50 tools to manage your company

Yves Pariot – Picture: Chicago 2014 –

The world has become complex to apprehend for today’s managers. Globalization has enlarged the scope of market investigation, while information technology has accelerated data flows and business cycles.

The need for a strong methodological toolkit becomes a decisive factor for success.

The author presents each tool and describes its purpose, instructions for use and points of vigilance:

1. Market watch: needs analysis, information gathering, data processing, dissemination and provision, interpretation; Kompass France, Thomson ONE Banker, Orbis, Dafsaliens + Business Source Premier, Factiva + Xerfi, Euromonitor GMID, Eurostaf. 98% of the information is available to everyone! (PESTEL approach, matrix of 9 Porter forces, SWOT, Benchmarking)
2. To Study its product portfolio: BCG matrix (star, dilemma, cash cow, dead weight), life cycle (launch, development, maturity, decline), photography ratio + of customers / + of CA)
3. To Study its customer portfolio: Large accounts (20/80), customer / prospect matrix, Express survey, customer satisfaction survey
4. Competitor survey: Ranking (list of criteria), Competition and advantages/added value (product leadership, customer relationship, operational excellence), Competency matrix
5. To Define the Strategy: BOSPAC, Value Chain (Porter), PDCA (Deming Wheel), Priority Matrix (or Eisenhower), Decision Matrix, Resource Allocation, Know-How Matrix (not present in this book: 3 keys of success of a strategy)
6. Environment and regulations not present in this book
   
7. To Segment and to position to define an offer: market segmentation, Abell matrix (type of clients, know-how, product use), positioning, McKinsey matrix (Segment benefits / Offer strengths), positioning matrix ( Arthur D. Little: Life Cycle / Competitive Position), Product / Market Couple
8. To Create and to launch new products: Blue Ocean, 7 key steps, marketing plan, design brief
9. to Market a product: Marketing Mix (4P, 5 C, ..), the APB method (advantage, proof, benefit), the SONCAS method (security, Pride, Novelty, Comfort, Money, Sympathy), Google Adwords, commercial efficiency (prospect / customer ratio),
10. To Track sales ? not present in this book: Platforms, SBO (Sales by objectives), FOCA approach, DAPA approach, process and objections, reformulation technique, …
11. To Manage skills and know-how: skills assessment (HR resources), know-how portfolio, professional assessment
12. To Purchase products or services: comparison of supplier weight, total cost of ownership, vendor selection matrix, bargaining strength
13. To Manage and make profitable its projects: risk assessment, product launch risk level, QQOQCCP, profitability analysis