Strategy Development

MobileSolve’s strategy engagements are designed to produce tangible results rather than a vague set of recommendations.  We bring to bear our operating experience as C level executives and classic strategy analysis used by major consulting firms.  Our strategy engagements fall into three categories:

• Increase Shareholder Value
• Install a Strategy Process
• Develop Specialized Strategies, such as Market Entry or Turn-Around

Increase Shareholder Value

To increase shareholder value, we analyze and answer these issues:

• What revenue opportunities exist?
• Where can costs be reduced?
• How does the company perform compared to its competitors?
• Is the organization structured properly to be effective?
• Can the marketing and sales force be made more efficient?

These engagements usually last three months, and involve close cooperation with senior management and often the Board.  The results are a set of specific recommendations for actions to be taken, the steps and costs, if any, involved, the timing for such steps and how progress may be measured.  Often MobileSolve becomes involved in assisting the execution of its recommendations.

Install A Strategy Process

The typical client for this type of engagement is a young company that is growing quickly.  In the past as an early stage company there were few concerns about strategy as the focus was on execution.  As the company matures, however, it begins to face strategic choices regarding the company’s direction, opportunities and risks it faces in the marketplace and other issues.  Getting strategy right has now become vital to the company’s success.  Through a two-day seminar, we lead senior management through the process of deciding a company’s strategy, and enable management to continue the process without MobileSolve’s further involvement.

Develop Specialized Strategies

We develop strategies for a variety of special situations.  Examples of past engagements include:

• U.S. market entry strategy for an Asian mobile entertainment company
• Turnaround strategy for a mobile games company
• Strategy to create shareholder value through asset spin-offs

Business Planning

MobileSolve’s Business Planning engagements are the follow-on steps of our Strategy Development engagements, or are for companies that have strategies in place, and want additional support in executing them.  Business Planning ties together a company’s strategy with its organization and people to produce actionable steps. Our approach consists of these steps:

• The anticipated results of the company’s strategy are quantified in a detailed three year model
• In creating the model, the key costs for sustaining the company’s strategy are identified, including expenses for staffing, product development, sales and market, general administration and others.
• The company’s current costs and plans are compared to the model’s projections of what will be required, and gaps are identified
• Existing business plans are revised to close the gaps, and the revised business plans now support the company’s strategy
• The model can also be used to determine the company’s value, and future capital and personnel requirements for financial planning

Operations Improvement

MobileSolve’s Operations Improvement practice analyzes a client’s business processes and improves their effectiveness.  A business may be viewed as a set of several processes, most of which cut across traditional department lines.

For example, sales involve not only the sales department, but legal for contracts and finance for accounting.  Marketing seeks feedback from sales, as does product marketing and product development.  Because the sales process cut across many traditional departments, effectiveness declines as things slip through the cracks.  Lack of effectiveness in key processes, particularly in a company’s core competencies, risks the company’s success.

The typical engagement has three phases.  At each state we leverage established methodologies and tool frameworks.

Core Competency Analysis

The first task is to identify which processes are critical for long term success.  By focusing on the core competency processes, we expect to have the greatest impact on the business.

Operations Diagnostic

Each core competence process is thoroughly evaluated.  A value-stream map is created to present how each process proceeds.  Critical handoffs, between departments are examined.  The people and resources devoted to the process are assessed.  Process monitoring and timing are checked.  Bottlenecks are identified.

Process Redesign

The current state of the process is benchmarked against an ideal process developed with management.  Areas needing improvement are identified, and steps to rectify the problems are enumerated.  New measurement tools are installed to monitor the new workflow and ensure process improvements are realized.  Some times organizational changes are made.

Strategic Business Development

Business development is the creation of value through a relationship with another company.  Both companies recognize they have mutually compatible goals that are better achieved by working together through a definite framework.

MobileSolve’s approach to business development is in four stages:  defining your goals, analyzing the situation, selecting an appropriate relationship and executing the transaction.

Defining Goals

Clear business goals are necessary to define a business development relationship.  The other party’s goals should roughly match for the relationship to be successful.  They are best defined in conjunction with the other party.

Analyzing The Situation

A potential business development relationship has many characteristics.  Several are known and can be judged, while others may be unknown requiring a period of due diligence to analyze them.  All will evolve as the relationship matures.  The most important are:

• Trust:  How close are the two parties?  How long have they done business?  Is there a good relationship among the principals?
• Commitment:  Is the commitment likely to be short or long term?  How big is the stake for each party?
• Interdependence:  Do the parties recognize and acknowledge their mutual dependencies?  How do they feel about it?
• Symmetry:  How much are the parties alike?  Does one party dominate the other?
• Communications:  How frequent and open are the parties’ communications?  What is the tone?
• Coordination:  Are the parties coordinating their relationship together or separately?  Is planning tied only to a specific business goal, or does it encompass a broader relationship?
• Cultures:  Are the cultures similar, or at least compatible?  Which party’s values will dominate the relationship?

Structuring The Relationship

Corporate relationships can take on many forms.  Every transaction is different because the variables such as the considerations described above, desired control, expected duration, etc. are particular to each situation.

Executing the Transaction

Once the appropriate structure is elected and agreed, the transaction can be executed.  Depending on the complexity of the relationship, execution can take several months and involve several types of advisors.  MobileSolve has substantial experience in negotiating, documenting and completing both straightforward and complex business development relationships.