Major Case Study: Commercializing a New Technology

Challenges abound in commercializing a new idea or technology. This case explores the lessons learned in the transformation of a technology-driven R&D lab into the maker of a leading commercial product. Issues of importance include the need to be market-driven and the requirement to consider market access and scalability to achieve success.

Key learnings:

• The solution must address a real customer need economically.
• Cost-to-serve is a critical factor to business success.

Click here for the entire article.

Case Study Briefs

Telecommunications Industry (Cost-to-Serve): Created Activity-Based-Costing (ABC) model to measure cost-to-serve by product/market for large RBOC. Clarified strategic focus, identified key cost drivers, and won several client awards.

Wire and Cable Industry (New Market Launch): Developed strategy for industry leader of commercial structured wiring to successfully penetrate the residential ("smart home") market, a market in which it had failed prior to our involvement.

Communications Industry (Growth/Conflict Management): Crafted a channel integration strategy for a world leader in two-way radio communications to address unhealthy between the direct sales force and dealers. The outcome was a much more harmonious channel model and sales growth of nearly 10% ($100M), from a flat baseline, over the next 18 months.

Telecommunications Industry (Retail/Bundled Solution Strategy): Designed and integrated retail strategy to sell the full telecommunications bundle (wireless/wireline) for a leading CLEC. This led to 16% savings (on the sales and marketing front) while revenues grew by 25% in the first year.

Building Products Industry (Channel Model for Contractors): Revamped company-owned retail model for industry leading manufacturer of wood windows and doors. Clarified financial model and economics for a captive retail approach. Reduced costs by 3% while increasing revenues by over 15%.

Industrial Automation Industry (Profitable Growth Strategy): Developed financial model adopted by world-leading industrial OEM to measure true profitability by product and market segment. Client pursued targeted opportunities identified by study, resulting in revenue growth of 15% and profit growth of 30% in the following year.

Publishing/Yellow Pages (Market Segmentation/Compensation): Leading publisher of Yellow Pages and directories was seeing revenues stagnate in the face of competition while profit was dropping. (Market segmentation and sales compensation strategy for leading Yellow Pages publisher (15% growth in flat market).

Test & Measurement/Cable Industry (Marketing Strategy): Developed marketing strategy for leading supplier of test and measurement (T&M) equipment for the cable industry (sold to MSOs). Identified required changes to product line, pricing, and promotion. Also identified acquisition candidate which filled key product holes while dramatically improving market coverage. Client acquired this company, resulting in organic growth in year after acquisition of over 15%.

Identified acquisition candidate for leading high-tech manufacturer of measurement solutions (target successfully acquired).