Success Stories
How CPL Group USA Transformed into Two Thriving Companies, Achieving 3x Growth in Market Share Through Strategic Acquisitions
Client Partner Overview
CPL Group USA, based in New York City, provides reading and billing services for utilities such as electric, gas, steam, and water to commercial real estate (CRE) and residential property owners. In addition to these core services, CPL offers services such as power surveys, thermal inspections, and installations within these sectors. CPL services a diverse range of clients across the CRE and residential markets.
The Challenge
A family-owned and operated business, CPL had recognized for years that its outdated backend software platform, originally developed 20 years ago, was holding them back. This platform, vital for delivering their reading and billing services, was no longer capable of supporting the company’s growth. Despite investing significant amounts of money and several years in trying to redevelop the platform using both in-house and external resources, the company was unable to achieve the necessary upgrades.
Facing increasing competition and inefficiencies in service delivery, CPL needed a transformative solution to modernize its operations, streamline services, and capture new growth opportunities. CPL also aspired to pivot from a service-based model to a SaaS-focused business.
How We Helped
CPL’s leadership reached out to Sketch To Growth for fractional CTO services to guide their technology overhaul and support their strategic transition into a SaaS business model.
Sketch To Growth’s Involvement Included:
Sketch To Growth developed a multi-phase strategy to redevelop CPL’s backend system. This included replacing the outdated infrastructure and introducing new client and tenant portals to improve data transparency and automation in utility management.
On behalf of CPL, Sketch To Growth hired and managed contract resources specializing in design, database, infrastructure, and engineering to execute the technology revamp. This provided CPL with all the resources they needed to execute their vision at a tenth of the cost of all previous efforts.
In collaboration with Beckett Industries, Sketch To Growth worked with CPL’s leadership to create a new SaaS entity called Genergy. This new entity would become the driving force behind CPL’s transition from a service-based company to a technology-driven SaaS platform.
To support the sales process and help CPL effectively present its new product, Sketch To Growth developed critical sales assets:
•Demo Product Deck: This deck provided essential structure to the sales initiatives, helping CPL’s team clearly communicate the product’s value proposition, features, and benefits. By standardizing how the product was presented, the deck empowered the sales team to be more effective and consistent in client interactions.
•Product Demo Videos: These videos played a key role in scaling the sales process without adding additional overhead to the team. By using demo videos to showcase the platform’s functionality, the sales team could reach a broader audience and create an engaging customer experience without needing live demonstrations for every prospective client. This proved invaluable for maintaining momentum during the sales cycle as CPL scaled.
Sketch To Growth, in partnership with Beckett Industries, crafted an acquisition strategy which included a capital raise strategy aimed at consolidating key players in the industry. This strategy not only accelerated CPL’s growth but also increased the number of meters serviced, further solidifying their market position.
Results And Impact
The impact of Sketch To Growth’s involvement was profound, resulting in a complete transformation of CPL into a thriving SaaS company.
Genergy successfully launched gEnergyOne v.2, a state-of-the-art software platform that modernized their reading and billing services. This new platform featured client and tenant portals, offering improved reporting and transparency on utility data.
CPL’s original service offerings were spun off into Genergy Site Services, a separate entity focused on utility-related services such as installations and inspections. This clear division allowed each entity to focus on its strengths.
Through strategic acquisitions, driven by the business and acquisition strategy developed by Sketch To Growth, Genergy achieved a 5x increase in the number of meters it serviced. This growth was a direct result of both the new platform and the acquisition of a key competitor, which expanded Genergy’s market reach.
Genergy completed its first acquisition, marking a critical step in its multi-phase consolidation strategy. This acquisition enabled the company to expand its service capacity and strengthen its market presence.
The demo product deck and videos significantly enhanced CPL’s sales process. With these assets in place, the sales team is able to scale more efficiently, maintaining consistency in product messaging and deliver engaging presentations without the need for additional resources or live demonstrations for each prospect.
Where They Are Now
CPL Group USA has fully transformed into two companies:
•Genergy – a SaaS business offering advanced software for utility reading, billing, and data reporting.
•Genergy Site Services – focused on the installation, inspection, and other utility-related services.
In just 8 months, this transformation, alongside the acquisition strategy, led to a 3x increase in Genergy's market share. With new service provider partnerships and additional acquisitions on the horizon, Genergy is set for meteoric growth and expansion.
What's Next
Sketch To Growth continues to play a strategic role in supporting Genergy and Genergy Site Services as they prepare for future acquisitions and scale operations. As Genergy moves toward a Series A round of funding, Sketch To Growth remains a key partner, offering guidance across technology, sales, and capital raising to ensure they are positioned for long-term success.
- Ready for growth? Contact Sketch To Growth™️ Today
- Explore Beckett Industries
- Explore Genergy & Genergy Site Services