Triple Fit Strategy by Christoph Senn and Mehak Gandhi introduces a different way of engaging with your most strategic customers. Instead of selling product-centric solutions, suppliers work with their customers to co-create mutually-aligned growth. While “strategic selling” has been around for decades, the authors provide a framework, processes, and a collection of tools for collaboration between partners to align their strategies, execution, and resources, almost as if they were operating as one company. While the approach isn’t for every company, and certainly not every customer relationship, I strongly recommend the book for those involved in managing and growing truly strategic accounts.
The book introduces the Triple Fit framework which is made up of 9 building blocks across three levels of “fit” between supplier and customer: planning, execution, and resources. The book teaches how to use this framework to diagnose the strength of a supplier-customer relationship, address weaknesses in order to co-create growth, and build the overall strength of the vendor organization in serving business customers.
I like structure and so one of the things I particularly appreciate about Triple Fit Strategy is the collection of various lists that clarify the challenges, opportunities, and methods related to implementing the Triple Fit approach. I also enjoy learning new tools and frameworks and the book introduces (by my count) 9 new tools or frameworks.