Product launch was secured with Interim Management

Read how INWIDO realized their full innovation potential with Interim Management

“The door and window making business is hard to make attractive. That is why we decided to add new smart products in our strategy to make us more visible on the market, innovative and a way for us to involve our customers,” Mona Sloth Nielsen, President of Sales & Marketing at Inwido Denmark says.

The good advice became expensive however, as her head of the newly hired business developer changed job, just 3 months before Inwido’s new groundbreaking smart blind was to be launched. Mona Sloth Nielsen had not used Interim Management before, so she did not know what to expect from the process:

“I did not have much to lose. Either they provided a good candidate, or I had to continue my search for a candidate through a traditional search process.”

“I did not have much to lose. Either they provided a good candidate, or I had to continue my search for a candidate through a traditional search process.”

Lack of digitial competencies

With over 35 sub brands, Inwido has great competencies when it comes to the development and production of windows and doors. However, Mona Sloth Nielsen made her case when she needed to find a manager in technical digital business development

“We only employ people who have skills in windows, molding and so on. Hence, we did not have the skills in the organization needed for this position, since it is not something we have worked on before. I had a difficult time someone myself, since I simply did not know what I needed the candidate to know” she says.

Mona Sloth Nielsen continues “Through recommendations, I contacted Christian Hvashøj from Nextt Management, and he understood exactly what challenge I was facing.”

Christian quickly reached out to Nextt Management resource base of pre-qualified managers, and soon enough the interim candidates showed their interest in the INWIDO assignment.

Created a better product

It did not take long before Mona was presented to three qualified candidates. It only took one day from the time Mona had chosen her interim manager, to the interim manager starting the job.

“Our interim manager came in all over the go-to-market plan with website, launch, app and programming capabilities. He actually peeled it all apart, “she says, emphasizing why it was beneficial:” We had used a lot of consultants for the technical solutions, but it did not stick and it was not good advice“

Ultimately, Mona feels it will be a better product to launch in July:

“We’re launching in a few weeks and we know it is working. And I am product of the product.”

A receipt for success

Although it was a critical situation Mona Sloth Nielsen faced, the task was not only solved – INWIDO also got a better and more exclusive product out of working with an interim manager. She attributes this to the way the interim manager works:

“The great thing about interim managers is that they don’t have to be politically correct or take care of some interests. They are only measured by results, so that’s what they are fighting for.”

She is impressed that interim managers can start the process so quickly as fire extinguishers and developers in companies::

“They are a kind of their own, these are interim managers. They have a great need to try some things and use some effort. And that’s what makes it great. ”

“The great thing about interim managers is that they don’t have to be politically correct or take care of some interests. They are only measured by results, so that’s what they are fighting for.”