We just added four new PDF case studies to our website, which can be found on our client list page. These include case studies about:

- ColorQuick, a software company developing game-changing technology in the printing industry. Our ethnographic research turned up new and compelling benefits for their target market.

- BlackGold BioFuels, an energy technology company that has a patented system for converting waste products into high quality bio-diesel fuel. We helped them design new services that support the technology product, as well as innovative new business models for rolling out their products and services.

- A major hotel chain and our work with them on designing new service revenue opportunities related to rapid developments in the Connected-TV space.

- A major luxury retailer and a series of card sort exercises we did for them related to a new product design initiative.

Also, after a number of requests from our business partners, we created a one-page executive summary about Frontier Service Design that can be downloaded here.

Read, learn and enjoy!

Our latest case study is now available. This describes the service design process we went through with Complete Healthcare Communications to transition an internal database from "a cost of doing business" into a vibrant, revenue-generating service that delivers multiple benefits to subscribers and CHC. This will also be permanently posted on our client list as well. Enjoy!

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Frontier Service Design Helps Complete Healthcare Communications
Turn Internal Cost Center Into New Revenue Source

Background
Complete Healthcare Communications, Inc. (CHC) is a publication planning and scientific medical writing firm based in Chadds Ford, PA that has been servicing the top pharmaceutical firms and brands since 1994. With more than 115 professionals, CHC employs one of the largest, in-house medical writing staffs in the industry. The company is top performer in its industry. But that did not keep Bob Norris, founder and CEO, from wanting to explore new ways in which to grow the company.

"I had been very focused on building a best-of-breed medical communications company, but as I looked around the pharmaceutical and broader life sciences industry, I wondered if there were other opportunities for our firm," explained Mr. Norris.

Understanding the Business
As part of their standard service design process, Bob Cooper of Frontier Service Design worked with CHC’s senior management team to assess the organization’s internal strengths. As part of this process, Frontier examined the current services that CHC provided to its clients, the relationships they had with those clients and trends in the pharmaceutical industry. In addition, Frontier identified the assets that the company had, in the form of knowledge and technology. Frontier was asked to evaluate the value and commercialization potential of an internal database that had been built by CHC employees over the years as a potential new revenue opportunity. The database had been used as a tool by CHC’s account teams to track peer-reviewed medical journals around the world. (more…)

Frontier Service Design Helps Avanceon Create New Revenue Channel:
24/7 Remote Monitoring Service Assures Factory Up-time and Productivity

Background : Since 1984, Avanceon, Inc. has designed and integrated factory automation systems for large manufacturers in both discrete and process industries. Essentially, Avanceon creates the “central nervous system” of a factory, connecting sensors to all components along the manufacturing line to monitor the health and well-being of the entire operation. As in most industries, downtime in a manufacturing plant dramatically impacts delivery deadlines and company profit margins. However in a process industry – such as petrochemicals or pharmaceuticals where each step depends on the next – time equals money and downtime is costly.

Over the past few years, organizations have implemented a series of strategic initiatives to reduce downtime associated with the growing complexity and interdependence of manufacturing processes. Where engineers once served as the “walking encyclopedias” on the factory floor, sophisticated automation processes have now taken their place, reducing the potential for human error and increasing the speed with which decisions can be made.

Challenge :  Originally positioned as a project-oriented service company Avanceon would do an outstanding job in helping their corporate manufacturing clients streamline their process. The typical engagement was anywhere from 3 – 12 months, and when the project was over Avanceon would move onto the next project. Inevitably, however, Avanceon would get a frantic call from clients informing them that something had gone wrong in the plant. In response, Avanceon would drop everything they were doing (often for a different client,) hop on a plane and go to the client site. Most of the time, the problem was a loose cable, a bad sensor or someone who had reset a switch.  Quickly, Avanceon engineers would resolve the problem, go home and send an invoice for a service call. However, this model of crisis/fix, crisis/fix was not efficient or effective for either Avanceon or its clients.
(more…)