Meridian Consulting Group


	Client Issue:
	The consumer products division of a leading pharmaceutical company found that the transformation of the healthcare industry by HMOs and hospital company consolidation was threatening it’s growth plans. They needed to further develop their ability to sell to consumers through traditional retail channels, which in turn forced them to be more rigorous and inclusive of the customer in their business planning process.

	Meridian Solution:
	Working with an internal task force to ensure knowledge transfer and that the client “owned” the solution, Meridian helped create an integrated planning process uniquely suited to the company’s culture and infrastructure. The process allowed the Sales and Marketing functions to work collaboratively to create impactful programs and set firm, achievable performance goals – and with sufficient lead time to meet key customer requirements.

	Results:
	Planning discussions with customers now begin 12+ months before activation (compared to the previous average of 90 days), increasing consumer program sell-in by 47%. Sales through retail channels increased by 42% in the first full planning cycle.