DEFINITION: col·lab·o·ra·tion /kəˌlabəˈrāSH(ə)n Collaboration is the action of working with someone to produce or create something. Perhaps the best takeaway of a collaborative approach is that exercising it means making the competition irrelevant . How you might ask? It’s straightforward; understand your customers’ needs completely and bring solutions that matter, ‘ to them’. Let’s remove the veneer for a moment and deal with what it really takes for a company to BE MORE . Collaboration matters because it is ultimately about leveraging relationships and trust to gain partnership status with your customer. When the relationship boils down to price or comparing your product feature by feature with the competition, it can be a race to the bottom and does not always guarantee that the ‘Best’ player wins. However, it also spurs new pathways to success for both parties. It ensures that problems get solved as they arise. Customers often look for coaching; an intelligent sounding board and a fresh perspective, let’s face it - we all do. In a collaborative relationship, you are often, the first port of call. A natural outcropping of these problem-solving moments is an opportunity to grow closer in trust and professionalism. When we collaborate we create an environment for shared learning that forges new avenues for communication. "Open dialogue means sharing ideas, ruminations, and thoughts freely, in a safe and comfortable forum." When we are united, we learn from one another and this boosts morale across both enterprises. We intrinsically put stock in being worthy and valued. When applied in business, it allows us to nurture the values shared by both companies. Perhaps the definition of Win-Win can be whittled down to value-based mutual collaboration. It is interesting to note that collaboration leads to higher retention rates. Value-based alignments between companies and their customers naturally lay the foundation for a more engaged workplace. The atmosphere is then one is confidence, not fear; gain not loss; trust not suspicion. When it is front and center in the workplace, the feeling of safety it brings goes a long way toward preventing your people from looking for solutions elsewhere. Perhaps we can take this notion of Collaborative selling one step further and define the model as COLLABORATIVE SOLUTIONING: The principles of solving challenges. Organizations that make collaboration a focal point of their culture realize solutions that are identified more quickly, more creatively, and more openly. Out-of-the-box thinking is not an output of constraint but is born in safety. A collaborative solution is truly the principle of solving challenges. So next time you meet or e-meet a customer think ‘Collaboration’ from a perspective of how can I help ‘ solve ’ not so much how can I help ‘sell’? 4xi: Inspiring a brighter future, together. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side creating an impact on the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy, whether client, employee or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy , Design & Operations Human Experience: Customer (CX) & Employee (EX) Training & Development TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Philadelphia | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

Many organizations large and small can get lost when it comes to strategic partnerships and growth. Understanding your core strengths, weaknesses, identifying your Ideal Clients, their characteristics, where they are, in what industries, what's the best fit for your organization now, and into the future, are all fundamentals for your future success and growth. Sales teams can get stuck just filling the pipeline and meeting the quarterly or annual quotas that drive commissions and bonuses, chasing the short-term gain, not necessarily long-term sustainable growth. Self Reflection When was the last time you looked in the mirror understanding your current client base, which is the best fit for your business, not just in terms of size but the quality of partnership, the services you offer, the terms of business, the relationship, profitability and mutual benefit of being in business together? Your Competition When was the last time you took a hard, honest look at your competition - what they do, where they do it, how well they do it, their strengths, weaknesses, AND critically how you compare? Ideal Client Characterization With what clients do you do the best business with? What is their size, their culture, the value they place in the products or services you provide? What are the characteristics of the organizations you want to do business with? Your Brand Story How does your brand story resonate with your audience? Really? Is it a story that has just evolved over time, or is it one that you have actively tested out to understand how well it resonates, or not, with your target clients? Do they understand it fully? Can they articulate your brand message internally as they inevitably in-sell to internal stakeholders? Strategic Partnerships How well do you know your clients and prospects? Really? How deeply are you connected throughout the organizations with which you work? What level of connectivity do you have, level of advocacy within the business? How are you and your products and services perceived, and what incremental value do you bring to them? These are just some of the critical questions in the MarketMatch© process and on your journey to finding your TRUE NORTH©. "Are you reaching the key decision-makers at the right companies to fuel your growth?" Our proprietary MarketMatch© program is a collaborative, personalized approach to win and retain the best, most profitable business. Reach out today to start your journey of success at: hello@4xiconsulting.com or contact 4xi's Strategic Partnership & Growth team. Tony Johnson is Chief Customer Experience Officer at 4xi and is the co-creator of the MarketMatch© process. Tony leads 4xi's CX strategy, training, and execution. He is recognized globally as a subject matter expert, a multiple author, and keynote speaker on all matters CX. Contact: tonyjohnson@4xiconsulting.com Simon Elliot is Managing Partner & Co-founder of 4xi. He has spent his career in strategic advisory and growth leadership roles and in his previous role managed a $1B portfolio of FORTUNE 100 global companies, bettering their work experience. Contact: simonelliot@4iconsulting.com 4xi: Inspiring the future, together. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side creating an impact in the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy, whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory Amenities, Design & Operations Customer Experience (CX) Training & Development Strategic Partnership & Growth Innovation Solutions & Support Our Strength is in the Power of Our Collective. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley |Santiago London | Tokyo

Are you bringing value to your customers and your clients? That is really the only question that matters as you look to grow your sales and compete in this ever-evolving marketplace. Value Proposition is often a tool used in a sales process to identify what a potential client needs from a service provider and allows the company in question to craft an offer that will entice a potential client or customer to sign up for service. This thinking is a great start, but it goes so much deeper in the form of customer journey mapping. It is about understanding yourself as an organization as much as it is understanding your customers and clients. Customer journey mapping is a useful tool when it comes to looking at your end-to-end customer experience and identifying opportunities to improve your relationship. This begins before your clients ever sign a contract – it begins at the point of awareness. The trick with customer journey mapping is about is that it requires an outside-in approach, focusing on things from their point of view to understand their needs. When you adopt this approach, it allows you to learn about them and craft offers to fit their needs so everyone wins. Developing and fleshing out the right number of personas to allow you to understand the buying influence will also be helpful, as you may find a front-line leader has a different set of wins than an executive at the same organization. Personas (or avatars) are representatives of the organizations you most want to do business with and the buying influences within those organizations. It allows you to put a face and attributes to your potential sales leads – and to think about them as people with needs, wants, and emotions. "This also means you have to understand your own organization." Crafting a powerful value proposition requires substantial self-reflection, and you have to be comfortable taking a step back and asking yourself what problem you are solving and why anyone should care. This is where looking back to your personas will help you craft that compelling messaging. If you can’t solve a problem for your customers or clients that they can’t easily solve themselves then what’s the point of anything you are doing? You are likely used to hearing me talk on the topics of customer experience, employee engagement, and business execution – so what does this have to do with anything? It is the fundamental question of customer experience: How can you solve problems for your customers and help them achieve their goals. This is often discussed in the context of an individual. People are hungry, they are thirsty, they need to shave, and they need mobility. Enter cheeseburgers, sparkling water, razors, and cars to help solve those problems – all delivered by companies who have the right solutions at the right time and hopefully at the right price. The same process works very well for B2B plays, too. You can consider how you help organizations thrive as easily as you can individual customers; it becomes about considering what motivates the buying preferences of an individual as they activate solutions for a business rather than an individual. Regardless of individual or enterprise, you must dial in on Problems, Words, and the Wins. CUSTOMERS AND ORGANIZATIONS WANT HELP SOLVING PROBLEMS Regardless of individual or enterprise, you must be able to answer the basic question: I help _______________ to ____________________ by __________________. You could be helping business travelers recharge through your delightful hotel accommodations. You may be serving dinner and creating a sense of community for diners through your dinner offerings or you be ensuring safe and clean workspaces for employees and visitors through your cleaning and facility solutions. No matter your industry, you will have customers who have problems they recognize, like the basic example above, and those they haven’t realized you can solve for them yet. This means taking an adaptive approach to bringing value – and yet another place where customer journey comes into play. The more you can understand your customers, the better you can unearth problems they haven’t realized existed or solutions they haven’t thought of yet. WHY SHOULD YOUR CUSTOMERS CARE? This is the question most worth answering and why you have to put yourself in their shoes if you are going to be successful. Aligning with your potential clients and customers is about understanding your product and service and putting it into the context of a customer’s life. "That is why realtors stage houses – it makes it easier to visualize yourself in the home and how you would use the space for your needs." Understanding the wins for your customers is key – it helps you distill your message into a tangible “thing” for your customers that will make it more likely for them to buy your service. It also helps you align the use case for your product and allows you to think about new and innovative ways that you can bring value to those you serve. WHAT MAKES YOU BETTER THAN YOUR COMPETITORS The competition is anyone your customers do business with. Full stop. If you are in the healthcare industry and you are only benchmarking your services again other healthcare providers, that will set you up to be on the wrong side of industry trends. If you have a call center or online ordering, you can bet you are being compared to Amazon or Apple. You are being compared to the service received at Hilton, The Post Office, the local dim sum place around the corner, and anyone that your customers can search online. So, you must understand your competitive advantage with regard to others directly in your lane so you can be faster, easier, and more efficient – but not at the expense of ignoring the rest of the companies that are influencing your customers’ buying decisions. This again leads back to self-reflection and making sure you have those who will challenge organizational thinking as a part of your customer experience and sales teams. Creativity, execution, and storytelling are not easy by nature but with the right team in place (one that includes diverse personalities and points of view) you can overcome these challenges. The fact is when you focus on your customer’s pain points, can articulate the problems you solve, and can understand the best ways to bring value, it will set you on a path toward strategic relationship building and sales growth. These are just some of the critical questions in the MarketMatch© process and on your journey to finding your TRUE NORTH©. "Are you reaching the key decision-makers at the right companies to fuel your growth?" Our proprietary MarketMatch© program is a collaborative, personalized approach to win and retain the best, most profitable business. Reach out today to start your journey of success at: hello@4xiconsulting.com or contact 4xi's Strategic Partnership & Growth team. Tony Johnson is Chief Customer Experience Officer at 4xi and is the co-creator of the MarketMatch© process. Tony leads 4xi's CX strategy, training, and execution. He is recognized globally as a subject matter expert, a prolific author, and a keynote speaker on all matters CX. Contact: tonyjohnson@4xiconsulting.com Simon Elliot is Managing Partner & Co-founder of 4xi. He has spent his career in strategic advisory and growth leadership roles and in his previous role managed a $1B portfolio of FORTUNE 100 global companies, bettering their work experience. Contact: simonelliot@4iconsulting.com 4xi: Inspiring a brighter future, together. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side creating an impact in the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy, whether client, employee or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy , Design & Operations Human Experience: Customer (CX) & Employee (EX) Training & Development TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

Andy Barker joins 4xi Consulting as a Culture Change Consultant, bringing more than three decades of global experience helping organizations unlock performance through culture, leadership, and systems thinking. Andy’s roots are in safety and risk, but his work has always gone beyond compliance. From Europe to Africa, the Middle East, Far East, and North America, he has supported organizations in understanding how decisions, relationships, and behaviors shape the outcomes they care about most, whether that’s safety, performance, trust, or innovation. “Safety was the visible edge, but underneath it all was a cultural system influencing everything else. Leadership, trust, and the experience people have of being part of something that matters. 4xi’s focus on hospitality, experience, and culture is deeply aligned with what I care about most, making work more human and organizations more capable.” Andy is internationally recognized for enabling award-winning cultural transformations, earning accolades both personally and for clients who sustained their results long after his departure. One landmark example involved a multi-country engagement across 27 companies that shifted from chronic fatalities and burnout to zero deaths, zero suicides, and a 25% improvement in profit. The shift wasn't driven by a safety program; it was powered by collaboration, purpose, leadership alignment, and employee experience. That experience shaped Andy’s core philosophy: if you want better performance, you need a culture that enables contribution, critical thinking, and connection. Most business challenges aren’t caused by a lack of compliance; they’re rooted in how people think together, solve problems, and support one another across boundaries. Today, Andy helps clients decode those dynamics. He works with leaders to reframe culture from a soft concept into a structural advantage, one that connects how people feel with how organizations perform. At 4xi, Andy brings this expertise to help clients shift from intention to impact, embedding meaningful values into real-world practice and helping teams move from reactive compliance to proactive contribution. “I’ve spent my career showing that culture isn’t a side conversation,” Andy says. “It’s the architecture of performance. And when we shift the way people connect, lead, and learn, we unlock the potential that’s already there.” About Andy Barker Andy Barker is a Culture Change Consultant with over 30 years of global experience in improving organizational performance through culture, leadership, and systems thinking. Known for driving award-winning cultural transformations, he believes that a strong culture enables critical thinking, contribution, and connection, which leads to better outcomes. Andy helps organizations shift from compliance to proactive contribution, embedding values that enhance both employee experience and performance. 4xi Global  is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. WHAT WE DO We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking Project Management Office Food Craft Culinary Consulting CREATE. : Graphic Design and Creative Services DATAxi: Data Ingestion and Visualization Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Philadelphia | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

In today’s fast-paced world, standing out means more than just offering a great product or service. It’s about creating memorable experiences that keep customers coming back. Have you ever wondered why some companies seem to have a magic touch when it comes to customer loyalty? The secret often lies in how they approach customer experience. That’s where customer experience improvement services come into play. They’re not just a luxury; they’re a necessity for any organization aiming to thrive and grow. Let’s dive into how transforming your business through these services can unlock new opportunities, boost satisfaction, and ultimately, drive success. Why Customer Experience Improvement Services Matter Imagine walking into a store where the staff knows your name, anticipates your needs, and makes you feel valued. That feeling? It’s priceless. Now, think about how that translates into the digital world or any service environment. Customer experience improvement services help businesses create that kind of connection consistently. Here’s why they matter: Builds Loyalty: Happy customers are repeat customers. Improving experience means fewer complaints and more referrals. Increases Revenue: Satisfied customers spend more and are less price-sensitive. Differentiates Your Brand: In crowded markets, experience is often the deciding factor. Drives Innovation: Understanding customer pain points sparks new ideas and improvements. For example, a hospitality company that uses these services might redesign its booking process to be more intuitive, reducing friction and increasing bookings. Or a healthcare provider could streamline patient interactions, making visits smoother and less stressful. How to Identify Areas for Improvement Before you can transform, you need to know where to start. Customer experience improvement services typically begin with a thorough assessment of your current state. This involves: Gathering Customer Feedback: Surveys, interviews, and social listening reveal what customers really think. Mapping the Customer Journey: Visualizing every touchpoint helps identify pain points and moments of delight. Analyzing Data: Look at metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS), customer satisfaction (CSAT), and churn rates. Employee Insights: Frontline staff often have valuable perspectives on customer frustrations and opportunities. Once you have this data, you can prioritize changes that will have the biggest impact. For instance, if customers frequently complain about slow response times, investing in better support tools or training can make a huge difference. Unlocking the Power of Customer Experience Consulting Services You might be wondering, “Can I do this on my own?” Sure, but partnering with experts can accelerate your progress and avoid costly missteps. That’s where customer experience consulting services come in. These professionals bring a fresh perspective, proven methodologies, and industry insights that can transform your approach. Here’s what they typically offer: Strategic Planning: Aligning customer experience goals with your business objectives. Process Redesign: Streamlining operations to enhance customer interactions. Technology Integration: Implementing tools like CRM systems, chatbots, or analytics platforms. Training and Culture Change: Empowering employees to deliver exceptional service consistently. Continuous Improvement: Setting up feedback loops and performance tracking. For example, a retail chain might work with consultants to redesign their loyalty program, making it more personalized and engaging. Or a financial services firm could revamp their onboarding process to reduce confusion and build trust from day one. Practical Steps to Start Your Transformation Journey Ready to take the plunge? Here’s a simple roadmap to get started with customer experience improvement services: Set Clear Objectives: Define what success looks like for your organization. Engage Stakeholders: Involve leaders, employees, and customers early on. Conduct a Customer Experience Audit: Use surveys, interviews, and data analysis. Prioritize Initiatives: Focus on changes that deliver quick wins and long-term value. Implement Changes: Roll out improvements with clear communication and training. Measure Impact: Track key metrics and adjust strategies as needed. Foster a Customer-Centric Culture: Encourage ongoing feedback and innovation. Remember, transformation is a journey, not a one-time fix. Keep your eyes on the prize and celebrate milestones along the way! The Ripple Effect of Enhanced Customer Experience Improving customer experience doesn’t just benefit your customers - it transforms your entire organization. When customers feel valued, employees feel motivated. When processes are smoother, efficiency improves. When insights are data-driven, decisions become smarter. Here’s what you can expect: Stronger Brand Reputation: Word-of-mouth and online reviews improve. Higher Employee Engagement: Staff take pride in delivering great service. Better Operational Efficiency: Less time spent fixing problems means more time innovating. Increased Market Share: Happy customers attract new ones. Think of it like planting a tree. The roots are your customer experience strategies, and the branches are all the positive outcomes that grow from it. Nurture it well, and it will bear fruit for years to come. Transforming your business with customer experience improvement services is not just a smart move - it’s essential in today’s competitive landscape. By understanding your customers deeply, leveraging expert consulting, and committing to continuous improvement, you can create experiences that resonate and build lasting loyalty. Ready to make that change? The time is now!

The loss of any client is akin to a gut punch. The cost in dollars, energy, people power and effort to secure a client is always high. The original commitment of the parties that engaged with hope and the best intention for success is not to be taken lightly. When considering the effort expended, failure is not easy to swallow. To begin, consider four powerful ways in which losing clients impacts your business: 1. Revenue Loss : Lost client revenue increases the pressure on the business development team to try to make the annual growth goal. The earlier in the fiscal year a loss occurs, the steeper the growth mountain becomes to attain the company growth projections. 2. Profit Loss : Lost clients make the annual bottom line projections more challenging to achieve. This puts pressure on other functioning partnerships to generate higher profit – at what expense? 3. Opportunity Loss : Clients that are under a service contract have a longer-term profit margin beyond the current fiscal year. This opportunity is also lost. 4. Brand Loss : Every lost client has a negative impact on your company reputation. People talk, including professionals. The reputation of the company is its most valued asset. As it declines, so will your business decline. Current Clients - Where’s The Beef? The best client relationships, or partnerships, are built on the foundation of mutual value, or win-win as it is called in B2B. Over time relationships evolve, often requiring the value between both parties to be re-evaluated. The TRUE NORTH© methodology asks business leaders “When was the last time you reflected upon your existing clients for the value they bring to your company?” And if you are not receiving the value that you need, I bet you are likely not serving the client either. This then begs the question, who’s winning? It is excellent practice to step back and evaluate your partnerships on a value scale. Do adjustments need to be made and if so with which ones? Below are four basic questions to include in your evaluation. The outcome helps you answer the question “should I stay and try to reposition, or should I go?” 1. Profit : Is the partnership generating a reasonable profit margin for your services? How does it stack up against fair market value and the competition? 2. Advocacy : Assuming you are meeting (or exceeding) expectations, is the partner a willing advocate of your company in their professional circles, and do they serve you as a reference to prospective clients? 3. Growth : Does the partner consider you a valued strategic partner, willing to provide you with more growth opportunities at their location? Should I invest in this partnership? 4. Client Success: Is the client receiving value from your services? How do you know? Are there any other areas of value to your company that you should include in this exercise? Honest reflection about each client will help you decide how to proceed – exit, reposition, or invest. Too Big to Fail – the 80/20 Rule For many companies the Pareto Principle or 80% of the revenue arising from 20% of the clients is common. Is this true for your company? If so, who on your client list comprises that 20% and what is the risk of losing one of them? What measure are you using to determine the degree of risk? Are they at risk now, as you’re reading this? Partnership Health Assessment – an Ounce of Prevention is worth a pound of cure Working in the capacity of Vice President for Strategic Partnerships at a Fortune 500 company, it was my job, to accurately measure risk-of-loss with a portfolio of 8 partnerships valued more than $350M in annual revenue. As part of my responsibility, I conducted an independent account risk evaluation, or “Partnership Health Assessment”. This effort includes two distinct parts - key stakeholder meetings, and data review. The key stakeholder meetings are a critical component because business is conducted between people, and people have emotions. Emotions lead to behaviors and actions. The Partnership Health Assessment tool provides a measurement of the overall degree of risk. Third-party facilitation is often very helpful in conducting these assessments. As was said earlier, it is completed in two parts: 1. Stakeholder Meetings are the opportunity to gauge the human connection between the partners, not as easily measured, but measurable, nonetheless. Actions and behaviors are a byproduct of human emotions and a reflection of emotional intelligence. The stakeholder meetings should be conducted with a cross-section of people in the client organization to get a more accurate assessment. Have prepared questions. Pay careful attention to what is said, but also to voice tone and body language while engaging in conversation with the stakeholders. The meeting is also an opportunity to determine if clients are actively engaged and aware of the actual performance metric outcomes. 2. Data Review is a compilation of empirical information around performance metric outcomes for the service or product deliverables. The data should reflect inarguable measurements of performance outcomes important to client success and identify Key Performance Indicators (KPI). For the client, it answers the question “am I getting what I expected”? KEY TAKEAWAY: Your partners don’t want to make change – it’s interruptive, creates instability and is costly. But they certainly will if issues are not attended to, and the cost of change is seen as less painful than the cost to continue. This happens every day. Early evaluation and intervention are the path to prevent this from happening. But you can’t prevent what you don’t see. The outcome of the Partnership Health Assessment should be shared with the appropriate people in your organization, and plans established to either course correct, or invest in growing more business. Strategic Account Manager (SAM) Many organizations dedicate separate positions for the sole purpose of managing and guiding the health of specific partnerships based on the 80/20 concept. These positions typically report to the C-Suite in the firm such as a Chief Growth Officer. They work closely with the team delivering the service or product. They establish strong independent relationships with key stakeholders inside the client organization. They should be highly trained in their responsibility. When I functioned as a Vice President of Strategic Accounts, each account naturally experienced a different degree of risk while based on my evaluation. When asked about my role, I described it as representing not one organization or the other in the partnership, but rather the mutual success of the partnership and the concept of win-win. This resonated with the client and kept me focused on what was essential. Whatever a win-win looked like; it was my responsibility to cultivate such an environment to ensure the continuation of the agreement. This often resulted in added business. KEY TAKEAWAY - If you are a company with 80% of revenue is derived from 20% of your client base, or thereabouts, having dedicated Strategic Account Managers will pay enormous dividends to protect your business. If your organization does not have separate SAM (strategic account management) positions, then I recommend training all account managers in these concepts to maximize account retention. If you are one of the companies where 20% of your client base drives 80% of your total revenue, then I strongly recommend having dedicated SAM positions committed to that 20%. It will pay dividends, and you will sleep better. 3P Sensor Methodology Scientists believe that a dog has from 10,000 to 100,000 times better sense of smell than humans. Dogs have an estimated 125 to 250 million smell receptors compared to a human’s 5 million. I can’t fathom this, can you? I was once told that my dog could smell a drop of blood in my 22,000-gallon pool! Wow! Imagine having senses this powerful? When I was the Vice President for Strategic Accounts, part of my job was to use my experience to “sense” partnership risk. In my experience, I grew to view clients through three distinct lenses that have served me well in account management. They help me to sharpen my senses, organize my observations, and this then would shape my actions. They are now a key foundation of the 4xi Consulting TRUE NORTH© methodology. PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS – relationship components are critical in any partnership. The basic tenants are trust, respect, loyalty, and candid communication. If these attributes exist, almost any obstacle can be overcome - even a failure to deliver or missing payments. When the foundation changes it can be very difficult to restore, and the relationship is threatened. Account managers must pay very careful attention to professional relationships, ensuring that any misstep is redeemable. PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES – As discussed above, partnerships typically include Key Performance Indicators (KPI) that should have been co-authored to accurately reflect the measures for client success. These are the measurable deliverables as expected by the client. PERCEIVED PERFORMANCE – As the saying goes, “perception is reality”. It is challenging to reveal how the stakeholders feel about your company. “Are you easy to work with”, or “are you responsive to their special requests”, “are you highly knowledgeable of my organization and invested in my success” are three examples of human perceptions that you work to uncover during stakeholder meetings. Unresolved negative perceptions increase the risk for loss. Risk Indicators or Red Flags Seeing risk before it becomes unreversible is essential to preventing losses. If certain risk factors are not addressed early, the ability to mitigate or change the course becomes almost impossible. There are some obvious “red flags” that account managers should activate their sensors and be prepared to act upon should they occur. Red flags may also be opportunities to strengthen the bond with your client. Some examples to look out for: Changes in your team, particularly those closest to the client. Changes in stakeholders within the organization. Restructuring or reorganizing inside the client organization. Acquisition of the client’s company. Unplanned fiscal challenges your client partner encounters. Changes in the marketplace your partner does business in. Obvious stakeholder behavior changes. Change can be positive or negative. Not everything that happens is within our capacity to control. At their core, partnerships are human relationships that naturally experience ebbs and flows. Healthy growth certainly requires change. The professional strategic account manager has a highly developed ability to see changes that may be a threat or maybe an opportunity. They use their skills to influence change. They leverage their experience, emotional intelligence, and knowledge of human relationships to be alert to risk or opportunity. To learn more about 4xi, strategic account management, and TRUE NORTH© you can contact us at hello@4xiconsultimg.com or visit our website to learn more about who we are, what we do, and how we inspire a brighter future, together: www.4xiconsulting.com At 4xiGlobal Consulting authored the TRUE NORTH© Strategic Learning Academy centered on creating a new mindset for developing and retaining the best business partners, winning better, retaining better business. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy , Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Philadelphia | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

“Do or Die” is a dramatic statement, right? But there was a time when families and entire tribes relied on their hunters to venture out and find food for survival. Without food, they would die. I suggest that without brand new clients; an organization risks death as well. The profession of selling or business development is often viewed through three lenses: Hunting; Farming; and Trapping. TRAPPING works on inbound inquiries where interest is expressed by an interested potential buyer and requires follow-up. FARMING pursues new business from within existing satisfied clients, where a relationship exists between the buyer and the company. REFLECTION 1: Both Trappers and Farmers have the advantage of an interested party, a friendly bridge to welcome you and your story. Hunting on the other hand does not. HUNTING is all about finding and securing new clients for the firm and while may appear at first blush as intimidating and uncomfortable holds the promise of introducing your products and services to yet untapped customers. REFLECTION 2: Companies rely on their hunters to survive. New clients or customers are not nice to have every year but a MUST have! The expert hunter knows how to spend their time, and what time of day (or night) they need to be in place ready, waiting, and alert. They recognize the unique scent and physical movements of their target - they have knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses, they are experts in their approach, and they have a plan. The hunter carefully sizes up the opportunity to be certain of the risks involved. They are patient and careful about their movements. They are fully in-the-moment and undistracted. They are in control of themselves. Each movement is calculated, calm and focused. What visual does this story conjure up in your mind? For most of us, the story of a hunt is exciting and thrilling. It is, in fact, no wonder why some find the “thrill of the hunt” so appealing. Of course, our prospective partners are not our “prey”, but sometimes they flee when they see us coming thanks to badly behaving business development people that came before us. But I think you’ll agree that there are similarities in the description. For all the excitement of the Hunt, the real work of a hunter is done long before he departs for the hunt itself. First and foremost is the search for a prospect as it’s called and then second to gather as much intel on the potential candidates as possible. This requires the seller or hunter to “put themselves out there” and engage people they don’t know or have never met. This is where the age-old term “cold calling” originates from. The term causes many professional sellers to jump up from their chairs and sprint for the nearest hiding place. To hunt is certainly not for the shy or those who lack self-confidence; it does require certain skills that are not necessarily needed when Farming or Trapping. Nonetheless, the qualities developed are vital and so useful in business and life in general. Essential for a hunter is to put aside their ego; to be vulnerable to rejection, and not to feel like “no” is a personal rebuff. This mental strength requires a high emotional (intelligence) quotient (EQ). Hunters are some of the strongest, most reliable, and most intuitive people you will ever meet. I enjoy telling people about my first day on the job as in a business development capacity. After fifteen years as a multi-account manager, I was “asked” to take a sales position. I resisted, but took the position reluctantly. On the first day, I had no meeting to go to, and no appointment to keep. At the traffic light outside of my neighborhood, I didn’t know whether to turn right or left. I was literally starting from zero. I proceeded to do hundreds of cold visits trying to secure a meeting. I sent hundreds of follow-up letters (pre-email) to try and secure interest in having a meeting. It was admittedly drudgery, and depressing. I was also mostly unsuccessful, securing one meeting out of about 30. REFLECTION 3: there is absolutely nothing wrong with cold calling, it was simply that I was lacking guidance and was bad at it. My goal for cold calling was wrong, which meant my approach was also wrong. The good news is that I learned. I didn’t stop cold calling, as there were many benefits to doing this. I recognize that this is an arguable position but let’s save that debate for another conversation. I did learn other ways to prospect. I pursued introductions from colleagues. I learned how to plan for engaging prospects at industry association meetings. I learned how to research my prospects and develop messaging that would resonate with them. I learned how to engage in conversation with prospects to develop rapport and trust. REFLECTION 4: The importance of prospecting cannot be understated. Do you know how many hours your team invests in prospecting each day? Is it enough? Of course, with technological advances, today there are different avenues to attract and engage prospects. The internet makes research far easier to prepare you for prospecting. Your website and social media provides prospects with an opportunity to learn about your company and you before you even meet. Social media is powerful, along with email, texting, and direct messaging. But the need to prospect, to engage people in conversations is still a fundamental necessity of B2B selling. Why Isn’t Your Team Creating More New Clients? Business leaders often wonder why they are not creating more new clients as compared to “same store” sales. I suggest that there are four primary reasons. 1. Wrong People in the Wrong Seats on the Bus . Failure to carefully screen, interview and hire the right people to be on their business development team. Getting under the hood to see if the candidate has the right skills is essential. Are you using effective questions during interviews and requesting examples to support statements? 2. Obstacles & Distractions . Failure to minimize internal administrative work and meetings that takes them away from doing daily prospecting. 3. Enable with Resources. Failure to arm their business development team with the resources they need to prospect such as strong databases; funding association membership; funding a sales enablement team and marketing support. 4. Teach, Coach, and Hold Accountable . Failure to provide coaching and continuous training on how to effectively prospect. Sales leaders must regularly talk to their teams about their prospecting efforts and hold them accountable. Prospecting time is a leading indicator of success. What Leaders Can Do? This is where leadership plays a vital role in business development and achieving growth objectives. Ask yourself, are there internal organizational issues causing problems, or does it come down to individual skills and behaviors ? (Or both). What is the appropriate action to take and whose help should you solicit? Expectation Setting: Have you created an expectation around prospecting? If not, be sure to do so. Internal and Administrative : How much time does your CRM suck up from the average day of your salespeople? Invest in some basic training to speed up data input and save time to divert to prospecting. Consider dedicating two hours daily as “off limits for internal meetings”. Maybe from 8:30AM until 10:30 AM? Skills Training: How much do you invest in providing practical professional sales training and skill development? Internal Support: Is marketing and sales enablement providing effective insight material and publishing regular awareness information on social media? Industry Associations : Do you have pre and post meetings to critique their engagement success at industry association conferences? This is an essential practice to justify the investment in the event. Coaching : Do you have regularly planned coaching sessions where you ask challenging questions about their target list and prospecting activities? REFLECTION 5: If you don’t expect your team to prospect, they probably won’t. And the problem will not resolve itself. A Word About the Request for Proposal (RFP) So many industries rely on the RFP to “solicit bids” for business services, a highly ineffective approach for finding the best partner for the organization. The “arms-length” process attempts to level the playing field with respect to service scope to measure capabilities, while paying little attention (if any) to compatibility, a vital element for long term success. The RFP is costly for all involved and fraught with inefficiency. By nature, the RFP process positions the bidders in a leveraged and subservient position. In the end, they will be likely be squeezed for a lower price. This is not the basis for a fruitful partnership. My point is that bidding for pencils is not the same as bidding for professional business services. I will say, some companies conduct very good RFP processes and do search for a strong partner, balancing compatibility with pricing. But they are the anomaly in my experience. Most service companies do little to evaluate the RFP and whether (or not) to invest in delivering a response. They actually fear offending the company soliciting the bid should they decide not to participate. If they do decide to participate, little consideration is given to who on their team should respond, the hunter or the farmer or the trapper? REFLECTION 6: Will the RFP be primarily an exercise in writing skills, or will there actually be an opportunity to collaborate, or professionally engage with and influence the buyers from your point of view? In my experience, there are three critical questions to consider when it comes to receiving an RFP: 1. RFP Qualifying – use an evaluation tool to determine if the prospect fits your “ideal client profile (ICP)”, and aides in determining the odds of your winning. The tool should take into consideration topics such as the geographic location; the incumbent position; the motivation for the RFP; whether you have pre-established relationships at the bidder organization; to name just a few areas of evaluation. Someone will win the bid; will it be you? What are your odds? Create an effective tool for your company and live by it. 2. Response Leader – Hunters work with their ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) and predetermined target list to establish professional relationships before an RFP is released. If there is no pre-established relationship, and little opportunity to establish one, then the Hunter in the geography may not be the right person to respond. One of the competitors may already have a professional relationship which may create an advantage for them. Is there a “trapper” or “farmer” on the team that is better suited to generate the response? REFLECTION 7: If your company has more than 50% of its opportunities coming in by RFP, consider having people dedicated to this type of sale. REFLECTION 8: What percentage of the RFP’s that you receive do you respond to? What percentage do you win? Do they result in strong win-win partnerships built to last? 3. Response Efficiency – Sales Enablement and/or Marketing should have created standard categorized text responses to use when answering routinely included RFP questions. The prewritten text response should offer specific responses that speak directly to outcomes and be appropriate for “cut and paste” into the response and then customized if necessary. The prewritten responses should include proof statements where possible and should be routinely updated. The goal should be responding with high efficiency and minimal customization when there is no pre-established relationship, particularly if the Qualifying Tool resulted in a weak “go” outcome. REFLECTION 9: All that said, when you do have the right connections, relationships, and levels of engagement, a more tailored approach that meets the exact needs of the client will win every time. Conclusion If new clients are just coming your way without expending effort, this is awesome! But for many companies, this is not the case – not even close. Especially if you’re new to the market segment. So, my friends, you’ll need to ensure your team invests time to prospect new clients. It is the leader who has the responsibility to ensure there is adequate time and effort being given to this part of business development for the organization to reap the benefit of putting food on the table and creating new clients. To learn more about 4xi, strategic account management, and TRUE NORTH© you can contact Ed directly at edsnowden@4xiconsulting.com or visit our website to learn more about who we are, what we do, and how we inspire a brighter future, together: www.4xiconsulting.com At 4xiGlobal Consulting authored the TRUE NORTH© Strategic Learning Academy centered on creating a new mindset for developing and retaining the best business partners, winning better, retaining better business. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy , Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Philadelphia | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

In the book ATOMIC HABITS, the author James Clear says that companies and people do not rise to the level of their goals, but rather they fall to the levels of their systems. I for one agree with his statement, which certainly includes the sales and retention organization in most organizations. For this article, I’m going to focus on the sales organization. So, what do systems do for us? Systems provide a consistent support structure for processes and pathways. Actively working the system offers the organization efficiency, predictability, and accountability. I’m sorry to say that in my experience, the typical sales team is inept at capitalizing on the power of systems. All one needs to do is open the CRM of most sales organizations and you’ll find a database about as unused as the old cassette player in your basement. Many companies refer to sales executives as “individual contributors” who bring home new clients to the company leaders who are waiting with flowers, parades, and the red carpet rolled out. Rarely does anyone ask how they did it, they are simply thrilled to have a new customer. What I’m saying is that sales executives are often given a lot of latitude to do their jobs and held accountable for only one thing - meeting their sales goal. Nobody reports to the sales executive, which is the lens that Human Resources or leadership sees them through. Hence the label “individual contributor”. The value of a talented and producing sales executive in any organization is very high – but they do a job like everyone else in the enterprise. Too much fanfare can and does have a negative impact. Sales Executives should not function as “mavericks” and be aligned with the company goals and collaborate with others on the team. No exceptions. Takeaway: Many sales executives do not like systems and are reluctant to use them. But it is imperative that they do. More Than Goals Sales leaders are responsible for ensuring tools and reporting systems are utilized and accurately reflect what the sales team is working on in their cumulative pipeline. This is not an easy task if members of the sales team believe they are untouchable and feel like the “administrative tasks” are meant for someone else to do. Commonly known as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, give the sales leader and the organization line of sight into prospective opportunities, the actions being put against each one, and approximately when they will close. This in turn enables the organization to forecast revenue growth and plan for resourcing new client openings. The sales leaders must also be responsible for understanding how the CRM in use effectively serve the needs of the sales executives and the organization. Strong CRM’s can easily schedule future tasks, calendarize meetings, set reminders and synchronize with mobile technology for convenient use. Perhaps the most vital part of the sales systems is the insights that can be learned, and adjustments that can be made in the sales process or even the value proposition. Takeaway: Adhere to and adjust systems to tangibly serve the sales team members, not just the finance group. The Annual Sales Plan Most if not all companies develop an annual strategic plan that clearly spells out the expectation for revenue growth and profitability. Sales and growth leaders contribute to developing these plans. Every member of the sales team should write their own territory sales plan, all of which directly builds from the company strategic sales and growth plan. However, the individual sales plan should define specifically how they intend to achieve their own goal. The plan should include an updated target list of their prospects, the specific actions they will take to engage with them and how often they will take each action, be it a call, an email, a social media “touch”, etc. It should include what industry associations they will attend to engage prospects. Comprehensive sales plans will also include actions they will devote to industry publications, and self-development. Takeaway: Writing out a plan and sharing it is the same as making a commitment to action. The Sales Plan represents how sales executives will work toward achieving their goals. Leading Indicators Focusing only on the fiscal year sales goal is a recipe for mediocrity. Sales leaders and sales executives must understand which activities in the sales process, when performed well, will drive sales through the pipeline process. For example: How many reach-out attempts does it take to secure one introductory meeting? How many introductory meetings with clients will advance to a second deeper discovery meeting? How many discovery meetings take place before a proposal is delivered? How many proposals are delivered that result in a follow-up meeting or presentation? How many post-proposal meetings are there before a decision is made? How long is the average sales cycle from the point of the first meeting to the contract signing? How many proposals are the result of a formal bid request (RFP) and how many are not? This list can go on, but the important thing is that sales leader and the sales executives understand which data points focus on the key activities needed to drive the process. These activities become the subject of regular coaching and accountability discussions between the sales leader and the sales executives. Takeaway: Focusing on the scoreboard doesn’t move the needle. Focusing on leading indicators is what drives change and different outcomes. A Word About CRM Not all Customer Relationship Management systems serve the sales organization well. Choose carefully when selecting which one you want to use. They should not be just a system to house contact data that feeds financial forecasts to finance and other leadership. One that also serves the sales executive is a plus. One that will help them segment and work their target lists, schedule their reach outs well in advance, connect to their calendar for visual reminders, provide important notes on previous dialogue, house documents associated with their prospects and more. Nothing triggers frustration in a sales executive more than being asked for information that they’ve already taken the time to enter into the CRM system. I promise you this is a quick way to demotivate them to use the system. Takeaway: When selecting a CRM, choose wisely. Be certain it has the capability to deliver value to the sales team, not just the finance team. There Is More James Clear’s comment in his book ATOMIC HABITS is completely accurate. Sales goals that are supported by systems help the sales executive’s ability to manage effectively and efficiently. This is extremely important and not to be understated. But systems cannot create and foster meaningful relationships. Soft skills like building trusting relationships, collaborative solutioning and having strong emotional intelligence (EI) constitute the other vital ingredients to building strong partnerships in the B2B world. And this this leaves room for another article on the topic of emotional intelligence and soft selling skills. To learn more about 4xi, strategic account management, and TRUE NORTH© you can contact Ed directly at edsnowden@4xiconsulting.com or visit our website to learn more about who we are, what we do, and how we inspire a brighter future, together: www.4xiconsulting.com At 4xiGlobal Consulting authored the TRUE NORTH© Strategic Learning Academy centered on creating a new mindset for developing and retaining the best business partners, winning better, retaining better business. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy , Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Philadelphia | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

I can no longer afford to work in management fee-for-service arrangements”. I need a partner that I can’t live without that makes me and my organization better. My first reaction was fear.  Was he warning me that our professional relationship was coming to an end?  He went on to tell me about a “partnership” that he had engaged in with a well know medical equipment and equipment service provider.  He talked about mutual investment and getting in the harness together.  He talked about courage, alignment, and trust.  Now mind you, this is a person I considered a great leader and friend.  When I was an operations account manager, he was my client.  We enjoyed many dinners together, coffee breaks, rounds of golf and heady conversations about business.  I loved serving him and his health system.  As I sat across his worktable from him in his office (he never allowed himself to be distracted, he always got up from behind his desk for discussions) I listened intently.  He always offered insights that stimulated my thinking.  My fear began to subside, and I realized this was not a warning - rather it was an invitation and a challenge to open my mind and make a paradigm shift.  In hindsight it was a gift.  The Integrated Service program I was responsible for growing required that I find clients with a certain kind of mindset.  The mindset of a forward-thinking leader.  The mindset of a partner.  Exactly what this man had.  The picture he painted for me of his vision was high level and even incomplete.  This was perfect because much of the Integrated Service program required intense collaboration.  It required a mutual commitment to invest time to build it together.  As we came to the end of our time together, he agreed to meet with me again the following week to discuss the challenge he presented in more detail.  I came away invigorated and a bit impatient for our next meeting.  The meeting date came, and I was prepared.  I had sent an agenda out a few days prior to the meeting.  By design, it was a touch high level but allowed room to get down into the weeds as we needed to.  It was in this meeting I spoke to him about my company’s vision for a total paradigm shift in managing support services in a healthcare setting.  The program broke down 13 functional departments and reconstructed them into a far more effective 3 work teams.  It streamlined workflow into like-types for efficiency.  It established an environment where open communication ruled supreme over functional silos. This integration also cut across 3 individual healthcare facilities that functioned independently.  It was a beautiful thing, and he became excited as we discussed the incredible potential of this for the employees of both our companies and our organizations overall.  We agreed to get to work the following week.  The effort would require many members from both our teams. Fast forward 9 months later, after countless hours of collaborative design over evening pizza and soda dinners in a large conference room with Post-it pads hanging on all four walls  – we were ready to launch.  I’ll never forget the day the agreement was signed.  The Vice President of Human Resources at the health system had never bought in.  He could not get past losing about 400 employees to our company payroll, he struggled to see how they were set to benefit both personally and professionally with training, career enhancement, opportunities.  In the administrative suite, the COO brought the contract in for the CEO to sign.  The VP of HR clearly wasn't bought in, and the now co-architect of our new partnership, the COO challenged simply, “do you have a way to improve the care of our patients, the lives of our employees, and save over $1 million dollars at the same time?" That was the end of the objections and the partnership agreement was signed and sealed. Yes indeed, partners still must execute formal legal documents.  But this one was different.  Like real partners, we were sharing savings 50/50 – which were even more than $2 million dollars annually.  This was huge in 1997.  What was unique about this you might ask?  It meant our company would only get paid for the actual direct expenses we incurred until real savings were realized as outlined in the mutual budget – an Appendix to the agreement document.  The Governance Committee for Integrated Service, including executive members from each of our organizations, would have to concur that the savings were real, which was outlined in our Partnership Charter.  This effort took us to new heights.  Together, as the market changed, we implemented so many things to improve our Integrated Service program and the results it provided to the health system.  We expanded to include other partners as well.  From robots that collect trash to employee concierge programs to name a few.  These were what were considered cutting edge at the time.  1+1 equaled a lot more than 2 in this partnership.  Partnerships last.  This partnership endured another twenty-four years before the health system was purchased, and Integrated Service was dismantled.  They couldn’t catch the vision for something they had difficulty understanding.  It also did not align with their traditional silo departments.  I remember hearing them say “Integrated Service did not fit with their accounting programs”.  I knew at this moment; they would never “get” what we were doing.  Anyone can say the word “partnership”.  It sounds good and resonates with most business people. And this is unfortunate because the opportunities to do better are abundant.  Do you have what it takes to be a partner?   TRUE NORTH©  is your roadmap to building the right kinds of business relationships, with your ideal clients and creating the best outcomes for both your client and for your organization. Now available virtually in a convenient, on-demand video format so you can work at your own pace through the program. This program lays down the foundational learnings for your team - from building mutual trust to deep self-reflection of both strengths and opportunities, to the practical steps to retaining better and winning better business.   ​   From essential foundational workshops and collaboration to strategic partnerships and growth training, TRUE NORTH©  is an all-encompassing program, including:  ​  NORTH STAR: Fundamentals: Purpose, Mission, Vision, and Guiding Principles  FUTURE FOCUS: Where do you want to be and when?  MARKETMATCH©:  Ideal Client Characterization, Profile, and Prospect Targeting  GROWTH PLAYBOOK & BUSINESS PLAN: Your customized roadmap to growth  TRUE NORTH© Academy:  Growth, sales, and retention team training  TRUE NORTH© Workshops : specifically selected based on your situation.  PARTNERSHIP OPTIMIZATION PROGRAM (POP) : launching a new partnership or reviving  an existing partnership.  Ready to sign up? Look at our membership options below or visit   4xi360.com/truenorth  to sign up now.   4xiGlobal Consulting authored the TRUE NORTH© Strategic Learning Academy centered on creating a new mindset for developing and retaining the best business partners, winning better, retaining better business. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. WHAT WE DO We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences©: Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy: Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking Project Management Office Food Craft: Culinary Consulting CREATE.: Graphic Design and Creative Services DATAxi: Data Ingestion and Visualization Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Philadelphia | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

DISTINGUISHING A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP A Word About Outsourcing Outsourcing is a B2B contractual engagement to have services performed for your organization that you prefer not to do on your own.  When you outsource, you can select the type of business engagement you would like to have which generally falls into three categories: fee for service, partnership, or strategic partnership.  For this article, we will focus on strategic partnerships. Why Choose Strategic Partnership? There is ample evidence that Strategic Partnerships create better results over a longer period of time. These are results for both parties, not just one of the parties.  A frequently used description of a Strategic Partnership is often expressed in an equation:  1+1=3.  Essential Characteristics Not every company is suited for a strategic partnership, primarily because it requires relinquishing power and control, to equally share it with another company.  These organizations may be more suited for a simple partnership, or a traditional fee-for-service arrangement. There are relationship characteristics that must be mutually part of the strategic partnership and mutually adhered to in order that it reaches the agreed upon goals.  They are trust; transparency; collaboration; commitment to innovation; a vested commitment to the other organization’s “win”, and adaptable. Purpose | Mission | Vision | Values The skeleton of every organization is the Purpose (the Why), the Mission (the What), the Vision (the When), and the Values (the how).  Strategic Partnerships should as well.  As an example, the Allies (strategic partners)  in World War II formed a strategic alliance for the Purpose  of defeating tyranny and liberating people to be free.  The Mission was to join armed forces and implement a battle plan for the European Pacific Theaters of action.  The Vision  was to accomplish the purpose over a 3–4-year period.  The Values were to conduct the war in accordance with the Geneva Conventions rules of war as they were established up until that time.  The Convention developed more doctrine following the conclusion of WW II.  Often companies call their set of Values Guiding Principles. These should be reviewed by leaders at a predetermined cadence, particularly the Mission and Vision, for continued relevance to the Purpose.  Key Performance Indicators The more “nitty gritty” of the Strategic Partnership are the establishment of specific performance outcomes that stem from the Purpose, Mission, Vision, and Values.  The parties brainstorm what success will look like, how it will be measured, and how often.  These are distilled into what is known as Key Performance Indicators, or KPI’s.  This is the virtual scoreboard of operational outcomes.  The expectation is that if these outcomes are met, the strategic Purpose, Mission and Vision of the partnership will also be met. Grows Outside Boundaries It is noteworthy to convey that traditional fee-for-service relationships and even basic partnerships have boundaries, or specifications to work within.  In strategic partnerships, it is expected that there will be a spirit of “kaizen” as it relates to performance.  This means regular continuous improvement and innovation around processes and technology.  Even if this means bringing other aligned companies into the mix.  This does not imply change without adherence to the Purpose, Mission, Vision, and Values of the strategic partnership. Some more impactful changes would be brought to the Governance groups leading the strategic partnership.  Governance A strategic partnership, like most any initiative, needs governance for guidance and accountability.  Strategic partnerships will have two forms of governance with two specific roles.  The first is the Strategic Governance team that will typically meet at a cadence of twice or thrice annually.  The second is the Operational Governance team that will meet at a cadence of quarterly at a minimum.  In the beginning of the partnership, it is wise that this team meet monthly.  They will focus on Mission execution and the KPI’s.  Should there be a disagreement between the parties, there should always be a process for expressing grievances, however the parties should make every effort to resolve differences at their level before bringing it to the Strategic Governance team.  Embedding It is one thing to outline the structure of how a strategic partnership will work, but success is entirely dependent on the team from “top to bottom”.  Therefore an “embedding plan” should be developed giving rise to pushing out the information needed for everyone to own and take part in achieving the Purpose.  From Board level meetings to Senior Leadership Meetings; to “Town Halls”, to new employee Orientation, and any appropriate forum that will get people on board.  It is important that both parties’ senior stakeholders play key roles in this process.  Finally, Marketing and Public Relations should be instrumental partners in the embedding initiative.  From developing catchy tag lines to website announcements; to visual communication brochures; to media Press Releases – their expertise will be essential in both the launch as well as the on-going communication of the Strategic Partnership.  Reach Higher! Strategic Partnerships are the proverbial “fast ball” of the outsourcing play.  They take time and courage to develop and maintain.  But in my experience, they are worth it in every way.  TRUE NORTH©  is your roadmap to building the right kinds of business relationships, with your ideal clients and creating the best outcomes for both your client and for your organization. Now available virtually in a convenient, on-demand video format so you can work at your own pace through the program. This program lays down the foundational learnings for your team - from building mutual trust to deep self-reflection of both strengths and opportunities, to the practical steps to retaining better and winning better business.   ​   From essential foundational workshops and collaboration to strategic partnerships and growth training, TRUE NORTH©  is an all-encompassing program, including:  ​  NORTH STAR: Fundamentals: Purpose, Mission, Vision, and Guiding Principles  FUTURE FOCUS: Where do you want to be and when?  MARKETMATCH©:  Ideal Client Characterization, Profile, and Prospect Targeting  GROWTH PLAYBOOK & BUSINESS PLAN: Your customized roadmap to growth  TRUE NORTH© Academy:  Growth, sales, and retention team training  TRUE NORTH© Workshops : specifically selected based on your situation.  PARTNERSHIP OPTIMIZATION PROGRAM (POP) : launching a new partnership or reviving an existing partnership.  4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. 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Reducing waste and waistlines too! The latest ActionXImpact Sustainability Forum, hosted by Christy Cook, 4xi’s Chief Sustainability Officer in Residence, alongside Rick Green, Guckenheimer’s Head of Culinary, one voice stood out in the conversation about actionable sustainability in foodservice: Tony Benedia, Senior Consultant at 4xi Global Consulting.    Tony’s story, shared during the session, struck a chord with every operator, chef, and foodservice leader in attendance. It was a story rooted in adversity and in pure innovation. Tony recalled, We were faced with a challenge. Our key client had just announced layoffs and a freeze on all catering. Catering was our lifeline, a 20% margin business, while our cafés barely broke even. We were told to hold off on price increases and had to find a way to survive.   What followed was not just survival, it was transformation. Faced with constraints, Tony and his leadership team chose creativity over compromise. They launched seven new initiatives that reversed their deficit and became best practices - more relevant today than ever.    Smaller plates at a reduced price  Half-sized desserts at 60% of the original price    The Results?  Higher participation, happier guests, and improved profitability, without a single price increase.   Tony smiled as he recounted how their dessert sales jumped from 5% to 11% of total revenue. Guests loved the flexibility - a sweet treat that didn’t break the bank or the beltline. They could enjoy more variety, reduce waste, and feel better about what they consumed.    Fast forward to today, and Tony’s insight feels more urgent than ever.  Scaling down portion sizes does everyone a favor: it reduces food cost, waste, and reduces consumers’ waistlines too! Why wouldn’t every foodservice establishment adopt half the portion at 60% of the price?   It’s hard to argue with logic that simple, and that powerful.    A Menu for Everyone   According to ReFED, roughly one in eight U.S. adults are now taking a GLP-1 medication and early research shows that many users report smaller portion sizes and reduced overall food consumption. These shifts in appetite and portion size may have material implications for foodservice and restaurant operations, particularly around menu design, portion control, and waste reduction.    Imagine a menu that serves every guest and every purpose:  Standard Menu:  The classics, full portion, full flavor  Great if You’re Hungry:  Big enough to share, perfect for couples and for hearty appetites too Half Portions:  Lighter, smarter, sustainable, ideal for those who want less waste, fewer calories, and lower spend  This small operational shift brings a big impact: for the planet, for business, and for the people. This is what I mean when I say that Sustainability is Operational Excellence.   At 4xi Global Consulting, we call this Sustainability Simplified : real-world, actionable ideas that make both ethical and economic sense.    No greenwashing. No gimmicks. Just common-sense innovation that drives the middle of the P&L, builds engagement, and creates meaningful impact.    A Call to Action : Half portions. Full impact.   Foodservice leaders: this is your moment. Rethink your portions. Reimagine your pricing. Reconnect with what your guests truly value.  Because Sustainability Simplified isn’t about doing less. It’s about doing better: for your guests, your business, and for our planet.  No price increase? No problem. Just smarter, smaller, and more sustainable.  Sustainability Simplified: The Power of Portion - Doing Everyone a BIG Favor.   Missed the Webinar?  Catch the full ActionXImpact Sustainability Forum HERE:   Want to Learn More?  Contact Tony Benedia to discover more about how we support organizations in the foodservice and hospitality business. Contact Christy Cook, 4xi´s Chief Sustainability Officer in Residence to discuss how we can help you on your sustainability journey, learn more by visiting our Website , and don't forget to visit our YouTube Channel for more inspiration and real-world stories of sustainability in action. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions  is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. WHAT WE DO We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences©  - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©:  Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©:  Strategic Partnership & Growth Sustainability Simplified©:  Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking Project Management Office Food Craft Culinary Consulting CREATE. : Graphic Design and Creative Services DATAxi: Data Ingestion and Visualization Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Philadelphia | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

4xi Partnership360 Health Check Unlocking Success Through Partnership360 Health Checks: How 4xi Helps You Achieve Your TRUE NORTH© In the world of business, partnerships are the lifeblood of sustainable growth. They drive innovation, fuel resilience, and create mutual value. But as with any relationship, partnerships need attention and care to thrive. Miscommunication, misaligned objectives, and unmet expectations can quietly erode even the most promising collaborations. That’s where Partnership360 Health Checks come into play. Why Partnership360 Health Checks Matter Partnerships, like ecosystems, require regular maintenance to flourish. Ignoring the health of a partnership can lead to inefficiencies, decreased trust, and ultimately, lost revenue. Research shows that well-aligned partnerships are 2.5x more financially rewarding and enable businesses to achieve faster time-to-market for new initiatives. The TRUE NORTH©  of any partnership is its ability to deliver consistent, mutual value while adapting to changing needs and challenges. A robust health check assesses the alignment of objectives, communication effectiveness, and overall collaboration quality, ensuring the relationship remains a win-win. The stakes are high—misaligned partnerships can cost businesses up to 15% of annual revenue. On the flip side, healthy partnerships enhance trust, foster innovation, and unlock new opportunities. 4xi’s Partnership Optimization Program (POP) At 4xi, we’ve designed the Partnership Optimization Program (POP) to help businesses achieve alignment and elevate their partnerships. Central to this program is our Partnership360 Health Tool, which empowers both clients and service providers to evaluate their relationships and uncover key insights. For Clients : The 4xi tool helps assess whether their service providers are meeting expectations and delivering value. For Service Providers : It offers a lens into what their clients really think about the relationship, uncovering areas for improvement and growth. Bridging the Gaps with Comparative Insights What sets the 4xi tool apart is its ability to compare and contrast feedback from both sides of the partnership. This unique feature highlights perception gaps—disparities between how clients and service providers view the relationship. These gaps often signal areas requiring immediate attention. Instead of viewing gaps as obstacles, 4xi helps businesses treat them as opportunities for deeper alignment and collaboration. The bigger the gap, the greater the chance to double down on communication, realign objectives, and rebuild trust, ultimately achieving a TRUE NORTH© state of mutual benefit. Take the First Step: Assess Your Partnership Health Today Partnership360 Health Checks are more than just diagnostic tools - they’re a roadmap to partnership success. By taking the 4xi survey, you’ll gain actionable insights into your current relationships and identify opportunities to strengthen them. Ready to see where you stand?  Take the 4xi Partnership360 Health Survey today and get a clear picture of your partnership health. Discover how gaps can be transformed into growth and how our POP program can help you build resilient, high-performing partnerships. Don’t let your partnerships go unchecked - start optimizing today! Take the survey now. With 4xi, achieving TRUE NORTH© in your partnerships is within reach. Let’s transform the way you collaborate and grow together!   *IMPORTANT NOTE: The Partnership360 HealthCheck is completely anonymous. You'll receive an overall Partnership Health Score at the end. If you'd like the full report, we'll only ask for your email address at that point. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions  is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. WHAT WE DO We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking Project Management Office Food Craft Culinary Consulting CREATE. : Graphic Design and Creative Services DATAxi: Data Ingestion and Visualization Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Philadelphia | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo