1. determine the research object and period

The first step in enterprise research is to determine "who is the benchmark enterprise". This requires comprehensive consideration of the visibility, market share, product characteristics, price strategy, channel layout, brand image and other factors of benchmarking enterprises according to their own business scope, target market, customer groups and other factors, from strong to weak, and then investigated in turn. At the same time, attention should also be paid to identifying potential benchmarking enterprises, such as new entrants, substitute providers, crossovers, etc., in order to prevent sudden attacks by benchmarking enterprises.

The second step in enterprise research is to determine the "research cycle". This requires a reasonable arrangement of the time and frequency of research based on its own strategic objectives, competitive environment, resource conditions and other factors. In general, corporate research can be divided into regular research and ad hoc research. Regular research refers to the systematic research of benchmarking enterprises according to certain time intervals, such as quarterly, semi-annual, annual, etc., in order to grasp the basic situation and development trend of benchmarking enterprises. Ad hoc research refers to the targeted research on benchmarking enterprises in the case of major changes in the benchmarking enterprises or the market, such as the introduction of new products, price adjustment, expansion of channels, replacement of executives, mergers and acquisitions, crisis, etc., in order to deal with the actions of benchmarking enterprises or seize the weaknesses of benchmarking enterprises.

Take Shangpu Consulting as an example. Its main benchmarking enterprises in the field of market research include Analysys, iResearch, Sadie, Zero Point, etc. Its main benchmarking enterprises in the field of investment and financing consulting include Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, KPMG, etc. Its main benchmarking enterprises in the field of IPO listing consulting include CITIC Construction Investment, Guoxin Securities, CICC, Guangfa Securities, etc. According to its own business characteristics and customer needs, Shangpu consulting has conducted regular and temporary research on these benchmarking enterprises to maintain the sensitivity and insight of benchmarking enterprises.

2. decomposition of research objects and dimensions

The third step of enterprise research is to decompose the "research object" and divide the "research dimension". This requires the analysis of the research object, find out all the roles associated with it, such as upstream suppliers, midstream enterprises themselves, downstream partners, end consumers, etc., and conduct research in turn. At the same time, it is also necessary to divide the research content, find out the various aspects that affect the benchmarking enterprise, such as time dimension, commodity dimension, price dimension, channel dimension, promotion dimension, etc., and refine the specific problems under each dimension.

Take Shangpu Consulting as an example, its research objects in the field of market research can be broken down into four directions: upstream data sources, midstream Shangpu Consulting, downstream customer enterprises, and end target markets. Its research content in the field of market research can be divided into five dimensions: project dimension, method dimension, quality dimension, efficiency dimension and value dimension. Under each dimension, the following questions can be refined:

project dimension: what projects have the benchmarking enterprise undertaken? what are the types, scales, industries, regions, cycles, etc. of the projects? what are the sources, backgrounds, objectives, etc. of the projects? what are the difficulties, highlights, risks, etc. of the projects?

Method dimension: What methods do benchmarking enterprises adopt? What are the theoretical basis, operation process, technical means, tool platform, etc. of the method? What are the advantages, disadvantages, innovation points, limitations, etc. of the method?

Quality dimension: What is the quality of the benchmarking enterprise? What are the standards, indicators, evaluation and control of quality? What are the level, stability, reliability and consistency of quality?

Efficiency dimension: What is the efficiency of the benchmarking enterprise? What are the measurement, promotion, optimization, management, etc. of efficiency? What are the speed, flexibility, responsiveness, synergy, etc. of efficiency?

Value dimension: What is the value of the benchmarking enterprise? What is the definition, creation, transmission and evaluation of value? What is the level, difference, influence and continuity of value?

3. mobilize all resources and channels

The fourth step of enterprise research is to mobilize "all resources" and use "all channels" to collect information about benchmarking enterprises. This requires giving full play to its own advantages, such as professional knowledge, industry experience, personal relationships, customer trust, etc., to obtain data and information of benchmarking companies from multiple, multi-angle, and multi-level. At the same time, it is also necessary to flexibly use various methods, such as desktop research, field trips, in-depth research, mysterious customers, web search, social media, industry reports, government disclosure, patent applications, recruitment information, financial statements, etc., from public and non-public channels to obtain information and news from benchmarking enterprises.

4. avoid superficial research

The fifth step of enterprise research is to avoid "superficial research", that is, to understand some basic information of benchmarking enterprises on the surface, without in-depth analysis of the internal logic and motivation of benchmarking enterprises. It is necessary to summarize, classify, organize and analyze the information of benchmarking enterprises, find out the laws, patterns, characteristics and differences of benchmarking enterprises, reveal the thinking, behavior, decision-making and strategy of benchmarking enterprises, and predict the trends, changes, reactions and influences of benchmarking enterprises. At the same time, it is also necessary to verify, compare, evaluate and test the information of benchmarking enterprises, distinguish the true, false, important, secondary, advantages and disadvantages of benchmarking enterprises, measure the level, ability, potential and threat of benchmarking enterprises, and formulate the optimization, improvement, transcendence and prevention of benchmarking enterprises.

5. to remove the false and keep the true and organize the report.

The sixth step in corporate research is to remove "false information" and retain "true information" and organize it into a systematic report. This requires screening, verifying, correcting and updating the collected information of benchmarking enterprises, eliminating misleading, concealing, exaggerating and falsifying benchmarking enterprises, and retaining the facts, evidence, data and logic of benchmarking enterprises. At the same time, it is also necessary to sort out, summarize, summarize and present the information of the benchmarking enterprises, so as to form a report with clear structure, complete content, rigorous logic and clear views, so as to facilitate the reading, understanding and use of themselves and customers.

6. analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of benchmarking enterprises and strategies

The seventh step of enterprise research is to analyze "the advantages and disadvantages of benchmarking enterprises" and formulate "the strategy of benchmarking enterprises". This requires a comprehensive assessment of all aspects of the benchmarking company to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the benchmarking company, such as product quality, service level, technical capabilities, innovation capabilities, market share, brand awareness, customer satisfaction, cost control, and profit levels., Risk management, etc. At the same time, it is also necessary to conduct an in-depth analysis of the behavior and motivation of benchmarking companies to find out the goals and means of benchmarking companies, such as market development, product development, price wars, channel building, branding, marketing promotion, cooperative alliances, mergers and acquisitions, etc.

7. the value chain and portrait of benchmarking enterprises.

The eighth step of enterprise research is to construct "the value chain of benchmarking enterprises" and "the portrait of benchmarking enterprises". This requires sorting out and presenting the whole and parts of the benchmarking enterprise to form a clear picture and details of the benchmarking enterprise. The value chain of a benchmarking enterprise refers to all the activities and links involved in the process of providing products or services, such as R & D and design, manufacturing, logistics and distribution, sales service, after-sales support, etc., as well as the value and cost created by these activities and links. The portrait of a benchmarking enterprise refers to the description of the basic information and characteristics of the benchmarking enterprise, such as name, logo, slogan, vision, mission, culture, values, organizational structure, management team, core personnel, key resources, important partners, etc.

8. monitoring the dynamics and changes of benchmarking enterprises

The ninth step of enterprise research is to monitor the "dynamics of benchmarking enterprises" and "changes in benchmarking enterprises". This requires continuous attention and tracking of the current situation and future of benchmarking enterprises, and timely discovery of the actions and trends of benchmarking enterprises, such as new products, new services, new technologies, new markets, new customers, new cooperation, new changes, New problems, new opportunities, new threats, etc. At the same time, it is also necessary to feedback and adjust the dynamics and changes of benchmarking enterprises, and timely revise their own strategies and actions, such as their own product improvement, service improvement, technological innovation, market expansion, customer maintenance, cooperation expansion, change response, problem solving, opportunity grasp, threat prevention, etc.

9. the development of targeted response measures

The final step in corporate research is to develop "targeted responses". This requires a reasonable competitive strategy and action plan based on the situation of the benchmarking company and its own goals, in order to achieve its own advantages and disadvantages of the benchmarking company. Competitive strategies can be divided into four types: leader strategy, challenger strategy, follower strategy, and focus strategy. Leader strategy refers to the strategy adopted by enterprises that occupy a dominant position in the market to maintain and expand market share, such as improving product quality, reducing product costs, increasing product types, improving service levels, strengthening brand promotion, and establishing loyal customers. Challenger strategy refers to the strategy adopted by enterprises with a certain share of the market to challenge market leaders, such as innovative product features, reducing product prices, expanding product channels, improving product image, strengthening marketing promotion, and attracting potential customers. Follower strategy refers to the strategy adopted by enterprises with a small share of the market to imitate the market leader, such as imitating product design, following product pricing, borrowing product channels, simulating product image, imitating marketing methods, and retaining existing customers. Focus strategy refers to the strategy adopted by enterprises that focus on a certain market segment in the market to meet the needs of the market segment, such as customizing product features, providing product differentiation, establishing product expertise, shaping product personality, implementing precision marketing, and cultivating loyal customers.