Commercial Excellence in the United States
Written by Thomas Flarup (CEO, HEIMDALL)
Commercial Excellence is becoming a cornerstone for sustainable business growth across the United States. As companies in the United States navigate increasingly competitive markets, the need to optimize every commercial activity—from sales and marketing to customer success and pricing—is critical. Commercial Excellence provides the structure, processes, and insights necessary to drive consistent revenue performance, and it is no longer a “nice to have” but a strategic imperative.
A commercial excellence framework offers a comprehensive and strategic approach to optimizing go-to-market models and achieving targeted customer engagement, helping organizations build long-term capabilities and adapt to evolving market conditions.
Commercial Excellence is the systematic approach to aligning people, processes, and technologies in ways that optimize commercial performance. It integrates data-driven strategies across marketing, sales, pricing, and customer success to improve conversion rates, shorten sales cycles, enhance customer satisfaction, and increase profitability.
At its core, is about applying a holistic view to commercial functions and driving them toward shared goals. Companies can achieve commercial excellence through strategic initiatives and a unified framework that ensures consistency and leverages technology to enhance overall commercial performance. It is not simply about increasing revenue; it is about increasing the efficiency, predictability, and scalability of that revenue. This involves:
- Establishing a unified commercial strategy that aligns departments and includes developing a robust go to market strategy
- Building a technology stack that enhances visibility and decision-making
- Leveraging analytics to create accountability and focus
- Supporting change management to ensure adoption and cultural alignment
Commercial excellence initiatives are structured programs or steps that drive improvement in sales, marketing, and overall business performance, supporting revenue growth and operational efficiency.
To stay competitive, organizations must also evolve their business models to adapt to changing market demands and technological disruptions, ensuring their value delivery remains innovative and relevant.
For companies operating in fast-paced industries such as SaaS, healthcare, financial services, and pharmaceuticals—especially across mid-market and enterprise segments in the United States—Commercial Excellence is a crucial lever for driving scalable growth.
Why Commercial Excellence Matters in the United States
Companies in the United States face unique market dynamics, including fast-moving innovation cycles, high customer expectations, and increased regulatory demands. In this environment, traditional sales and marketing tactics fall short. Organizations need Commercial Excellence to:
- Drive revenue predictability
- Maximize the ROI of go-to-market strategies, including optimizing marketing spend to improve efficiency and return on investment
- Enable cohesive cross-functional alignment by establishing best practices to ensure consistency and optimal execution across the organization
- Support strategic decision-making with real-time data
- Enhance agility in competitive and volatile markets by implementing data-driven marketing strategies tailored to specific industry needs
The U.S. business landscape is characterized by a strong emphasis on quarterly results, investor expectations, and performance metrics. As such, growth must be not only rapid but also sustainable and efficient. Companies that fail to align commercial functions often struggle with high customer acquisition costs, low retention, siloed data, and misaligned objectives.
Whether you’re a CRO at a SaaS startup in Silicon Valley, a VP of Sales in a healthcare organization on the East Coast, or a revenue operations leader in a financial services firm in Chicago, Commercial Excellence is the key to transforming your growth strategy.
Commercial Excellence (USA) — Mini Fact Pack (anchors)
- GenAI in sales/marketing delivers +3–15% revenue and +10–20% sales ROI (McKinsey).
- Reps spend only 30% of the week selling—capacity is trapped in non-selling work (Salesforce, State of Sales 6th ed.).
- Poor data quality costs organizations ~$12.9M/year on average (Gartner).
- Highly aligned sales–marketing orgs grow 19% faster and are 15% more profitable (Forrester/SiriusDecisions).
- 97% of leaders say Sales & Finance must collaborate better on forecasts; 4 in 5 missed a quarterly forecast last year (Xactly).
- SaaS firms with NRR ≥100% grew ~48% YoY in H1-2024—2× faster than those below 100% (ChartMogul).
- Data-driven RGM can lift sales +3–5 pts and margins +200–300 bps (Bain).
Understanding Customer Centricity
Customer centricity lies at the heart of commercial excellence, serving as a catalyst for revenue growth and sustainable business growth. In today’s competitive landscape, businesses that truly understand and anticipate customer needs are the ones that consistently outperform their peers. By adopting a customer-centric mindset, companies gain a competitive advantage—delivering value that resonates with their target audience and sets them apart in the market.
Achieving customer centricity requires more than just good intentions; it demands a cultural shift where every department, from sales to marketing to operations, works in harmony to exceed customer expectations. Cross-functional collaboration becomes essential, enabling teams to share insights, align on goals, and respond swiftly to evolving customer needs. Leveraging data-driven decision making, businesses can gain a 360-degree view of their customers, uncovering actionable insights that inform product development, service delivery, and go-to-market strategies.
By placing customers at the center of every decision, organizations not only drive commercial excellence but also foster loyalty and advocacy, fueling long-term business success. In a world where customer expectations are constantly rising, a customer-centric approach is the key to unlocking sustainable growth and maintaining a leadership position in your industry.
The Four Pillars of Commercial Excellence and Go to Market Strategy
At HEIMDALL, we deliver Commercial Excellence through four core services, each designed to provide end-to-end value for our clients.
1. Consulting and Strategy Creation
Consulting and Strategy Creation is the foundational phase of any Commercial Excellence initiative. It starts with understanding your current state: where your revenue engines are succeeding, where they are leaking, and how to close the performance gaps. We work closely with clients to understand their unique challenges, identify new customer segments, and develop tailored solutions that refine your value proposition and differentiate your offerings. Our consultants work with your leadership team to:
- Conduct commercial audits and benchmarking
- Define strategic revenue goals and KPIs
- Create a customized roadmap for transformation
- Design scalable frameworks that evolve with your business
For example, medical device companies in the United States often struggle with inefficient channel management and misalignment between sales and marketing teams. By reassessing their pricing strategies, applying account-based segmentation, introducing relevant performance metrics, and focusing on sales force effectiveness, many have achieved double-digit improvements in win rates within a year. Supporting sales representatives with targeted training and enablement tools further enhances their ability to close deals efficiently.
2. Complete End-to-End Solutions
HEIMDALL’s Complete End-to-End Solutions are ideal for companies looking to transform their commercial operations with expert guidance from start to finish. This service includes:
- CRM and technology stack implementation
- Sales process redesign and automation
- Training and enablement programs
- Change management and adoption plans
We enhance the productivity of your sales team and optimize the sales force through technology and process improvements, ensuring your commercial operations are efficient and scalable.
A common challenge for mid-market SaaS firms—especially those based in tech hubs like Austin or Boston—is fragmented systems and inconsistent revenue reporting. Organizations that adopt integrated revenue operations models often see significant improvements, including streamlined reporting across teams, improved cross-functional alignment, and measurable gains in both revenue growth and customer retention.
Our approach ensures that strategy is not just theoretical but fully embedded into operations.
3. Management and Planning
Long-term Commercial Excellence requires continuous management, disciplined planning, and regular optimization. HEIMDALL works closely with clients to build structures that ensure ongoing success, including:
- Revenue performance dashboards and insights
- Go-to-market planning frameworks
- Territory and quota planning
- Compensation and incentive modeling
- Cadence reviews and business rhythm alignment
Superior execution is achieved through disciplined planning and operational excellence, enabling organizations to consistently outperform competitors and strengthen their market position.
Manufacturing and industrial suppliers in the United States, particularly those managing large field teams and complex distribution networks, benefit substantially from Commercial Excellence frameworks. Implementing structured forecasting methodologies has been shown to increase forecast accuracy by over 25%, which improves inventory planning and boosts customer satisfaction. In real estate and other sectors, identifying and targeting new customer segments can expand market reach and drive growth.
With ongoing management support, organizations can shift from reactive firefighting to proactive revenue planning.
4. Staffing and Implementation
Scaling up fast? Need interim expertise? Our Staffing and Implementation services offer:
- Interim leadership (CRO, VP Sales, Head of RevOps)
- Specialized commercial operations talent
- Tactical resources for project delivery
This flexibility is especially valuable for high-growth companies in the United States looking to avoid the costs of long recruitment cycles or misalignment. For example, healthtech companies undergoing a go-to-market relaunch often face time-sensitive operational gaps. In such cases, placing interim revenue operations leaders—even for short durations—can dramatically accelerate funnel optimization and improve lead conversion rates by up to 30%.
Our network of vetted commercial professionals brings experience, speed, and results.
Commercial Excellence in Key U.S. Industries
Technology and Software
In the highly competitive U.S. tech space, rapid iteration and scaling require a structured approach to Commercial Excellence. With long B2B sales cycles and complex buyer journeys, sales teams need CRM systems, analytics tools, and enablement strategies that evolve in real time. Our clients in the United States benefit from:
- Unified sales and marketing planning
- Data-driven pipeline forecasting
- Scalable sales onboarding programs
- Buyer persona development and customer journey mapping
Additionally, technology firms benefit from agile testing and iterative messaging. Commercial Excellence allows tech companies to refine go-to-market experiments quickly and learn what resonates with each segment.
Financial Services and Banking
The financial sector in the United States is being reshaped by fintech innovation, tighter regulations, and shifting customer expectations. Commercial Excellence enables traditional institutions and digital disruptors to:
- Improve cross-sell and upsell strategy execution
- Develop data-driven customer segmentation
- Streamline omnichannel engagement
- Refine advisory services and client acquisition processes
By integrating advanced analytics with relationship management tools, U.S.-based financial firms are transforming client interactions into long-term loyalty and profitability. Many regional banks in the United States are turning to digital onboarding strategies to drive customer acquisition. With the right process redesign and technology integration, some banks have reported over 40% increases in new account conversion rates.
Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals
Healthcare and pharmaceuticals in the United States are among the most regulated and complex industries. From payer-provider negotiations to field force management and patient engagement, Commercial Excellence provides a structured foundation to:
- Improve field force effectiveness and deployment
- Align commercial and medical affairs teams
- Use analytics for HCP engagement and targeting
- Execute successful product launches and lifecycle campaigns
Biotech firms preparing for high-stakes product launches benefit from scenario planning and better cross-functional alignment. In multiple U.S. cases, companies that adopted a structured Commercial Excellence approach reported their highest-ever product uptake within just a few months post-launch.
Other Sectors and Cross-Industry Applications
Commercial Excellence is not limited to a few core industries—it delivers measurable value across a wide spectrum of sectors in the United States. Organizations in these diverse fields face unique challenges that can be addressed through structured revenue operations, data-driven decision-making, and integrated go-to-market strategies.
Manufacturing and Industrial
Manufacturing and industrial businesses in the United States benefit from Commercial Excellence by integrating sales planning with production cycles, enhancing channel distribution, and aligning account management teams across territories.
Retail and Consumer Goods
Retailers and CPG brands face intense pricing pressure and shifting consumer behavior. Commercial Excellence supports revenue growth by enhancing category management, pricing optimization, promotional ROI tracking, and omnichannel execution.
Logistics and Transportation
With the rise of e-commerce and global trade disruptions, U.S.-based logistics firms need precise forecasting and capacity planning. Commercial Excellence improves client acquisition strategies, optimizes contract management, and aligns operations with customer demand.
Energy and Utilities
Commercial Excellence helps energy providers and utilities modernize legacy systems, adopt digital customer experiences, and implement effective pricing strategies in highly regulated markets.
Real Estate and Construction
Real estate developers, brokerage firms, and construction companies in the United States leverage Commercial Excellence to better forecast revenue, streamline project-based sales processes, and improve bid-win ratios through targeted client segmentation.
Education and Professional Services
U.S.-based education providers and service firms such as law, accounting, and consulting use Commercial Excellence to refine their client acquisition strategies, measure service delivery impact, and maximize cross-sell opportunities across their client base.
Nonprofits and Associations
Even mission-driven organizations benefit from Commercial Excellence. By applying data-driven approaches to fundraising, membership retention, and stakeholder engagement, nonprofits can amplify their impact.
Retailers and CPG brands face intense pricing pressure and shifting consumer behavior. Commercial Excellence supports revenue growth by enhancing category management, pricing optimization, promotional ROI tracking, and omnichannel execution.
Cost Efficiency and Cost Savings
Cost efficiency and cost savings are fundamental pillars of commercial excellence, empowering businesses to maximize profitability while maintaining high performance across commercial operations. In an environment where every dollar counts, companies must continuously seek ways to streamline processes, eliminate waste, and optimize resource allocation.
Effective contract management, pricing optimization, and process improvements are just a few of the initiatives that can drive significant cost savings. By embracing advanced analytics and data-driven decision making, organizations can pinpoint inefficiencies, benchmark performance, and implement targeted solutions that enhance cost efficiency. This proactive approach not only reduces operational expenses but also frees up resources that can be reinvested in growth initiatives, innovation, and customer value creation.
Ultimately, businesses that prioritize cost efficiency as part of their commercial excellence strategy are better positioned to weather market fluctuations, outpace competitors, and achieve sustainable, profitable growth.
Customer Satisfaction and Retention
Customer satisfaction and retention are critical indicators of commercial excellence, directly impacting revenue growth and the long-term health of any business. Satisfied customers are more likely to become repeat buyers, refer new clients, and serve as brand advocates—driving both immediate and sustainable business growth.
To achieve high levels of customer satisfaction and retention, companies must deliver exceptional experiences at every touchpoint. This involves empowering sales and marketing teams to provide customized solutions tailored to individual customer needs, as well as investing in robust customer success programs that ensure ongoing value delivery. Continuous improvement is key; by regularly gathering feedback and refining processes, businesses can stay ahead of customer expectations and adapt to changing market dynamics.
By making customer satisfaction and retention a core focus, organizations not only drive commercial excellence but also build a loyal customer base that supports long-term revenue growth and market leadership.
How Commercial Excellence Supports Revenue Growth
At its core, Commercial Excellence is about scalable, repeatable growth. It helps companies in the United States:
- Identify and replicate successful sales behaviors
- Align marketing and sales to common revenue goals
- Use customer insights to refine product-market fit
- Increase customer retention and lifetime value
- Decrease customer acquisition costs through precision targeting
- Enhance employee engagement and sales productivity
Commercial Excellence creates the foundation for predictable revenue growth by improving the speed and accuracy of decision-making. Organizations that embrace these practices experience not only improved top-line results but also increased operational efficiency and team alignment.
HEIMDALL clients often report faster time to value, improved pipeline velocity, and stronger internal collaboration across departments as direct results of our work.
Measuring Progress and Success
Measuring progress and success is essential for any organization committed to commercial excellence. By tracking key performance metrics—such as revenue growth, customer satisfaction, and cost savings—businesses can gain a clear understanding of their commercial operations and identify opportunities for improvement.
Advanced analytics and data-driven decision making play a pivotal role in this process, enabling companies to monitor sales channels, evaluate CRM systems, and assess the effectiveness of their commercial strategy. Regular reviews of marketing effectiveness, market trends, and customer expectations ensure that organizations remain agile and responsive in a dynamic business environment.
By establishing a robust framework for measuring progress, companies can continuously refine their approach, optimize resource allocation, and drive commercial excellence across all functions. This commitment to ongoing evaluation and improvement is what sets leading businesses apart and ensures sustained success in the marketplace.
Building a Culture of Commercial Excellence and Customer Satisfaction
Tools and tactics alone won’t create lasting change. True Commercial Excellence requires cultural transformation. This means embedding principles of excellence into the daily operating rhythm of your teams. HEIMDALL supports U.S.-based organizations in:
- Establishing accountability through clearly defined KPIs
- Promoting cross-functional collaboration
- Implementing agile frameworks for feedback and iteration
- Creating internal champions for Commercial Excellence
Companies in the United States that succeed in this cultural shift see more than just commercial wins; they experience higher employee engagement, stronger leadership alignment, and greater resilience during market disruption.
By building a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and accountability, organizations make Commercial Excellence sustainable.
FAQ — Commercial Excellence (USA) — HEIMDALL
What is Commercial Excellence?
A unified, data-driven system that aligns people, processes, and tech across marketing, sales, pricing, and customer success to grow revenue predictably.
Why does it matter in the U.S. now?
Fast innovation cycles, high customer expectations, and regulatory pressure demand scalable, efficient, and accountable go-to-market execution.
What problems does it solve?
Silos, high CAC, low retention, inconsistent forecasting, fragmented tech stacks, and unclear ownership.
What are the core pillars at HEIMDALL?
- Consulting & Strategy Creation, 2) Complete End-to-End Solutions, 3) Management & Planning, 4) Staffing & Implementation.
Which KPIs should we track?
Revenue growth, NRR/retention, CAC & payback, pipeline velocity, forecast accuracy, GTM ROI, price realization, CSAT/NPS.
How does customer centricity fit in?
Customer insights drive ICP, value propositions, pricing, journeys, and omnichannel execution—improving conversion and loyalty.
What tech stack is needed?
Integrated CRM, marketing automation, CS platforms, pricing/RGM, BI/analytics, and a clean data layer for real-time visibility.
How do we start (first 90 days)?
Baseline audit → shared KPIs/targets → GTM & process redesign → data/stack integration → cadence and dashboards.
How soon will we see impact?
Quick wins in 8–12 weeks (visibility, forecast, handoffs); broader lift over 1–3 quarters as processes and adoption mature.
How does HEIMDALL help?
We design the strategy, implement the stack and processes, run the governance, and supply interim experts to hit revenue goals.
Partner with HEIMDALL: Your Commercial Excellence Experts
HEIMDALL is your strategic partner for achieving Commercial Excellence in the United States and beyond. Whether you’re a startup scaling your GTM function or an established enterprise refining your commercial engine, our team delivers:
Industry expertise in Technology, Financial Services, and Healthcare
Proven methodologies tailored to your business model
Flexible engagement models from advisory to full execution
We bring clarity to complexity, speed to execution, and results that matter.
Let HEIMDALL be your Commercial Excellence Partner. Contact us today to start your journey toward sustainable growth.
Contact HEIMDALL – Commercial Excellence Partner
Written by Thomas Flarup (CEO, HEIMDALL)
