1. determine the scope of benchmarking enterprises

The scope of benchmarking enterprises refers to other enterprises that have direct or indirect competition with the enterprise in the same market or industry. The purpose of determining the scope of benchmarking enterprises is to narrow the scope of research and avoid ineffective information collection and analysis. There are several ways to determine the scope of benchmarking enterprises:

According to the similarity of products or services, direct benchmarking enterprises and indirect benchmarking enterprises are divided. Direct benchmarking enterprises refer to enterprises that provide the same or similar products or services, such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi, while indirect benchmarking enterprises refer to enterprises that provide different products or services that can replace or meet the same needs, such as Coca-Cola and coffee.

According to the division of the market, the main benchmarking enterprises and secondary benchmarking enterprises are divided. Major benchmarking companies refer to companies that have a higher market share and influence with the company in the same market or the same market segment, such as Huawei and Apple; secondary benchmarking companies refer to companies that have a lower market share and influence with the company in the same market or the same market segment, such as Huawei and Xiaomi.

According to the division of strategy, divide the existing benchmarking enterprises and potential benchmarking enterprises. Existing benchmarking companies refer to companies that have already entered the market or industry, such as Huawei and Apple; potential benchmarking companies refer to companies that are likely to enter the market or industry, such as Apple and Tesla.

Take Shangpu Consulting Company as an example, it is mainly engaged in market research, investment and financing consulting, IPO listing consulting and other business, its benchmark enterprise scope can be divided according to the above method as follows:

Direct benchmarking companies: companies that provide the same or similar consulting services, such as Analysys Consulting, Huasheng Consulting, and Zero Research.

Indirect benchmarking enterprises: enterprises that provide different products or services that can replace or meet the same needs, such as accounting firms, law firms, evaluation agencies, etc.

Major benchmarking companies: in the consulting industry, companies that have a high market share and influence with Shangpu Consulting, such as McKinsey, Bain, Boston and other internationally renowned consulting companies, as well as leading domestic consulting companies such as Huasheng Consulting and Analysys Consulting.

Secondary benchmarking companies: In the consulting industry, companies that have a lower market share and influence with Shangpu Consulting, such as domestic small and medium-sized consulting companies such as Zero Research, iResearch Consulting, and Sadie Consulting.

Existing benchmark enterprises: enterprises that have a certain performance and reputation in the consulting industry, such as the various consulting companies mentioned above.

Potential benchmarking enterprises: enterprises that may enter the consulting industry, such as large Internet companies, financial institutions, university research institutions, etc.

2. collection of benchmarking enterprise information

Benchmarking enterprise information refers to all kinds of data, facts, opinions and evaluations related to benchmarking enterprises, including the basic situation, strategic direction, business portfolio, product characteristics, price strategy, channel layout, promotion mode, financial status, customer satisfaction, market share, competitive advantage, development trend, etc. The purpose of collecting benchmarking enterprise information is to obtain a comprehensive and accurate portrait of the benchmarking enterprise and provide sufficient basis for subsequent analysis and evaluation. There are several ways to collect benchmarking enterprise information:

Obtain public information about benchmarking companies through public channels, such as their official websites, social media, news reports, industry reports, business databases, government announcements, patent applications, trademark registrations, etc.

Through secret channels, such as internal personnel of benchmarking enterprises, suppliers, distributors, customers, partners, industry experts, consulting agencies, etc., to obtain secret information of benchmarking enterprises.

Through direct observation, such as visiting the stores, factories, exhibitions, activities, etc. of benchmarking enterprises, or purchasing the products or services of benchmarking enterprises, experience the quality, functions, services, etc. of benchmarking enterprises, and obtain on-site information of benchmarking enterprises.

In the case of Shangpu Consulting, it can collect benchmarking enterprise information through the following methods:

Through public channels, such as the official website of the benchmark enterprise, WeChat public number, Sina Weibo, Zhihu column, etc., obtain the company profile, business scope, service case, team introduction, honor qualification, industry opinion, customer evaluation and other information of the benchmark enterprise.

Through secret channels, such as former or current employees, customers, partners, etc. of benchmarking enterprises, access to internal management, talent flow, project progress, performance changes, development plans, customer relationships, cooperation intentions and other information of benchmarking enterprises.

Through direct observation, such as participating in seminars, forums, training and other activities held by benchmarking enterprises, or consulting the service content, price, process, effect, etc. of benchmarking enterprises as potential customers, obtain the quality, function, service and other information of benchmarking enterprises' products or services.

3. Analysis Benchmarking Enterprise Information

Benchmarking enterprise information analysis refers to the process of sorting, summarizing, comparing, classifying, interpreting and evaluating the collected benchmarking enterprise information in order to reveal the characteristics and laws of the benchmarking enterprise's strategy, capabilities, strengths, weaknesses, dynamics and expectations. The purpose of analyzing benchmarking enterprise information is to gain an in-depth understanding of the strength and status of benchmarking enterprises and to provide a basis for subsequent evaluation and prediction. There are several ways to analyze benchmarking enterprise information:

SWOT Analysis: SWOT analysis refers to the method of analyzing the strengths (Strengths), weaknesses (Weaknesses), opportunities (Opportunities) and threats (Threats) of the benchmarking enterprise to assess the internal conditions and external environment of the benchmarking enterprise, so as to determine the strategic positioning and development direction of the benchmarking enterprise.

Five forces analysis method: the five forces analysis method refers to the five basic forces of the industry in which the benchmarking enterprise is located, namely, the competition degree of existing competitors, the entry barriers of potential competitors, the substitution threat of substitutes, the bargaining power of suppliers and the bargaining power of customers, so as to evaluate the competitive pressure and profitability faced by the benchmarking enterprise, So as to determine the competitive advantages and disadvantages of the benchmarking enterprise.

Competition map method: Competition map method refers to the method of analyzing the relative position and relative relationship of benchmarking enterprises in the market, so as to form a two-dimensional or multi-dimensional coordinate system, and locate and classify benchmarking enterprises according to different attributes or indicators, so as to determine the market share and market structure of benchmarking enterprises, as well as the interaction and interaction between benchmarking enterprises.

In the case of Champ Consulting, for example, it can analyze benchmarking enterprise information in the following ways:

SWOT analysis: Take Huasheng Consulting as an example, its SWOT analysis is as follows:

Advantages and Disadvantages

-Focus on the Internet industry, with rich industry experience and resources
-There are a number of self-developed data analysis and intelligent tools to improve service efficiency and quality
-Stable customer base and good reputation, including Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu and other well-known enterprises-narrow business scope, lack of cross-industry vision and ability
-Talent structure is single, lack of diversified professional background and way of thinking
-The high price of services makes it difficult to attract the demand of small and medium-sized enterprises

Opportunity threat

-The Internet industry continues to develop, and the demand for consulting continues to grow.
-Emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, Internet of Things, etc. provide new consulting opportunities
-Internationalization strategy enhances brand influence and market expansion capabilities-Internationally renowned consulting companies increase investment and competition in the Internet industry
-New benchmarking companies have emerged within the industry, such as Analysys Consulting, Zero Research, etc.
-The needs and expectations of customers are getting higher and higher, which puts forward higher requirements for the quality and effectiveness of consulting services

Five Forces Analysis: Taking the consulting industry as an example, its five forces analysis is as follows:

The degree of competition of existing competitors The entry barriers of potential competitors The substitution threat of substitutes The bargaining power of suppliers The bargaining power of customers.

-The consulting industry has a high degree of competition, a large number of benchmarking enterprises and a variety of competition methods.
-The degree of differentiation in the consulting industry is low, and the service content, quality and price of benchmarking enterprises are not much different.
-The market growth rate of the consulting industry is low, and the competition between benchmark enterprises is more intense-The entry barrier of the consulting industry is high, which requires professional knowledge, skills, experience, resources, etc.
-The policies and regulations of the consulting industry are strict and require corresponding qualifications, permits, certifications, etc.
-The consulting industry has a strong brand effect and needs to have a good reputation, reputation, customer relationship, etc.-The threat of substitution in the consulting industry is low, and there is no product or service that can completely replace the consulting service
-The customer loyalty in the consulting industry is high, and the customer's demand and dependence on consulting services are strong.
-The switching cost of the consulting industry is higher, and customers are more inclined to maintain the cooperative relationship with the existing consulting company-The suppliers in the consulting industry are mainly consultants, and their bargaining power is low
-The number of suppliers in the consulting industry is large, and consulting companies can recruit or train consultants from multiple sources.
-The replacement cost of suppliers in the consulting industry is low, and the consulting company can adjust or replace the consulting personnel according to the needs of the project-The customers in the consulting industry are mainly enterprises, and their bargaining power is high
-The number of customers in the consulting industry is small, and consulting companies need to establish long-term cooperative relations with customers.
-The needs of customers in the consulting industry are diverse, and consulting companies need to provide customized consulting services according to their needs.

Competition Map Law:

It can be seen from the competition map that Shangpu Consulting has a low market share and a wide range of business in the consulting industry. The main competitors are domestic small and medium-sized consulting companies, such as Horizon Research, iResearch Consulting, CCID Consulting, etc. Internationally renowned consulting companies and domestic leading consulting companies are in the leading positions with high market share and wide business scope. The degree of competition with Shangpu Consulting is low, but it cannot be ignored.

4. Evaluation Benchmarking Enterprise Advantages and Disadvantages

The evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of benchmarking enterprises refers to the process of comprehensive evaluation and comparison of the strategies, capabilities, advantages, disadvantages, dynamics and expectations of benchmarking enterprises based on the information of benchmarking enterprises obtained from the analysis. The purpose of evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of benchmarking enterprises is to clarify the advantages and disadvantages of benchmarking enterprises, as well as their own gaps and advantages, so as to provide reference for subsequent prediction and formulation.

5. forecast benchmarking enterprise trends and reactions

Benchmarking enterprise trend and reaction prediction refers to the process of speculating and anticipating the future behavior and strategy of the benchmarking enterprise according to the advantages and disadvantages of the benchmarking enterprise.

The purpose of predicting the trends and reactions of benchmarking enterprises is to respond and prepare in advance to seize the opportunity or avoid passivity. There are several ways to predict the trends and reactions of benchmarking companies:

Scenario analysis: Scenario analysis refers to the method of constructing different scenarios and analyzing the actions and strategies that benchmarking enterprises may take under different scenarios according to the objectives, motivations, resources, capabilities and strategies of benchmarking enterprises, so as to evaluate the possibility and influence of benchmarking enterprises and formulate corresponding countermeasures.

Game theory method: Game theory method refers to the construction of a game model based on the interests, choices, behaviors, results, etc. of the benchmarking enterprise and its own optimal strategy and equilibrium point, in order to evaluate the rationality and reaction of the benchmarking enterprise, so as to formulate the corresponding strategy adjustment.

Simulation exercise method: The simulation exercise method refers to the method of simulating the role of the benchmarking enterprise according to the characteristics and behavior of the benchmarking enterprise, making simulation decisions and simulating execution, in order to evaluate the thinking and actions of the benchmarking enterprise, so as to formulate the corresponding response plan.

6. development of competitive strategy

Competitive strategy refers to the process of formulating actions and strategies for benchmarking enterprises based on the predicted trends and reactions of benchmarking enterprises, as well as their own goals, resources, capabilities, strengths and weaknesses. The purpose of developing a competitive strategy is to gain advantage and victory in the competition and to achieve its own development and growth. There are several ways to develop a competitive strategy:

Competitive positioning method: Competitive positioning method refers to the method of determining one's position and role in the market according to the advantages and disadvantages of oneself and benchmarking enterprises, so as to select the appropriate competitive strategy, such as leader strategy, challenger strategy, follower strategy or subdivision strategy.

Competitive Advantage Method: Competitive Advantage Method refers to the method of determining one's core competitiveness and differentiation advantages according to the advantages and disadvantages of oneself and benchmarking enterprises, so as to select appropriate competitive strategies, such as cost-leading strategies, differentiation strategies or focusing strategies.

Competitive model method: The competitive model method is a method of determining one's own competitive approach and competitive objectives based on the behavior and results of one's own and benchmarking firms in order to select appropriate competitive strategies, such as attack, defense, cooperation or avoidance strategies.

In the case of Champ Consulting, for example, it can develop a competitive strategy:

Competitive positioning method: According to the competitive advantage matrix, the position and role of Shangpu Consulting in the consulting industry is a follower, that is, it is at a medium level in terms of market share and business scope, and there is a certain gap with strong benchmark companies, but there is also a certain amount of potential. Therefore, Shangpu Consulting Company can adopt a follower strategy, that is, on the basis of maintaining its own advantages and characteristics, learn and learn from the successful experience and practices of strong benchmark companies to improve its own level of competition and market position.

Competitive advantage method: According to the evaluation of competitive advantage, the core competitiveness and differentiation advantage of Shangpu Consulting Company are cross-industry vision and diversified thinking mode, that is, it can provide customers with innovative and comprehensive consulting solutions to meet the diversified and personalized needs of customers. Therefore, Champ Consulting can adopt a differentiated strategy, that is, by providing products or services that are different from benchmarking companies, creating unique value and advantages to attract and retain customers.

Competitive model approach: According to the game model, the competitive approach and competitive objective of Shangpu Consulting is to reduce prices, I .e. to capture and expand market share by providing low and attractive consulting prices that reflect their own cost efficiency and market competitiveness. Therefore, Champ Consulting can adopt an attack strategy, that is, through proactive and positive actions, it will exert pressure and influence on the benchmark companies to win more customers and profits.