DITCH THE PITCH

PROBLEM / SITUATION
Company realized the biggest opp to improve biz results was by increasing the productivity of its independent distributors. However, there wasn’t a framework to provide business-building best practices across its global network.
Y&CO. SOLUTION / IMPLEMENTATION
Yastrow & Co. designed a custom relationship building and sales program, based on Yastrow & Co.’s proprietary Ditch the Pitch sales methodology. This program was created in both Spanish and English. In the first year the program was deployed to 2,300 distributors in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
RESULTS
Program participants were promoted, based on performance, at 6x the rate of non-participants. Pay, based on productivity, also increased at rates significantly above that of non-participants. Based on these results, the company is continuing to expand the program, launching in additional countries.
PROBLEM / SITUATION
The company had grown to a substantial size through acquisition. Due to a fragmented culture and a lack of solid sales training, the company was suffering significant sales person under-performance and attrition.
Y&CO. SOLUTION / IMPLEMENTATION
Yastrow & Co. was engaged to improve sales effectiveness through sales training and development of sales best practices. Yastrow & Co. created a customized training program, based on our proprietary Ditch the Pitch concepts, to train 100 of the company’s salespeople.
RESULTS
Performance and morale of the sales force improved, resulting in improved business results and higher retention rates. The company reported record profits that represented an increase in profitability of more than 25% in the period it took to implement the program company-wide.
CLIENT QUOTE
“Without an effective roadmap, our salespeople were not having the right conversations with customers and were unable to establish relationships that would lead to loyalty and sales. We now share sales across the country, and each office looks and feels unified. We’ve succeeded in impacting the attitude of employees so that it matters to each office what’s happening in other offices.”
PROBLEM / SITUATION
Sales productivity varied greatly within the sales force. The company needed to improve the performance of most sales team members in order to optimize performance.
Y&CO. SOLUTION / IMPLEMENTATION
Yastrow & Co. created a customized training program, based on our proprietary Ditch the Pitch concepts, to focus on differentiating and earning the loyalty of electrical contractors, who have the option of purchasing similar products from many other distributors.
RESULTS
“We are a premier distributor of electrical supplies and energy-efficient products, far out-pacing the industry in growth and innovative marketing. We have been recognized six times in recent years as the Distributor of the Year by IMARK, the industry's #1 marketing and buying group. As a family-owned business for over 60 years, we create value for our customers through reliability, teamwork, resourcefulness and compassion. We are a people-centered company where teamwork is essential, and team members are encouraged to develop their talents and make a difference.”

FIND YOUR WHY

PROBLEM / SITUATION
Because the company manufactures and sells such a variety of products in many industries, they experienced a fractured global presence. Not understanding its “Why” made it hard to close sales and unify the culture across 800 employees.
Y&CO. SOLUTION / IMPLEMENTATION
Yastrow & Co. engineered a comprehensive strategy project with the leadership team, followed by customer research. The resulting brand strategy focused the company on its “Why,” and informed the creation and implementation of a sales and marketing plan.
RESULTS
Yastrow & Co.’s work on messaging and employee branding has resulted in more clarity of messaging, enabling the company’s marketing and sales team to create more meaningful messaging and helping its locations around the world deliver a powerful customer experience.
PROBLEM / SITUATION
The company struggled to connect the compassionate, mission-driven perspective of the founders with the intense realities of operating a group of skilled nursing facilities.
Y&CO. SOLUTION / IMPLEMENTATION
Yastrow & Co. conducted 360-degree research with stakeholders, including residents, families and employees. We learned the key factors that contribute to loyalty among patients, residents and employees, from which we developed a comprehensive brand strategy. We implemented the brand strategy throughout sales, marketing and the entire company culture.
RESULTS
The company was the largest provider of post-acute healthcare services in their metro market, with 643 skilled nursing beds and 68 assisted living beds across 9 operations. Yastrow and Co.’s initiative improved the company’s acquisition value, and it was sold to an investment group.
PROBLEM / SITUATION
Company struggled to differentiate its high-performance apps from low-end, under-performing competitors.
Y&CO. SOLUTION / IMPLEMENTATION
Yastrow & Co. conducted in-depth research with customers to help the company define its Why. We crafted a comprehensive brand strategy and implementation roadmap, and trained company salespeople with our Ditch the Pitch method.
RESULTS
Based on this brand strategy, the company landed new accounts and grew a profitable relationship with Apple. The company also integrated the brand strategy into their employee culture and recruitment efforts.

BRAND HARMONY

PROBLEM / SITUATION
After years of significant business success, the resort was suffering a downturn due to a number of outside factors, including a global economic recession and media reports of violence in Mexico.
Y&CO. SOLUTION / IMPLEMENTATION
Yastrow & Co. analyzed the entire guest lifecycle to create a series of enhancements at all touchpoints. We focused on touchpoints that would increase reservations, improve the on-resort experience, grow guest loyalty and promote referrals. We engaged the entire staff of the resort in implementing these enhancements.
RESULTS
Yastrow & Co. helped the resort engineer a business turnaround that directly resulted in increased occupancy rates and significantly higher prices. Resort enjoyed immediate improvement in business results, along with long-term success.
CLIENT QUOTE
“I worked with Yastrow & Co. for 10+ years and appreciate how they helped our business succeed. Steve and his team were not just consultants – they were part of our ‘family.’ They helped improve our promotional techniques, increase our sales, train our staff, increase employee/customer interactions, etc. Several of the things that Yastrow & Co. helped us implement early in our relationship are inspirational to team members today. Over the many years, I had the fortune of getting to know Steve on a more personal level. He is kind, supportive, encouraging, and extremely wise. He knows what he is talking about! He is an all-around awesome guy and every person that has worked on his team has been just as great! I highly recommend Yastrow & Co. for any company or individual looking to build better relationships with their clients, which ultimately leads to better results!”
PROBLEM / SITUATION
The company recognized it wasn’t differentiated from the competition and that its services were complex and difficult to explain. The conversion rate for proposals was unsatisfactory.
Y&CO. SOLUTION / IMPLEMENTATION
Yastrow & Co. translated the company’s existing mission into a unified customer experience. We improved the customer experience at key interaction points and developed messaging for every aspect of customer communication.
RESULTS
Due to enhancements developed by Yastrow & Co., the company saw a significant increase in proposal conversion rates, resulting in higher revenue.
PROBLEM / SITUATION
The company’s B2B customer experience was fragmented and messaging surrounding program benefits was unclear and unfocused. The company was prevented from scaling and recognizing its potential.
Y&CO. SOLUTION / IMPLEMENTATION
Yastrow & Co. analyzed the customer experience to create a comprehensive brand strategy that spoke to both retailers and consumers. We deployed the strategy at all customer touchpoints, delivering a unified customer experience. We trained 100 employees and 30 independent distributors on how to deliver the experience.
RESULTS
The company saw improvements in customer acquisition, customer loyalty and referrals. Today, the company has 3,000+ retailers on 3 continents and in all 50 US states.

BE THE BRAND

PROBLEM / SITUATION
As part of a growth initiative, the company acquired a similar - sized competitor. The challenge was to build one company culture, with a focus on retaining employees of the acquired firm.
Y&CO. SOLUTION / IMPLEMENTATION
Yastrow & Co. involved all employees in creating a unified culture around 8 company habits. We deployed motivational and tactical training across all departments, with all employees.
RESULTS
The company credits the Yastrow & Co. initiative with the unification of its two company cultures. As a result, the company has enjoyed sales growth and significant employee retention in the competitive tech marketplace.
PROBLEM / SITUATION
Internal divisions with the company and a lack of collaboration between departments was constraining the company’s ability to fulfill service commitments to customers.
Y&CO. SOLUTION / IMPLEMENTATION
Yastrow & Co. developed and led the creation of an employee engagement program that included employee participation and cross-department collaboration to create a set of company habits and a stronger sense of a shared culture.
RESULTS
Cross-department collaboration improved considerably, enabling the company to operate more effectively and deliver on promises to customers.
PROBLEM / SITUATION
The company had a significant opportunity to grow, not only through new locations but through increased loyalty of the individually-operated medical practices doing business under three brand names.
Y&CO. SOLUTION / IMPLEMENTATION
Yastrow & Co. led the creation and implementation of a culture-building and employee habit program that helped unify the culture across the company’s national footprint of offices.
RESULTS
Significant improvements in teamwork, attitudes, and cross-department cooperation that led to better and more loyal patient relationships.
CLIENT QUOTE
“The project with Yastrow & Co. unified team members in different roles throughout a given practice, which had a significant impact on patient relationships. When the entire practice could look at the patient as their responsibility, relationships improved. Before the project, there was often no connection between the front office, dental assistants and dentists in the same practice. Companywide, entire practices unified behind the project and had a big impact.”
PROBLEM / SITUATION
The company had grown to a substantial size through acquisition, and needed to address a number of significant issues in trying to create a unified organization ... Evolving a fragmented culture, that was a result of the differing cultures of the acquired companies, into one unified culture, where all employees felt like an integral part of the overall organization.
Y&CO. SOLUTION / IMPLEMENTATION
Yastrow & Co. conducted workshops at all of the company’s 17 offices, involving all company employees. This led to the creation of a set of company habits, and a related program to develop and introduce a unified culture to the entire company.
RESULTS
These initiatives ensure consistent cross-corporate communication and increased revenue. In 2018, the company reported record profits that represented an increase in profitability of more than 25% in the period it took to implement the program company-wide.
Today, the company “offers the largest global footprint for audiovisual and unified collaboration technology.” It’s over 700 employees now complete more than 3,500 projects each year, and the company is now 100% employee-owned.
CLIENT QUOTE
“I believe that one of the reasons our bottom line was improved so much was that employees became willing participants in everybody else’s world.”

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