Client description: Nonprofit testing laboratory

Practice area: Market Research, Strategic Positioning

Geographic scope: US, Europe

Industries involved: Electrical components and devices, Building materials and products

Services applied: Industry Analysis, Competitive intelligence, Voice of the consumer, Market segmentation

Business challenge: Client sought to refresh the strategic market positioning and strategy of its Appliances, HVAC and Lighting (AHL) business in order to increase market share, relevance and value with customers. While the business had high level goals and sales/marketing tactics, the strategic framework that drove and aligned goals and tactics was not well articulated within the organization.

Methodologies: Strategy workshops with client dissecting business model, customers, markets, gaps in external/internal knowledge, market positioning, value proposition, pricing strategies, competitive differentiators and overall strategy. Facilitated workshop sessions were enhanced through internal business reports and over 30 qualitative interviews with clients and stakeholders.

The result: A well-articulated and systematic report on the voice of customer; competitive intelligence; analysis and proof of value propositions; market and customer segmentation strategy; market focus; turning market gaps into strengths; and strategic messaging.

The consensus on the core strategy was to develop a cultural revolution, from safety to customer focus; enhance customer intimacy; address different segments with different sales approach but with equal importance; reinforce central value proposition themes; and address gaps to claim competitive advantage. Strategic priorities identified were to keep working on strategic messaging but with marketing support; close the customer turn-around time; continue the segmentation process; improve overall client management; review pricing strategy and make it more customer specific; improving internal management process; organize sales approach; and go to market focus for each segment. All priorities were mapped out with a specific action plan.