The question originally started as “What kind of firm are we?” I was on the Mediterranean coast in Spain in December 2014, visiting with a long-time friend who runs a management consulting practice based in Barcelona. Rather than being in holiday mode, I was pondering Analysis Team’s strategy for the upcoming year. My friend, who’s an aficionado of strategy and management techniques, shared with me an article that appeared many years ago in the Harvard Business Review.

The article, “Customer Intimacy and Other Value Disciplines” by Michael Treacy and Fred Wiersema, describes the three Value Dimensions and how companies that become leaders in their industry select one as their primary strategic focus:

• Operational Excellence: Making and delivering standard products or services at the lowest cost possible, meeting general needs and making money on volume
• Customer Intimacy: Customizing products and services to meet specific customer needs, delivering the greatest value to each customer
• Product Leadership: Being the first to market with an innovative product or service for “early adopters” who are not price-sensitive

Here at Analysis Team, our choice is clear: We want to emphasize Customer Intimacy. In fact it’s the Value Dimension that best describes how we have been approaching our consulting work for years – we apply technology and business insight to solve our clients’ specific problems, rather than implement “cookie-cutter” solutions as quickly and cheaply as possible. Through building long-term relationships with our clients, we understand their needs and identify how we can best help them succeed with BI and EPM for the long term.

Immediately after reading the article, I realized there’s an opposite but equally important perspective on the question: What do our clients (and potential clients) value? Do they want quick and inexpensive projects (Operational Excellence), the newest and most creative consulting techniques (Product Leadership), or customized, high-value solutions delivered in a proven, practical way (Customer Intimacy)? All are equally valid options in the market in general, but I recognize that given our choice we may not be the right firm for every client.

What kind of client are you? When it comes to getting outside help to build your BI and EPM capabilities, which Value Dimension drives your decision about what you’re looking for in a firm to work with?