Consultancy - Case Studies
Staff at RDBS have conducted many consultancy projects with many different organisations. Recent areas have included strategic planning, e-marketing, social network strategies and implementation, international marketing planning, new product development and innovation strategies, market research, CRM, HRM, staff training, change management.
Trustway Support Services
Start-up business, Trustway Support Services Ltd, was established in 2007 as a recruitment company, but then diversified to include further services. However, the company soon realised that the range of services they provided failed to give them a specific identity. Company Director, Kwasi Apaw, knew that action had to be taken in order to keep the business above water. A Business Advisor from UEL Knowledge Dock suggested that they revisit and update their business plan and develop a new sales and marketing strategy through an assigned UEL Business Consultant.
Start-up business, Trustway Support Services Ltd, was established in 2007. The business, based in Barking, started as a recruitment company, but then diversified to include cleaning as well as support services. However, the company soon realised that the range of services they provided failed to give them a specific identity and made it difficult for people to understand what they did. Company Director, Kwasi Apaw, knew that action had to be taken in order to keep the business above water:-
“We urgently needed new clients to keep the business running. At first it appeared that the most obvious way to achieve this would be to conduct telemarketing and produce leaflets, as well as advertising. We even revamped our website, but none of these activities proved successful, so we were confused as to how to resolve our financial problems.”
It was Jean Bean, LEGI (Local Enterprise Growth Initiative) Project Manager who gave Trustway Services a lifeline... Click here to read on
Precious Moments
Precious Moments is a new company that specialises in engraving a photo or message onto pendants and gifts, making them unique, special and a keepsake. What the company didn’t have was a strategy to expand the business. A Business Advisor from UEL Knowledge Dock suggested that the owner apply for Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI) funding for academic consultancy to help her develop her web site and business plan.
It’s Mother’s Day next week and you have no idea what to buy the ‘woman who has everything.’ The shops are packed with mass produced off the shelf gifts, but you want to give her something special and meaningful.
Inspired by this type of scenario, Knowledge Dock client Padma Sadnani decided to create a company that specialises in engraving a photo or message onto pendants and gifts, making them unique, special and a keepsake:-
“I was given a pendant after losing my parents. The gift had a profound emotional impact on me, providing me with a source of comfort. I started to treasure the pendant and realised that gifts such as this can also mean a lot to other people. I saw an opportunity to produce gifts engraved with photos of a special event, loved one, friend or pet.”
Whilst working at her shop based in Barking, Padma was approached by... Click here to read on
Palmers Catering
Palmers Catering a locally based operation was in fact two businesses. One, a restaurant/bar, was based in Barking. The other was an events catering business. The issue was that the owner, Barrington Palmer had a business plan which was failing to help Palmers reach its full potential. The advice given to Barrington enabled him to, split the business plan into two separate enterprises and so enabled him to identify target markets for each enterprise and target his marketing services more effectively.
“The perspective I had, gave Barrington options, that he may not have otherwise seen,” said Ian Bathgate, Field Leader for Strategy, Operations, Management and Marketing at the University of East London Business School.
As part of a LEGI (Local Enterprise Growth Initiative) funded project, which supports entrepreneurs in Barking and Dagenham, Ian’s expertise was called upon to help Barrington Palmer, of Palmers Catering Ltd out of a tricky situation.
The issue was that Barrington had a business plan which was failing to help Palmers reach its full potential... Click here to read on
Colourite
Colourite Anodisers Ltd: a specialist group who deal in the treatment of aluminum by an electrolytic ‘anodising’ process to improve its appearance, colour and weathering properties were suffering from a decline of profit and business efficiency. In a bid to improve their industrial prospects, Colourite sought to infuse their business with the fresh enthusiasm and skills of an undergraduate via the highly regarded Shell Step student placement scheme. The placement was a huge success and was followed by a further period of Academic Consultancy through the Innovation Associates scheme.
Over time, many factors can contribute to the deterioration of even the most durable metals. Similarly, many elements can cause the decline of profit and business efficiency for even the most resilient and expert of companies. This latter point became an important area of concern for Colourite Anodisers Ltd: a specialist group who deal in the treatment of aluminum by an electrolytic ‘anodising’ process to improve its appearance, colour and weathering properties.
In a bid to improve their industrial prospects, Colourite sought to infuse their business with the fresh enthusiasm and skills of an undergraduate via the highly regarded Shell Step student placement scheme... Click here to read on
Highlights
Profiles
What our clients had to say...
“The project has enabled me to complete company policies, target my marketing services more effectively and to continually improve Palmer’s Catering UK LTD”
Barrington Palmer, CEO Palmers Catering UK.
You “helped us find a new direction for the company and gave us essential advice on ways in which we could attract new clients. We were accepting all types of business to boost our cash flow, but we realised that this was detrimental to our long-term growth, and now we can clearly see a way out of the financial difficulties and a successful future for Trustway.”
Kwasi Apaw, Director, Trustway Support Services
