To introduce this conference, Jérôme Gayet, founder and CEO of B.D.C, stressed on the caracteristics of the new consumer in the socio-economic context that is emerging for 2012. According to him, companies will need more than ever to seek growth drivers in their customer portfolio. Some tools, in SaaS mode still offer R.O.I within 6 months and engage companies in short-term projects (2 or 3 months only) avoiding them to take the risk and bear the cost of massive IT projects.

Jérôme Gayet has identified so far 6 strong remedies to the crisis and the "first in class" CRM tools include at least 4 of them : agility, client vision, innovation and connected systems (see the graph below).

The companies Dimelo and Conexance belong to these start-ups who endeavour a real momentum : their software solutions give a concrete and innovative answer to their clients who thus manage to accelerate the switch of their business model and improve their competitiveness. 

Conexance with its software ConexView democratizes the CRM in revealing each customer value and predicting its purchasing potential. The software with his 65 reportings offers a continuous update of the Marketing Database and then allow easy implementation of personalized CRM operations. 

Thanks to Dimelo, brands can organize smartly a "come back" in the web conversations : this Social CRM tool is fully integrated into the company CRM and enable the brand to leverage around a fans’ community who participates to the brand life. Dimelo also allows to reduce considerably the customer costs and to generate natural traffic on the websites powered by the software.

The strength of these two softwares also stands in the R.O.I they offer to their clients (6 months) and in the speed of implementation (2 months on average). By choosing Dimelo or ConexView in early 2012, a company can still score points in the first half of the year! 

Many players have understood it, thus contributing to the "Momentum’ effect…  

In 2009, the Executive Management team decided to widen its activity range by developping a software for e-merchants and retailers (Software as a Service mode). ConexView came in their mind and should become quickly the market standard for customer knowledge and turnover forecasts for e-merchants and retailers. It remained to achieve this ambitious vision by launching an innovative and user-friendly software.

After 2 years of Research&Development, the company analysts have therefore summarized in a powerful platform, 20 years of marketing expertise associated to the best technologies developped in the United States. The Beta version was released in early January 2011 and therefore Conexance decided to move to the technical and sales industrialization phase with a market launch of ConexView in September 2011. 
In order to maximize its chances of success, Conexance thus requested B.D.C to support the launch thanks to its recognized skills in Business Development in the software industry. 

B.D.C’s answer: 

1. Diagnosis of the Beta version: the emphasis of the strengths to enhance in the product marketing, identification of the areas for improvement to "avoid" since the launching period (September 2011).
2. Coaching in finalizing the business model and enlarging the customers targets
3. Coaching in selecting two key clients 
4. Coaching in Business Development of Conexance teams during the launching period. 

Client’s feedback: Nicolas Giard, CEO

"We had limited resources on the project for its finalization phase, which required a total mobilization of the company’s team. The arrival of B.D.C at the final phase of the project allowed us to meet our strict deadlines and bring additional skills. Moreover, during the launching phase, the Business Development stakes remain high because we must quickly introduce ConexView as THE market solution in its segment. We are so far on the right track and the feedbacks of our first clients exceed by far our expectations". 

TURnKEY, directed by Frédéric Farre, is located in Turkey (Istanbul) since 2004, creating by the way the first private network of business support in Turkey for European companies.

Strong of a Franco-Turkish team of 6 Turkish market experts, TURnKEY supports companies in their development in Turkey by offering them diverse services. These services include for instance market studies and companies hosting, through their French-speaking Business Center of 250 m² in the heart of Istanbul.   

By their presence on the Turkish market for the past 7 years, the network TURnKEY has already accompanied 150 companies on all the phases of a successful implementation in Turkey and since 2008 in Kazakhstan, such as : 

• Market study country/products
• Search for partners (providers and customers)
• Commercial development of export activities
• Establishment support
• Recruiting support
• Business Intelligence
• Intercultural coaching

According to Frédéric Farre : "The Turkish economy represents one of the biggest growth of the OECD countries and offers interesting long-term perspectives at the border of Europe. The free-exchange agreements with Europe on non-food products promote exportations to this 80 million consumers country with a consumption growth above 10%  in 2011. 

According to Jérôme Gayet : "The B.D.C strategy consisting in relying on local experts to complement our expertise has proved its worth. We have recently conducted with success a mission for a great European retail player. The strength of the network and the expertise developed by TURnKEY helped us to benefit from the best Business Development support in Turkey". 

Through this international Business Center, B.D.C wishes to offer a new concept of Business Center for independent consultants and start-ups. The Hub, a friendly and personalized business center, provides not only offices for rent but also a set of services for companies established in the business center : 

• Commercial domiciliation
• Permanent or temporary offices rental
• Meeting room rental for diverse business events
• Support and coaching in Business Development in France and abroad through B.D.C consulting activity. 

Lille is for many reasons an attractive location for entrepreneurs and foreign companies who want to enter the French market. The Hub is also well adapted for consultants, entrepreneurs or companies with teams up to 5 people who want to develop in an environment promoting networking and co-development. Thus, B.D.C commits to organize regularly networking events and conferences in order to share the expertise developped by the speakers and participants.

Located on a major avenue of the Lille metropolitan area, the Hub offers easy access by subway and tramway (10 minutes from Lille city centre and Lille train stations.

The Hub already hosts occupants: one consultant in digital marketing and commerce analytics, one consultant in IT engineering, a company in logistics and freight and a consultant in Strategy & Business Development.

There are still furnished offices available for rent. If you are interested and you would like to recieve more information or to visit the business center, please feel free to contact Aurélie at aurelie@lehub.biz or by telephone at +33 (0)3 59 36 50 30. 

The Hub’s concept has recently seduced Nicolas Malo, independent consultant in Digital Marketing & Commerce Analytics. He thus chose the Hub to create in September 2011 Optimal Ways, his recently created consulting firm. After having spent 8 years in Canada and in the United States of America, in his return in France Nicolas Malo became rapidly a personnality of the digital world, in particular thanks to his book " Web Analytics :  Measure the success and maximize the profits of your Website". 

Optimal Ways supports its clients on issues as Web, Digital Commerce and social networks by structuring its offer around 4 main areas : consulting, training, coaching and analysis (improvements and recommendations). 

Optimal Ways creation and its location in the Business Center the Hub, will allow to create synergies between the competences in connected commerce of both B.D.C and Optimal Ways. 

The H1N1 flu, the volcanic ashes, the Greek economic issue… These are the topics which have drawn attention and energy of our politicians and medias over the past 12 months. They have one more time revealed that Europe is going backwards and is focusing more on risks and threats than on opportunities! What a pity that the old continent has trouble in going out of the economic downturn and that challengers of Europe have started again with growth levels of over 5% per year.

The precautionary principle has largely invaded the business world. Investing has become a forbidden fruit and the back to swear worn a current practice. Yet, immobilism has never created wealth…

Don’ be mistaken! The daring principle does not mean taking excessive risks. Indeed, audacity is only worthy if it is supported by method and control and guided by a vision. It is precisely because too many firms lack of vision that they prefer remain at standstill.

Nevertheless, business development is everything but a gamble; it is a know-how built throughout the years and experiences inside companies. An external consultant can accelerate the acquisition of this know-how, either by its valuation or its ability to analyze past successes and failures.

That was my first intention when writing “Business Development” edited at Eyrolles in May 2010. By relying on my professional experience and the successes of fast growing companies, I have tried to identify the recipes of sustainable development (and consequently profitable) of firms. My book can be seen as an invitation for audacity by suggesting the reader to capitalize as much as possible on entrepreneurial dynamics and on the relevant development levers.

Business issue n°6 – Adfever :

Adfever is a very innovative start-up specialized in the monetization of websites. It is currently searching for investors to accelerate its growth and be able to acquire new editorial websites with a high potential for monetization.

The answer of B.D.C :

1. Define the business model
2. Refine the business plan
3. Find the right story for potential investors

After a road show with investors and business angels, Adfever has managed to raise the expected funds in very good conditions, allowing to keep on investing in the medium term in the firm’s growth and in the development of new tools of monetization.

Client’s Feedback: Franck Lefeuvre, CEO of Adfever

“The support of Jérôme Gayet has been very useful for several reasons: it provided me with the point of view of an expert on my activity and strategy and with a coaching in the difficult  fundraising process during the current economic slowdown…

After the fundraising, I have asked Jérôme Gayet if he could continue to support me as an administrator and advise me on the next steps of my firm’s development.

Having a business development expert inside your board of directors is a very valuable asset for a young strat-up like Adfever showing strong ambitions (annual growth of the turnover above +100%).”

• Provide prestigious officesl in the heart of Lille Metropolitan area
• Allow independent consultants and start-up to live comfortably in an environment that promotes exchange and co-development
• Provide services adapted to the current and future needs of each client
• Offer an easy service contract frame 

Customer issue:
Yves Rocher is a worldwide known brand, making over $2 billion turnover in over 85 countries.

Its international presence is done through subsidiaries and partners who represent the brand and distribute its products, thanks to sophisticated marketing plans. Yves Rocher is thus strongly active in Eastern Europe, both in distance selling and in retail. In a specific Eastern Europe market, the brand has identified structural weaknesses in its local partner whose turnover is well below the market potential. The General Management of the Eastern European Division (27 countries) thus decided to study the market potential, and  consider changing its existing partner.

B.D.C’s answer:

1. A comprehensive survey of the cosmetics market reinsured Yves Rocher’s Executive Management on the real potential of the market and on its specificities, which were poorly understood by the historical partner.
   
2. B.D.C was able to identify alternative partners with a recognized expertise on the retail market in general, and cosmetics in particular.
   
3. Until the signature of the partnership contract, B.D.C has followed negotiations, in order to avoid any conflict during the negotiation process.

Client feedback: Henri-Bernard Bedoin, General Manager  Eastern Europe
                           Nicolas Gillet, Marketing Manager Eastern Europe zone

“Thanks to B.D.C, within two days we were able to deeply understand the market ecosystem via highly targeted meetings with local experts. We were able to identify potential partners with whom we signed a strategic partnership and already opened a first outlet that will be quickly followed by new openings.” declared Yves Rocher General Manager in Eastern Europe, Henri-Bernard Bedoin.

“B.D.C offered a high level of service both in the relevance of market analysis and in the preparation of this promising exploratory visit, and in its negotiation support. The results are extremely positive and we are confident in our ability to successfully redeploy the brand in the relevant country.” also specifies Nicolas Gillet, Marketing Manager for Eastern Europe.

Indeed, most companies are going trough deep changes in their business model and have encountered troubles in setting up long term plans. They begin to have serious doubts about their long term projections and about economic mirages such as M&As offered by consulting firms in strategy.

On the contrary, Business Development consulting seems to take advantage of this situation as it meets the expectations of the general management of both SMEs and large companies. The most performing companies have been the first to rush into the business development wave: indeed, they have understood that strategy was only part of the business development process and that strategy alone creates concepts and ideas but not turnover! It is a fact, performing companies hate isolated strategists that have a theoretical approach of their business and have difficulty to make their strategic plans fit with their internal resources, whether they be financial of human.

Thus, while strategists produce ideas, business developers (or developers) design innovations to make them become a profitable business!

Next, while strategists set up goals from macroeconomic data, business developers set up action plans from microeconomic data.

Furthermore, while strategists draft long-term strategic plans that satisfy the ego of their bosses, business developers assess the impact of their innovations on the activity and the organization of the firm.

Finally, while the strategist favors the long run, the business developer understands that speed and quality of implementation have become more than ever the essential key success factors.

You should understand that a strategy, as brilliant as it may be, does not guarantee an operational success in the long run: the economic crisis has disclosed the gap existing between strategy and operational reality in the company, thus bringing light on the necessity to settle your firm in the virtuous circle of business development.