Client description: Furniture manufacturer

Practice area: Market Research

Geographic scope: US

Industries involved: Building materials and products

Services applied: Competitive Intelligence

Business challenge: After experiencing a decline in sales and noticing a competitor’s success, furniture manufacturer needed a detailed competitive analysis in order to redefine elements in its strategic business plan.

Methodologies: Extensive secondary research reinforced with over 70 face to face and telephone qualitative in depth interview (IDIs) with economic development officials, media, customer, suppliers, ex-employees/contractors, sales staff and senior executives. Visit of stores and retail outlets.

The result: Delivery of a detailed report validating competitor’s growth in terms of employees, revenue and manufacturing facilities. Research unveiled financing strategies, sources of funding, loan amounts, different tax breaks and incentives used. Also provided were insights on manufacturing facility operations; key and talented employees and their contribution to success; supply chain, product manufacturing and go to market strategies. Financial statements were not obtained.