Client Testimonial - Waterscan
Context: Waterscan is a UK-based tech-enabled water management consultancy for enterprise clients. Coppett Hill provided go-to-market due diligence support to Lloyds Development Capital when it invested in the business in 2024. Following this, we were asked to support management deliver the six value creation recommendations we identified during the DD process, including building out GTM reporting and establishing a framework for measuring marketing ROI.
Solution: Over 2 phases (~3 months total), Coppett Hill:
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Collaborated with management and CDD partners to assess the GTM maturity of Waterscan - identifying opportunities for value creation
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Reviewed the business plan, assessing enablers and gaps within the business for achieving objectives set out in the plan
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Deployed a GTM data platform to establish a view on key leading indicators that can be used on an ongoing basis by Waterscan
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Reviewed the marketing strategy, operational processes, tools and resources against Waterscan's business objectives and presented a view on opportunities for improvement/efficiency and potential constraints
Results: Through Coppett Hill's support Waterscan has now implemented new marketing systems and hired additional Business Development Managers. The business now also has a unified GTM reporting system and a clear framework for measuring marketing ROI.
Next steps: Coppett Hill is now supporting Waterscan on an ongoing basis in tracking marketing progress for ICP-fit prospects. and conducting periodic independent reviews of the GTM team.
Neil Pendle
Founder, CEO
Waterscan Limited
Hear about the experience from our client’s side:
Q. Can you explain your role?
Neil: I’m the Founder and CEO at Waterscan, having founded the company in 1994.
Q. How did you find Coppett Hill?
Neil: We received investment from Lloyds Development Capital (LDC) during in the middle of 2024, and got to know Coppett Hill during the due diligence process as they were introduced by LDC. We enjoyed our interactions with them during the DD process – they were very engaging and made sure everyone was comfortable with the work they were doing.
After the deal we invited them to join the post-completion strategy workshop to discuss some of the areas they highlighted as value creation opportunities during the deal. Coppett Hill were therefore the natural people to support us in unlocking some of those opportunities as we’d got to know them well, and they’d build up a good understanding of the business.
Q. What were the objectives?
Neil: We generally wanted to get things moving quickly after the investment, in particular how quickly things moved through the sales pipeline. Also help to prioritise which marketing and sales activities we should focus on and lastly improve CRM adoption for the sales team.
Q. What has been the impact so far, and what further impact do you expect?
Neil: The work had an immediate impact. They had a set of recommendations, 80% of which we’ve already actioned within the first three months after the project. We asked them to help us with two further projects helping to embed some of the work that they did with our team and on building the data platform and dashboards. They’re now helping us to improve our revenue operations as part of an ongoing retainer.
Q. Are there any particular insights which you have gained which you think you might not have been aware of otherwise?
Neil: They helped us to prioritise what was going to have the most impact and cut through the noise. As a team we have lots of ideas, but what Coppett Hill provided was focus and clarity, giving us confidence to focus on fewer but higher value activities.
Q. Is there anything you would highlight as a strength for Coppett Hill?
Neil: Their people are great to work with. They focus on the most important and impactful things rather than just telling you what they think you want to hear.
Q. Would you recommend Coppett Hill to other private equity-backed CEOs during the first year of an investment?
Neil: I’d recommend them to all CEOs regardless of the owner or time horizon. If your business wants to improve go-to-market then the work they do is incredibly valuable. But equally I get that if it’s done in year one it can have the most impact.
Q. What could we have done differently?
Neil: I think they could have been clearer with the proposal initially for the post-deal value creation work, in terms of what the timeline was going to be and what involvement they’d need from the management team. There weren’t necessarily surprises, but it could have been clearer upfront.
Q. When it comes to working with us overall, how would you characterise that experience?
Neil: I’d say engaging. It feels like a nicely embedded relationship now where if I have a question I can call them, and we can debate it. It’s been a great success so far, and I hope it continues to be like that for the next phase.
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