Kittyhawk Partners - Case Studies

CASE STUDIES

Our partners' track records of delivering solid decision support to high technology and aerospace leaders and investors covers a lot of ground. A select few engagements are described briefly below.

The leading producers of consumer and enterprise software, datawarehousing solutions, CRM solutions, and other information technology hardware and softare components and solutions have been our partners' clients.

Our partners' aerospace clients have included the leading manufacturers of military and commercial aircraft engines, MR&O shops, military and commercial aircraft designers and manufacturers, defence and civil electronics and avionics, and systems integrators.

Due Diligence - 3 Weeks

Issue:	Acquirer of an electronics infrastructure company whose sales dropped and stayed low immediately after purchase needed to stop the cash hemmorage. Question 1: What was the real revenue forecast for the acquisition? Question 2: Why did revenues collapse?
Our Work:	Tested acquisition's own A-list of customers against the forecast, and found a large discrepancy; some customers had not spoken with a sales rep. for over a year. Statistical analysis confirmed a widening gap between real and imaginary forecasts. Marketing and sales failures had enabled the success of a European competitor.
Results:	Client defended its business from internal rivals and external competitors, using the best practices and differentiators we uncovered to persuade customers and senior management of their premium value.

Best Practices - 8 Weeks

Issue:	Global integrator of complex and sensor systems on its own platforms (OEM) threatened by external and internal competitors. Question 1: What, if any, was the OEM advantage in the marketplace? Question 2: What best practices could explain and extend it?
Our Work:	Analyzed the successes and failures of integration projects by both OEM and 3rd party integrators to develop best practices and pitfalls for the client. Measured and explained the price premium associated with OEM integration efforts.
Results:	Client defended its business from internal rivals and external competitors, using the best practices and differentiators we uncovered to persuade customers and senior management of their premium.

Investment Filter - 6 Weeks

Issue:

Data warehousing developer needed to choose from a large number of market opportunities, each requiring unique and costly product sales strategy changes.

Question 1: Which opportunities were the best investment?

Our Work:

Filtered the opportunities based upon risk and reward metrics to an initially manageable number through customer and competitor research and analysis combined with evaluation of the client's capabilities match to each segment.

Results:

Using our findings, the solutions provider selected, funded, and moved on the best opportunities.

Entry Strategy - 4 Weeks

Issue:

Enterprise software developers anticipating entering a new market; to do so it needed to identify its customers and address their needs in their language.

Question 1: What product definition best met customer needs?
Question 2: How could value be best conveyed in customer language?

Our Work:

Worked directly with customers to: test likely acceptance of the product and refine its specifications; identify lighthouse customers and prime the initial gate-keeper for the client; evaluate the customer's awareness of competitors and substitutes; and discern the customer's means and metrics for comparison.

Results:

Built a model of the customer's evaluative process for use as a sales tool, and identified the resonant value propositions for customers. Opened the door for the sales force, introduced them to their most-likely customers.

Competitor Threat - 6 Weeks

Issue:	Global software company and I.S.P. identified a potential rival rapidly growing in parallel industries. Question 1: Would the rival become a direct competitor? Question 2: What would be the battlefield?
Our Work:	Performed an analysis of the stated objectives of senior management, their acquisition and growth activities for the past several years, and compared that to existing opportunities for growth or acquisition within the market. Concluded that the rival was indeed poised to become a major threat to our client in multiple targeted markets, most of which were not originally identified by our clients.
Results:	Management disagreed with our findings of the new potential threats, however within six months the rival had made a large acquisition in the market predicted.

Market Validation - 2 Weeks

Issue:

Startup with an aviation over-hauled purchase aggregation concept needed to determine market acceptance for their service offering prior to commencing next phase operations and investment.

Question 1: Were customers ready and willing to buy the new service?

Our Work:

Developed a web-based survey mechanism, identified and recruited respondents matching the customer profiles and segments, and analyzed the results. Achieved a 7% response ratio that was statistically valid across all segments and answered the question completely.

Results:

Analysis revealed the real market for the service, and highlighted which components customers valued most and least. Based upon the findings, the management team pulled the plug on further investment

JV Support - 8 Weeks

Issue:	Major consumer products company entered into a new kind of joint venture to launch a new product. Question 1: Were the terms of the agreement favorable? Question 2: What, if any, were the areas that needed to be re-negotiated?
Our Work:	Analyzed similar deal structures, all within the target market, and performed financial analyses to compare on an apples-to-apples basis. Detailed complete supply chain of similar deals to compare directly. Concluded that terms of the deal were not favorable and identified three specific areas to re-negotiate terms.
Results:	Client restructured deal in accordance with our conclusions, re-negotiating more favorable terms, thus saving significant money and resources.