Winning new business matters. But there is another measure of success that can say even more: when customers who know you well choose to deepen or expand the relationship.
Several of Ework’s Q3 wins came from existing customers, including Husqvarna, SKF, Ellevio, Malmö Stad, Öresundskraft and Telemark Fylkeskommune. For Joel Sjöstedt, Head of Market Sweden at Ework, that is an important signal.
“A successful renewal is one of the clearest proofs of the value we create. These customers have seen us deliver over time, through different market conditions and across different competence needs, and they choose to continue or expand the relationship. You earn that trust over time”, he says.
From finding consultants to taking greater responsibility
What customers expect from a partner is also changing. Increasingly, the conversation goes beyond sourcing individual consultants. Customers are looking for support across the broader external workforce process, from sourcing and supplier management to purchasing, cost control and compliance.
Tetra Pak is one example. Ework and Tetra Pak have worked together since 2013, and Ework is now its exclusive MSP partner for interim consultants across all competence areas in Sweden, the first market in Tetra Pak’s global MSP rollout.
At the same time, the pace of technological change and growing uncertainty are reshaping customers' expectations.
“AI is changing how work gets done faster than most organizations can plan for, and that creates real uncertainty about which skills will matter. Customers don’t just want a consultant who fits the brief. They want a partner who understands their business, brings ideas, anticipates needs and helps them make sense of where their competence needs are heading.”
Staying relevant over time
For Ework, developing existing relationships starts with consistent delivery, but it does not end there. The ambition is to know the customer well enough to identify new needs and broaden the conversation, whether across competence areas, services or strategic challenges.
“Trust is built in the everyday delivery. But being a long-term partner also means staying curious about where the customer is going next and being proactive about how we can help them get there”, says Joel Sjöstedt.
Q3 also brought new relationships. Nobia joined Ework’s customer portfolio during the quarter, marking the starting point for what Ework hopes will become another long-term collaboration.
For Joel, the common thread is therefore not the individual wins themselves.
“Of course we are proud when we win or expand an agreement. But the bigger point is what happens afterwards. Our job is to keep creating value and earning the opportunity to grow together with our customers”, he says