Philips Lighting will be further realigning its North American business sales and operations around a solution-selling approach, giving partners and customers access to the full suite of Philips' industry-leading lighting products through a centralized organization that will accelerate their own ability to service customers. 

Philips has recognized the changing trends in lighting and how they are affecting customers from the demographic and population shift to urban areas, the rise of energy costs, to the contribution of lighting to energy use in buildings. These changes are forcing customers to better understand the impact of lighting and the solutions that can meet their lighting needs.

Over the last few years, the company has completed a number of strategic acquisitions that have helped lay the foundation for its holistic approach around LED lighting. These businesses capture value in specific market segments and allow the company to offer total solutions, while leveraging the expertise and offerings from over 20 brands. By combining all of the assets in the Philips portfolio, including user insights and a commitment to research and development (R&D) that has led to innovative products such as Philips hue, Philips is uniquely positioned to make a difference in the segments the company serves.

The new organizational changes include:

•    A single point-of-contact with dedicated lighting expertise
•    Fast and accurate answers from functional subject matter experts
•    Consolidated order status visibility across all business sectors, as well as reducing duplication of paperwork – one quote and purchase order across Philips lighting products
•    Centrally led Sales and Customer Support team providing one point of contact to the customer
•    Sales Support center to streamline non-customer facing activities
•    Customer Fulfillment Center to provide continuity across back-end business processes
•    Smaller geographical zones allowing for a closer relationship with local customers

While customers' needs are at the core of the organizational changes, specifiers, lighting designers, agents, distributors, and installers will remain essential to the Philips ecosystem. Philips' vertical integration, combined with customer insights, uniquely position the company to understand market drivers, staying ahead of the industry, while helping partners capture the growth opportunities.