Redstone Telecom is a major ICT systems integrator offering a full range of IT and telecom products and services. Their range covers networks, phone systems, mobile, e-security, virtualization, back-up and archiving. Axiall helped them to identify a number of key issues:

• Client analysis identified poor penetration of the Mid-Tier (200-999 employees) market
• Existing Mid-Tier clients acquired opportunistically, not through strategic corporate positioning with clear value proposition and competitive point-of-difference
• Sales teams operating tactically and focused on short-term one-off product sales which positioned the company as a supplier, not a potential partner
• Weak engagement capabilities at IT Director level to initiate strategic relationships

We created a programme to identify the key dynamics affecting mid-tier company purchasing attitudes and supplier relationships. The programme utilised an Ofcom report highlighting that Mid-Tiers want the strategic input enterprises expect from vendors, but tend to get point solution-led / end-of-quarter price offers via cold calls

• We developed a business needs analysis consultative approach
• Introduced as an independent resource we didn’t try to sell anything; our aim was to build a picture of the prospect’s business model, identify the role of ICT in the business together with current issues and challenges and find potential common ground with our client’s offering
• We offered a free workshop with our client to discuss the prospects’ key issues / challenges, providing a ‘soft’ sell start to building the relationship

Deliverables to the client included:

• A contact list of 1,000 profiled companies
• A database of 200 qualified IT decision-makers relevant to the client offering
• 30 qualified opportunities at a cost per opportunity of £875
• A current estimated pipeline with a first year value of £280,000 = >10 times cost

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