Skanska transformed its sales culture – partnership with Sofigate ignited a real change

Sales as a driver of growth

With almost 140 years of history, Skanska is one of the world’s leading construction and project development companies. In Finland, it’s among the largest in the industry, known for its strong values that guide everyday work and decision-making.

Yet growing competition and rapidly changing market conditions called for a fresh approach to business development. It had to be more than numbers and processes. Skanska wanted sales to feel natural, inspiring, and above all, customer-oriented.

The goal wasn’t just to polish processes but to shift mindsets: to make commercial efforts a shared source of pride and an integral part of every Skanska employee’s work.

“We wanted to renew our sales approach to better support customer understanding and our values. The vision was to make sales a positive and natural part of our work culture, not a separate function,” says Jarkko Muurimäki, Executive Vice President of Skanska Finland.

Shared direction and open partnership

Skanska and Sofigate didn’t start from scratch. Their partnership already spanned more than a decade and was built on deep trust. In 2024, Skanska recognised striking similarities in how Sofigate had renewed its own sales and decided to take action right away. The company wasn’t looking for an external consultant but for a co-pilot; a partner who truly understood the essence of cultural change and could help build it from within.

Sofigate had already demonstrated through its own transformation how a business-driven programme can reshape an organisation from the inside out. This made Sofigate a credible choice and, most importantly, a partner who shared Skanska’s belief that real change begins with people, not processes.

“We had seen how Sofigate had successfully solved similar challenges in its own organisation. The trust came from our long-standing collaboration. We knew Sofigate was a capable and reliable partner,” Muurimäki emphasises.

The first steps that sparked a change

The journey began boldly between two strategic periods, a moment when many might have waited. The initial focus was on engaging the leadership team and training internal coaches. Sofigate acted as a sparring partner and facilitator, but the true driving force came from Skanska’s own professionals, from their energy and desire to do things differently.

“Skanska was convinced by what we had done ourselves. We had a story that resonated with them, this was a business-driven programme, not a training initiative,” says Matti Saari, Sofigate’s Project Lead.

One turning point was the Construction Managers’ Day at Finlandia Hall, where the new business development mindset was introduced to around 100 people. The atmosphere was inspiring, filled with sincere curiosity, and the change began to take root right away.

“We had never seen so many questions and such enthusiasm for an external speaker. It was a strong signal that people were genuinely engaged,” Muurimäki recalls.

Openness and mutual respect have been at the heart of the collaboration.

“Sofigate didn’t come in to tell us how to do sales, but to help us find our own way. Trust was visible in our everyday work, in honest discussions, shared goals, and celebrating successful turning points together. This wasn’t left on strategy slides; it was reflected in people, attitudes, and daily work,” Muurimäki describes.

A change felt in culture and seen in results

Once the transformation began, the effects were seen not only in increased sales activities, but in the overall atmosphere. Within months, each business unit could tell its own story of how the new way of working was delivering results. Customer engagement grew stronger, and new customer dialogues were initiated.

“Our sales have been revitalised, even in a challenging market. We can see a direct connection between our renewed work culture and the fact that our order backlog now consists of the right kind of customers,” says Muurimäki.

Proactivity and customer understanding also took a leap forward. The Finnish model even sparked international interest and Skanska Finland has been invited to share its best practices.

Equally important was the shift in mindset. Selling, once seen as a difficult topic, became a shared language and a source of pride across the organisation. Conversations about sales started happening everywhere, in corridors and over coffee, with enthusiasm and confidence.

“The organisation is energised and committed. Internal coaches now run the programme themselves, and we’re here to support them,” Saari explains.

The partnership continues in six-month cycles, evolving alongside new systems and technologies.

Turning mindset into competitive advantage

The joint journey of Skanska and Sofigate shows that renewing culture can become a company’s strongest competitive edge. The change is visible in commercial activity, people’s attitudes, leadership; and above all in how customers are met every day.

Trust, openness, and self-driven development have been the key success factors. They’ve built a foundation that endures beyond market challenges and delivers results felt both in people and in business.

“This isn’t a campaign or a project. It’s a new way of working with customers. And it’s here to stay,” Muurimäki concludes.