Here are some examples of work we have done
with companies and the results they have achieved.
“Engine 4 Growth worked with us in a most effective
way, using not just opinion but also evidence of why we needed
a major overhaul of our business strategy. They articulated
the reformulated strategy with us and guided us in how to
implement it successfully. The improvement in our results
was dramatic”.
In working with this manufacturer of branded agrochemicals,
it was important to utilise evidence of real cases of success
for businesses like theirs, in addition to our own management
experience. The key to the appropriate reformulated strategy
was to focus on those parts of the company’s portfolio
where it had and could sustain a distinct competitive advantage
with both existing and innovative products. With Engine 4
Growth’s guidance, the company radically reshaped its
portfolio to concentrate on its strengths rather than spread
itself too thinly.
The implementation
of this revamped strategy doubled the company’s growth
rate and increased its profitability by 50%.
“Engine 4 Growth demonstrated to us how our commercial
organisations were high cost and inefficient in some of our
markets and under-resourced in others. This allowed us to re-adjust
our organisations accordingly. We plan to repeat this assessment
every 2-3 years”.
This drinks supplier asked us to assess their commercial organisations
in a range of European markets. By comparing them with other
suppliers of branded consumer goods in the same markets, we
identified those of their businesses which were high cost and
required cost efficiencies and improved practices. In addition,
we identified and quantified one particular market where their
commercial organisation was under-resourced and, thus, their
sales growth was stunted. This finding came as a surprise to
the company but the company put our findings and recommendations
into place.
The execution of these
recommendations resulted in cost reductions of 25% in markets
with inefficient commercial organisations and increased sales
growth by over one-third in its previously under-resourced market.
“Engine 4 Growth ensured that we focused on the
right balance between improving our offering to consumers and
customers and our marketing spend to reinforce and communicate
those improvements”.
This company had extensive market research of the views of both
its consumers and its trade customers. In analysing the results
of that research, we identified that in addition to certain
strengths there were some weaknesses that needed to be addressed
because these were important factors in consumers’ and
trade customers’ decision of which brand to buy. For example,
convenient product packaging was an important attribute where
the company could build competitive advantage by making some
changes to its packaging format. We demonstrated that these
packaging changes should be the primary area of investment focus.
The sales teams could ‘sell in’ the benefits of
these revamped formats to the trade. Only when these had been
achieved would it be productive to increase marketing spend
to communicate this news to consumers and stimulate increased
demand.
After implementing recommended changes and supporting
them with increased marketing spend, the company saw a growth
in annual volume and value of the brand in excess of 10% and
market share gains of 2%pts p.a.
“Engine 4 Growth showed us in the clearest terms that
our plan to buy a particular company would have been an expensive
mistake!”
We collaborated with a company that was looking to buy another
one in a country in which it was not currently represented.
Together we commissioned market research anonymously to check
out the standing of the potential acquiree company. The results
of the research were striking. The company’s rating
with customers was very poor in a number of important areas
of performance. Consequently, it was also losing market share
to its competitors. Our assessment showed that the share price
of the acquiree was significantly over-valued.
The company on whose
behalf we worked agreed with our assessment and did not proceed
with their intention to acquire that company.
Find out more about our
Managing Director, Peter Hillier >>.
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