When you’re feeling overwhelmed by the day-to-day details of running a business, it can be difficult to step back and get a clear picture of where your company is headed. That’s where assessments come in. By taking a comprehensive look at your company’s strengths and weaknesses, you can develop a clear road map for success. Assessments are an essential part of any business plan. By evaluating your company’s strengths and weaknesses, you can develop a roadmap for growth. Furthermore, assessments can help identify areas where your company may be at risk. By addressing these risks early on, you can avoid potential problems down the road. In addition, assessments can help you benchmark your company’s performance against others in your industry. This benchmarking process can give you valuable insights into areas where your company may need to improve. Ultimately, regular business assessments are a crucial tool for any organization that is looking to grow and thrive.
Part 1 Month 2 Strategic Aspiration – A Winning Aspiration defines the purpose of your enterprise, its guiding mission and aspiration, in strategic terms. The first choice of the strategic choice cascade is winning aspirations. Here we ask, “what is our winning aspiration.” Strategically, our winning aspiration defines our purpose. Aspirations are a view of the future. Qualified with “winning,” it is the ideal future that we strive to achieve. Unless you deliberately set out to win, it is impossible to do so. A business that only wants to participate rather than succeed will invariably fall short of making the difficult decisions and large investments necessary to succeed. Aspirations that are too modest rather than lofty are much more harmful. Most businesses fail because they have low expectations.
Part 1 Month 3 Segment Focus – Every company aspires to grow. But, in a market where competition is fierce, inorganic business growth requires insight and innovation. Segmenting the market and customers is among the most effective techniques to promote acquisitive growth. Yet as numerous businesses have shown, artful segmentation can result in a significant competitive advantage. The purpose of segmentation is to inform your marketing approach. Using this method, it is feasible to recognize and categorize groups of potential clients based on their shared preferences, needs, and interests. This method effectively identifies the demographics most likely to value a specific good or service you provide. Furthermore, it may assist you in positioning that service so that it outperforms that of your rivals.
Part 1 Month 4 Targeted Offerings – Everything the market offers, be it products or services or any experience, is known as a market offering. Market offerings are also divided among themselves based on the nature of the offering. Read along to understand the role and value of market offerings. Individuals within a market have different wants and needs. As a result, businesses in the market offer various products and services. The ultimate aim of businesses is to fulfill all the varying wants and needs of the population. Providing better target offerings and standing out in the market will eventually lead to more loyal customers and a broader customer base. People expect businesses to add value to their lives in various ways, precisely the purpose of market offerings – satisfying customer needs.
Part 1 Month 5 Target Pool – The purpose of this workshop is to map out the offerings that one wants to develop or enhance for the focus segments defined by WDP3. A target pool is at the intersection of Targeted Offerings and Focused Segments. For example, if your strategy is focused on growing a currently manufactured product beyond your existing markets, you’ll want to know all the players who make these products in the markets where you don’t currently play but aspire to. In this simple case, the target pool would be derived by researching the current suppliers in these focus segments and profiling them for certain things such as size, channels to market, etc. The approach of this workshop is to take the Targeted Offerings and in a way and ‘map’ them with the Segment Focus areas we developed previously. In reality you might only need to do one or few of these approaches, but the workshop can develop the understanding and skills to do this work, which is in essence synthesizing the ‘strategic play’ associated with any acquisitive growth program.
Part 1 Month 6 Target Identification – Target identification in acquisitive growth is the process of identifying potential companies or assets that align with the strategic objectives of the acquiring company. It involves conducting comprehensive research, market analysis, and due diligence to evaluate various factors such as financial performance, growth potential, synergies, industry trends, competitive landscape, and cultural fit. The goal is to identify targets that offer strategic value and can contribute to the acquirer’s growth, profitability, market position, or diversification objectives. This process requires careful evaluation, consideration of risks, and alignment with the acquiring company’s overall M&A strategy to ensure successful integration and value creation.
Part 1 Month 7 Target Approach – All business investors are “financial” investors – the real question is how “strategic” is their ability to leverage the assets of the target. Providing practical guidance on approaching a business target and conducting initial due diligence depends on the investor’s criterion, competencies, and execution bandwidth. At this point, you will have identified a target or group of targets and you are attempting to learn enough about the target to determine whether to proceed with developing a meaningful indication of interest. Of course, an active seller is likely prepared for the sale process and represented by an advisor who is postured to provide the financial and operating information necessary for investors to quickly determine the suitability of a deal (i.e., a pitchbook and defined protocols for communication and information access). However, many desirable targets may not be seeking a sale because business conditions are favorable, and their businesses have been managed to provide options to the owners regarding continued independence and turn-key ownership and management succession. If the former, you, as a prospective buyer may have already pinged on the radar of the seller, and if the later, you have mined for target opportunities and are ready for the next step to accomplish an acquisition.
Part 1 Month 8 Deal Approach – The M&A landscape is becoming increasingly competitive and the balance of power is shifting further in favour of buyers. For attractive businesses, however, sellers may wish to make divestments through an auction process which is designed to elicit competitive bidding among interested parties to facilitate the sale of a business or stake in a company at the highest price and on the best possible terms. Not all transactions require collaboration between the buyer and the seller, however. In many instances, an auction is still a better approach than a negotiation. The trick is in knowing which process to use when. To make that choice, you need to clearly understand your potential buyers, the characteristics of the asset in question, your own priorities, and the relative importance of speed and transparency to obtaining the best price.
Part 1 Month 9 Cultivation – (non-auction)
Part 1 Month 10 Cultivation – (organized process)
Part 1 Month 11 Confirm Target – Assuming initial contact and conversations go well, the acquirer asks the target company to provide substantial information (current financials, etc.) that will enable the acquirer to further evaluate the target, both as a business on its own and as a suitable acquisition target. After producing several valuation models of the target company, the acquirer should have sufficient information to enable it to construct a reasonable offer; Once the initial offer has been presented, the two companies can negotiate terms in more detail.
Part 1 Month 12 Talent Assessment – Talent decisions can be made with less precision, discipline, and data but frequently require more complexity than other integration decisions (such as decisions about goods, markets, or customers). M&A leaders must “up their game” in talent assessment if they want to succeed. In the end, the acquirer must decide if current employees from the target (the acquired company) are the most qualified to carry out the goals of the new organization.