How Does a Middle Market Company Ensure Its Leader Status?

Posted on: February 3rd, 2017

Middle market companies are the strongest drivers of the economy. Being mid-sized gives them a niche advantage over both small companies and large enterprises.

They have an advantage over small companies as their larger size affords them the financial stability to fund innovations, hire key talent and weather difficulties should it arise.

On the other hand, being smaller in size than big conglomerates allows them to be more agile, provide greater customer service and enables them to retain an entrepreneurial spirit.

However, to remain market leaders and compete with challengers, middle market companies must strive for continued revenue growth. Listed below are three ways in which they can do so.

1.) By re-inventing themselves

To grow and thrive in the present day economy, mid-sized companies will have to make changes in their strategic course at regular intervals. While some may have to completely change their business model, others may have to streamline or update their current business model.

As part of their strategic plans, companies may need to initiate extension products/ services or even launch entirely new products/services. It may even involve putting more effort into sales and marketing or implementing the latest technological solutions to help their business retain its position as a market leader.

2.) By delivering great customer service

Customer centricity is the backbone of any successful enterprise, and this is especially true in a mid-sized company, which is separated from its customer by fewer layers. This puts them in a pivotal spot as they are directly in contact with their customers, wherein they can make or break the relationship.

For a middle market company to retain its leader status, customer centricity must be present at every layer of the operation- from ensuring the quality of the service/product to engaging with the customers.

Additionally, middle market leaders must make customer experience a top priority, with adequate resources allocated to do so.

3.) By investing in the right workforce

Even the best-laid strategic plans can fail if not backed by the right talent. A qualified workforce with the essential skills and personalities to drive growth is crucial for a middle market company to retain its leadership status.

Hiring the right talent and more importantly retaining such talent with the right work atmosphere is vital. Furthermore, adequate training and development of employees, maintaining an entrepreneurial culture, and ensuring that their relationship with customers remains focused and individualized will strengthen the leadership position of a middle market company.

Finally, for a middle market company to retain its leader status and continue on the path to success, it will have to clearly identify the challenges ahead, and prioritize their responses to tackle such challenges.

Companies that excel at innovation and strategy, have strong customer-centricity and a dedicated workforce can certainly retain their top spot.

As the Fed decides to ease interest rates, middle market acquisition financing structures will benefit in a number of ways. The underlying values of middle market companies will increase leading to a higher enterprise value and lower loan to value ratios for existing portfolio companies of acquisition financing lenders.

The role of acquisition financing is infrequently elevated above a functional transactional one. When a business needs financing to acquire, they go to the market and source acquisition financing to supplement their equity investment to close the deal. Despite existing in many different forms, acquisition financing is rarely explained in terms of the value it brings to the acquirer.

Acquisition financing underwriting usually focuses on business and financial issues that underpin the stability of cash flow. Providers of acquisition financing usually validate the durability of a company’s competitive advantage and the depth of its resource base. Environmental issues are usually not a major part of the analysis in today’s service and technology-based economy.