Part 1 : Internet Strategy

Martin, imPlus provides support to companies of all sizes who want to develop an Internet strategy. When companies approach you, are their expectations realistic and how much of an idea do they have themselves and where they want to go with the Internet?
Well, let's put it this way...many companies come to us with the following attitude, "We know there is something new out there and we were told we should somehow be part of it, and rather fast. Besides, some of our clients keep asking us what our online offering is going to be, when it will appear, and why they can't send us emails. Now, can you help us get a nice homepage online quickly? Budget? Ah, can't be that expensive now, can it? And once we're done with the homepage we can get back to our real business, right?"

So we begin Internet projects with a strategic start-up workshop. The goal of this workshop is to make a client see what great opportunities the Internet can offer, if you do the job right! And also see the great danger it poses, should you miss the opportunity.

The first response is usually, "Well, it might work for other companies, but in our business area the Internet will have no major impact whatsoever". Big mistake. At this early stage, we try to agree on the formula "Don't rule out anything, please!"

We aim to get our client to produce the right ideas to drive the project. imPlus delivers the Internet know-how and moderates the discussion process, but only the client themselves, knowing their business as no consultant ever could, can formulate the ideas leading to success.

And do not think we're talking about what colors and how many images to put on the website (which is what many a client actually expects from us!). Those technicalities come way later, and have nothing to do with the strategic business design process (the result we call the "e-commerce business plan").

In the initial project steps, only one thing is important: how - in the long run - do I offer my clients additional value/benefits through the Internet, and consequently benefit my business in terms of revenue and/or profit?

Many clients have the (false) expectation that the Internet means they just have to put up a website. Project done. Go back to the real business. In fact, the "real business" of the future for 99.9% of all enterprises will involve the Internet. And not just as some secondary element of doing business, but as the innermost core of a successful business.

Cutting short value chains, remodeling of business concepts, previously unthinkable cost advantages, redefined competition etc... the potential impacts of the Internet are huge.

What are the key problems your clients then face in designing and then implementing their strategy - technical, human, psychological?
The main challenge is the initial commitment, understanding that the Internet is a strategic issue and therefore a management task and not one for the IT department alone. We can call that a psychological problem!

Smaller and medium-sized companies in particular lack the immediate resources to become successful e-businesses. The first steps in a project are therefore certainly an additional burden for the employees (with no additional budget available). But with management commitment and the first indicators of success, increased funding and resources for Internet projects usually follows quickly.

Continued...