| Topic | Project Details | Client |
|---|---|---|
| Telcos | ||
| Start-up of a voice-over-IP-service | • Aim: Launching complex voice-over-IP product in a slow and
complex organization within 9 months. Becoming the national market leader. • Business planning (investments, break-even, net present value, ...), creation of decision papers for formal approval by all board members. • Specification of system requirements, system technology procurement. • Detailed process design (sales, subscriber activation, billing, lawful interception, maintenance procedures, ...). • Organizational design. • Project management (full scale implementation, ensuring that the infrastructure and processes are available on time). • Creation of terms and conditions / solving legal issues. • Product definition and product management. • System testing (in lab and pilot customers). • Market communication together with a marketing agency (brochures, TV-ads, CeBIT). |
Large European telecommunication enterprise |
| Redesigning a telco's maintenance operation | • Aim: Efficiency improvement of the geographically distributed
maintenance service organization (30 000 people at over 100 locations handling 10 000 different
products). • Designing and implementing an integrated task planning and dispatch system to minimize unnecessary/ unsuccessful customer visits. • Optimization of travel time, prioritizing assignments according to clients' service levels. • Introduction of an artificial intelligence system to support fault resolution for maintenance staff at the end location. • Improved information sharing across all departments and regions. • Redesign of major maintenance processes. |
A large European telecommunication enterprise |
| Telecommunication industry 10 year forecast | • Market research and analysis about technological development,
industry segmentation, players, financial impacts, economy and society. • Delphi interviews of relevant experts. • Creation of a modelling basis for forecasting for the appropriate long term strategies. • Ghostwriting the CEO's presentation at the World Economic Summit (Davos) and at several national and international events. |
Telco (national market leader) |
| IP inter-carrier sales strategy | • "Make or Buy"-strategies for acquisition of own fiber optic
network (30 cities across 4 countries). • Strategies concerning depths of own value creation (IP-transfer, IP-connectivity, dark fiber, ...). • Procurement and sales negotiations with other carriers (MCI, Level 3, Deutsche Telekom, KPNQWEST, ...). |
Telco (trans-European start-up) |
| Benchmarking global best practice for fixed telecommunication marketing | • Market research about key telecommunication markets (UK, Sweden,
Netherlands, USA, Chile, ...) based on desk research and phone interviews. • Analysis of most promising telecommunication products and distribution approaches. Identification/invention of new products. • Strategy workshops with client. • Creation of basic business cases for new key products. |
Telco reseller (German market leader) |
| Telco maintenance operations benchmarking | • Aim: Getting operational information about maintenance operations
from competing telcos who normally would not cooperate. • Setting-up an industry panel (questionnaire, university involvement for better reputation). • Invitation of participants (15 telcos from 4 continents). • Conduction of expert interviews and analyzing key findings. • Creation of report, distributing panel results to all participants. • Results: Client got key insights for its massive restructuring initiative. Panel participants satisfied. |
Telco (Brazil) |
| Mobile Phone Network Operators | ||
| Mobile phone operator start-up | • Designing the company's organizational structure. • Processes design (for all departments). • Design and creation of all relevant departments: network, technology, infrastructure roll-out, marketing, sales, subscriber administration, activation, credit check, recruiting, logistics, legal, ... • Recruitment of personnel and training of employees. • Specification of system requirements. Procurement of hard and software, as well as system technology. • Identification of the corporate headquarters location. • Product definition and product management. |
Mobile phone operator (Austria) |
| Set-up of industry panel for mobile phone network maintenance |
• Background: The client is interested to benchmark its maintenance operation
figures with its international counterparts. Since the established players refused to share
competitive information, this panel approach was set-up. • Setting-up benchmarking panel methodology. • Identifying and approaching panel participants (10 European mobile phone operators). • Conducting expert interviews with panellists. • Publishing results to all participants. |
Mobile phone operator (Austria) |
| International benchmarking mobile phone marketing and distribution | • Market research, interviews, workshops and benchmarking visits in
the most advanced markets (Sweden, Denmark, Germany, UK, ...). • Development of the sales strategy. • Negotiations with key sales channels/-partners. |
Mobile phone operator (France) |
| Billing system migration | • Aim: Ensuring a smooth system migration of all subscribers from
the legacy billing system to a standard billing system. • Identifying improvement possibilities of current billing processes. • Designing the to-be-processes. • Identifying migration risks and creation of contingency plans. • Detailed project planning for the system migration. |
Mobile phone operator (Greece) |
| Interim management for start-up mobile phone operator | • Situation: Mobile phone operator realized 8 weeks before the
communicated network launch date that they are far behind schedule. To avoid further losses, a
provisionary commercial launch has to take place within 8 weeks. • Specification of system requirements and procurement of IT systems (billing, activation, warehousing and logistics, CRM, call center). • Civil engineering project management to ensuring that the headquarters premises are available on time. • Design of call center processes / creation of agent scripts. • Interim management with a high number of contingency measures to overcome implementation shortages. • Results: Commercial launch on time, despite the originally huge project delay. |
Mobile phone operator (India) |
| Launching a mobile phone service provider | • Strategy definition based on market research / analysis of German
service provider market. • Financial and operational simulation of market entry. • Contract negotiations with all mobile network operators. • Identification of alternative market entry strategies. • Identification / invention of niche market mobile services. • Detailed business plans for five disruptive mobile services (access via roaming, calling cards, ...). • Executive strategy workshops. |
Mobile Phone Service Provider (German start-up) |
| Mobile service distribution strategy | • SWOT analysis of client market situation. • Mystery shopping to identify adherence of cooperation partners. • Identification of available strategy options. • Business plan and business process modelling. • Set-up of mathematical models for UK demand forecasts (5 years, break down by carrier and sales channel). • Formulating a make or buy strategy. |
Mobile phone service provider (UK) |
| Electronics & Telecommunications Manufacturers | ||
| Business area refocus strategy | • Interviews with stakeholders of all key business areas. • SWOT analysis for all key business areas (including telecommunication industry trends and competitors). • Portfolio strategy, recommendations to the board. • Result: Focus on 4 business areas, discontinuation of 3. |
Large German telecommunications manufacturer |
| Market strategy voice value-added-services | • Market research / expert interviews of voice-based value-added
services. • Analyzing the market trends to forecast future situation, developing strategic key recommendations. • Workshop with the client and the client's customers. |
Swiss telecommunications manufacturer |
| Key account strategy | • Aim: Marketing and sales strategy to become one of the top three
suppliers of an international telco. • Identification of the customer's procurement situation. • Identification of the key account situation of each key competitor. • SWOT analysis for own product and service portfolio. • Defining new key account strategy and redesign of sales operation. |
German operations of international telecommunications manufacturer |
| Sales organization restructuring | • Identification of key issues in sales operation. • Redesigning organizational structure. • Reallocating customers and channels among the sales teams. • Redesigning current sales processes. |
Large consumer electronics manufacturer |
| Distribution channel strategy desktop computers | • Systematic identification of all relevant sales channels. • Market research about existing shop networks (size, growth, approach, P&L). • Business modelling for large-scale shop network (timed rollout). |
Large European computer manufacturer |
| SIM card service strategy | • Aim: Creation of revenue streams from new services, in addition
to the component business. • SWOT analysis and development of a strategic framework. • Interviews, workshops, and visits with the leading mobile network operators (France, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, ...). • Identification of new services, e.g., subscriber activation outsourcing, SIM replacement service, logistics, etc. • Business cases for new services. • Patenting of inventions made during the project. |
French SIM-card manufacturer (world market leader) |
| IT and Ecommerce | ||
| Telecommunication procurement cost reduction | • Identified telecommunications spend (10M+ EUR for 10,000 employees across 15 countries). • Consolidated data from different accounting systems, segmented costs into categories (fixed voice, mobile, data, VAS, etc.). • Assessed service levels, usage volumes, and future needs. • Designed new telecommunication structure and identified cost-saving technologies. • Negotiated contracts with existing and new suppliers (RFI, RFQ, facilitated negotiations). • Restructured contracts to optimize spend, bundling/unbundling services, and internal best pricing. • Results: 28% cost reduction on telecommunications spend. |
IT-systems house (world leader, Asia Pacific operation) |
| Start-up of electronic project marketplace | • Developed business concept (market studies, target group panels, brand name). • Selected key suppliers (service, graphics, programming, financial advisor). • Registered business as a UK Limited company. • Managed service launch and ongoing operations. • Introduced additional features, created a licensing model. • Implemented internet marketing and PR (SEO, SEM, affiliate marketing, newsletters, media releases). |
Ecommerce (German start-up) |
| Turnkey start-up of ecommerce platform | • Defined start-up strategy for a tax advisor marketplace. • Conducted market research and target audience panels to select business name. • Recruited key experts and suppliers (designer, writer, web developer). • Managed full implementation. • Results: Platform fully operational within two months. |
Tax consultancy (Germany) |
| Start-up of a global Internet navigation service | • Launched a global mapping service similar to Google Maps. • Developed internet technology and identified key suppliers (maps, rendering, data hosting, programmers). • Managed service launch with global coverage of 110,000+ sub-maps. • Led product management, introducing additional features. • Conducted PR and media outreach. |
Ecommerce (German start-up) |
| Start-up of telephone directory service | • Developed business case and VC strategy. • Conducted industry benchmarking. • Designed viral marketing mechanisms. • Restructured IT operations. • Performed usability testing. • Coached founding team. |
Ecommerce (Australian start-up) |
| Business plan for ecommerce | • Created a business plan for long-term ecommerce commitment. • Formed a core team with managers from all key enterprise areas. • Defined business plan structure and reviewed all internal initiatives. • Developed long-term product vision. • Coordinated contributions from all team members. • Results: Business plan with full stakeholder commitment, leading to an investment decision. |
International farming machine manufacturer |
| Service Industry | ||
| Start-up of international payment card operations | • Launched a new card payment product for the transportation industry across 39 countries. • Assessed existing processes for applicability to the new product stream. • Conducted focus interviews with employees at all levels to identify soft implementation issues. • Identified international best-in-class processes. • Developed a make-or-buy strategy for different operational steps. • Defined and implemented the new operational processes. |
German automotive manufacturer |
| Efficiency improvement of HR operations | • Centralized absenteeism data for 10,000 employees across 300 departments in 10 countries. • Identified key absenteeism reasons among staff. • Reengineered HR processes and implemented an online reporting system with early warning indicators for 300 managers. • Designed and piloted additional HR projects (occupational health cost reduction, performance management, recruiting in-sourcing, etc.). • Results: Reduced absenteeism by 3 days per year. |
IT system house (Australia) |
| Process improvement in real estate marketing | • Improved process and sales efficiency through strategy workshops. • Conducted focus interviews with employees at all levels. • Documented current processes and identified international best-in-class practices. • Defined and implemented optimized processes. |
German real estate broker |
| Launching a recruitment agency | • Started a recruitment/temp agency for call center agents. • Developed a business plan and incorporated as a German limited corporation. • Designed business processes and product offerings. • Established an assessment center for applicants. • Provided interim management and trained employees. |
German telemarketing agency |
| Product implementation of a registered letter product | • Managed overall project implementation. • Designed interactive processes with departments and suppliers. • Selected appropriate tracking & tracing technology and suppliers. • Defined product quality criteria and ensured commitment from process owners. • Implemented the process successfully. |
European postal service company |
| European software distribution strategy | • Conducted market research on software distribution in 10 key European markets. • Interviewed international market experts. • Developed mathematical models for market analysis. • Identified KPIs for each market and created country-specific entry strategies. |
Publishing house (Austria) |
| M&A project management | • Established company value using business plan and NPV evaluation. • Created sales brochures (brief, full, sanitized). • Defined M&A strategy options (buying, selling, cooperation, investor search). • Identified potential target companies across Europe and established contact with decision-makers. • Facilitated structured negotiations between client and target. • Supported contract procedures (legal, financial, taxation) and due diligence. |
Telemarketing agency (Germany) |
| Sales organization restructuring | • Identified key sales force KPIs. • Designed a new organizational structure for the sales team. • Developed efficient incentives to enhance sales force performance. |
German Insurance Group |
| Chemical, Metal, and Mining Industry | ||
| International key account sales process | • Improved sales conversions of international customers during 2-4 day visits at the enterprise's test and technology center. • Designed detailed customer visit process (logistics, test job management, cultural programs). • Established a new department for customer visit management. • Provided leadership and management coaching for the department head. • Results: Department fully operational in 3 months, hosting 10 weekly client visits, with 50% converting into orders > 1 million EUR. |
International printing machine manufacturer |
| Production cost reduction | • Target: 30% cost reduction with a 2-year payback period. • Conducted kickoff, stakeholder interviews, benchmarking, and initial analysis. • Engaged employees through workshops, PR events, and company communications. • Analyzed accounting data to identify key improvement areas. • Developed a 2-year master plan involving 10 departments. • Launched improvement teams, generating over 100 ideas. • Validated feasibility and financial impact, securing board approval for major investments. • Implemented quick-win projects. • Results: Over 100 million EUR cost reduction within 2 years. |
Steel manufacturer (German market leader) |
| HR-operations re-engineering | • Led an 18-month HR improvement initiative, with intensive coaching in the first 3 months. • Identified and prioritized key HR issues using interviews, ranking, and workshops. • Reduced recruitment time from 9 to 3 months. • Established clear roles, responsibilities, and improved transparency across the organization. • Restructured HR processes such as visa applications, temporary labor pools, and industrial relations. |
Namibian mine of a global mining company |
| Procurement cost reduction | • Objective: Reduce mining equipment and temporary labor costs by 20%. • Analyzed key spending areas using accounting data. • Defined procurement needs (features, quality, quantity) with process owners. • Conducted global supplier search and managed RFI, RFQ, and RFP processes. • Negotiated with suppliers. • Results: Achieved a 21% cost reduction in targeted areas. |
Global mining company, British operations |
| International distribution strategy for specialized chemicals | • Addressed low international market penetration despite a leading product and national market dominance. • Conducted focus interviews across 10 countries with employees, customers, and dealers. • Analyzed and structured findings. • Facilitated client workshops to prioritize challenges and solutions. • Results: Identified a previously unknown core issue and developed a targeted solution. |
German market leader for specialized chemicals |
| Consulting Industry and Associations | ||
| Benchmarking European electronics manufacturing | • Conducted market research using Internet sources, press, and expert interviews. • Compiled research report, translated into Japanese. |
Japanese industry association |
| Video documentary about Nobel Prize Winner | • Secured project funding from six contributors. • Assembled production team (camera, sound, editing, graphics, DVD authoring, and translations into 16 languages). • Managed project and conducted interview with Nobel Prize Winner Prof. Reinhard Selten. • Produced and distributed media to 20 countries. |
International business association |
| Market research on the German consulting industry | • Conducted industry research and interviews with key experts. • Identified major players, key figures, and market trends. • Analyzed key customers and projects. • Developed a comprehensive ACCESS database with all relevant data. |
Business consultancy (German market leader) |
| Global alliance maps | • Created visual overviews of alliances and shareholder structures for telecommunications, chemical, and banking industries. • Developed a database to manage complex alliance data. • Designed tools for graphical representation of alliances. • Researched and updated alliance and shareholder data. • Published results in business press. |
German operations of a global business consultancy |
| Launching a telecommunications industry think tank | • Established a market research department for the international telecommunications industry. • Hired and trained a 6-person team covering six languages. • Managed department growth to achieve break-even. • Led first 20 international research and strategy projects (telecommunications, e-commerce, call centers). • Presented findings to key clients and at international conferences. |
Business consultancy (Germany, global player) |
| Toolkit for start-up mobile phone operators | • Developed a standardized toolkit for launching new mobile operators. • Created frameworks for license bidding processes. • Designed state-of-the-art organizational structures. • Defined all key mobile phone processes. • Developed standardized implementation plans and business planning tools. |
Business consultancy (large UK player) |
Rainer Kurz Business Consulting
