Hi The Coz !
Here's an intelligent remark from the Yahoo messages Board ! Take the time to read it. These are valuable thoughts.
Au revoir
Jean-Robert
Branding: Will CGI address
by: ex_it_exec
12/7/1999 10:34 am EST
Msg: 263 of 263
the perception issue?
I have expressed doubt before about CGI's ability to successfully expand and position itself in the US. CGI brands itself as " the largest independent information technology consulting firm in Canada ". Fine. But what are the perceptions of the marketplace? An answer might be found in a June 1999 IDC Canada 85-page report titled "Top Service firms in Canada : An Image Perception Survey". Following are some excerpts from the report (available to IDC clients only):
"Perception is everything. Most would agree, no matter how good you think your company, products, and services are, what really matters is how they are perceived by the people with the power and money to buy them. This report explores the importance of consumer perceptions in the systems integration market in Canada through a detailed survey designed for buyers of systems integration services." "Methodology -- IDC Canada set out to interview managers responsible for selecting external information technology (IT) service providers at FP 500 companies.
In Canada, FP 500 firms typically have more than 500 employees. This was one of the criteria used to determine which companies would be contacted. The two other qualifiers used with participants included the company using one or more external service providers to assist in the implementation of complex IT solutions, as well as the participant being the main decision-maker or having decision influence with respect to external service providers."
"Participants were asked to determine their relative familiarity with … the top service providers. Specifically, the vendor list included: Systemhouse, IBM Global Services, Deloitte & Touche Consulting, PricewaterhouseCoopers, DMR Consulting, Andersen Consulting, CGI Group, Ernst & Young, EDS Canada, LGS Group, Bell Global Solutions/Bell Canada, KPMG, Compaq Services (formerly Digital), Sierra Systems Consultants, APG and NCR Canada."
88 buyers responded and provided their assessment of how IT services vendors fare following a list of 12 perceptual criteria, namely: "Excellent Track Record; Strong Technical Expertise; Industry Expertise; Price Competitiveness; Ability to Work with our People; Company Reputation; Knowledge Transfer; Speed of Implementation; Flexibility in accommodating changes; Methodology-based Approach; Thought Leadership and Innovation; and Global Capabilities."
"Andersen and IBM are perceived as the top two systems integration firms overall, followed by Deloitte, Systemhouse and Bell."
How did CGI fare? 14th, 15th or 16th for 10 out of 12 criteria. Best showing: a 13th position. Average: 14.5/16.
Sure, such surveys may or may not be accurate and may contain biais, under-represent markets in which CGI is the strongest. Yet, it is prudent to assume that CGI has some "identity management" work to do on the home front. Some perceptual criteria are less espensive than others to correct, still. Add the US to the equation and you get a sizeable and costly PR/marketing and advertising issue.
X/IT exec |
