Case Study: Baria Planning Solutions - Fixing the Sales Process
Case Study: Baria Planning Solutions, Inc.
Case Overview
Baria Planning Solutions (BPS), Inc. was founded in 1997 and is a publically traded firm with $95 million in annual sales. BPS helps its customers reduce procurement costs and improve the performance of their suppliers. BPS uses a combination of software, data analysis, project management and consulting to scrutinize its customers’ spending categories, identify sources of potential savings through initiatives such as supplier consolidation and purchase standardization, and implements procurement and change-management projects to realize those savings. Over the past several years larger competitors such as SAP and Accenture entered this market, captured share and caused smaller competitors to consolidate. Through acquisitions, BPS’s primary markets include the U.S. energy sector, government sector (federal and state agencies, larger municipalities and non-profits), manufacturing companies and the retail sector.
More recently BPS’s performance showed disappointing results and the company is trying to determine the best approach to reverse this trend. Specifically, BPS’s win-loss ratio, qualified new sales opportunities and renewal rates have all been declining. Additionally, BPS has realized some issues with the organizational of their sales team, sales support group and sales operations group. Through acquisitions, BPS acquired companies to remain competitive in the market place but has identified significant inefficiencies among the groups. For example, proposal deadlines are being missed and an effort to cross-train employees has proved costly and has actually reduced productivity.
Faced with these challenges, BPS North American Sales President, Brandon Ali, has tasked newly hired Christy Connor with preparing a proposal containing recommendations on how they can turn the situation around.
Case Questions 1. What are the organizational and operational issues that underlie the problems
Case Overview
Baria Planning Solutions (BPS), Inc. was founded in 1997 and is a publically traded firm with $95 million in annual sales. BPS helps its customers reduce procurement costs and improve the performance of their suppliers. BPS uses a combination of software, data analysis, project management and consulting to scrutinize its customers’ spending categories, identify sources of potential savings through initiatives such as supplier consolidation and purchase standardization, and implements procurement and change-management projects to realize those savings. Over the past several years larger competitors such as SAP and Accenture entered this market, captured share and caused smaller competitors to consolidate. Through acquisitions, BPS’s primary markets include the U.S. energy sector, government sector (federal and state agencies, larger municipalities and non-profits), manufacturing companies and the retail sector.
More recently BPS’s performance showed disappointing results and the company is trying to determine the best approach to reverse this trend. Specifically, BPS’s win-loss ratio, qualified new sales opportunities and renewal rates have all been declining. Additionally, BPS has realized some issues with the organizational of their sales team, sales support group and sales operations group. Through acquisitions, BPS acquired companies to remain competitive in the market place but has identified significant inefficiencies among the groups. For example, proposal deadlines are being missed and an effort to cross-train employees has proved costly and has actually reduced productivity.
Faced with these challenges, BPS North American Sales President, Brandon Ali, has tasked newly hired Christy Connor with preparing a proposal containing recommendations on how they can turn the situation around.
Case Questions 1. What are the organizational and operational issues that underlie the problems