Managing a Service Business for Growth – March 22nd 2006

IT@Cork Sales & Management event - Managing a Service Business for Growth - Mar 22nd 06
why is everyone afraid to sit up the front?

Our first Sales & Management Forum event of the year was held at the NSC, with attendance of over 60 managers from the IT business community in the region.

What is particular about growing a service business?

First up was Paul Hourican founder and manager of PFH Computers.

Key points I picked up about PFH’s approach:

  • package your offerings for scale
  • know your ideal customer
  • Training Services are local and personal
  • Technical & Complex services can be premium offerings and can be National and International
  • Commodity, unskilled, offerings require a high volume demand to be jusified
  • investing in the latest technologies to continually improve services and reduce costs
  • text market new offerings with clients and particularly with non-clients
  • becareful of allowing low hanging fruit dictating perceived market acceptance of new offerings
  • very interesting – thanks Paul

    next up was Pat Ryan of Abtran:

    key points:

  • package your offerings for scale
  • dont play the price competitive game – target more premium
  • understand your client needs
  • High Standards in People, Processes and Technology
  • With high attrition on people, the process and supporting techology needs to be more advanced
  • invest in R&D to constantly improve your processes and technology
  • competing with India and other locations is based on expertise and local knowledge and not on workforce costs. The best solution is not always throwing loads of bodies
  • thanks Pat.

    following the key speakers, we help held IT@Cork’s first member showcase slot.

    4 IT@Cork members companies spoke for two minutes each (approximately)
    Mike Fitzgerald, Fitz Software Ltd
    www.fitzsoftware.com

    John Coleman, Colman Computer Services
    www.colman.ie

    David McAvinue, Pixel Lab
    www.pixellab3d.com

    Roland Steinmetz, Shared Visions
    www.sharedvisions.ie

    The showcase created a good bizz and worked very well and this is something we would like to continue..if you’re interested in doing one, do contact Catherine Wall – contact details on www.itcork.ie

    the picture was taken by a HP Digital camera – announcing IT@Cork’s Refer a Member Competition.

    A HP Digital Camera is the prize for members who refer a company to be a member – the referred company should be a relevant IT related company or have an IT Dept. the company doesnt have to join for you to be in the monthly draw. Thanks to PFH Computers for sponsoring the prize.

    we had excellent feedback with people asking for more sales focussed events. We’re planning our next Sales event for May..

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    1 Response to “Managing a Service Business for Growth – March 22nd 2006”


    1. 1 Eleonor Memo

      Best site I see. Thanks.

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