Hugo Melgarejo doesn't fear a recession.
"I actually see a tremendous opportunity for growth," says Proudfoot Consulting's new president of North America operations. "Companies are more willing to invest in things that will allow them to manage their customers effectively. Historically, when you look at the history of Proudfoot, [when] recession comes, it's actually a boom for our organization."
That's not to say Melgarejo wants the U.S. economy to continue its downward spiral—it just means that in these times, more companies need Proudfoot's help to succeed. "We don't like recessions, but at the same time, it is the market condition [that fuels] significant growth."
And growth is Melgarejo's plan for Proudfoot. Talent management is one of his top priorities, as the productivity consultancy looks to stay on top. The firm, which works primarily with Fortune 1000 companies, has a 65-year history of helping clients. "We are the leader in productivity consulting. We are really the leader in terms of making change at the point of execution. We have very few if any competitors that play at our level in the market."
So when Melgarejo says growth is a priority, he means it. The number of U.S. billable consultants currently stands at 100, but his ideal figure would increase that by 25 percent by the end of next year. His ideal target revenues are in the $250 million to $300 million range.
But making those figures reality is tough. "It takes a very special individual to work in the Proudfoot environment," Melgarejo says, adding he is looking for a rare combination: someone who can see a strategic solution, but can "roll up their sleeves and go down to the point of execution and make it happen."
Melgarejo's background has prepared him well for leading the North America business. He came from IMR Consulting Europe, but most of his clients were based in the U.S. and in Mexico. Proudfoot acquired IMR in 2000, and Melgarejo joined the parent company's ranks the following year.
"I know Proudfoot very well. I know the kind of services that our clients are asking us to provide to them," he says. "I've been all over the world with different Fortune 500 companies. I really have a very good understanding of not only what it takes to service our clients, but what it takes to develop an organization that can provide those services effectively."
And those services vary by organization, Melgarejo says. Most companies, when they come to Proudfoot, are proactively seeking ways to increase productivity. Melgarejo catergorizes his solutions accordingly: "The first one is same cost space, additional throughput. The second one is same volume, with [fewer] resources or less cost space. [The third is] a combination of the two." But the hybrid model works best, he says. "We feel that the companies that are able to position themselves to make the third scenario [happen]…they're the ones that are going to come out of this ahead of the competition. So what we're preaching to our clients is, 'It is good that you are looking at your cost space, but do not forget to look at the top line also.'"
And clients' top line is Melgarejo's bottom one—customer satisfaction: "At the end of the day all these things we do are [aimed] in one direction—the level of service that we can provide to the client."
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