Streamlining Data Insights: Creating a Real-Time Dashboard Solution

Service Area: Business Intelligence and Analytics

Client Type: Buyout PE Firm

Service Provider Type: Data Analytics and Visualization Firm

Industry: Utilities

The Need
Building a Comprehensive Dashboard Solution

A company in the field services industry faced challenges with managing and extracting valuable insights from their vast amount of data. With data spread across 15 different sources, the client lacked a centralized view and struggled to gain meaningful intelligence. They sought the expertise of an analytics and visualization firm to build a scalable dashboard solution that would integrate multiple disparate sources and provide real-time insights.

The Challenge
Unifying Data Sources and Enabling Data-Driven Decision-Making

The client required a partner who could assist in organizing and integrating data from programs including Microsoft XL, ServicesApp, Salesforce, Paycore and ARI. The aim was to create a data warehouse and develop a user-friendly, real-time dashboard that would consolidate the data and provide actionable insights.

How BluWave Helped
Connecting to an Experienced Service Provider

BluWave connected the client with a data analytics and visualization firm experienced in handling complex data integration and visualization projects. The service provider worked closely with the client to understand their data sources, requirements and desired outcomes. They developed a comprehensive plan to organize and clean the data, integrate it into a centralized data warehouse and create a real-time dashboard solution.

The Result
Enhanced Data Insights and Future Collaboration

The collaboration between the client and the data analytics and visualization firm resulted in the successful creation of a scalable and user-friendly dashboard solution. The integrated data from multiple sources provided a comprehensive view of the company’s operations, enabling data-driven decision-making. It also empowered the client with valuable insights and intelligence to monitor key performance indicators, track progress and identify opportunities for improvement.

The positive experience with the service provider led the client to consider future collaboration for the next phase of the project. The reliable and effective solution provided by the service provider demonstrated their expertise and commitment to delivering high-quality data analytics and visualization services.

We had a great experience with the service provider and we may hire them for the next phase of the project.

-Senior Vice President at the PE Firm

Investment Strategies, Bridging Valuation Gaps, Leveraging AI: VP Forum

BluWave welcomed a group of accomplished thought leaders June 22 for its latest VP forum.

The panel, comprised of Lauren D’Amore of Prelude Growth Partners, Mackenzie Laudel of Shamrock Capital Advisors and Yan Levinski of Trivest Partners was moderated by BluWave founder & CEO, Sean Mooney.

The experts delved into three critical aspects of the investment landscape: effective sector ideation strategy, bridging the buyer-seller valuation gaps and leveraging AI in the investment process.

Here are some of the key takeaways:

Summary Takeaways

  • Investment firms increasingly employ long-term thematic exploration for ideation, aiding their decision-making process and enabling differentiation.
  • The dynamic market environment necessitates innovative approaches like earn-outs to bridge buyer-seller valuation disparities.
  • AI is still nascent in the investment arena, with its integration and application varying greatly across firms based on their unique sectoral needs and strategic requirements.

This event was conducted with the Chatham House Rule in place.

Expanding on Sector Ideation Strategy

The panelists stressed the importance of leveraging industry, consumer and market trends to formulate effective investment strategies. To this end, firms are differentiating themselves by immersing in a particular theme or sector over multiple years. This not only lends a unique perspective to every investment opportunity but also leads to more informed and strategic decision-making.

The panel also touched upon the importance of a focused investment universe. Some firms are moving away from a broad-spectrum approach to concentrate on mid-market, founder or family-owned businesses. This narrower focus facilitates a deep understanding of potential investments and leads to higher quality deal flow.

CASE STUDY: How BluWave Enabled Massive Turnaround of Family-Owned Business

Bridging the Buyer/Seller Gap

As the market continues to fluctuate, there’s been a shift in deal flow, with some firms noticing a lean toward growth equity deals. These deals offer more structural levers to pull during negotiations, proving to be advantageous in the current economic climate.

READ MORE: PE Market Analysis: Growth Strategy for Business

In response to sellers’ high expectations, firms have had to adapt and innovate their negotiation strategies. Earn-outs, previously less favored due to their potential complexity, are now being used more frequently to bridge valuation gaps. Firms are also exploring other attractive deal structures, such as rollovers and seeking to simplify negotiations by taking representations and warranties off the table.

Embracing AI in the Investment Process

The conversation on AI’s role in the investment process revealed a mix of approaches. Some firms have proactively set up AI task forces to explore how the technology can impact their portfolio companies and be integrated into daily workstreams.

READ MORE: AI Data Analytics: Business Intelligence Tools

But as mentioned above, the adoption of AI varies across firms. Some admitted to falling behind, expressing a need to engage AI consultants to bridge the knowledge gap. Conversely, others haven’t yet prioritized AI due to their investment in sectors where it has less relevance.


Whether you’re navigating investment strategies, bridging valuation gaps or exploring the potential of AI, the landscape of investing is continually evolving.

As these conversations unfold, BluWave remains committed to connecting you with the exact-fit resources and insights to navigate this ever-changing environment. To learn more, or to start your project, set up a scoping call with our research and operations team.

Colocation Security: Facilities, Services, Meaning

Colocation Services: Why Use Them?

Colocation services provide businesses with the space, power, cooling and security required to host their IT equipment in a data center. Colo security providers offer a wide range of services tailored to the requirements of organizations of all sizes, from small businesses that may need only a few server racks to large enterprises that require entire data halls.

With cybersecurity as important as ever, it pays to work with information technology experts who can help store and manage your data. Specialized third-party service providers know how to do exactly that, no matter your company’s size or industry.

Let’s talk in more detail about what colocation security is, as well as its benefits.

One aisle of a colocation security data center. It's dark with blue-green lights reflecting off the floor.

8 Benefits of Colocation Data Center

  1. Improved uptime and reliability: To ensure that your data is always available, colocation data centers have implemented security measures against physical threats, as well as redundant power and cooling systems. This can result in improved uptime for your IT infrastructure.
  2. Reduced costs: Colo services are also a great way to lower costs as it’s much more affordable than building and maintaining your own data center. Colocation providers have economies of scale that you can benefit from.
  3. Improved security: Colocation providers have a strong focus on security, with strict physical and environmental security measures in place, protecting your most sensitive data from unauthorized access, theft or damage.
  4. Enhanced performance: You’ll also tap into high-speed networks and other resources that can improve the performance of your IT systems. This can be important for businesses that need to process large amounts of data or that need to provide high-availability services.
  5. Greater flexibility: Scale your IT infrastructure up or down as needed, so you can easily accommodate changes in your business. Businesses that are growing rapidly or that are facing seasonal fluctuations in demand will find this especially helpful.
  6. Improved compliance: Experienced providers often have experience working with businesses in regulated industries, and they can help you to meet your compliance requirements.
  7. Access to expertise: Each provider’s experts can help you to manage your IT infrastructure. This can free up your internal IT staff to focus on more important projects, such as developing new products or services.
  8. Peace of mind: Knowing that your data is safe and secure in a colocation data center can set your mind at ease. That way, you can focus on running your business without worrying about your IT infrastructure and sensitive data.

Colo Security Use Cases

Disaster Recovery

By colocating your IT equipment in a colocation facility, you can ensure that your data and applications are always available, even in the event of a disaster. Colocation facilities have redundant power and cooling systems, as well as security measures in place to protect against physical threats. This can help to ensure that your data is always available, even if your primary data center is unavailable.

Compliance

Many industries, such as financial services and healthcare, are subject to strict compliance regulations. By colocating your IT equipment in a colocation facility, you can ensure that your data is being stored and managed in accordance with these regulations.

Colocation providers often have experience working with businesses in regulated industries, and they can help you to meet compliance requirements.

Data Protection

Colocation can help you to protect your data from unauthorized access, theft or damage. Colocation facilities have strict physical and environmental security measures in place, such as 24/7 security guards, video surveillance and fire suppression systems.

READ MORE: Platform Modernization: App, Software Upgrade

Where are Colocation Facilities?

Colocation facilities are located all over the world, in major cities and data center hubs. Some of the most popular locations for colocation facilities include:

  • North America: The United States and Canada are home to some of the largest and most reliable colocation facilities in the world. Major cities in North America with a high concentration of colocation facilities include:
    • New York City
    • Chicago
    • Los Angeles
    • Dallas
    • Toronto
    • Ashburn
  • Europe: Europe is another major market for colocation facilities. Major cities in Europe with a high concentration of colocation facilities include:
    • London
    • Frankfurt
    • Paris
    • Amsterdam
    • Dublin
  • Asia: Asia is a rapidly growing market for colocation facilities. Major cities in Asia with a high concentration of colocation facilities include:
    • Beijing
    • Shanghai
    • Hong Kong
    • Singapore
    • Tokyo

When choosing a colocation facility, it is important to consider the following factors:

  • Location: The location of the colocation facility is important for both performance and security. You want to choose a facility that is located in a low-risk area with access to high-speed networks.
  • Security: The security of the colocation facility is critical. You want to choose a facility that has strong physical and environmental security measures in place.
  • Uptime: The uptime of the colocation facility is important for your business. You want to choose a facility that has a high uptime guarantee.
  • Cost: The cost of colocation can vary depending on the size of your equipment, the level of services you need and the location of the facility. You want to choose a facility that fits your budget.

ALSO SEE: How To Choose Your Tech Stack

What is the Difference Between Cloud and Colocation?

Cloud computing and colocation are both viable options for hosting your IT infrastructure. Cloud computing can offer scalability, cost-effectiveness, and reliability, while colocation can offer more control, dedicated environments and high availability.

Ownership and Control

With cloud computing, you don’t own the physical hardware or infrastructure that runs your applications. Instead, you rely on the cloud provider to manage and maintain the underlying technology.

With colocation, on the other hand, you own and control the servers and other hardware that run your applications. This can give you more control and flexibility over your IT environment, but also requires more management and maintenance from your team.

Scalability

While both cloud and colocation can be scalable, the process is different. With cloud computing, you can easily add or remove resources as needed by adjusting your subscription or service plan with the provider. With colocation, you need to physically add or remove servers and equipment as needed, which can take more time and resources.

READ MORE: What is Technical Debt in Due Diligence?

Costs

While cloud computing can be more cost-effective than traditional on-premises infrastructure, it’s important to note that costs can vary widely depending on your usage, the services you choose and the provider you use.

With colocation, you pay for the space and power your equipment uses, as well as any additional services like security or maintenance. Over time, the costs of colocation can add up, especially if you need to invest in additional hardware or infrastructure.

Security and Compliance

Both cloud and colocation providers offer high levels of security and compliance, but the responsibility for maintaining that security is different. With cloud computing, the provider is responsible for securing the underlying infrastructure, while you are responsible for securing your applications and data.

With colo security, you are responsible for both the hardware and the applications, which can give you more control, but also requires more resources.

Ultimately, the choice between cloud and colocation will depend on your business’s specific situation. A dedicated third-party resource can be a valuable asset as you consider the pros and cons of each.

What are the Different Types of Colocation?

Retail Colocation

This is the most common type of colocation, where a company rents space in a data center to house its own servers and equipment. The organization is responsible for the hardware, software and security of its systems.

Wholesale Colocation

A company leases an entire data center or a portion of a data center. The company is responsible for the hardware, software and security of its systems.

Hybrid Colocation

This is a combination of retail and wholesale colocation. The company leases space in a data center to house its own servers and equipment, but the colocation provider also provides some of the services, such as power, cooling and security.

Managed Colocation

The colocation provider also manages the customer’s servers and equipment. This can be a good option for businesses that do not have the resources or expertise to manage their own IT infrastructure.

Carrier-Neutral Colocation

This type of colocation facility offers connections to multiple telecommunications providers, making it ideal for businesses that require high levels of network connectivity and redundancy.

Edge Colocation

This type brings the data center closer to end-users by placing it in smaller, more distributed locations. This can improve latency and reduce network congestion for applications that require real-time processing.

Containerized Colocation

IT equipment is placed in shipping containers that can be transported easily and deployed quickly in different locations. This can be useful for businesses with dynamic infrastructure requirements, such as those in the events or construction industries.

READ MORE: Business Intelligence & Analytics: What is it?

Colo Rack: What is it?

A colo rack is a specialized cabinet or enclosure designed to house servers and other IT equipment within a colocation facility.

Typically, colo racks are either 42U or 47U in height and come in either an open-frame or enclosed design. While open-frame racks are more affordable, enclosed racks provide a more secure environment for IT equipment.

Colocation racks often come with additional features such as power distribution units (PDUs), cable management systems and security features such as locks and security cameras.

When choosing a colocation facility, it’s essential to select a colo rack that meets your specific situation. Your choice depends on your IT equipment’s size, your budget and your security requirements.

Larger colo racks are more expensive but can provide more space for your equipment. On the other hand, smaller racks may be a better fit for smaller businesses with less equipment or lower budgets. Additionally, you must consider security features to protect your IT equipment from unauthorized access.


The invite-only Business Builders’ Network is full of IT professionals who specialize in colocation services.

Our latest quarterly insights report showed that cybersecurity continues to be a top priority for private equity firms and their portfolio companies. Private and public companies are also investing heavily in this area.

With so much at stake, many companies are turning to expertly matched third-party resources to walk them through colo security services. Our research and operations team works hand-in-hand with the top cybersecurity firms in industries including healthcare, manufacturing, technology and more.

When you’re ready to connect with a niche-specific provider to explore and enhance your colocation security strategy, we’ll be ready to make tailor-made introductions within a single business day.

Q1 2023 BluWave Insights: HR, Tech Take Center Stage

Every quarter our team analyzes the projects we work on with our 500+ PE firm clients to get a bird’s eye view of the market. We recently compiled our Q1 2023 findings into our BluWave Insights Report. You can request your copy and our client coverage team will be in touch.

Key findings from Q1 ’23 include:

  • Value creation activity is at an all-time high, matching Q1 2022.
  • Human capital remains PE’s primary area of focus at 45% of all Q1 activity, also matching an all-time high.
  • Technology remains a priority at 11% of all Q1 PE activity.

Learn more about the insights we gleaned from Q1:

We can support your value creation needs, human capital needs, technology needs, sales & marketing needs and more.

HIPAA Audit Needed for IT Firm Serving Healthcare Industry

Service Area: Compliance & Regulatory

Client Type: Portfolio Company

Service Provider Type: Supply Chain Technology Firm

Industry: Information Technology Managed Care Services

Need
Healthcare Managed Services IT Firm

An IT firm that serves the mid-size and enterprise market needed compliance help around HIPAA laws

Challenge
HIPAA compliance for sensitive client medical information

The IT firm had a lot of clients with a large customer base in the healthcare/medical industry. They had accumulated a large amount of sensitive information from their clients that had become an afterthought when servicing the customer.

The firm’s internal legal team is lean, and they didn’t have time to tackle this issue. They contacted BluWave asking us to connect them to a compliance firm that could help them do an internal audit on customer data.

How BluWave Helped
The Business Builders’ Network

We immediately tapped our network for a short list of exact-fit solutions. We knew just who to turn to for this mixed bag of regulatory challenges, having worked with third parties that completed similar projects for other companies.

Result
Connected with an IT firm for an audit

The firm selected one of the service providers we shared, kicking off their audit to ensure HIPAA compliance. They accelerated the company’s process, freeing up internal resources to focus on other pressing matters while ensuring that they weren’t legally exposed to any privacy issues.

When the engagement was completed, the client asked us for opportunities to continue working with the third-party firm.

Our Primary resources have shown an exceptional level of knowledge in preparing us.

Their assistance made all the difference and allowed us to be extremely successful in preparing our policies.

They went well above expectations in answering questions, performing the work requested and being flexible with our schedules as we coordinated all of our teams availability. They were extremely detail-oriented and very organized throughout the entire initial period. We are looking forward to continuing our work with them.

-General Counsel at the Company

Sales Process Workflow: Stages, Examples for Businesses

What is a Sales Process Workflow?

A sales process workflow is a systematic and visual representation of the stages and activities involved in the sales process. It outlines the sequence of steps from identifying leads to closing deals and post-sale follow-up.

The primary goal of a sales process workflow is to provide a clear roadmap for the sales team to follow, improve their performance, reduce errors and be more efficient.

It can also help identify bottlenecks or areas where the process can be improved. A well-designed sales process workflow ensures that every opportunity is properly managed, tracked and nurtured to maximize potential.

Let’s discuss the different components of a sales process workflow and provide guidance on how to develop and optimize a sales process that works for your business.

Specialized recruiting firm

Overview of Sales Process Workflow

A sales process workflow is a structured approach to selling that outlines the steps involved in closing a sale. It typically includes four key stages: research, prospecting, sales call and close, and relationship-building. By having a well-defined sales process, sales reps can spend more time on activities that drive revenue and less time on non-productive tasks.

LISTEN: Top 5 Private Equity Podcasts

Developing a Sales Process Workflow

The first step in developing a sales process workflow is to gather input from your sales reps and stakeholders. This can include feedback on the current sales process, as well as suggestions for improvements.

Once you have this input, you can begin mapping out the workflow. This involves identifying the key stages of the process and determining the criteria for moving prospects through the pipeline.

READ MORE: Automating Accounts Payable: Benefits of the Best Software

Mapping Your Sales Process Workflow

When mapping out your sales process workflow, it’s important to consider the different stages of the buyer’s journey. This can include the research stage, where the prospect is gathering information about your product or service, the prospecting stage, where the sales rep is reaching out to the prospect, and the sales call and close stage, where the sales rep is working to close the deal.

Each stage should have clear criteria for moving the prospect through the pipeline, such as a certain level of engagement or likelihood to convert.

READ MORE: What is the Voice of the Customer Survey?

Lead Categorization

Lead categorization is the process of organizing your leads based on their level of engagement and likelihood to convert. This can include categorizing leads as hot, warm, or cold, based on their level of interest in your product or service.

This step allows you to prioritize your sales efforts and focus on the leads that are most likely to convert.

Pipeline Methodology

There are different pipeline methodologies that you can use to structure your sales process workflow. The traditional sales funnel is a popular approach, where prospects move through the funnel from awareness to consideration to decision.

The more modern flywheel approach focuses on creating a continuous cycle of attracting, engaging and delighting customers. Each approach has its benefits and drawbacks, and it’s important to choose the approach that works best for your business.

Working with an experienced third party that’s familiar with your industry can be a great way to build the most efficient pipeline for your particular business.

READ MORE: What is Commercial Due Diligence?

Metrics and Analytics

Tracking metrics is an important part of optimizing your sales process workflow. Key metrics that should be tracked include conversion rates, time-to-close and customer lifetime value.

By analyzing these metrics, you can identify areas for improvement and optimize your sales process for maximum effectiveness.

READ MORE: How To Analyze Sales Data: Tools, Examples, KPIs

Process Redesign

If your sales process workflow is not working effectively, it may be time for a redesign. This involves identifying bottlenecks and areas for improvement, testing new processes and iterating until the process is optimized.

It’s important to involve your sales reps and stakeholders in this process to ensure that the new process is effective and sustainable.

CASE STUDY: Sales Benchmarking, Growth for Construction Company

The BluWave-grade service providers in the Business Builders’ Network are equipped to help businesses with this exact process, whether you work in healthcare, manufacturing, technology or other sectors.

Training and Coaching

Training and coaching are important aspects of implementing a sales process workflow. Sales reps should be provided with the tools and resources they need to be successful, including training on the sales process, product knowledge and objection handling.

Ongoing coaching and feedback can help to improve performance and ensure that the sales process is being followed effectively.

Depending on your situation, an interim CFO may be just the person you need to get set the tone internally and chart a strong path forward for your sales team.

READ MORE: Interim CFO for a Financial Crisis

Technology and Sales Process Workflow

Technology can play an important role in optimizing your sales process workflow. This can include tools for lead generation, sales enablement and CRM software. It’s important to choose the right technology for your business and to integrate different technologies for optimal results.

READ MORE: Tech Stacks of Companies: How To Choose


Evaluating and optimizing your sales process workflow is critical to getting the most out of your business. Whether you’re a private or public company, or a private equity firm working with a portfolio company, getting expert third-party guidance can be a fast track to success.

You don’t have to be a private equity firm to use PE-grade resources. Every service provider in the Business Builders’ Network has been vetted and approved by multiple PE firms.

When you contact our research and operations team, you’ll get connected to a tailor-made service provider from the invite-only network in less than one business day.

What is Product Positioning? Framework, Strategy for Marketing

Product Positioning Framework

Product positioning refers to the strategic process of establishing a distinct and favorable perception of a product in the minds of consumers relative to its competitors. It involves creating a unique and compelling position in the market that differentiates the product from others and resonates with the target customers.

It is also a strategic marketing process that of identifying and communicating a product’s or service’s key attributes, differentiators and positioning statements to target customers.

To effectively position a new product, it is important to have a deep understanding of the factors that influence its adoption within a specific market segment. This involves gathering and analyzing facts, as well as formulating hypotheses and incorporating them into a dynamic model.

READ MORE: Voice of Customer Process: Methodologies for Better Service

The goal of product positioning is to create a favorable perception of the product in the minds of consumers, giving it a competitive advantage in the market and driving customer preference and loyalty.

Let’s dig deeper into the importance of product positioning and what it entails.

Strategy session facilitator

Positioning Framework Strategy

The right strategy will help private equity firms and their portfolio companies, as well as public or private companies, to position their products and services as favorably as possible.

This can be done by conducting voice of the customer interviews, as well as other market research. By speaking with existing customers, organizations can better understand why people use their product or service.

Speaking to non-customers, however, can be just as important as it sheds light on why people are not using your product or service.

CASE STUDY: In-Depth VoC Study To Drive Future Growth in Healthcare Company

This information can then be used to determine current perceptions, and assess growth opportunities and requirements for deeper market penetration.

Customers – existing and potential – can also be segmented in a way that allows the company to understand which group would be most valuable. Future strategies could then be geared toward those segments.

Many companies seek outside expertise for their particular industry in these situations. Whether healthcare, manufacturing, industrial, technology or more, there are niche-specific third-party service providers that do this on a regular basis.

Indications

Indications are important considerations in product positioning as they help define the target market and communicate the value proposition of a product. They provide information about the specific problems, needs or desires that a product is designed to address or fulfill. They can be based on various factors, such as the product’s functional attributes, performance characteristics, intended user demographics or usage scenarios.

For example, in the healthcare industry, product positioning for a pharmaceutical drug may involve indicating the specific medical conditions or diseases for which the drug is approved, the recommended dosage, patient age groups or other relevant factors.

In the consumer goods industry, product positioning for a household cleaning product may include indicating the types of surfaces or stains the product is effective on, the recommended usage instructions, or the target market segment, such as families with young children or pet owners.

CASE STUDY: Enhancing Customer Insight for Healthcare Investment Success

Indications help guide consumers in understanding how a product can fulfill their needs or solve their problems, and they can also help differentiate a product from competitors by highlighting its specific use cases or advantages.

Clear and accurate indications are crucial in marketing and branding strategies to ensure that the product is positioned effectively in the market and resonates with the needs and preferences of the target customers.

READ MORE: Product Vision Roadmap: What is it?

Product Features and Benefits

Effectively marketing your product’s features and benefits is crucial to a product positioning strategy. Here are some of the more important elements:

  • Differentiation: Positioning a product as unique or superior based on its features and benefits can create a competitive advantage and set it apart from similar offerings.
  • Value Proposition: A well-crafted value prop highlights the unique features and benefits of a product to customers, justifies its price and creates a compelling reason to choose it over competitive alternatives.
  • Target Market Alignment: Understanding the target market’s requirements and desires and aligning the product’s features and benefits accordingly can help position the product as relevant and appealing.
  • Communication: Clear and effective communication of what the product offers through marketing messages, packaging, branding and other promotional materials can create awareness, generate interest and influence perception of the product.
  • Customer Needs Fulfillment: Ultimately, the purpose of a positioning strategy is to fulfill customer needs or solve customer problems. By aligning the product’s features and benefits with customer needs, the positioning strategy can establish the product as a viable solution that addresses pain points and provides value, increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Price Analysis in Positioning Strategy

A price analysis is conducted to assess and determine the optimal strategy for a product or service based on its intended market positioning.

Pricing is a critical element of a positioning strategy as it affects how a product or service is perceived by consumers in terms of its value proposition and competitive positioning. It can affect the perceived value of a product, influence customer perception of quality, impact customer willingness to pay and affect overall market positioning.

For example, if a product is priced too low, it may be perceived as of low quality or lacking premium features. On the other hand, if a product is priced too high, it may be perceived as overpriced and not providing adequate value.

READ MORE: Pricing Consultants: Hire an Expert

Here are three examples of pricing strategies:

  • Cost-Based Pricing: This strategy involves setting prices based on the production costs, such as materials, labor and overheads, with a desired profit margin. Cost-based pricing can position a product as affordable and budget-friendly, but may not necessarily convey premium quality or unique value.
  • Value-Based Pricing: This strategy involves setting prices based on the perceived value that a product offers to customers. It takes into account the benefits, features and unique value proposition of the product, as well as the target market’s willingness to pay. Value-based pricing can position a product as premium, high-quality and worth the investment.
  • Competitive-Based (Market-Based) Pricing: This strategy involves setting prices based on the prices of competitors’ products. It can be used to position a product as competitive and comparable to other products in the market. It may not, however, necessarily differentiate the product or highlight its unique value proposition.

READ MORE: How To Analyze Sales Data: Tools, Examples, KPIs

Competitive Analysis in Positioning Strategy

Competitive analysis is a critical component of positioning strategy as it provides insights into the competitive landscape, helps identify market opportunities and threats, and guides the development of an effective positioning strategy.

Some key aspects include:

  • Understanding Competitors: This understanding enables a company to identify the competitive advantages it can leverage and the potential vulnerabilities it needs to address in its positioning strategy.
  • Identifying Market Opportunities: By understanding the unmet needs of customers or the gaps in the offerings of competitors, a company can position its product or service to address those gaps and capture market share.
  • Assessing Competitive Threats: This may include competitors launching new products, changing their pricing strategies or implementing aggressive marketing campaigns. By understanding the competitive landscape, a company can anticipate and respond proactively while adapting its positioning strategy accordingly.
  • Differentiation: Competitive analysis helps in identifying the unique selling propositions (USPs) of competitors and their positioning strategies. By offering unique features, benefits, or pricing strategies that are distinct from competitors, a company can create a competitive edge and attract customers who are seeking something different or better.
  • Refining Positioning Strategy: By monitoring competitors’ actions, customer feedback and market dynamics, a company can make informed decisions about adjusting its positioning strategy to stay relevant and effective.

Proven marketing strategy firms know exactly how to position products and services like yours in a competitive market. As margins become tighter and the economy more uncertain, getting the best value for what your business offers is paramount.

CASE STUDY: Voice of Customer Research Critical for Add-On Acquisition

The invite-only BluWave-grade network of service providers are expertly vetted for these exact situations. We only connect you to those with a proven track record and who also have multiple recommendations by the world’s leading PE firms.

No matter what your business’s need, we’ll connect you with tailor-made resources in less than 24 hours.

When you’re ready to launch or refine your positioning framework template, contact our research and operations team to start your project.

Platform Modernization: App, Software Upgrade – IT Strategy

Platform modernization is the process of updating the infrastructure, architecture and features of existing platforms to bring them up to current standards. This makes the platform more efficient, secure and valuable.

Outdated platforms can be a major business liability, leading to performance issues, security vulnerabilities and compliance problems. Fixing this can help save money on operating costs and improve customer experience.

App modernization can be a complex and time-consuming process, but it is essential for businesses that want to remain competitive. There are a number of different approaches, all depending on your specific needs and your business’s industry.

If you are evaluating your application modernization strategy, it is important to carefully consider your needs and goals. These should be formulated with time, costs and the impact it will have on your business in mind.

An experienced outside resource may be just what you need do make sure your applications modernization is done right, and we already know the perfect fit for your business. In the meantime, here’s a little more about the benefits of the process, and the steps that go into it.

READ MORE: The Power of AI, Data Analytics in IT Due Diligence

READ MORE: Technical Recruiter (IT): Find the Right Candidate Fast

The Need for Modernization

Platform modernization is essential to improving the customer experience. As expectations continue to rise, a modern platform allows for customization and a better overall experience. Here are some of data platform modernization trends and benefits.

Platform Modernization Benefits

This crucial IT strategy step provides many benefits:

  1. Enhanced Scalability and Sustainability: Modern platforms are designed with scalability and sustainability in mind, enabling them to handle increased user base and data load without incurring exorbitant maintenance costs. This feature makes them appealing to potential acquirers seeking platforms that can support their plans to grow.
  2. Enhanced Security: Cybersecurity is especially important to companies these days because it protects against potentially catastrophic disruptions caused by cyberattacks. Modern platforms are more secure compared to older platforms. State-of-the-art security technologies and best practices are employed to safeguard against unauthorized access, data theft and destruction.
  3. Cost Optimization: Known for their cost-effectiveness, modern platforms are designed to operate efficiently and utilize resources judiciously. This translates into reduced operating costs, which can be a significant advantage for potential buyers.
  4. Enhanced User Experience: Prioritizing UX, modern platforms leverage cutting-edge technologies and user-centric designs to offer a superior experience compared to older platforms.
  5. Innovation Potential: Modern platforms are synonymous with innovation, leveraging open standards and technologies to facilitate seamless integration of new features and functionalities.

READ MORE: IT Due Diligence for M&As

Software Modernization Process

  1. Assess your current platform. The first step is to assess your current platform and identify its strengths and weaknesses. This will help you to determine where improvements should be made as well as to prioritize them.
  2. Develop a modernization plan. Once you have a good understanding of your current platform, you can develop a modernization plan. This should include goals, the steps you need to take and the resources you’ll need.
  3. Migrate your data and applications. The next step is to migrate your data and applications to the new platform. This can be complex and time-consuming, so it is important to plan and execute carefully.
  4. Test and deploy the new platform. As you get closer to a larger rollout, you need to test the new platform to make sure everything functions as expected. Deploying to production is a safe way to do this while monitoring performance.
  5. Train employees on the new platform. Before clients or customers get their hands on the modernized platform, make sure your employees know it inside-out, upside-down. Not only do you want to make sure they can use it effectively, but they should also be able to help the end user with any issues. Training can be done through classroom instruction, online training or in an on-the-job setting. Whichever route you go, make sure it’s hands-on.
    Even for apps or software that are for internal use only, you want to make sure key leaders understand how it functions before performing a wider rollout.
  6. Support and maintain the new platform. Once the new platform is live, you need to maintain it. This includes providing support to users, fixing bugs and making security updates. True platform modernization is a never-ending process in today’s business environment.

When going through this process, consider starting small. Don’t try to modernize your entire platform all at once. This will help you to build momentum and learn from your mistakes.

Related to that, you should also use a phased approach to reduce the risk of disruption and make the process more manageable.

Lastly, get buy-in from stakeholders before you begin to ensure everyone is on the same page.

Whatever your approach, be prepared for change and be willing to adapt.

READ MORE: What is a Product Vision Roadmap?


Whether you’re a private or public company ready to upgrade an existing system, or a private equity firm looking to boost a portfolio company’s value, we’re here to help.

The BluWave-grade service providers in the Business Builders’ Network have extensive experience with platform modernization, no matter what your industry.

They understand the importance of upgrading not only with speed, but also quality, with the end user in mind all the time.

Our research and operations team will connect you with two or three best-fit options for your exact situation within a single business day. Reach out today to get your platform modernization project started ASAP with an experienced team of experts to guide you.

Fast-Growing Company Needs Help Managing Transactions

Service Area: System Selection & Implementation

Client Type: Portfolio Company

Service Provider Type: Supply Chain Technology Firm

Industry: Waste Management

Need
System Selection & Implementation in Waste Management

A rapidly expanding outsourced waste management company had outgrown its accounts payable automation tool. With a modest-sized IT team, they needed expert help with greater depth and engineering to better handle their growth requirements.

Challenge
Tech service provider to ingrate their CRM with their AP tool

With an IT team of less than 10 people, the VP of Tech asked BluWave for help finding a service provider that could better integrate their CRM with their AP tool. As business continued to boom, they weren’t able to keep up with the transactions and needed guidance on not only getting the most out of the tools in place, but finding something more powerful for the future.

How BluWave Helped
The Business Builders’ Network

The very next day, we connected them with four experienced service providers that have done excellent work for other independent and portfolio companies, respectively. They landed on their top choice – a proven system architecture firm that understands their industry – and we continued to support the company by monitoring the service provider until the project was finished, and beyond.

Result
Connected with a best-in-class IT firm

The IT firm helped the portco reorganize its systems internally, better equipping them to select and implement a new AP automation tool. They were able to better integrate with their ERP and manage ever-increasing transactions more efficiently.

The work product we have seen is very good, both for documentation and quality of expected outputs.

They stayed involved from the discovery phase on through implementation.

The changes all look very good and were completed faster than expected. Additional input on changes were well received and follow up has occurred quickly.

-Vice President of Technology at the Company