How Microsoft Catalyst is helping RSM increase deal sizes by 450%

As a Microsoft partner, how can you increase your deal sizes and close rates and add more value for your clients? One answer to that question may be two words: Microsoft Catalyst.

Several Microsoft partners have recently experienced substantial success facilitating digital transformation for its clients using Microsoft Catalyst, a best-in-class, value-based sales approach that is helping partners increase close rates, win rates and deal sizes.

One Catalyst participant, Mike Gillis, Consulting Principal at RSM, US LLC, says that their Catalyst deals reveal more value to their clients and are resulting in deals that are about 450% higher than the deals where they don’t use Catalyst.

RSM is a leading professional services firm that provides audit, tax and consulting services, and is the fifth largest global accounting and consulting firms in the world. They’re also the second largest Microsoft Dynamics partner in the US in 2019, and they have over a thousand people in the US that focus of selling Microsoft products and solutions.

Earlier this year, RSM used the Catalyst process with their client, Charlie’s Produce, a national fruit and vegetable wholesaler. Charlie’s was considering whether an automated customer relationship management system would be a benefit to their business, but they weren’t sure whether the purchase made financial sense.

To help them gain clarity, RSM guided Charlie’s through the Microsoft Catalyst approach, beginning with the end in mind. They started with the financials and business outcomes and then we worked back through the business functions, the business processes, and then finally to the products and activities required to create those business outcomes.

No one talks about products until the end of the process. As a partner, that means you’re selling “what’s it worth to the client?” instead of “how many hours, at what rate?” and “which products?”

In the initial phase of the Catalyst process, RSM conducted an envisioning workshop remotely, which applies design-thinking and takes place over the course of three days. During the workshop, the combined RSM and Microsoft team were able to help Charlie’s align on value drivers within their sales and operations teams, collaborate on objectives to improve their client’s experience, and develop a digital transformation roadmap. They went in with one low-probability opportunity and came out with eight high-probability, high-value opportunities.  

If you’re a Microsoft partner and you think your company can benefit from this program, then I encourage you to learn more about the value and benefits that Microsoft Catalyst provides to organizations.