ARC Grid: In Action

Most management frameworks are designed at a single level (usually corporate/strategic), and don't always scale down to the sales floor. The ARC Grid sits in the business conversations. It works in CEOs strategy meets in Bangalore, but equally in the Area Manager's mid-year sit-up, and even in the daily rep huddle on the sales floor.

The ARC Grid's strength is exactly this:

• It can be applied at macro (company/industry) and micro (zone/region/rep) levels without losing meaning.
• The same quadrants (Heavy Weights, Whales & Minnows, Balanced Power, Democratized Market) apply universally, but the action plan changes by level.
• This makes it fractal, like strategy in a mirror: what's true at the top repeats at the bottom.

Here's how it plays out. To get the most from these cases, start with the ARC Grid article, as it lays the foundation for what follows:

CEO's Case

Arun is the CEO of a mid-sized B2B company with 1,200 active customers. He asks his CFO to run the numbers:

• 150 customers contribute 68% of revenue.
• The remaining 1,050 customers together bring only 32%.

When he plots this on the ARC Grid, he finds his company sitting firmly in the Heavy Weights quadrant.

Now, instead of asking "Did we grow topline this quarter?" the sharper question becomes: "Are we over-reliant on a small set of customers, and what's my next strategic move?"

How It Guides Him

• Since he's in Heavy Weights → those 150 accounts are the lifeline of the business. They must be protected (tier-1 account managers, tailored contracts, faster service, board-level relationships).
• But the 1,050 smaller accounts can't just be left idle. Among them, who are the next 100–150 ready to grow? Who can be nurtured into higher value, and who are the ones simply "noise," creating operational load but no real revenue leverage?

This clarity changes his boardroom agenda:

• Instead of chasing every customer equally, focus is set on deepening ties with the 150 + upgrading the next 100.
• Investment (salesforce expansion, marketing campaigns, product pilots) is allocated by quadrant, not by blanket growth targets.

It tells him:

• Whom to guard (the 150 anchors).
• Whom to grow (the next 100 with potential).
• Whom to prune (accounts draining resources).

This makes the topline not just bigger, but safer and smarter.

And that's the same lens which later cascades down, from National Sales Head to Regional Manager, all the way down to Ramesh with his retailers.

Case: National Sales Head

Ravi is the National Sales Head, overseeing 8 regions across the country. At the end of the quarter, he pulls the regional numbers and plots them on the ARC Grid.

• 2 regions deliver 70% of national sales.
• The other 5 regions together contribute only 30%.

On the ARC Grid, his picture is clear: he's running a "Heavy Weights" setup at the national level.

Now, the question for Ravi isn't "Did we hit the national target?" It's "Which regions guard the engine, and which regions need a different playbook?"

How It Guides Him

• For the 2 heavy-weight regions → Double-down: more budgets, sharper targets, and top talent allocation.
• For the 5 weaker regions → Diagnose. Are they minnows with growth potential, or just poor filters? → Decide whether to invest in building them up or simply contain them at current levels.

This changes how Ravi talks with his regional heads:

• Instead of pushing for growth across all regions equally, each region gets a quadrant-specific brief.
• Strong regions hear: "Guard what works, scale what works."
• Weak regions hear: "Show me which minnows can grow. Let's prune the rest."

It tells him:

• Which regions to secure
• Which to scale
• Which to sustain

And just like that, Ravi's national view moves from targets to tactics.

Case: Regional Manager

Anita is the Regional Manager handling 4 zones in her region. She pulls her data into the ARC Grid.

• 1 zone alone contributes 65% of her regional sales.
• The other 3 zones together bring in 45%.

On the ARC Grid, Anita's region clearly sits in "Whales & Minnows."

Now the question isn't "Is my region meeting its quota?" It's "Do I ride the whale, or do I scale the minnows?"

How It Guides Her

• For the 1 whale zone → She ensures no disruption: senior leadership visits, higher credit support, faster supply chain.
• For the 3 minnows → She sits with zonal heads and asks: Which zone has hidden potential to graduate into mid-size? Which one is just a filler zone that needs pruning of accounts?

This redefines her regional review meetings:

• Instead of equal pressure on all zones, she tailors her approach.
• Whale zone gets protection + margin improvement plans.
• Minnow zones get specific scaling roadmaps: new account acquisition, product penetration drives.

The ARC Grid gives Anita clarity:

• Guard the whale zone.
• Bet on the right minnow.
• Don't waste energy on dead fillers.

Her leadership conversations shift from "Grow everywhere" to "Grow where it counts."

Case: Zonal Manager

Suresh is a Zonal Manager responsible for 5 areas. At month-end, he runs the ARC Grid on his zone.

• All 5 areas contribute almost equally — each between 18%–22%.
• No single area dominates, no area is negligible.

On the ARC Grid, his zone falls into "Balanced Power."

Now his question isn't "Did my zone hit the number?" It's "How do I protect this balance and prevent sudden shocks?"

How It Guides Him

• Since no single area dominates → Suresh knows churn risk is spread.
• He sets clear relationship KPIs for each Area Manager with strong support. Create a pipeline of new accounts in each area so that if one weakens, another can quickly slip if even one area falters.

This changes his zonal review meetings:

• Instead of blanket pep talks, he focuses on building backup strength in every area.
• He encourages Area Managers to share best practices across the zone to keep the balance intact.

His leadership takeaway:

• Guard the balance.
• Build the pipeline.
• Prevent slippage into dependence.

Balanced Power is stability, but only if he nurtures it.

Case: Area Manager

Kiran is an Area Manager with 8 sales reps reporting to him. Each rep handles a patch of accounts. When Kiran maps his team on the ARC Grid, the picture is mixed:

• 2 reps are in Heavy Weights → few accounts dominate their sales.
• 1 rep is in Whales & Minnows → broad base but over-reliance on big accounts.
• 5 reps are in Democratized Market → many small accounts, no single dependence.

Now Kiran's review question isn't "Who hit target and who didn't?" It's "Which rep is in which quadrant, and what action does it demand?"

How It Guides Him

• For the Heavy Weight reps → He tells them: "Guard your big accounts. But from the rest, identify who can be upgraded into mid-tier."
• For the Whales & Minnows rep → He directs: "You're resilient, but don't let servicing costs kill you. Plan routes better, increase efficiency."
• For the Democratized reps → He asks his audience: "You're resilient, but don't let servicing costs kill you. Plan routes better, increase efficiency."

This reframes his one-on-ones with reps. Instead of generic pressure, each rep gets quadrant-specific coaching.

It gives him clarity to:

• Guard the bigs.
• Balance the reliant.
• Streamline the spread.

And his reps walk away with direction, not just pressure.

Case: Sales Rep

Ramesh is a Territory Sales Executive handling 40 retailers in his beat. At the end of the month, he sits down with his numbers.

• 7 retailers give him 65% of sales.
• The remaining 33 retailers together make up 35%.

When he maps this on the ARC Grid, his patch falls clearly into Heavy Weights.

Now Ramesh's question isn't "Did I hit my sales target this month?" It's "How do I guard my heavy weights and grow beyond them?"

How It Guides Him

• For the 7 key accounts → Extra visits, faster fulfillment, personal rapport. Losing even one would derail his month.
• For the 33 smaller retailers → Identify the top 5–6 with potential. Invest effort to grow them. → The rest are just fillers, keep servicing them, but stop chasing volume there.

This changes his daily routine:

• Instead of scattering calls across 40 outlets, Ramesh sharpens focus: Top 7 (guard) + next 6 (grow).
• His route plan, his sales pitch, his energy all flow from this quadrant placement.

It tells him:

• Whom to guard.
• Whom to grow.
• Whom to prune.

For Ramesh, the grid is no longer a strategy chart. It's a map for his next call.

The ARC Tool

From the CEO Arun in the boardroom to Ramesh in the field, the ARC Grid speaks the same language. It cuts through targets and noise to show one simple truth: where you stand, and what you must do next.

That is why the ARC Grid is not just a framework. It is a tool of direction, one that scales every level of business.

The real question is: Have you mapped your ARC, and are you acting on it?