Background
Within the competitive landscape of Healthcare IT Workforce Solutions, a company poised for significant growth and acquisition faced numerous challenges. Originating from a modest Healthcare IT SaaS workforce solution, the company had expanded its offerings through strategic acquisitions. As it prepared for further expansion and eventual acquisition by a major global Healthcare IT organization, the company recognized the need to refine its client engagement strategies to meet ambitious sales revenue, client acquisition, satisfaction, and retention goals.

Challenge
The primary hurdle was the absence of a systematic approach to leveraging client references in the sales process. The sales team's protective stance over their client references led to a scarcity of accessible and visible success stories, critical for sales closure. This practice not only limited the company's growth potential but also hindered its ability to showcase its value proposition to prospective clients effectively.

• Absence of standardized processes for leveraging client references in sales.
• Protective approach by sales teams towards their client references, leading to limited accessibility and visibility.
• Dependence on client references for sales closure, impacting growth due to restricted availability.

Strategy
To address these challenges, the company embarked on developing a client engagement program that emphasized customer references, advocacy, and education. This strategic shift required extensive cross-functional collaboration to establish processes for client identification and engagement, compliant with healthcare regulations, and to develop a rewarding system that incentivized client participation and success recognition.

• Launched a comprehensive client engagement program focusing on customer references, advocacy, and education.
• Fostered cross-functional collaboration to define client identification processes, ensuring compliance with healthcare regulations.
• Introduced an educational-based rewards system to incentivize client participation and celebrate their success.

Explanation 
The strategy's execution involved intricate planning and collaboration across various departments, setting up a client engagement framework from scratch. This included integrating a reference program software solution with the existing CRM and developing a platform for managing client registrations, points accrual, and redemption. The initiative aimed to provide transparency for clients and internal management, fostering an environment of recognition and celebration of client success and expertise.

Key Components

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Ensured seamless interaction across departments to streamline client identification and engagement processes.

Educational Rewards System: Implemented a rewards mechanism centered around education, compliant with healthcare regulations, to offer value to clients.

Client Success and Advocacy: Focused on nurturing clients towards success, leveraging their achievements for advocacy through various sales enablement tools, thus enhancing brand reputation.

High-Profile Awards and Recognition: Introduced awards and ceremonies at user conferences to acknowledge client success across multiple categories, further incentivizing participation in the engagement program.

Outcomes
The client engagement program yielded remarkable results, surpassing initial expectations and contributing significantly to the company's growth trajectory.

Enrollment and Market Share: The program exceeded enrollment targets, capturing 117% of the planned market share in its first year, thereby impacting annual revenue by $12M.

Client Engagement and Satisfaction: There was a 110% improvement in previously identified low satisfaction touchpoints, alongside a 240% increase in overall engagement.

Deepened Client Relationships: The initiative resulted in a 180% increase in contracts, a 214% rise in achieving success goals, a 138% increase in customer testimonials, a 152% boost in speaking opportunities, and a 205% enhancement in client references.

Lessons Learned
The journey illuminated the critical importance of transparency, accessibility, and recognition within client engagement. It highlighted the essential role of cross-functional collaboration and underscored the effectiveness of a rewards system that aligns with industry standards and client aspirations.

Conclusion
The strategic client engagement program not only met the company's immediate objectives in preparation for acquisition but also established a new benchmark for client engagement in the healthcare IT sector. By prioritizing client success and advocacy, the company cemented its leadership position, fostering unparalleled client loyalty and driving substantial growth and revenue.

For organizations navigating acquisitions or mergers and aiming for seamless client and employee integration, Simply Brilliant offers strategic expertise to guide you through these complex transitions.

Disclaimer: The strategic client engagement program not only met the company's immediate objectives in preparation for acquisition but also established a new benchmark for client engagement in the healthcare IT sector. By prioritizing client success and advocacy, the company cemented its leadership position, fostering unparalleled client loyalty and driving substantial growth and revenue.