Competitive Intelligence Case Study

Helping a CRM Provider Win Market Share

In a highly competitive market, where established companies hold a strong presence, it can be daunting for a new entrant to stand out. However, our client, a CRM provider, recognized that it possessed unique advantages in the manufacturing and retail sectors that allowed it to disrupt the market with the assistance of Aqute. This competitive intelligence case study focuses on how our client used competitor insights to make informed decisions that led to winning market share away from a key competitor.

Competitive intelligence services delivered

The challenge

Green square icon with a blue question mark in the center.

Breaking into a software sector when your direct competitors are industry giants is no easy task. Our client had a hypothesis on which they based their proposed strategy: their CRM offering was superior to that of the dominant providers in the retail and manufacturing industries, playing well to emerging trends of what customers needed. To validate this hypothesis and formulate an effective sales and marketing strategy, our client needed concrete evidence from competitor intelligence research.

Validating the research hypothesis

To test the hypothesis, our client engaged in comprehensive benchmarking against key CRM competitors. Aqute took a multifaceted approach to conducting the competitive analysis, leveraging our expertise in competitive intelligence and market research.

We began by creating a feature comparison table that juxtaposed our client's offering with competitors' CRM products. This competitive analysis drew upon public sources such as demo videos and the competitors' websites, as well as primary competitor intelligence collected directly from the competitors' customers, including accounts of their customer experience. Additionally, we gathered non-public enterprise pricing information from the competitors to provide valuable insight about each competitor's pricing strategy.

For additional business intelligence, Aqute conducted in-depth interviews with customers of the rival CRM products. These interviews about their customer experience helped us understand why customers chose the competitor's offerings over our client's and what factors deterred them from considering our client's CRM solution. By combining the customer insights and competitive insight gathered, we were able to uncover crucial information about customer preferences, pain points, and areas where our client could improve its offering.

How our client used the competitor analysis

Key insights from our corporate intelligence research proved invaluable to both our client's marketing team and sales team, providing them with actionable insights to boost their competitive advantage.

The marketing team utilized the feature comparison table and key insights from the customer interviews to tailor their messaging specifically for the manufacturing and retail sectors. Armed with a clear understanding of where our client's CRM solution excelled, they positioned it in direct competition with the dominant competitors, highlighting its unique features and advantages.

Moreover, the marketing team crafted targeted campaigns that highlighted how the client's CRM solution addressed customer pain points more effectively than competitors. By showcasing real-world examples and success stories, the marketing team enhanced the credibility and appeal of our client's product.

Equipped with valuable insight from customer interviews and other market intelligence, the sales team crafted new battlecards to enhance their pitch and respond more effectively to requests for proposals (RFPs). These battlecards incorporated key differentiators and value propositions collected during the corporate intelligence stages of the research, giving the sales team a strategic advantage in their customer interactions.

The impact

Our competitor analysis empowered the client to strengthen its product marketing and deliver more persuasive sales pitches. By utilizing the feature comparison table, the sales team was able to highlight the comparative strengths of our client's CRM solution, instilling greater confidence within their team and during presentations.

Simultaneously, the product marketing team capitalized on the competitive intel provided by Aqute to create impactful competitive marketing content. They effectively demonstrated the superiority of our client's CRM offering in the target vertical and strategically highlighted weaknesses of their competitors. This differentiated our client in the market and positioned them as a reliable and innovative provider.

Additionally, the competitive intel enabled our client to identify opportunities for product development and enhancement. By understanding the gaps and pain points in their competitors' offerings, our client was able to prioritize feature development and deliver customer-centric solutions.

Overall, our client's collaboration with Aqute enabled them to gain a competitive edge in the market, expand their market share, and distinguish themselves as a disruptor in the industry. The insights gathered through the competitor analysis enabled our client to make informed decisions and strategic moves, aligning their offering with customer needs and preferences. By leveraging these actionable insights, they were able to establish themselves as a formidable player in the competitive landscape and drive business growth. As a result, our client experienced an increase in customer acquisition, higher customer satisfaction, and ultimately, increased revenue and market share.

In this competitive intelligence case study, by leveraging Aqute's expertise in competitive intelligence and market research, our client successfully navigated the challenging landscape of the CRM market. They harnessed valuable insights gained from competitor analysis to differentiate themselves, refine their sales and marketing strategies, and sharpen their sales pitch. Through this collaboration, our client demonstrated the power of informed decision-making and strategic execution, ultimately emerging as a leader in the industry and capturing a larger market share.