ENERGIS
RE-POSITIONING A B2B TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY FROM THE INSIDE OUT.
Crucially, Dave helped generate new sales in excess of £500M.
CHALLENGE:
Once the darling of the FTSE 100, Energis was listed bankrupt in 2003. Over expansion into Europe, coupled with aggressive price discounting in the UK left a once proud institution in tatters and crippled with debt.
A new chairman and CEO, Archie Norman and John Pluthero (formerly of Freeserve) set about reinventing the business. Backed by private equity money they wanted to fundamentally change the way customers viewed B2B telecommunications - and in doing so, create the world’s first profitable alternative telecommunications company.
An industry characterised by poor service, inflexible solutions and commodity selling, telecommunication companies had systematically let their customers down by over-promising and under-delivering. Turning the business around wasn’t going to be easy.
SOLUTION:
Dave worked hand-in-hand with the executive board to drive internal change throughout the business.
At the heart of the Energis story was a belief that customers deserved better. A promise to colleagues and a commitment to customers to always find a better way through:
* better understanding
* better service
* better value and ultimately
* better delivery.
With a new, relevant and believable vision, Dave could help Energis motivate 2,000 staff around this new vision. Having built the business from inside, out, it was also able to convince new customers to join.
RESULTS:
Energis ultimately sold the business to Cable&Wireless for £600million cash and Dave is now working with the executive team of Cable&Wireless to “do an Energis” on a much larger scale with the Group Executive Chairman, John Pluthero.
