The unexpected tender
Heineken needs no introduction, except to say that they were buying their catering, cleaning, and security services from ISS.
But they weren’t happy, and poor service brought things to a head in the middle of 2021. They decided enough was enough. They ended their contract and went out to tender
Step forward Matthew Lockton of 14forty.
Using storytelling to stand out
Matthew has recently completed a new training course called The Million Pound Story, which taught him how to appeal to potential customers in a way that resonates and grabs their attention.
His bid to Heineken was a well written story.
While the competition were telling a story of how proud they were of themselves, and how excited they were to provide their services, Matthew took a different approach. He made Heineken the Hero of his story.
Matthew’s bid told the story of how Heineken isn’t about making beer, it’s about catching up with old friends and making new ones.
How they don’t make cider, they make first drinks, first gigs, and first dates.
In the same way that 14forty don’t just clean, they create sparkling spaces where people feel safe.
And they don’t just make lunch, they create connections over great coffee and great food.
The power of shared beliefs
His story engaged Heineken at a level of shared beliefs, long before he even discussed what 14forty does. Once Heineken recognized they were dealing with a company that understood what was really important to them, they were more than ready to listen.
Mathew opened his executive summary with the most powerful words a storyteller can use; “Imagine a world…..”
With his audience engaged, Matthew was able to paint the compelling picture of how 14forty could deliver a total FM service which gave Heineken what they wanted.
The result – 14forty was selected by Heineken, ahead of Sodexo, OCS, and Bidvest, to provide a fully integrated hard and soft FM service. A contract that’s worth £22M over its lifetime, comfortably the biggest new client 14forty has won in some time.
What they're saying
Reflecting on his success Matthew said:
“Putting Heineken at the centre of our bid rather than Compass, felt much more natural. The Million Pound Story training couldn’t have come at a better time. I’m grateful to Peter Whent for the time he gave me to look at how we were constructing the bid”
Chief Growth Officer at Compass Group UK & Ireland, Chris Chidley added:
“We were in battle alongside the usual big hitters that specialise solely in FM, so my congratulations to Matthew and the team on doing such a great job. I’m also delighted to see that The Million Pound Story training is influencing how we write our bids and is helping us to succeed so quickly. I’m grateful to Peter for the support he gave us with this bid”
How to take action.
How can you take this principle and put it into action today, so you're meeting your potential customers at a point of shared beliefs, and seeing results tomorrow?
Here's a simple exercise to help you start.
Step 1
Write a list of 3-4 of Compass's core values.
Step 2
Now write a list of 3-4 core values that are important to your prospect.
Step 3
Now work out where those two lists overlap. That's where you're going to craft your story.
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