When Sales Slip and Silos Stall Growth: A Manufacturing CEO's Wake-Up Call

Imagine being the CEO of a respected manufacturing company, handed a bold directive—restore your company’s lost market share and grow revenue 3x within four years. The catch? Your sales have declined 25% over the last four years, including two years with losses over 35%, and only one out of three sales teams is even close to hitting quota. You’ve got a 10–18 month sales cycle, 4–6 month equipment lead times, and customer retention sitting at 37.8%. The pressure is real. And the clock is ticking.

This exact situation played out for one manufacturing CEO—who, to his credit, was doing his best to lead all three sales teams: Field Sales, Infrastructure & Installation Services, and Parts & Repair. But his "best" wasn’t enough.

Upon digging in, the issues were clear—and painful:

• The only team near quota had a semi-standardized sales process and used the company’s CRM. The other two? No formal process, no ideal customer profile, no stakeholder-driven value proposition, and zero centralized tracking or forecasting.

• Sales reps were chasing ghosts—opportunities with no qualification, no game plan, and no measurable progress.

• The CEO allocated just one hour a week per team and joined the occasional customer call. His focus was elsewhere.

• Across the board, sales leadership was absent, and cross-functional alignment was broken.

• The company had become transactional, not strategic—no roadmap for expanding existing accounts or building long-term partnerships.

Each team faced distinct constraints:

• Field Sales lacked lead qualification discipline, had pipeline bottlenecks, and were treated more like order-takers than strategic partners.

• Infrastructure & Installation Services struggled with sales/ops misalignment, no scalable process, and dismal forecasting.

• Parts & Repair was isolated—no sales coaching, no shared systems, and underutilized resources.

Although the CEO acknowledged, “I need help,” he hesitated to fully empower a trusted advisor to lead the sales transformation. Old habits die hard. Believing he could manage the turnaround through occasional check-ins with a Fractional CRO—while keeping costs down—he underestimated both the level of hands-on leadership required and the time commitment necessary to execute meaningful change. What seemed like a cost-saving move ultimately risked delaying progress and prolonging the pain.

Where the CEO should Start and What should be Prioritized

To reverse course and build a sales organization capable of both stability and future growth, the first 12 months must be focused on foundational transformation. The first step is appointing dedicated sales leadership for each division. The absence of strong, accountable leadership has left the teams rudderless. With the CEO stretched thin, having leaders who are fully responsible for driving strategy, performance, coaching, and alignment ensures that each team has the guidance and focus necessary to improve outcomes and morale.

Next, a unified and scalable sales process must be developed and implemented across all teams. This provides structure to the way leads are qualified, opportunities are managed, and forecasts are generated. Standardization through the CRM ensures that pipeline health, activity tracking, and forecasting can be accurately monitored and optimized. A consistent process not only improves deal conversion rates but also makes it easier to identify bottlenecks and provide targeted support.

Another key priority is defining the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and building out value propositions by stakeholder. Without this clarity, teams will continue to chase unqualified leads and waste valuable time and resources. Knowing who the ideal customer is—and what matters most to each decision-maker within that organization—enables the sales team to engage with purpose and deliver tailored messaging that resonates. This leads to higher engagement, shorter sales cycles, and stronger win rates.

The fourth element is the creation of a coaching culture supported by performance accountability. Too many reps are left to figure things out on their own. Regular coaching sessions, focused on deal strategy, skills development, and pipeline hygiene, provide the continuous feedback loop necessary for growth. This builds confidence, improves effectiveness, and fosters a culture of continuous improvement and professional development.

Lastly, there must be a commitment to cross-functional alignment across Field Sales, Infrastructure, Installation Services, and Parts & Repair. Teams cannot operate in silos if the organization wants to deliver a cohesive, high-value customer experience. By aligning sales, operations, and marketing around shared goals, messaging, and customer outcomes, the organization can unlock efficiencies, eliminate internal friction, and create a seamless customer journey that drives retention and repeat business.

By addressing these five elements, the company sets itself up for a successful transformation—one that brings structure to chaos, empowers the frontline, and reconnects with the market in a meaningful, measurable way.

Taking Action

To reverse course and build a sales organization capable of both stability and future growth, the first 12 months must be focused on foundational transformation. The first step is appointing dedicated sales leadership for each division. The absence of strong, accountable leadership has left the teams rudderless. With the CEO stretched thin, having leaders who are fully responsible for driving strategy, performance, coaching, and alignment ensures that each team has the guidance and focus necessary to improve outcomes and morale.

Next, a unified and scalable sales process must be developed and implemented across all teams. This provides structure to the way leads are qualified, opportunities are managed, and forecasts are generated. Standardization through the CRM ensures that pipeline health, activity tracking, and forecasting can be accurately monitored and optimized. A consistent process not only improves deal conversion rates but also makes it easier to identify bottlenecks and provide targeted support.

Another key priority is defining the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and building out value propositions by stakeholder. Without this clarity, teams will continue to chase unqualified leads and waste valuable time and resources. Knowing who the ideal customer is—and what matters most to each decision-maker within that organization—enables the sales team to engage with purpose and deliver tailored messaging that resonates. This leads to higher engagement, shorter sales cycles, and stronger win rates.

The fourth element is the creation of a coaching culture supported by performance accountability. Too many reps are left to figure things out on their own. Regular coaching sessions, focused on deal strategy, skills development, and pipeline hygiene, provide the continuous feedback loop necessary for growth. This builds confidence, improves effectiveness, and fosters a culture of continuous improvement and professional development.

Lastly, there must be a commitment to cross-functional alignment across Field Sales, Infrastructure, Installation Services, and Parts & Repair. Teams cannot operate in silos if the organization wants to deliver a cohesive, high-value customer experience. By aligning sales, operations, and marketing around shared goals, messaging, and customer outcomes, the organization can unlock efficiencies, eliminate internal friction, and create a seamless customer journey that drives retention and repeat business.

By addressing these five elements, the company sets itself up for a successful transformation—one that brings structure to chaos, empowers the frontline, and reconnects with the market in a meaningful, measurable way.

But none of that will work unless the CEO lets go of the reins and empowers a trusted revenue advisor or executive team to lead the charge. Sales success can’t be micromanaged—it must be architected, built, and led.

If your sales teams are fractured, your customers are ghosting you, and your market share is fading… this isn’t just a sales problem. It’s a leadership decision point.

The future of your business depends on it.

This is where Tidewater Solutions Group, LLC is ready to step in. As a trusted partner in revenue operations, Tidewater Solutions Group works directly with leadership teams to provide hands-on guidance, streamline sales operations, and implement a go-to-market strategy that aligns sales execution with broader business objectives. We specialize in building and optimizing scalable, repeatable sales processes tailored to each division’s unique role in the customer journey. By identifying bottlenecks, clarifying buyer personas, establishing clear KPIs, and fostering accountability, we help companies move from reactive chaos to proactive, measurable growth. Our approach isn’t theoretical—it’s operational. We roll up our sleeves, embed with your teams, and lead the work necessary to break down silos, restore momentum, and build a sustainable revenue engine.