Affymetrix wanted to transform the behavior of its salespeople and how its entire commercial organization interacted with customers. Affymetrix began its transformation by developing Challenger messaging for key market segments and products. These messages focused on insight as the compelling lever to force customers away from their status quo.

Affymetrix conducted global training in North America, EMEA, and Asia across a matter of weeks and immediately implemented both manager and individual coaching and messaging support.

Under the direction of its new chief commercial officer, Affymetrix invested heavily to make its Challenger transformation a sustainable effort. The company selected a dedicated, internal Challenger champion who immediately took control of continued message development, refreshing skills, and training new hires. The company also created an internal Challenger website to consolidate messages, highlight case studies, and recognize star performers.

Roughly one year after the training events, Affymetrix began to see a turnaround in its revenue performance. Bolstered by a timely acquisition, the company bounced back to $330 million in revenue and trended upward. Affymetrix beat Wall Street estimates, performed closer to its industry peers, and improved overall energy and morale. As a result, the Company’s stock price doubled.

Challenger took a deep dive into the company’s sales processes and determined it had failed to differentiate its products and reinforce the negative impact of staying with current suppliers.
The company faced two overarching sales issues: (1) Messaging lacked compelling reasons for customers to change their buying behaviors (2) Sellers needed tools and skills to establish differentiation and the under-appreciated costs of inaction.

Challenger adjusted the company’s sales narrative to stress the problems caused by the status quo rather than simply the benefits of its products. By transforming how the company sells rather than what it sells, profits rebounded within a year.