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Powerstrat Product Description

Leaders and managers of all types of businesses are faced daily with complex strategic issues that require them to make informed decisions. In order to do this careful collection of data, analysis of this data and finally interpreting the results to give worthwhile information on which to base their decision is paramount. The inherent dependence on up-to date, reliable and timely information required for strategic marketing planning makes it even more dependent on this process.

 

To alleviate the situation, a number of developments have emerged;

·         There is a requirement for very quick decision making processes

·         There is a move towards business tools that enable business decisions

·         More tools to interpret the information are being implemented

·         There is a move to technological solutions to manage processes

·         There is a move towards using system dynamics to standardise and structure policies, which results in increased market share and profitability.

 

To handle large amounts of data and quicken the speed of decision making the managers are relying more on powerful decision support system tools to steer them in the right direction. Powerstrat is one such decision support system, which specifically addresses marketing strategic planning. The software works on the given data and gives visual outputs to represent the relationships being examined. The relationships may be based on already proven marketing models or can be user defined.

 

Sample Output: (also see appendices)

Armed with pictorial representations of the companies current standing regarding the market environment, the managers can then easily plan and strategise the course of action to be undertaken.

 

Benefits of PowerStrat vs Competitors product benefits

 

Item No.

Concept

Benefit

PowerStrat

GenSight

MPC

1

Hall of Fame

Gives the user an understanding of the various plots and interpretation. Knowledge base

Yes

No

No

2

Advanced Library

Allows parent child clustering. Allows user to create and save plots

Yes

No

No

3

Bi-directional data links with databases

Easy to extract data. No duplication of data. Saves time & reduces errors

Yes

Partial

No

4

Online help

Enhances the learning process for user. Saves the company money & time on consultations

Yes

Partial

No

5

Skins & background visuals

Customisation of look and feel of the corporate logos. Creates identity

Yes

No

No

 

A list of Inherent Product Features

·         Excel Data Links – Bi-directional

·         In Built data templates

·         Powerful intuitive wizard to select data

·         On-line help

·         “Hall of Fame” plots

·         Content of how to analyse plots

·         Library allowing user to create and save plots

·         Advanced library feature allowing parent-child clustering

·         Animation sharing bubble movement over time series

·         Sorter with command panel to contain and organise plots

·         Export plots to all MS office products

·         Detailed plot manipulation with ability to change 140 properties

·         Intelligent file management systems

·         User selected skins

·         Additional data representation as waterfall

·         Waterfall properties and library

·         Can create different lenses on the business

·         Can represent strategic intent and financial data on same view

·         Can represent 3 different variables in bubbles

·         intuitive Microsoft look and feel for ease of use

·         easy to use own data in own format

·         enhances use of excel

·         can select own look and feel features

·         can save formats and re-use continually

·         intelligence/ knowledge built into the system

 

Product focus

                                                                                                                                                                 

Most managers are faced with information overload (information pollution). Having a system, which provides you with simple visual plots assist in understanding and interpreting the information. The power of PowerStrat is that it can do the following:

·         It can graphically present your positioning in relation to your competitors e.g. measuring key strategic issues such as market attractiveness, market trends, and competitive intensity.

·         It can assist in quantifying and analysing all the forces that shape the market within which one operates in terms of revenue, profitability, and branding e.t.c.

·         You can look at your market share and growth and the contribution of each product.

·         PowerStrat can plot cause and effect relationships and  “what if” analysis. Different situations from the industry can be modelled and compared, such as potential competitor moves can be predicted (risk analysis).

·         It can analyse market segmentation i.e. product categories, distribution channels, countries

·         Guides user through the logical marketing process.

·         Assists in making better investment decisions by analysing information whether financial or resource related.

 

Most popular marketing models have been embedded into the programme. The user is therefore only required to input data, which should be analysed and represented graphically.  Some of the marketing models included in the product are;

 

These models are housed in what has been labelled “The Hall of Fame”. This gives the user the most common and frequently used tools at their fingertips and provides descriptions, and interpretation of the various outcomes. Further the software also contains a “Library” where the user can create and store plots. This is a very useful section not only as a quick reference but also as a learning tool.

 

Powerstrat is a very versatile product in the way it handles data inputs. It has an in-built data-capturing wizard which allows it to import or extract data from most database software packages such as Microsoft’s Excel and Access.

 

Training Services

 

In addition to offering the software package StratLab will provide training and consulting for their clients. The training will be tailor made to the particular client’s needs.

Target Market 

Powerstrat is focussed on the consulting, small to medium sized business enterprises market segments, and the training institutions.

 

The Consulting market is receptive to the product, as it is a useful Decision Support System. Armed with this product the consultants can go into a business concern, do analysis on it and come up with recommendations for solutions to problems that a company is facing on which management can act.

 

The small to medium sized business would find this product beneficial, as in most cases they do not have end-to-end Enterprise Resource Planning solutions. It is cost effective for these companies to have in-house resources than bringing in consultants to do the job. The software is also modular and can therefore be tailored to their immediate requirements and expanded at later periods.

 

The feature richness of Powerstrat in terms of the models incorporated and the applications in decision making make it an attractive package for institutions to use as a training tool for the students.

 

Future target Market and opportunities  

We envisage this product to fit into a corporate environment. While most corporate have ERP systems, these lack the sophistication and depth of analysis that PowerStrat provides.  Therefore the corporate can utilise this product as a stand-alone tool for strategic marketing planning and decision support.

There is a growing global need for all levels of enterprises to do in-depth strategic analysis of their marketing environments and PowerStrat fulfils this export opportunity.