Winning and Losing

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For any business, being able to retain customers is one thing but understanding why you weren’t able to conquer the ones that didn’t make the purchase is just as important.

From my years of experience conducting market research, many companies seem to focus solely on business they do have (which is great) but forget about the sales they should have made but didn’t.

I have devised a simple and practical, yet effective, do-it-yourself market research strategy which any business can implement in-house. It’s called the Win/Loss Analysis and forms the first chapter in our series, Market Research Made Easy (watch this space!).

Understanding why customers didn’t choose you but someone else is central to this analysis. When you’re asking the ‘ones that got away’ as well as your usual customer base, you are essentially combining a competitor analysis, a customer satisfaction survey, your company’s own brand perception among your customers, and at the same time highlighting areas of the business which require much needed improvement.

How did the idea of the “win/loss analysis” originate?

  • After having worked with numerous clients over the years, we found ourselves talking to their customers about not only what worked well for them but also what didn’t work well for them.
  • We then translated this into asking lost sales (i.e. people who obtained quotes or made an enquiry but didn’t proceed with a purchase) why we didn’t win their business.
  • The analysis from these two groups then presents significant opportunities for companies to improve operations at all levels.

Why ‘winning’ and ‘losing’?

  • It’s very simple: we needed to examine the differences between getting the sale (winning) and not getting the sale (losing).

What are some of the key outcomes of the analysis?

  • This process can pick up significant issues; for instance the importance of inventory control or a company’s ability to provide the right training to deliver their product or service, or any problems relating to the sales function such as quote turnaround times etc.
  • Companies can also identify and communicate the how and what of their competitive advantage and unique selling proposition (USP).
  • And, just as important, it can identify operational issues such as service protocols and make sure they match customers’ expectations.

What are some the things to consider when doing your own Win/Loss Analysis?

  • Don’t be afraid to ask your customers tough questions (e.g. what did we get wrong or what can we do better for you?).
  • Make sure your questionnaires are consistent; it is important to use the same questionnaire for your customers so you can compare the results.
  • You don’t have to ask many of your customers or lost sales; 10 in each group is usually enough.
  • Make sure the questions are relevant to your customers and you are prepared to make changes based on those findings; good or bad.
  • Let your customers know what changes you plan to implement in your company, product, or service offering in response to their answers. This can translate into more customer loyalty.
  • Don’t let your ego get in the way; it’s not about you … it’s about your company and, importantly, your customers.
  • Once the analysis is done, be sure to follow-up any changes and measure how effective those changes are with your customers. Do this over regular intervals.

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ASEAN Now

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We have always been proponents for trade with our neighbours up north, the ASEAN Community, a name which was self-declared at the end of 2015. This help setup the ASEAN Economic Community which offers a framework for simplifying, standardising and facilitating economic trade activity between its member states.

As the world’s third-most populous economy (637 million) in 2016, after China and India, it presents massive opportunities for Australian businesses to engage and embrace this rapidly growing region. While only making up 3.4 percent of the world’s GDP, its average annual growth in GDP in 2016 was 4.6 percent, higher than the world’s average of 3.2 percent for the same period. The ASEAN Community also represents the third largest economy (US$2.5tn, 2016), only following China (US$11.2tn, 2016) and Japan (US$4.9tn, 2016).

 

business strategy Asia market research ASEAN graphic GDP

ASEAN – GDP 2016 – Research by Design.

 

ASEAN Now: Insights for Australian Businesses, Commonwealth of Australia 2017

 

Australia has much to gain from embracing the growth in the ASEAN Community:

  • Much closer in proximity than many of our other major trading partners, e.g. China, Japan, U.S.
  • Expanding cities
  • Rising demand from a rising middle-class
  • Increasing integration and interconnectivity through free trade agreements (FTAs)
  • Access to digital innovation

Australia’s lifestyle, products and services have a reputation of being high quality and are widely recognised. Businesses should take advantage of this reputation by tailoring an Australian solution to a Southeast Asian problem. We all mutually benefit.

ASEAN Now is a fantastic read for those who are not familiar with the region and a great top-up for those who are already familiar (click for PDF).

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Aged Care – A Critical Analysis

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We have seen an exponential increase in the number of elderly in proportion to the total population over the past decades. However, people aged 65 and over are not as healthy in old age as projected considering our prosperity, according to recent findings of an international study done by BDO in cooperation with the OECD.

Additionally, elderly and healthcare costs are continuously increasing especially due to an international increase in comorbidity (two or more illnesses are present in the same person simultaneously) among those aged 65 and over, placing a heavy social and economic burden on future generations.

Average medical expenses for a person aged 85 and over amount to over AUD$79,200 per year (BDO); an alarming amount considering that this group is expected to exceed 25% by 2050 worldwide.

Furthermore, due to high educational requirements, the demand for health care professionals far outstrips the supply. What’s more is, many lower-skilled health care professionals were made redundant in the last years, due to unnecessarily high requirements.

Analysing national differences in their approach to aged care revealed extraordinary insights in BDO’s recent international study.

Even though all examined countries were faced with tremendous demographic challenges, the study found that not only differences in health care models and funding seemed to impact the health of the elderly, but lifestyle and habits too. In Norway, for example, people are healthier for a significantly longer period of time due to an outdoor lifestyle, a ‘culture of caring’, with families taking care of each other and the elderly taking an active and meaningful part in society

Furthermore, smokers made up only 4% of the population, whereas in Germany, where elderly (on average) only have 8 healthy years over 65, 20% of the population smoked.

A different approach to evaluating return on investment (ROI) in the Netherlands is showing positive results. The country seeks to shift their focus away from the disabilities of patients and further towards their abilities.

BDO concluded that current healthcare systems focus on curing the sick rather than preventing sickness and does not deal with the root of the problem.

To achieve a more affordable, more effective and sustainable aged care system we need to:

  1. focus on innovation, prevention and rehabilitation;
  2. target funding to boost innovation;
  3. lower educational barriers for health care professionals;
  4. develop technical innovations;
  5. encourage and support big-scale lifestyle changes;
  6. invest in methods, solutions and processes that ensure people age differently;
  7. seeking greater dialogue with the elderly to identify areas of improvement;
  8. evaluate ROI;
  9. acknowledge lack of difference between private and public healthcare systems; and
  10. give the elderly a place and purpose in our society.

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Source: https://www.bdo.com.au/en-au/insights/healthcare/publications/new-perspectives-on-elderly-care

What is inhwa?

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Historically, ancient Korean dynasties adopted an extreme form of Confucianism, introduced by the Chinese around 108 BC, to control citizens and safeguard the government by discouraging individual thinking or acting. The Choson dynasty later formally introduced a class system and officially prescribed etiquette kingdom-wide. These mandated manners are the foundation of a circumstantial morality system. Only those citizens that followed the conduct prescribed by the Confucian government were regarded as morally upright and proper, while those neglecting to do so were regarded as immoral and socially sanctioned.

Korea is widely regarded as the most Confucian nation worldwide, an important factor when considering engaging or interacting with the Korean business world. A hierarchical structure is deeply rooted in Korea’s authoritarian and militant history. Today, Koreans still relate to each other in a class system guided and defined by particular etiquettes and customs.

When engaging with Korean people in a business context (e.g. a business venture), understanding and respecting local custom and cultural norms is directly correlated to that venture’s success.

In order to establish a positive relationship, Korean culture demands the maintenance of stable environment of kibun, which can roughly be described in terms of pride, face, mood, or state of mind. Disturbing others’ kibun, by disregarding social hierarchy, giving negative feedback, displaying emotions or openly criticising someone is considered extremely impolite, as it disrupts the harmony between people. Koreans are willing to go to great lengths to maintain their and others’ kibun. This conditional cultural reflex can have detrimental effects on business ventures, as negative information may be withheld or softened for the sake of maintaining inhwa and not disturbing the other party’s kibun. Furthermore, a violation of a business partner’s or one’s own kibun might make the development or sustaining of positive, long-lasting relationships impossible and could potentially be very costly to the business.

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