The challenge facing GEA

GEA is one of the world’s leading technology suppliers for food and agriculture, including its Farm Technologies division — makers of advanced milking and feeding systems for dairy farmers.

By 2019, GEA had strong products and market presence, but a clear sales challenge. Their global sales teams and dealer networks were technically skilled and product-focused, but lacked structured sales training. Most had never received formal guidance on how to sell the value behind GEA’s solutions — particularly against dominant market competitors like Lely in the automated milking space.

The business needed to change how its people sold — moving from features and benefits to a true understanding of customer value. They needed a programme that could work globally, across different products, languages, and dealer structures.

Why they turned to Neil

Neil had previously worked with GEA’s Global Sales Director in a former role, helping to deliver leadership and team development workshops. That trust — combined with Neil’s proven methodology in value-based selling — made him the ideal partner to build something bespoke for GEA.

Neil’s background working with partner-led organisations like IBM was a key advantage. He understood the nuances of dealer sales models and how to translate enterprise-level sales thinking into simple, actionable steps for field sales teams and local partners.

The goal wasn’t just to teach “how to sell,” but to build confidence in value conversations — helping salespeople connect their technology to the everyday challenges and emotions of farmers.

Developing a tailored solution

The first step was the automated milking system (AMS) — GEA’s flagship robot milking product. Neil developed a full training ecosystem:

• A bespoke Value Selling handbook, built specifically around GEA’s AMS, with examples, stories, and case studies relevant to dairy farming.
• A video-based online academy, filmed over three days in Germany, allowing salespeople and dealers to learn through short, engaging training modules.
• A live workshop series, originally designed as in-person “graduation” sessions following the online learning.

When COVID-19 disrupted travel, the programme shifted online — without losing its interactivity. Using live interpreters and simultaneous translation in multiple languages, Neil delivered global sessions to groups of up to 60 participants at a time, reaching sales teams and dealer partners across Europe, North America, and South America.

Driving global success

The rollout continued throughout 2020 and 2021, with GEA sales teams quickly adopting the value-based approach. The results spoke for themselves: GEA exceeded all AMS sales targets in 2021 — a clear reflection of stronger, more confident sales conversations.

The success led to expansion. Neil was asked to replicate the same model for other product lines — first for GEA’s automated feeding systems, and later for its conventional milking equipment. Each programme followed the same structure: a tailored book, online academy, virtual training sessions, and in-person workshops with simultaneous translation.

By 2023, the Value Selling framework had become GEA’s global sales foundation. Neil continues to support GEA today, developing a unified training programme that combines all products into a single learning journey for both direct sales teams and global dealer networks.

Beyond the numbers

For Neil, the work with GEA wasn’t just about commercial success — it was about understanding human value.

Unlike traditional B2B environments, GEA’s customers — dairy farmers — are individuals making deeply personal decisions. The value conversation often includes emotional benefits as much as financial ones: the freedom to have breakfast with their children, to attend school plays, to take a morning off after years of early milking routines.

Recognising and articulating that kind of emotional value has become central to GEA’s sales approach — and a defining element of the Value Selling methodology.

Looking ahead

Technology has moved quickly since the first training sessions in 2019. What once required camera crews and full translation setups can now be delivered using AI tools, making training faster, more accessible, and scalable.

Neil continues to evolve the programme, combining the depth of human coaching with new digital tools to make learning more personal and adaptive — while staying true to the same principle that has guided this partnership from the start:

“Selling isn’t about convincing someone to buy. It’s about helping them see the real value of what changes when they do.”

Foreword:

“Selling is an art form and a profession. A great sales call is like a beautifully choreographed ballroom dance where both dancers are engaged in creating something together, both equally involved in the final production.” – Neil Thubron

“I’ve found the white board methodology a great way of getting customer to open up about what their issues are and get alignment around objectives. It allows us to put solutions to potential clients which they might not have otherwise considered us for and to structure a programme of work for existing clients which moves us up the ladder of trust.” – Director of Research, Financial Investor Relations Company

For many years I was a successful salesman, closing lots of business, however it regularly felt like a battle of wills without real alignment. To be honest I was like any young hungry salesman I didn’t think of the business value that my product and service was delivering, I was just focused on the approach that – I have this service or product, you need it, my job is to persuade you to buy it.

I’m embarrassed to say my strongest negotiating tactic was to go ask for a cheaper price so that I could feel like I was a good deal maker !!

Then I discovered the whiteboard methodology and it was like discovering a new planet that I didn’t even know existed. The Whiteboard method opened my eyes and my conversations to understanding the value to the business of the services and products I was selling. Suddenly I started to focus on how the customer was going to be using them to help address their business and personal goals.

As soon as I started focusing on THEIR needs and the value to THEIR business I found I was having more in depth conversations, building better, and longer lasting relationships, closing deals without discounting and closing deals with additional products and services.

The customers hadn’t changed, the services and products I was selling hadn’t changed, I hadn’t changed, all that changed was the way I approached the conversations I was having.

This book is focused on helping you understand the Whiteboard Methodology, how to uncover and present real business value and how to establish deeper relationships with your prospects and customers.

It is a quick read with the intention that you understand the concepts and then try them out. Please use it as a workbook that you keep coming back to. You also have access to the online training package which covers every aspect of the methods described in this book.

Have fun with it and good luck.

Neil Thubron

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I have spent most of my career out selling in the dairy industry. Self-taught, learning and adapting from my own mistakes as I won and also lost projects. As with most things you learn by yourself it’s easy to actually lose sight of what your method actually is. You just go out and you sell. Subconsciously you start to do the right things, how you follow up, buying signals, relationships, recommendations etc. but could you really explain and teach that to someone else and would it work for them too?

Then I met Neil Thubron who has spent his career helping people with exactly this problem. How to accelerate this learning path and help others to understand it too. Using the Whiteboard Selling method outlined in this book you can quickly adapt a sales strategy that works for you and the customer. It immediately starts with value, how to create it and translate that value to the specific needs of the customer your talking to

Teaching the methodology on several occasions myself, I got more deeply immersed and started to understand the finer aspects of how to optimise support. With the help of Neil we have since been able to use this method to support a dedicated process that can be used all across our product lines from service delivery through to large and complex projects

The principles are also applicable to any consulting situation, and today I use the methodology whenever I need to explore and work with other people to find optimal solutions with better outcomes.

I urge you to take the time to read this book. Digest it, test and use it out in the field to help you stand out from your competitors and sell the value of our products. I know many sales individuals who think they don’t need training or are the best at what they do; but remember the competition never stand still. Open your minds to this way of thinking and try something different, don’t stand still…run!

Oliver Moore – Head of New Equipment GEA FT