Openwork Partnership
Financial Services
Product-Led Growth (PLG) | Customer-Centric Transformation
From Sales-Led to Product-Led: Transforming 4,500 Advisors' Experience
How we helped Openwork Partnership - one of the UK's largest financial advice networks - shift from project-driven delivery to customer-focused product thinking, improving advisor satisfaction by 58% and cutting time-to-market by 65%.
65% Faster Time-to-Market
58% Advisor Satisfaction Gain
72% Feature Adoption
Customer empathy and focus measurably improved
Product-Led Growth Enabled
At a Glance
Client: The Openwork Partnership
Industry: Financial Services - Financial Advice Network
Challenge: Transition from sales-led to product-led while completing legacy transformation
Duration: 12-month transformation
Services Delivered
→ Product-Led Growth (PLG) Transformation
→ Delivery Restructuring (waterfall to agile)
→ Product & Technology Training (custom PLG curriculum)
→ Team Formation & Coaching (cross-functional product teams)
→ Governance Redesign (outcome-focused, customer-centric)
Key Results
◘ Time-to-market reduced 65% (16 weeks → 5.6 weeks average)
◘ Advisor satisfaction improved 58% (from 52% to 82%)
◘ Feature adoption rate increased to 72% (vs. 28% pre-transformation)
◘ Customer empathy and focus measurably improved across organization
◘ Product thinking embedded across change and delivery teams
◘ Scalable, sustainable product-led operating model established
The Starting Point: Inherited Deadlines, Outdated Mindset
The Openwork Partnership is one of the UK's largest financial advice networks, supporting over 4,500 advisors across nearly 700 firms. But in 2022, their new management team inherited a challenge: finish a massive legacy replatforming programme while simultaneously transforming how the organisation delivered value to its advisors and their clients.
The Legacy Burden:
Resources were tied up completing a multi-year replatforming initiative. Deadlines were set by the previous regime and couldn't slip. The new leadership needed to finish this job while planning for a fundamentally different future - one where technology enabled advisor success rather than just supporting transactions.
The Deeper Problem:
Post-programme retrospectives revealed systemic issues that couldn't be ignored:
Lack of Customer Empathy and Focus:
There was a significant gap between what advisors actually wanted and needed versus what the Openwork business assumed they needed. Products were built based on internal assumptions, not validated advisor requirements. Features launched that advisors didn't use. Real pain points went unaddressed while resources were spent on low-value enhancements.
Waterfall Development Driven by Project Plans:
Development was driven by scope and timelines, not business value. The focus was outputs (features delivered) not outcomes (advisor problems solved). Success meant "we shipped what we planned" not "we improved advisor effectiveness." This created a feature factory mentality where teams measured success by velocity, not value.
Lack of Alignment Between Engineering and Business:
Strategic outcomes weren't clearly communicated to delivery teams. Ownership of priorities was unclear. Engineering built what they were told without understanding why it mattered. Business stakeholders couldn't articulate what they needed in ways engineering could act on. The gap between strategy and execution was wide and growing.
High Staff Churn:
Sections of the delivery function experienced concerning turnover. People left because they couldn't see their impact. Work felt like checkbox compliance rather than meaningful contribution. The best people were attracted to organisations where they could solve real problems, not just complete tickets.
The Industry Context:
Research showed 81% of companies compete primarily on customer experience. Yet only 8% of customers believe companies actually deliver superior experiences. Openwork was caught in this gap - believing they were customer-focused while their advisors experienced something very different.
Internal Barriers:
The obstacles were clear: outdated workflows slowing processes (53% barrier), inadequate budget for best experiences (47%), stakeholder issues between departments, and difficulty finding and retaining people with right skills. These weren't unique to Openwork - they were systemic challenges facing any organisation trying to become truly customer-centric.
What Was At Stake:
In 2022's competitive landscape, organisations that couldn't deliver products and services meeting evolving customer needs would lose relevance. For Openwork, this meant advisors choosing other networks with better technology experiences. The partnership model depended on making advisors more effective - if technology hindered rather than helped, the business model eroded.
The Fundamental Issue:
When organisational structure and systems aren't aligned with customer needs, there's a problem. Openwork needed fundamental change to their product and delivery pipeline - eliminate silos, build cross-functional teams, take test-and-learn approaches, and apply lean-agile methodologies to learn and act quickly.
This required more than process improvement. It required cultural transformation from sales-led thinking (features we want to sell) to product-led thinking (outcomes customers need).
How We Delivered: Visualise, Stabilise, Transform
True product-led growth transformation isn't about implementing frameworks - it's about fundamentally changing how organizations think about and deliver value.
Phase 1: Visualise (Weeks 1-4)
The Challenge:
Before transforming, we needed to understand current reality and cultivate genuine engagement for change across the organisation.
Kickoff & Discovery:
We conducted comprehensive assessment of business drivers, current impediments, and existing state across structure, governance, and metrics. This wasn't surface-level - we mapped how work actually flowed, interviewed stakeholders across functions, and identified systemic blockers.
Co-Creating the Transformation Plan:
Rather than imposing our solution, we co-created an outcome-based transformation plan with Openwork's leaders. We aligned on the transformation roadmap, defined team structure, and communicated vision across the organisation. This collaboration was critical - ownership had to sit with Openwork from day one.
Baseline Metrics Established:
We gathered and measured baselines to assess transformation progress over time. This included delivery speed metrics (cycle time, lead time), quality metrics (defect rates, advisor satisfaction), and product metrics (feature adoption, time-to-value). Without baselines, improvement would be invisible.
Product Pipeline Preparation:
We helped decompose high-level requirements into smaller work items (Features) that could be prioritised and delivered incrementally. Key technology enablers were refined and prioritised. Capacity allocation between technology and product was agreed and communicated. This preparation was essential for transitioning from big-batch waterfall to iterative product delivery.
What This Phase Achieved:
Shared understanding of current state. Clear vision of desired future state. Engagement from skeptics who were included in design. Baseline metrics to measure progress. Foundation for actual transformation.
Phase 2: Stabilise (Months 2-4)
The Challenge:
Move from planning to execution while building organisational capability to sustain new ways of working.
Team Formation & Training:
We didn't just reorganise - we built cross-functional product teams around advisor value streams. Each team included product, engineering, UX, change, and operations representation. Teams were trained in core Scrum practices: estimation, planning, managing bottlenecks, measuring throughput.
Custom Product & Technology Training:
We delivered training specifically written for Openwork's context - not generic agile certification. This two-day course taught principles and practices of product development within scaled environments, including:
Planning and executing work during increments
How product and architecture collaborate in scaled context
Decomposing Epics into Features into Stories based on value
Developing roadmaps and communicating vision
Prioritisation focused on advisor outcomes
Team-Level Scaled Agile Training:
We trained teams in mindset, principles, and practices for scaled agile delivery. This included estimation and planning against expectations, testing and deployment practices for quality, roles and responsibilities clarity, managing dependencies and collaborating across teams, and reporting progress transparently.
Tooling Preparation:
Azure DevOps was configured to support scaled agility and integrated with programme reporting tools. This wasn't just technical setup - it was designing workflows that made product-thinking visible and measurable.
Initial Quarterly Planning:
We facilitated Openwork's first product-led quarterly planning session. Unlike traditional project planning focused on delivering pre-defined scope, this planning focused on outcomes we aimed to achieve for advisors. Features were pulled from backlog based on value, not pushed from predetermined plans.
Phase 3: Transform (Months 5-12)
The Challenge:
Sustain new practices while embedding product-led culture across the organisation.
Advisory & Continuous Coaching:
We provided ongoing coaching through delivery cycles. Delivery progress was tracked through sprint cycles (measurable, repeatable, reportable). We facilitated programme ceremonies and senior leadership team retrospectives. Team and programme-level workshops addressed emerging challenges. We mentored internal delivery and product leads to build sustainable capability.
Communities of Practice:
We established communities where product owners, scrum masters, and UX professionals could share learnings, solve problems collaboratively, and reinforce product-led principles. These communities became self-sustaining networks for continuous improvement.
Portfolio Uplift:
We structured portfolio management to enable product-led strategy using OKRs (Objectives and Key Results). Portfolio canvas was completed connecting business objectives to product outcomes. Support systems were designed based on feedback from implementation.
Product-Led Culture Reinforcement:
Throughout the engagement, we reinforced product thinking over project thinking. Every conversation focused on advisor outcomes, not feature output. Every metric measured value delivered, not work completed. Every retrospective asked "did we solve the problem?" not "did we finish the tasks?"
Reflect & Adjust:
We regularly reevaluated baseline metrics, assessed key improvement areas, and generated next target conditions. Transformation roadmap was adjusted to reflect changing reality. This adaptive approach embodied the product mindset we were instilling.
Measured Business Outcomes
Time-to-Market Reduced 65%
Average time from concept to advisor hands dropped from 16 weeks to 5.6 weeks - a 65% improvement. This wasn't about rushing - it was about eliminating waste, working in smaller batches, and focusing on highest-value features first. Advisors saw improvements 3x faster, enabling them to serve clients more effectively.
Advisor Satisfaction Improved 58%
Internal satisfaction surveys showed dramatic improvement from 52% to 82% satisfaction with technology and support. Advisors felt heard. Their feedback influenced what got built. Features actually solved their problems. This satisfaction translated to stronger advisor retention and recruitment.
Feature Adoption Rate Increased to 72%
Before transformation, only 28% of launched features were actively adopted by advisors - meaning 72% of development effort created minimal value. Post-transformation, this inverted: 72% of features were actively used within 3 months of launch. This demonstrated true product-market fit thinking.
Customer Empathy Measurably Improved
Through regular advisor interviews, user research sessions, and feedback loops, teams developed genuine understanding of advisor challenges. Product decisions were backed by evidence, not assumptions. "We think advisors need..." became "Advisors told us they struggle with..."
Product Thinking Embedded Organisation-Wide
Change and delivery teams shifted mindset from "ship the features in the plan" to "solve advisor problems." Conversations focused on outcomes and impact. Success metrics emphasised value delivered. Product thinking became how Openwork worked, not just what product teams did.
Scalable Product-Led Operating Model Established
The transformation created sustainable capability. Openwork could continue improving without ongoing consultancy support. Internal product coaches mentored new teams. Quarterly planning became standard rhythm. OKR-driven portfolio management connected strategy to execution.
Secondary Benefits
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Silos between business, technology, change, and operations dissolved. Cross-functional teams collaborated daily on shared objectives. Dependencies were managed proactively. Finger-pointing was replaced by collective ownership.
Faster Feedback Loops
Regular advisor feedback sessions, beta testing programs, and analytics dashboards created tight feedback loops. Teams could see feature usage patterns within days of launch. Course correction happened quickly, preventing major resource waste on wrong solutions.
Innovation Increased
With product-led thinking, teams felt empowered to experiment and innovate. Small tests validated ideas before major investment. Failed experiments were learning opportunities, not career risks. Innovation became systematic, not sporadic.
Strategic Alignment
Portfolio-level OKRs connected business strategy to team-level work. Everyone could articulate how their work served broader objectives. Strategic initiatives moved from planning to execution because teams understood the "why" behind the "what."
Talent Retention
Staff churn decreased measurably as people experienced meaningful work. Engineers saw their code solving real advisor problems. Product managers engaged directly with users. Work felt purposeful. The best people stayed and thrived.
In Their Words
"Agilicist helped us transform from a project factory to a product organization. The shift in mindset was profound - we stopped asking 'did we deliver the features?' and started asking 'did we solve advisor problems?' The training wasn't generic agile certification; it was custom-designed for our context, teaching our teams how to think product-first. Time-to-market improved 65%, but more importantly, feature adoption improved from 28% to 72% - meaning we're finally building things advisors actually use. The product-led operating model they helped us establish is sustainable. We own it. We continue improving it. This was genuine transformation, not consultant dependency."
- Change Leadership, The Openwork Partnership
Custom Training Over Generic Certification
We didn't deliver off-the-shelf agile training. We created curriculum specifically for Openwork's financial advice context, using their advisor challenges as examples. This made learning immediately applicable, not abstract theory.
Product Thinking Over Process Compliance
We focused on changing mindset, not just implementing ceremonies. Product-led growth isn't about running standups - it's about solving customer problems. Every coaching conversation reinforced this principle.
Cross-Functional Team Formation
Breaking down silos required genuine cross-functional teams, not matrix structures. Product, engineering, UX, change, and operations sat together, planned together, and succeeded or failed together. Shared objectives created shared ownership.
Outcome-Based Metrics
We measured what mattered: advisor satisfaction, feature adoption, time-to-value. Not just velocity and burn-down charts. Outcome metrics reinforced product thinking by making value visible.
Phased Transformation While Delivering
We didn't stop ongoing work to transform. We transformed while delivering the legacy programme. This required discipline but proved the new approach worked under pressure, building confidence.
Building Internal Capability
From day one, we focused on sustainable capability building. We mentored internal product coaches, documented principles and practices, and gradually transitioned ownership. Openwork owned their transformation.
Critical Success Factors
How We Helped
Product-Led Growth (PLG) Transformation
End-to-end transformation from sales-led/project-driven to product-led organisation. Embedded product thinking across change and delivery functions. Created sustainable product-led operating model.
Custom Product & Technology Training
Specifically designed curriculum teaching product development principles within scaled agile context. Two-day courses for product/architecture teams and delivery teams. Practical, applied learning using Openwork's real challenges.
Team Formation & Coaching
Established cross-functional product teams organised around advisor value streams. Ongoing coaching through delivery cycles. Mentored internal product and delivery leads for sustainability.
Governance Redesign
Restructured portfolio management using OKRs to connect strategy to execution. Created outcome-focused governance emphasising value delivery over scope compliance. Quarterly planning rhythm established.
Similar Transformations
Facing Similar Challenges?
If your organisation is struggling with:
Sales-led or project-driven culture preventing customer focus
Features launching that customers don't use or want
Gap between what you build and what customers actually need
Teams measuring success by output (features shipped) not outcomes (problems solved)
Silos between business, product, technology, and operations
High staff churn because work feels meaningless
We can help. The Openwork transformation required fundamental mindset shift from project delivery to product thinking - embedding customer empathy, outcome focus, and continuous learning across the organisation.
Book a free consultation to discuss:
Your specific product-led growth challenges
How to shift from outputs to outcomes
What true customer-centricity requires
Whether PLG transformation fits your context
We'll diagnose your situation honestly and recommend what's needed.