BlackBook Intelligence Brochure

BLACKBOOK INTELLIGENCE – INTRODUCTION, OVERVIEW & CASE STUDIESJANUARY 2018

PURPOSE OF MARKET INTELLIGENCEThe purpose of Market Intelligence is to answer a business critical question and inform a brand to enable them to make a clear strategic decision.Market Intelligence is information relevant to a company’s markets and competitors, gathered and analysed specifically for the purpose ofaccurate and confident decision-making in determining strategy.At BlackBook we know that the success of any Intelligence project is a fundamental understanding of a client’s specific business challenges. Theabsence of clear understanding and objectives, quickly leads to a broad undefined research which can ask more questions than it answers. Toensure we focus on truly critical business questions, BlackBook spends time meeting the brand and interviewing individuals, to hone in on thespecific detail required to set these goals.Our mantra is to simplify the complex.2

OVERVIEW OF MARKET INTELLIGENCE PROJECTSEvery Market Intelligence project is bespoke and tailored around a client’s key ‘question’. Nevertheless BlackBook find that the majority of projectsfall into one of four types of project, or a blended combination of these four projects:NEW MARKET ENTRY TALENTA client is looking at the possibility of expanding into a new country or region, perhaps PIPELINE/POOLthey are already beginning this or they already have a small ‘foothold’. Or a brand islaunching a new product line/category, e.g. an apparel business launching beauty line or NEW HUMANhomeware line and wish to understand how to overcome the challenges. MARKET DUE ENTRYOPTIMAL ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE DILIGENCEA client is seeking ‘optimal’ structure for a function or business process. For examplerestructuring to improve efficiency of teams for a lower cost/headcount, or the integration OPTIMALof a growing function (or channel to market) into the existing business structure. ORGANISTAIONALTALENT PIPELINE/POOL STRUCTUREThis program solves the regular and costly recruitment problems for a brand. Targeted ata functional area which has a systematic recruitment need and is typically challenging tofind the correct level of individuals. Continuous recruitment with cost saving fee structures.HUMAN DUE DILIGENCEClients are considering a purchase of a business entity and whilst they have full financialanalytics, there is a need to understand the capabilities of the senior leadership teams inthe target business. Or a company is changing ownership type i.e. from a Ltd to a PLCand wish to understand the leadership gaps and capabilities.3

BLACKBOOK INTELLIGENCE – OUR PROCESSTo simplify the complex on behalf of our client it is important for BlackBook to give each bespoke project a framework. When set in motion ourprocess will answer the business critical questions by providing relevant and impactful research. CLIENT DATA MAPPING RESEARCH AND INFORMATION CLIENT REPORT AND ENGAGEMENT NETWORK QUALITY PRESENTATION ENGAGEMENT EVALUTATION Taking the time to To identify key sources of Our Research team utilise Complex projects of this The end product is a understand our client’s information our dedicated their networking, nature can cause deviation detailed report showcasing business, culture and the intelligence, as well as objectives is crucial to Research team conversational and into siloed areas of define the true purpose of comprehensively map assessment skills to qualify investigation. Regular executive summaries an Intelligence project. data and engage individuals ‘information checks’ are put aiming to answer the key BlackBook can then tailor desired competing in place to ensure that the businesses and resources across businesses of intelligence gathering questions in a concise our research to fully interest to unearth the process is accurate, format. Furthermore, the encompass the breadth of of data from an array of information required, whilst coordinated and focused on project delivery team from the challenge and the level formats crucially omitting any answering the key ‘question’ BlackBook will meet with of detail required to answer discussion regarding our the clients to discuss the client’s brand or purpose findings of the project in our client’s question added detail4

CASE STUDIESBRIEF TALENT PIPELINE/POOL OPTIMAL ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE NEW MARKET ENTRYPROCESSRESULT A renowned luxury goods group expressed a A US outdoor lifestyle brand were seeking to A US mid-market fashion brand were planning a regular need for Director level talent globally in relocate and restructure their product lifecycle rapid expansion in the Europe and APAC markets. the Marketing and HR functions across their (PLC) teams across Europe. The desire was to Our clients wished to create an expansion plan or brands. Our client desired a more effective & optimise the PLC processes in a new European ‘road map’, which incorporated examples of efficient way to recruit proactively at this level. office, this would impact all design, core- expansion successes and failures from merchandising and product development teams. competing brands. A ‘talent pipeline’ was created whereby our clients were presented with qualified candidates The ‘design and product’ teams of 15 competing Utilising our extensive network and research skills on a bi-monthly basis. These individuals had companies were analysed to understand their we produced an in-depth report which undergone our screening process and then organisation structures, the critical path and showcased examples of brands with successful invited to interviews and assessments by the accountabilities of each team throughout the expansions and key areas of risk during this type client’s in-house team. This approach ensured product lifecycle, as well as identifying key senior of growth. This included specific market that our clients had a regular ‘pool’ of qualified talent leading these teams and processes. information, organisational structures of candidates, from which they could quickly hire competing brands at various stages of their when a vacancy became available. The research produces a comprehensive report growth, optimal channels to market in key detailing the structure and accountabilities of countries, key partners and agreements for The two major advantages over contingency each of the 15 brand’s PLC teams. As well as franchise & wholesale distribution. recruitment are time and cost. Our client’s were being utilised to inform the reorganisation process able to hire multiple candidates with one reduced of our client’s design and product teams, the Having this in-depth insight into their target monthly fee, furthermore the time to hire was report was also used to define and hire several markets and successful business models, shorter as candidates had been fully interviewed senior individuals from the competing brands. enabled our clients to finalise and implement their prior to a live vacancy. expansion plans; which is currently on-going successfully.5

BLACKBOOK INTELLIGENCECREATING MEANINGFUL INSIGHTBlackBook139 PiccadillyLondonW1J 7NU+44 (0)207 165 9404www.blackbookintel.com