Developer DaphneLi Reviewer SusanLonerganCarthaO HareJohnClarke bc HowtobeaGreatAC March1998 Copyright 1998Bain Company Inc GettingthejobdoneManagingupTheperfectclientmeetingDevelopingpersonalstyleBuildingarewardingcareerKeytakeaways Agenda GettingthejobdoneManagingupTheperfectclientmeetingDevelopingpersonalstyleBuildingarewardingcareerKeytakeaways Agenda Baincaseteamsaddressaconsiderablerangeofstrategicissues Strategyconsulting Corporatestrategy Businessunitstrategy Performanceimprovement Howshouldacompanywithmanybusinessesachieveitsgrowthobjectives Howshouldabusinessunitrespondtoitscompetitors Howmanymanufacturingplantsdoesacompanyneed Whatproductsshouldclientproduceineachplant Example TypesofStrategicIssues Compoutek Axels 4 Rent Businessproblem Answer First yearACworkstream Lengthofcase ACtravel Businessunitstrategy PCbusinessunit ExittheretailPCmarketCutcoststhroughcomplexityreductionImplementprocessandorganizationredesign PhonecompetitorstogatherdataaboutthePCmarketAnalyzeclientdatarelatingtoaccountsreceivableandinventoryturnsBuildeconomicmodel Threemonths Monthlylocalvisitstoclienttogatherdataandattendmeetings Corporatestrategy growthstrategy TargetandretainmostprofitablecustomersthroughmarketingprogramsandtravelagentcommissionstructuresFocusoncorporateaccountsthatarealreadypenetrated butarecurrentlyunderperforminginsharetargets SizerentalcarmarketbasedonsecondaryresearchandcustomersurveysSpliceanddiceclientcustomerdatabasetoestablishsegmentsResearchothercompanies retentionprograms e g airlines frequentflyer Sixmonths WeeklytripstoNYCforclienttaskforcemeetings ExampleofCaseteamAssignments CaseteamCoordinator Vice President Manager CTL ExperiencedConsultant NewAC NewConsultant ExperiencedAC Whileyoumayfrequentlyencountervariations atypicalcaseteamstructurelookslikethefollowing CaseteamStructure Yourmixofresponsibilitieswillvaryfromcasetocase Thejob Research datagathering Analysis Communication Team MarketsizeanddynamicsCompetitorsClientdataCustomers DatabasemanipulationModelsinExcelRegressionsDataintoappropriateslideformatArrivingatthestrategicanswer BlankslidesstorylineproperformatOralcommunicationinformalteammeetingswithconsultant mangeroverheadstocaseteam CoordinatingworkstreamswithotherACs consultantsParticipatinginteambrainstormingsessionsandteammeetingsOverseeingproductionforpresentationsCaseteamevents AreasofResponsibility FlawlessexecutionwilldestineACsforgreatness Theycapitalizeontheresourcesavailabletothem andshowawillingnesstodowhateverittakestogetthejobdone Getthejobdone Executeonyourworkplan Communicateup Understandthe BigPicture Deliverwithzerodefects DevelopandupdateyourworkplanKeepan80 20fallbackplanExecute focusontheassignedtaskAfter6 12months takeamoreactiveroleinintellectualleadershipofyourpieceofwork CommunicateregularlyandfrequentlywithyourmanageruseAnswer Firstand80 20tag redflags seekhelpprioritizingleveragemanagertoaddadditional10 insight Always knowthewhy inthecontextofthe BigPicture Performzerodefectanalysisdocumenteverythingproof proof proofrealitycheck KeySuccessFactors Always knowthewhy inthecontextofthe BigPicture Whyareyoudoingthiswork whatisthe BigPicture whereisthevalue whatistheclientexpecting Whatdoesyouranalysismeanandwhyisitimportanttotheclient Whatarelikelyquestionstobeaskedofyou byyourteambyyourclient s Whatsensitivityanalysesillustrateresponsestopotentialquestionsorclarifyissuesforyou whataboutclientsensitivityanalyses Whatrealitycheckscanyoudotodemonstrateknowledgeofthewhy useof80 20benchmarksfocusofyourqualitychecks KnowtheWhy ArecentexperienceatSACtrainingillustratestheimportanceof knowingthewhy inthecontextofthe BigPicture Developpresentationonbusinessunitstrategy Assignment Theclientcanbeprofitableandshouldmilkitsbusiness Hypothesis MarketisgrowingClienthaslowcostpositionCompetitorsnotathreatnextlargestplayerhighercost Assertions WecandoaBDPtofigureoutwhereourclientcanlowercosts Costsarerelativelysimilar SACs reaction Data Whatdidtheymiss RCP Question BigPicture KnowtheWhy Example 1of2 Moreon knowingthewhy whattheACsmissed WecandoaBDPtofigureoutwhereourclientcanlowercosts Costsarerelativelysimilar SACs reaction CompetitorislowestcostCompetitorcanlowerpricetogainshare Milk isnotafeasiblestrategy Whattheymissed Evaluatethecompetitivethreat notdesign milking strategy Nextstep Data ThisteamgotcaughtupinthedetailsoftheanalysisNeedtostepbackandlookat BigPicture Lessonlearned RCP BigPicture KnowtheWhy Example 2of2 Afteryouhaveperformedyouranalysis steppingbackisessentialtogettingtheBigPictureinfocus DoublecheckyouroutputAretheseresultssurprising Why Doesthisallmakesense PuttheresultsonaslideorslidesIstherea sowhat fromtheslide Whataretheimplications Whatcouldclientresponsesbe concerns threatsconfusionIsthereabetterwaytopresentthedata audiencebetterrepresentationofkeypoint s Whatdoesthismeanfortheclient HowdoesthisfitinwithBain swork Whatisthebestwaytoarticulatethekeytakeawaysoftheslide whatisyourmanagerexpecting howdoesthisanalysisfitintothelargercasequestion s Pr