Marketplace Reality Grounds Successful Strategy

Summary

A major software company was interested in offering services to the small and medium-size market (SMB). With extensive experience in the enterprise and packaged software, they needed to look at themselves objectively.

Rubicon was provided answers in two areas. First, it helped the existing company understand SaaS and the business models used in a SaaS environment. Second, Rubicon showed the company how it could best approach the SMB market when the firm had only experienced enterprise sales.

About the client

The client is a large software company specializing in enterprise software.

The challenge

The client company required information about how they were viewed by the market, as well as details on the marketplace, business models and what they would have to do differently to be considered competitors in the SMB market.

Because there were many ways to lose in this scenario, the company required information about how SaaS requirements would modify a large range of business services. In addition, they needed to understand how software development, product offers and marketing would have to be changed.

The work

Rubicon performed primary research and gathered information to provide the client with facts and statistics related to the change. This included web site investigation, using competitors’ products and assessing online conversations.

Keys to success

Combining its market intelligence with services delivery expertise, Rubicon constructed a picture of the current situation for the client. Key decision makers were educated in a meeting where Rubicon presented the data and a customized strategy for services.

The results

Rubicon provided the client with the marketplace reality it needed to execute a successful services strategy. Client executives saw themselves and the company differently after the presentation by Rubicon and moved forward with a plan expected to generate $25M in entirely new revenue in FY 2009.