Winning and retaining clients

Influencing and Success with Prospects who are embedded with Competitors.

Strategic Intent by Gary Hamel and C.K. Prahalad, was a brilliant paper about success in competitive markets. This was reinforced to me when speaking with a National Sales Manager about markets, like the mobile phone market. 

With operating systems are a two-horse race – Android and iOS. Thinking about this for a while, it made me think back to this familiar and much-loved article.

I must admire the hardware model of Apple – premium hardware supported by a included and up to date operating system. As indeed that of Google - free software to support their positioning as the world’s search engine and their advertising model. 

However, the positioning I like the most is that of Bose. Especially when we had a chance to fly on planes, the noise cancelling over ear sets like the QC35 are so good. A frequent traveller couldn’t be without a pair. Further you can order one to suit your phone, regardless of the handset manufacturer. 

Building layers of advantage, searching for “loose bricks,” changing the terms of engagement, and competing through collaboration.  Hamel and Prahalad

Opportunities for a Blue Ocean strategy (finding greener pastures), as compared to Red Ocean (blood bath through competition) - the loose bricks of competition. Bose selling in an adjacent market to mobiles to travellers. 

The lesson is clear: Assessing the current tactical advantages of known competitors will not help you understand the resolution, stamina, or inventiveness of potential competitors. Sun-tzu

Ensuring resilience in establishing and maintaining a position (long term, multi-year), building a focus on value with our prospects and clients. An example Daikin, a leading air conditioning manufacturer is consistent and relentless in producing leading commercial solutions for buildings.

Collaborating with complementary firms to create a compelling solution and offer to clients. It is hard for us to be great at everything, through partnering we can be.

Reset the rules of Competition, seen by Tesla – bypassed internal combustion and went straight to the next paradigm – fully electric. Not only that making them stylish, premium and incredible fast.  

Changing the terms of engagement—refusing to accept the front-runner’s definition of industry and segment boundaries—represents still another form of competitive innovation. Hamel and Prahalad

Further, the authors recommend that we:

1.      Create a sense of urgency

2.      Develop a competitor focus throughout the organisation,

3.      Skill team members to work effectively,

4.      Take one challenge at a time for the team,

5.      Establish progress measures and accountability, supporting desired behaviours.

All of which gives a checklist, so everyone is clear what is to be done and why it is important. Patiently implementing the plan and making sure the team play their part.