A globally operating German pharmaceutical company hired the current interim manager as managing director of a Spanish subsidiary. The subsidiary consisted of a large sales organization with its own production facility. The interim manager was to integrate the site into the parent company's international strategy as a salaried managing director and tap into the existing potential. In the initial phase, the focus was on realigning and optimizing sales.
First rapid progress achieved by realigning the sales force
In one of the first projects, the interim manager optimized the resources in the sales force in particular. As the manager's analysis revealed, the company had not sufficiently taken into account the continuously changing market dynamics, the diverging profitability of the products and the inefficient customer visit figures of the sales staff.
The interim manager then developed a new sales force structure together with the managers in a project lasting several months. Using a carry-over analysis, he redefined the sales potential and contribution margins for all products - and brought the results of the theoretical optimization in line with what was feasible in the market and for the company. This resulted in a new, expanded sales force structure with new focus products and an appropriate distribution of sales staff across the area.
Sales structure of the division examined and realigned
The interim manager then put the entire sales structure to the test. The aim of the analysis was to build a more profitable relationship with all stakeholders. The first step was to reassess roles and responsibilities in all functional departments. The analysis revealed that important management positions either did not exist or were not adequately filled. The interim manager then worked with the management team to develop detailed skills profiles, put them together in an organization chart and initiated the personnel search.
New organization chart improves cross-departmental collaboration
The interim manager also derived new communication processes from the organization chart. It was now ensured that all relevant information was available across all departments. This improved collaboration enormously: management and sales were now able to react earlier and proactively, for example to results from the research department regarding the market readiness of planned innovations.
Digitalization decisively advanced with the introduction of a CRM system
The current interim manager contributed to significantly more transparency in the company by driving forward the digitalization of central processes. He initiated the initial introduction of a customer relationship management system. After evaluating the market together with his team, he selected a provider - and received approval from the Group. In the next step, the interim manager led the CRM project - from the collection of all necessary information and processes to the successful implementation.
Sustainably increasing the performance and efficiency of the sales teams
The new structures, improved communication and the CMS system proved to be the levers that significantly increased the performance and efficiency of the sales teams. Even years after the mandate, the company is still working successfully on the basis that the interim manager laid as managing director.
