about the new ways of doing things . That ’ s not their fault . It ’ s the leadership ’ s fault for not communicating the expectations . So , people make the wrong “ good “ decisions because they don ’ t have the information they need . If you want everybody rowing in the same direction , then everyone must know the direction you ’ re rowing in .”
Going Slow to Go Fast
Consolidating two or more companies involves more than just the people . It ’ s about questioning every phase of a business , from the processes and technology to branding . How do you make the best decisions for this new entity when you ’ re treading on new territory ? Dinneen says it ’ s all about putting the ego aside , taking the best of each entity , and then doing what he calls ‘ pressure testing ’ the decision . It starts with something he calls “ Going slow to go fast .”
“ What we mean by ‘ going slow to go fast ’ is taking the time to do all the planning before we jump in . I ’ m not advocating paralysis by analysis , but it ’ s about doing some slow thinking first . The idea is to ensure you have the right systems and processes based on careful analysis . If you ‘ slow think ’ at the beginning , instead of just jumping in , you ’ re first putting the right things in place . And then , once you make that decision , you ’ re off . You run as fast as you can .”
Technology synergy
Integrating technology can involve some of the most challenging parts of a consolidation . “ Here ’ s where you must have the right leader ,” says Dinneen . “ They need to be neutral . They ’ ve got to be Switzerland . They can ’ t be biased ; They must lead a team that ignores the pride of authorship . They need to leave their egos at the door and stack up both systems side-by-side , so you end up going with the best system . Ask questions like What ’ s repeatable ? What ’ s flexible ? What will drive the best results for cost and performance ? What will deliver the best cost-benefit ?”
Once you ’ ve made that decision , it ’ s time to put it to the test before you move forward . “ Pressure test everything ,” says Dinneen . “ Every decision . Every process . If you ’ re weighing two systems , consider if there is a third option that removes manual processes and puts the onus on faster data analysis versus human capability .”
Rebranding – How a new identity plays out to the world
Decisions about a new brand can have an enormous impact on how the marketplace and those on your team see the new entity . Like others involved in the consolidation , these decisions should be made after carefully analyzing the environment . What is the mission and vision for the new entity ? What are its competitive advantages ? Is there a personality or approach you want to be known for ? Many companies , including OnTrac , bring in outside marketing firms to help them through the process . Here ’ s how Dinneen describes it : “ That was super fun . And we set out on a project to use neither of the brands . Our goal was to have a new flag . To move forward under a new brand . So , we hired an outside marketing firm . Unfortunately , many names that emerged from that process failed our trademark review .”
The team went back to the drawing board after that . “ We revisited our goals ,” he recalls . “ We knew we wanted a shorter name and more of an ecommerce / techie feel . And when we started to look , we realized we had two great brands and reputations for both . Between the two of them , they ’ ve worked with the largest companies in the US in the world . We asked ourselves , ‘ What if we take advantage of that and marry the two ? OnTrac had the shorter name we were looking for , and it had the techie-type feel . And to symbolize the unity of the two entities , we used the LaserShip colors . The agency created a custom type font , and then we cut the top of the T to give it the look of a wink and a smile . Eventually , we expect the ‘ wink and a smile ’ to be our symbol , like the Nike swoosh . We ’ re putting it on our trucks , buildings , website , and all our promotional items . It was a fun process but challenging .
summer 2023 I customized logistics & delivery Magazine 19