In many organizations, the portfolio is still viewed as a list of products and services – something that needs to be expanded in the hope that more choice will open up more opportunities. In reality, sustainable growth is rarely dependent on volume alone.
For high-performing companies, a strategic portfolio is intentionally focused on customer outcomes. It supports acquisition, strengthens retention and creates long-term value through clarity, consistency and excellent service.
In this blog, I will explore how a focused, service-oriented portfolio can drive sustainable growth. Drawing on Chubb’s approach to connected services, cross-selling and long-term customer relationships, he explains why portfolio discipline is a critical leadership lever in today’s complex and regulated markets.
Portfolio as a growth strategy, not as a catalog
In many sectors, portfolios grow reactively – influenced by short-term sales opportunities or competitive activities. Over time, this can lead to fragmented offerings that are difficult for customers to navigate and challenging for teams to deliver consistent offerings.
In fire protection and security, where trust, reliability and compliance are paramount, this approach simply doesn’t work. Customers are not looking for isolated products; You are looking for partners who can manage risks holistically.
So a strategic portfolio isn’t about selling more things. It’s about offering the right combination of services, delivered in a way that supports both immediate needs and long-term resilience.
Portfolio as one of Chubb’s three Ps
At Chubb, Portfolio is one of our three strategic pillars, along with People and Process, and plays a central role in driving revenue growth.
Our portfolio strategy is based on:
- Service and monitoring oriented offerings
- Multidisciplinary contracts that simplify supplier management for customers
- Connected services that provide insight, responsiveness and security
By leading with service, we create opportunities to capture a greater share of customer spend while delivering more integrated, value-driven solutions. This approach supports both customer acquisition and retention and helps us build long-term relationships rather than transactional commitments.
However, implementing portfolio discipline is not without challenges. Internal resistance to change, legacy systems and market pressures can all present obstacles. At Chubb, we address these issues by fostering a culture of continuous improvement, investing in employee training, and modernizing our technology to support agile decision-making.
Connected services and cross-selling with purpose
Cross-selling is often misunderstood as simply adding more products to an account. At Chubb, it’s all about finding where additional services really improve protection, performance and compliance.
Networked services play a crucial role here. By leveraging data, monitoring and integrated technologies, we are able to:
- Anticipate customer needs
- Improve response and reliability
- Strengthen ongoing commitment through excellent service
This creates natural opportunities to grow relationships in a way that feels relevant and valuable to customers – rather than forced or opportunistic. For example, one of our long-standing customers was faced with changing compliance requirements. By proactively offering a bundled solution that combined fire safety audits with ongoing monitoring, we not only met their immediate needs, but also deepened our relationship and opened the door for additional services.
Sustainable growth lives in the bond
While acquisition is important, long-term growth depends on retention. A well-curated portfolio makes it easier to retain customers by providing consistent service, reducing complexity and increasing trust over time.
Multidisciplinary contracts supported by connected services help customers see Chubb as a long-term partner rather than a collection of suppliers. This loyalty is based on reliability, insight and trust that we continually invest in their safety and resilience.
Lessons for business leaders
Business leaders should regularly review their portfolios and ensure that each service or product contributes to sustainable growth. That means you’re willing to make tough decisions – discontinue offerings that no longer serve the company or its customers and invest in ones that do.
For executives looking to refine their portfolios, consider the following actionable steps:
- Conduct regular portfolio reviews with cross-functional teams
- Use customer feedback and data analysis to help you make decisions
- Develop a checklist to assess the alignment of each offering with strategic goals.
Portfolio with purpose
At Chubb, we view the portfolio as an engine for growth – driven by excellent service, commercial discipline and customer insight.
By focusing on connected services, targeted cross-selling and long-term retention, we create sustainable growth that benefits our customers, our employees and our company.
Because when your portfolio is aligned with your customers’ outcomes, sustainable growth comes naturally – based on trust, clarity and long-term value.
