5. Strategies into workpractices

Vectia Case: Skanska Kodit

Can work practices be designed?

Starting point
In the technically oriented world of construction, Skanska wanted to shift the focus to a more customer oriented view. However, there was a gaping hole in the discussions between the customers and the customer guides, whose backgrounds were firmly in engineering. The new roles emphasizing customer understanding also created fear amongst the customer guides. Previously the customer guides’ primary cause of pride had been perfected technical issues, but due to the new role the guides had fears concerning their authority and professionalism.

Objective of cooperation
In order to break down the resistance to change Skanska needed Vectia Learning Systems as a neutral external party to overcome the fear of unknown. In order to do this, Vectia Learning Systems brought in the concept of work practice design and a three-step method with the aim of implementing new work practices and changing attitudes. Furthermore, the threats and fears of the guides were dealt individually providing them with a sense of really being heard.

Results and business impact
Through the process the customer guides quickly realised that they actually already were acting the new role. They had also achieved more refined customer processes and a more proactive attitude. Skanska, however, still needs to apply appropriate tools and develop a supportive corporate culture to take the change even further.

Based on case article in Vectia Explore magazine Autumn 2010.

Skanska is one of the world’s leading construction and project development companies. Skanska Kodit (Homes) is a residential developer.

Vectia Case: Skanska

Building from the base

Starting point
In the volatile construction industry which involves considerable resources and several stakeholders, customers need be provided the right kind of premises or cash flow rather than walls and square meters. The salespeople’s way of doing business, however, tended to be engineering-oriented and could best be described as spontaneous and reactive. Sales processes and tools were mainly considered restrictive.

Objective of the co-operation
Skanska needed to equip itself with proper, more systematic sales tools. Together with Vectia Skanska embarked on systematic sales case development. The idea was to proactively start with customers and their needs, not with walls and square meters. The training consisted of sessions and homework, a combination of theory and practice. Real-life examples were used as cases in the training to make the project as concrete as possible. The attending salespeople considered in teams the customer’s needs and challenges, how to formulate and articulate a value proposition for the particular customer, and what activities would be necessary to close the deal. 

Results and business impacts
The sales plan approach is now applied to all major projects and a systematic way of working creates better opportunities to succeed. The practicality of the training, especially the use of real-life cases, appealed to the participants and the results have been appraised. The sales training has later also been attended to by salespeople outside the Helsinki Metropolitan area – with promising results.

Based on case article in Vectia Explore magazine Autumn 2007.

Skanska is one of the world’s leading construction groups.

Vectia Case: Eli Lilly

A new medicine for sales compensation

Starting point
As the use of prescription medicine increases, doctors are subjected to ever-increasing marketing efforts by sales reps of pharmaceutical products. One key challenge is how to motivate the representatives to carry out systematic and target-oriented work in a limited time span. 

Objective of the co-operation
The aim was to derive from company’s sales strategy a new way to reward and motivate sales representatives. As the sales strategy was based on customer centricity and information, also the compensation model was designed to drive the desired behaviour. Using both quantitative and qualitative metrics the new incentive model was designed to bring more meaning to representatives everyday work by including behavioural elements. The compensation was based on reaching the sales quota and acting in a desired way. All the elements were included also in role-specific scorecards.

Results and business impacts
During the development phase Eli Lilly engaged people from all levels of the company to make the model as fair as possible. The possibility to influence one’s own working methods enhanced the motivation and encouraged team work. This new sales compensation model is believed to be first of its kind in the pharmaceutical field and it has been globally approved and applauded by Eli Lilly. The new model also helps in reaching the ultimate goal of the company: that patients will benefit from being prescribed the most appropriate treatment for them.

Based on case article in Vectia Explore magazine Autumn 2006.

A leading, innovation-driven company committed to developing pharmaceutical products.