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Time is a critical issue, we don't have time to do business planning |
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By making your strategic process more effective you'll actually save time. After CSC introduced BusinessMap their planning time was reduced by 14%. |
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If we decide to implement BusinessMap we will have to do it globally? |
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BusinessMap can be installed globally, but steps must be taken to ensure that you have local project owners and visible management support. Introducing BusinessMap across the organisation encourage knowledge sharing and enables you to benchmark, identify best practice and consolidate data across the organisation. |
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We have our own models |
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In our experience in–house planning models tend to be “basic” word templates, making it difficult to manipulate figures and explore what&ndadh;if scenarios. BusinessMap creates a framework for both creativity and planning, enabling you to improve your business and empower employees. Introducing BusinessMap across the organisation encourage knowledge sharing and enables you to benchmark, identify best practice and consolidate data across the organisation |
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Head office determines the form and contents of our plans |
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We work with many local divisions that are bound by a certain format. BusinessMap offers you a methodology, planning framework and an opportunity to explore scenarios and draw up plans. Once you have drawn up a plan the integration feature within BusinessMap makes it easy to export findings to MS Word etc. enabling you to comply with the planning template specified by Head office. |
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Our business is going well, so why do we need BusinessMap? |
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BusinessMap can help you make more of your existing business. It will give you a better overview and the opportunity to explore various scenarios before investing resources. BusinessMap enables you to enhance the level of competence within your organisation while developing and driving your business forward. As your business grows you will need a business planning tool that will scale accordingly. |
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By using BusinessMap will I not cut myself of from other management models? |
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BusinessMap is one of several tools on the market. But it is the consolidation of our many years experience as management consultants, so when it comes to business planning we know what we are taking about. We constantly seek to improve BusinessMap so that it increasingly assists your business planning process and helps you to make better business plans and decisions. |
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Is BusinessMap founded in a specific theoretical school? |
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No. All our models have been developed in co-operation with our customers to reflect the business reality that they are facing. |
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Is BusinessMap suited for both B2B and B2C companies? |
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Yes. BusinessMap will add significant value to both B2C and B2B companies. |
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9. |
What data will I need? |
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The power of BusinessMap is the ability to work with “rough” scenarios and collect information gradually. BusinessMap will prompt you for various data. Do not worry if you don‘t have the exact figures: Take your best guess and see what insight would follow if your guess were right. Later you can go back and collect whatever data is necessary to compile a more accurate picture. |
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Who should design the strategy? |
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It is important that the right people are involved in designing the strategy. It is recommended that operating managers and key employees are involved in the BusinessMap exercise for their segment. For the strategy to be successful it is important that those pursuing the strategy, not only understand and believe in it, but also have the authority and confidence to modify it as the business environment evolves. Involvement and communication will secure employee acceptance and backing. |
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How do I segment my market or company? |
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You can either analyse your company as a whole or its various Strategic Business Units (SBUs) independently. BusinessMap is very flexible, but it is advisable to keep the segmentation structure as simple as possible. A SBU can be defined as a profit centre within a company that is organised as an autonomous unit. SBUs are typically responsible individually for developing, manufacturing and marketing their own product or group of products. Each SBU will have a strategy that is concerned with creating and maintaining a competitive advantage for the specific business unit. If your company is made up of several SBUs that each consists of a number of different segments, it will be easier to start a new BusinessMap exercise for each SBU. There is no right or wrong way of doing it - but keep it as simple as possible!
The segmentation process is crucial, as the understanding of your various segments will influence profitability. Generally 80% of the profits of a company come from 20% of its products. It is thus essential to identify the profitable 20%, as this will allow you to increase the amount of time spent in this segment. Careful segmentation may also make it easier to identify new market opportunities. Each SBU can contain a number of different segments. Different segments may be defined by any of the following:
- Different products or services
- Different customers receiving the same product or service
- Different regions receiving the same product, where the cost to serve the different
geographical areas is different
- Different versions of the same product, distinguished by the degree of value added,
quality or personal service involved.
There are six criteria for effective segmentation:
- Identifiability
- Substantiality
- Accessibility
- Stability
- Responsiveness
- Actionability
Although it is important to identify your separate segments, don‘t go overboard. Your list of segments should be manageable. There is no right or wrong way of doing it, – but keep it as simple as possible! |
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12. |
Are the 4 market drivers relevant for all industries? |
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The Market Dynamics are generic and thus usable across industries. They allow you to analyse the reasons behind your actual market share. It is important to ensure that the default questionsare relevant to your business. The BusinessMap User Guide provides extensive information on how to modify the questions. |
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| Our organisation is more operational than strategic |
Certain organisations are traditionally more operational than strategic. But an organisation that operates purely operational runs the risk of structural problems. If they do well this will be more to do with luck than good planning. |
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| 14. |
When should BusinessMap be used? |
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BusinessMap provides the start and structure for your strategic planning, use it as the beginning and not the end of your strategy development. A good strategy requires thinking as well as analysis, be creative yet realistic! Strategic planning involves repeated cycles of analysis, planning, implementation and control. No Company could function efficiently if it were to undergo frequent major revisions of strategy. But defining your strategy is not the final step. It‘s important that you regularly go back to BusinessMap to monitor actions and modify aspects that may have changed. |
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Can BusinessMap and SAP be integrated? |
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Yes. As we use “of the shelve” solutions from leading vendors such as Microsoft and Oracle, integrating BusinessMap with other main products is relatively straight forward. |
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Cumbersome process of tapping in data |
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BusinessMap Link enables you to import customer and competitor data. We are however continually committed to improve simplicity and ease of use. |
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| 17. |
Are the 4 market drivers relevant for all industries? |
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The Market Dynamics are generic and thus usable across industries. They allow you to analyse the reasons behind your actual market share. It is important to ensure that the default questionsare relevant to your business. The BusinessMap User Guide provides extensive information on how to modify the questions. |
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