When evaluating significant strategic decisions and opportunities, many companies fall into the trap of focusing primarily or almost exclusively on their internal priorities, capabilities and resources. Having a detailed understanding in those areas remains critical to developing a strategic direction that can garner buy-in and that is achievable. However, developing that internal understanding represents only a small portion of the strategy definition process. To develop an effective, market-centric strategy, top performing companies also rely on a nuanced understanding of their external environment. That is the additional value we bring to the table. Specifically, we help our clients learn from and account for:
Customers: What they need, how well you perform relative to those needs and what you should do to solve those needs in a differentiated manner
The Channel: Route-to-market options available, how they are structured and what you need to do to drive preference within them
Competitors: What motivates them, how they are going to try and beat you and what you can do to preempt or leapfrog them
Government / Regulatory: How the environment is changing and what risks or opportunities such changes present for your business model and portfolio
The Best-in-Class: How they have attempted to solve the same problems you are dealing with, how effective those practices have been, which you should adopt and how, specifically, you can adopt them
We provide our clients with a window into what is happening in their ecosystem in real-time, how that ecosystem is likely to change in the future and, most importantly, what they can and should do to enhance their position and gain competitive advantage.