Getting Your Inside Sales Initiative Right

Two companies going through a large merger brought ESG in to advise them on how to converge their separate go-to-market strategies into one cohesive strategy. They knew they would benefit from outside insight and wanted to ensure that their next moves would lead to long-term growth. We sat in on their initial meeting and listened as they discussed passing an inside sales initiative to their customer service reps.  

This perspective made sense for several reasons; the customer service reps understood the customers, the product, the pricing, and were already set up to make calls. But, because of the insight we had from working with similar M&As, we knew this would not be effective. We pushed back and said that this was not going to work. 

If they wanted this strategy to be effective, then they needed to rethink their approach. Professional inside selling is unique and nuanced, and your customer service reps are not the right people for this initiative. Build this as a strategic asset to the company, or you’re wasting time and money.

Our recent partnership with a B2B service company demonstrates that an inside sales initiative is not only possible, but profitable in today’s shifting marketplace.

Real World Results

After implementing the new strategies, we’d equipped this company to attain more sales, create more revenue, and streamline the company’s core processes. The staff was now optimized to handle inside and outside sales initiatives while adapting to a hybrid work-from-home model. 

With a solid action plan in place, company goals are now attainable and they are finally able to move forward towards success. This new momentum empowers the company for even greater growth and provides the capacity to adapt to new markets and challenges as they appear.

The Future Belongs to Those Who Adapt

Our team has architected and delivered world-class inside selling capabilities for decades. Let us learn about your challenges, and offer insights as to the optimal transformation path to achieve best-in-class through a combination of top talent, bulletproof business process, and technology that attracts and retains the very best sales professionals and customers.

Author

Mark Newhall

Founder of ESG

Other Blogs
March 14, 2017DENVER–(BUSINESS WIRE)–March 13, 2017–Execution Specialists Group (ESG) has been awarded the Office Depot, Inc. “Integration Partner of the Year” award in honor of its collaborative integration efforts in the merger between Office Depot and OfficeMax. “Throughout three years of change, ESG remained a constant,” said Rick DiMaio, vice president of distribution for Office Depot, Inc. “We recognize that the synergy with ESG has been crucial to our smooth integration of Office Depot and OfficeMax. The talent and dedication of the teams working on the integration gave us confidence to deliver on our original promise to build a stronger, more efficient competitor positioned to meet the growing challenges of a rapidly changing industry.” After starting its business engagement with Office Depot in 2010, ESG expanded its role in late 2013 to support the company merger with OfficeMax by providing strategic counsel in areas such as merchandising, wholesaler conversion, IMO support, CSO support, operations, and supply chain PMO. ESG has continued its support of Office Depot post-merger to assist in further strategic development with a specific focus on supply chain and sales deployment. “We are honored to receive this prominent award from our valued client that showcases our partnership,” said Mark Newhall, founder and chief executive officer of ESG. “The ESG team has worked alongside Office Depot leadership for years to assist with smooth company-wide transformation, and we are pleased with both the results and collaboration.” ESG received acknowledgement as one of Forbes’ “2016 Top Management Consulting Firms.” Most recently, the firm continues to evolve in both clientele and associates, growing its presence within the industry through the launch of its Making Strategy Happen foundation (MSH), which is focused on providing strategic management consulting to nonprofit organizations nationwide. About ESG Based in Colorado, Execution Specialists Group (ESG) is a strategy execution-focused consultancy with extensive global experience engaging with client senior leadership to plan and deliver on complex integration, transformation, and innovation objectives. Recognized by Forbes as one of the “Top Management Consulting Firms of 2016,” ESG leaders have managed hundreds of integrations across all functional disciplines including sales, merchandising, supply chain, marketing, real estate, technology, human resources, and finance to deliver disciplined program design and execution. Clients include Office Depot, Salesforce, Google Enterprise, OfficeMax, Staples, Whole Foods, Honda, and more. To learn more about ESG, visit www.esgimpact.com. More information on the MSH foundation can be found at www.msh-foundation.org. ESG Contact Media Relations mediarelations@esgimpact.com printer friendly version [...] Read more...
May 8, 2018ESG is Sole Denver-based Organization to Receive Client and Peer-Nominated Distinction. Execution Specialists Group (ESG), a strategy execution-focused consultancy, today announced that the organization has been named by Forbes to its list of America’s Best Management Consulting Firms for 2018. Just ten years after its founding in Denver, 2018 marks the third consecutive year that ESG has appeared on Forbes’ annual ranking of the highest rated consultancies across all sectors and functional areas. ESG is among just over 200 management consulting firms nationwide to earn a spot on the list and the only firm headquartered in Denver. “What continues to make ESG’s appearance on the Forbes list such an honor is that the ratings are taken from more than 1,000 clients and more than 7,500 other management consultancies. To receive the recommendation of peers and senior executives is tremendously meaningful to me and our entire team,” said Mark Newhall, founder and CEO, ESG. “Among the consultancies on the list, we feel ESG is extraordinarily well-positioned, not only in its depth of strategic expertise, but also in its place as one of Colorado’s most unique and capable homegrown organizations.”   To compile its list, Forbes partnered with market research company Statista to survey partners and executives of management consultancies, as well as senior executives who had worked with such firms over the last four years. Respondents were asked to recommend consultancies across predetermined sectors and functional areas and firms with a disproportionate number of recommendations were organized into star ratings. About ESG Based in Denver, Colorado, Execution Specialists Group (ESG) is a strategy execution-focused consultancy with extensive global experience engaging with client senior leadership to plan and deliver on complex integration, transformation, and innovation objectives. ESG relentlessly focuses on delivering meaningful client outcomes and leaving behind a culture of execution. Recognized by Forbes as one of the “Top Management Consulting Firms” for the past three years (2016-2018), ESG has consistently delivered on client transformation across all functional disciplines including sales, merchandising, supply chain, marketing, real estate, technology, human resources and finance to deliver disciplined program design and execution. Clients include Advance Auto Parts, Caesars Entertainment, Gordon Food Service, Office Depot/OfficeMax, Target Corporation, Whole Foods and more. To learn more about ESG, visit www.esgimpact.com Media Contact Jennifer Levasseur (720) 235-0816 x399 mediarelations@esgimpact.com Printer Friendly Version [...] Read more...
March 7, 2018DaimlerChrysler.  AOL Time Warner. Exxon-Mobil. These are just some of the high profile case studies (some good, most disastrous) that spring to mind whenever companies start discussing a “merger of equals.” From a strictly technical standpoint, a merger of equals occurs whenever stockholders of both companies trade in their old stock for ownership in a newly created company. But even in transactions where one company is clearly subsuming the other, executives still trot out the “MOE” terminology for purely psychological reasons that have little to do with finance. Even with the lessons of past failures fresh in their minds, corporate leaders continue to peddle new math where 1+1=3. Don’t believe the press release headlines – here are four reasons why it’s time to retire the notion of the perfect corporate marriage: Because no one believes it anyway.  More often than not, executives and marketers use merger of equals-type language for its optics, attempting to put employees, investors, customers and partners at ease. Just as often, the spin only results in more skepticism from all parties. Companies may want their workforce to share their long-term vision for a combined entity, but everyone knows that mergers involve endlessly shifting variables. There’s too many examples of cost-cuttings and sweeping reductions in force for most employees to see past the immediate impact on their daily lives. Politics, politics, politics.  In the first months of a merger, there’s plenty of talk about cooperation, integration, synergies, about setting aside egos and coming together to leverage the strengths of both entities in an unbiased manner. Hogwash. Combining two entrenched hierarchies into a single, fully functioning executive team – all done without hurt feelings, or bruised egos? Sorry, doesn’t happen. And don’t even look twice at terms like “two in a box.” At the end of the day, someone wins and someone loses, and you can usually tell who once you start asking questions like “Who is In Charge of What?” Culture clash. In sports, it isn’t uncommon for competitors to change from adversaries to teammates overnight. In a corporate merger, that scenario is played out on a large scale. What baseball teams might refer to as “good clubhouse chemistry” exists for companies as well, and that environment is often impossible to mass produce or force into existence.  Companies have established personalities and values that cannot be morphed into one simply by combining names with a hyphen. One culture will almost always subsume the other, leaving one legacy company feeling alienated. Square pegs and round holes. Even if cultural, language, and financial barriers are overcome in the course of an MOE, there’s often plain and simple infrastructure and technology integration issues that need to be addressed. What happens to one company’s HR system when a bigger and more expensive system is in use at the other? Can they integrate and, even if they can, does it even make sense to try and force employees to adapt? The larger, more established platforms almost always win out in these situations, with the legacy systems (and the morale of the employees trained on them) often discarded. What makes more sense Given the high stakes, sensitivities and potential pitfalls of any corporate transformation, companies should set a sensible tone at the outset of merger – one that prioritizes facts over feelings. Identify strengths; accept weaknesses: Well ahead of any big announcements, corporate boards and management teams should identify redundancies, recognize their disparate organizations’ strengths and weaknesses and make the tough calls on how to make the combined entity most efficient and profitable. Establish leadership – it won’t just sort itself out: To avoid giving competitors an opportunity to pounce, internal communication of leadership roles should happen immediately, before politics and in-fighting poison the environment. Forget the sunshine and synergy: employees are always better off when they know the chain of command and overall corporate objectives. Be real: As transformations take place, it’s up to corporate leaders to maintain employee morale and engagement. They need to establish fact-based messaging that validates the purpose and potential of the combined entity and enables employees to feel pride of ownership over more than just the company’s financial status. “Merger of equal” messaging makes it nearly impossible for that new mission to establish. “Happy talk” costs employees and company valuable time, when the best practice is to rip off the BandAid of uncertainty and get on with it. Here to help M&A continues to be a fundamental way to drive growth – it’s not always a bad thing. Prudent companies, however, will take a more thoughtful approach when considering this course and will engage the help of business experts who bring together companies, people and systems together on a daily basis – not just every couple years. If the right advisors are chosen, and used correctly, these experts can create a sensible plan that’s heavy on execution, devoid of emotional attachment and able to meet realistic expectations from all involved. —By Mark Newhall, ESG Founder and CEO Printer Friendly Version [...] Read more...
April 18, 2024Execution Specialists Group (ESG), a strategy execution-focused consultancy based in Denver, CO, is excited to announce the addition of executive Mike Gentile as a new partner to the firm. With a distinguished career spanning more than three decades, Gentile brings extensive leadership experience from the office products industry and a proven track record of success in sales, marketing, and operations. Gentile previously served as the President & CEO of Independent Suppliers Group (ISG), a leading worldwide business products buying group. He is also a past Chair of Business Products Group International (BPGI) and is the recipient of the “2023 Industry Achievement Award” from Office Products International (OPI), the global go-to hub in the business supplies industry. Prior to his role at ISG, Gentile also held key leadership roles at Boise Cascade Office Products (now a part of OfficeMAX/Office Depot), and Boise Technology, among others. A customer-driven leader and critical thinker, Gentile’s background in creating and executing effective B2B and B2C business development strategies for new channel development, sales re-engineering, supply chain streamlining, product development, and operational workflows has led to rapid, impactful, and consistent results. “We are thrilled to have Mike’s long-standing leadership and expertise for ESG and our clients,” Mark Newhall, CEO of ESG emphasized. “I have had the privilege of knowing and working with Mike for decades, and the value he brings to clients undertaking technological innovation and business transformation is unparalleled.” About ESGHeadquartered in Denver, Colorado, Execution Specialists Group (ESG) is a strategy execution-focused consultancy with extensive global experience engaging with client senior leadership to plan and deliver on complex innovation and transformation objectives. ESG relentlessly focuses on delivering meaningful client outcomes and leaving behind a culture of execution. Recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best Management Consulting Firms for six years running in the areas of Business Strategy and Supply Chain Management, ESG clients include Advance Auto Parts, Bridgestone, Caesars Entertainment, DexKo Global, Gordon Food Service, Parts Town, Target Corporation, The Adecco Group, and more. To learn more about ESG, visit www.esgimpact.com. Media ContactSara Blakelysblakely@esgimpact.com [...] Read more...
March 25, 2021With transformational goals back on the agenda, customers and peers continue to recognize ESG for its domain expertise in the area of supply chain management Execution Specialists Group (ESG), a strategy execution-focused consultancy, today announced that the organization has been named to the Forbes list of America’s Best Management Consulting Firms for 2021 for the sixth consecutive year. ESG is one of just 230 management consultancies nationwide to earn a spot on the list and is among only 31 firms included in the supply chain management category. This latest recognition follows one of the most challenging years for American businesses in decades, during which ESG continued to demonstrate its strategic value to companies looking to optimize their customer experience through the effective digital transformation of their supply chains.  “It remains a tremendous honor for ESG to appear among the short list of management consultancies recognized by Forbes, particularly as the ratings are taken directly from both clients and other firms that understand the unique business challenges brought forth by the global pandemic and its aftermath,” said Mark Newhall, founder and CEO, ESG. “In today’s environment businesses have  been challenged like never before. Through our deep domain expertise and decades of experience we have been able to help companies to not only optimize their supply chains but to leverage best practices across the customer experience spectrum to transform them into competitive differentiators in the market.”   To compile its list, Forbes partnered with market research company Statista to survey partners and executives of management consultancies, as well as senior executives who had worked with such firms over the last four years. Respondents were asked to recommend consultancies across predetermined sectors and functional areas and firms with a disproportionate number of recommendations were organized into star ratings.  Launched in 2008, ESG has achieved year-over-year growth by offering executional expertise to plan and implement client roadmaps to success. The firm’s cross-functional team has expanded to include a diverse set of specialists at multiple levels and across a variety of industries. In a time of transformation, ESG exists to champion change by providing a practical independent perspective that picks up where strategy leaves off, architecting and executing targeted outcomes for complex cross-functional initiatives.  About ESG Based in Denver, Colorado, and with operations in Chicago and Boston, Execution Specialists Group (ESG) is a strategy execution-focused consultancy with extensive global experience engaging with client senior leadership to plan and deliver on complex integration, transformation, and innovation objectives. ESG relentlessly focuses on delivering meaningful client outcomes and leaving behind a culture of execution. Recognized by Forbes as one of the “Top Management Consulting Firms” for the past six years (2016-2021), ESG consultants  have led hundreds of post-M&A integration initiatives across all functional disciplines including sales, merchandising, supply chain, marketing, real estate, technology, human resources and finance to deliver disciplined program design and execution. Key clients have included Caesars Entertainment, Gordon Food Service, Office Depot/OfficeMax, Bridgestone, Target Corporation, Whole Foods and more. For additional information about ESG, visit www.esgimpact.com Media Contact Jennifer Levasseur (720) 235-0816 x399 mediarelations@esgimpact.com Printer Friendly Version [...] Read more...
February 13, 2018Execution Specialists Group (ESG), a strategy execution-focused consultancy,  is pleased to announce the appointment of ESG’s Chief Financial Officer, Jodi Mercer, to the Emily Griffith Foundation Board of Directors for a three-year term (2018-2020).   Mercer joins the Emily Griffith Foundation Board with more than 17 years of senior executive and distribution industry experience in both field and corporate finance and accounting. She currently serves as CFO of ESG, responsible for long term financial planning compliance and reporting and treasury functions.  Prior to ESG she was Vice President / Corporate Controller for Renewable Energy Systems Americas and held numerous financial leadership roles with  CRG West, Corporate Express and Clopay Corporation.   In addition to her finance background, Mercer is the Treasurer and Secretary of the Making Strategy Happen Foundation, the charitable arm of ESG, and volunteers as a mentor with Women’s Bean Project, one of the Foundation’s partner organizations. She is actively involved with a number of animal welfare organizations as well. “We are delighted to have Jodi join our Board of Directors,” said Alby Segall, President of Emily Griffith Foundation. “Jodi brings nearly two decades of financial expertise as well as previous foundation board experience to our Board of Directors and her skills and experience will be valuable to help us meet our Foundation goals.” “I am passionate about the Foundation’s purpose to provide resources to ensure opportunity for all who wish to learn,” said Mercer. “I truly admire the thought leadership on the future of workforce development and feel we’re at an inflection point right now. By joining the Foundation Board, I want to help drive our leadership nationally in this space, while championing workforce education.” Emily Griffith Foundation provides financial support to Emily Griffith Technical College which enables the school to keep its tuition rates one of the lowest in the state while providing cutting-edge education in growing industries.   About ESG Based in Denver, Colorado, Execution Specialists Group (ESG) is a strategy execution-focused consultancy with extensive global experience engaging with client senior leadership to plan and deliver on complex integration, transformation, and innovation objectives. ESG relentlessly focuses on delivering meaningful client outcomes and leaving behind a culture of execution. Recognized by Forbes as one of the “Top Management Consulting Firms” for the past two years (2016 and 2017), ESG leaders have managed hundreds of integrations across all functional disciplines including sales, merchandising, supply chain, marketing, real estate, technology, human resources and finance to deliver disciplined program design and execution. Clients include Caesars Entertainment, Gordon Food Service, Office Depot/OfficeMax, Staples, Target Corporation, Whole Foods and more. To learn more about ESG, visit www.esgimpact.com About Emily Griffith Foundation Our financial support of Emily Griffith Technical College (EGTC)  enables the school to keep its tuition rates one of the lowest in the state while providing cutting-edge education in growing industries.  Our innovative work ensures students have the support they need to succeed — both inside and outside the classroom. As a result, EGTC students enjoy one of the highest completion (89%) and job placement (81%) rates in the state. 100% of EGTC students benefit from our support, which allows every student to graduate without student loan debt. For more information, visit www.egfoundation.org   ESG Media Contact: Jennifer Levasseur (720) 235-0816 x399 mediarelations@esgimpact.com   Emily Griffith Foundation Contact: Alby Segall 303-520-4962 asegall@egfoundation.org [...] Read more...