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We are firm believers in helping people understand the subject of Competitive Intelligence and Due Diligence. So, we hope someone will get something out of these articles. And start using Competitive Intelligence in their day to day work. We will regularly add articles in the help by topic section. So we keep it fresh. And we will continuously update the OSINT database.
What is Competitive Intelligence and how can it help?
Does your company possess too much information on your market and competitors, but not enough time to determine what it all means?
- Do you want to invest in new markets or regions, but are unsure about the competitive environment?
- Are there new organisations entering or merging in your market or region, and you know very little about them?
- Do you struggle to compete with your rival’s moves? Sometimes being surprised by their actions, and do you find they often outperform you?
- When you lose out on a piece of business, do you not really understand why? Relying instead on what your business development people tell you, or assuming it’s “who you know”?
If you can relate to some of the above, then competitive Intelligence (CI) could benefit you. Smaller companies may think that CI is out of their league. But it does not have to come through an expensive or sophisticated process, using the latest software. Small companies can collect and use intelligence just as well as larger organisations.
Any size company can use CI
As a CI adviser to companies like yours, I know that some companies are committed to Competitive Intelligence. But that is not enough. You should be interested and have your competitiveness as a strategic priority. After all, it is highly likely that your rivals are utilising some sort of intelligence activity ultimately against you.
What is Competitive Intelligence?
The term originated and was established in the USA. So definitions and terminology tend to be grand, varied and overly complicated. However, put simply, CI allows you to avoid surprises, think more moves ahead of your rivals, and minimise uncertainty when you make business decisions. It gives you the ability to see through or stay ahead of the competition. And in many cases, can be the unspoken, hidden key to success.
