Services

Services of Technology Brokers

Services we are offering are almost completely technology related. There are several important characteristics of marketing technology services to SME market.

Due to various reasons, SMEs can decide to venture into relationship with technology broker and thus acquire necessary technology “external” – in cooperation with TB. SMEs can also decide that, out of some reasons, it is better for them to develop necessary technology “internally”. In order to better understand how SMEs perceive our services, we need to understand their motives.

Reasons for SMEs to avoid TBs and commit to internal development can be following:

  • Expense: internal development is cheaper than external acquisition;
  • Technological distance: internal R&D is closer to current corporate skills of SME, and thus is easier to implement;
  • Learning: enterprise wishes to gain new knowledge in specific field, or expertise in a particular technology;
  • Secrecy: enterprise wishes to keep its technological advance confidential;
  • “Not ours” syndrome: enterprise culture cherishes belief that the only good technology is developed internally.

Contrary to those, SME can see benefits in acquiring technology externally, developing it jointly with others, or working closely with TBs to find a suitable solution:

  • Avoid reinventing the wheel: technology already developed saves time and effort;
  • Achieve faster growth: cannot reach growth objectives from internal development;
  • Complex technology needs: enterprise does not have all the skills to develop its future desired portfolio;
  • Aggressive posture: enterprise has an aggressive self-image to protect;
  • Risk reduction: enterprise lets other take big risks before participating;
  • Competitive threat: need to keep up with competitor whose new technology threatens;
  • Increase return on manufacturing investment: obtain technology for products that can be made on present equipment;
  • Increase returns on marketing investment: obtain technology for products that can use present brand names, distributor channels, etc.

Having defined the needs of SMEs, we need to also know how to present our services and products in best possible manner. In order to put stress the main benefits of new technology, we need to ask ourselves following questions, and label the services/products accordingly:

  • Does the technology represent a genuine breakthrough or is it a relatively minor improvement over some current product, process, or management technology?
  • Does the technology create a real and sustainable advantage for the acquirer? Is it in the nature of a long-term benefit or a shorter lead-time advantage?
  • Does the technology eliminate disadvantage or hedge against a possible disadvantage?
  • Could the potential acquirer develop the technology independently and, if so, what would be the cost?
  • If it is a process technology, does it provide only route to producing the product, or are others available and, if so, what are the relative costs?
  • If it is a product technology, does it provide a unique set of customer benefits, or are alternative products available?
  • Are alternative processes (products) likely to be available in near future?
  • Can the technology be legally protected for those given contractual access to it?
  • If there are patents, are they strong enough to withstand court challenges?
  • Are the patents broad enough to cover alternative approaches likely to be followed by competitive enterprises?
  • Can the technological secrets be maintained by enterprises having contractual access (e.g., by “reverse engineering” in the case of product technology)?

Having answered these questions, TBs will be able to clearly present benefits of services/products to SMEs. They will be able to gauge the potential value of technology to end market.

For a given technology, many of the answers will be invariant across all potential clients; in other situations, individual buyers may value the technology differently. For example, a new technology may have little value to a market leader with similar technologies, whereas to a small enterprise with limited technological resources it may provide the wedge needed to secure improved market position.

This leads us to main conclusion of this segment of the plan: Each business offer to individual client has to be specific, having in mind characteristics of each individual SME and its needs. Each of offers has to, at least, answer to stated questions in order to be as close to SME individual needs.

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