Developing the Concept for New Customer Acquisition for an R&D Organization

Abstract

This Master’s Thesis focuses on developing a holistic, new customer acquisition concept for a research and development organization. The developed concept considers and contains all key aspects of the customer acquisition. It starts from attracting prospective companies via value offering and brand development, suggested by the Customer Equity Framework (CEF), and includes managing the customer base via Key Account Management (KAM) program in order to find and segregate the customers with the most potential for nurturing a profitable collaboration. The proposed concept for new customer acquisition also highlights the importance of personal sales in a business-to-business context. Personal sales are powerful tools in the creation of personalized relationships between companies, and provide a swift channel for information exchange. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) provides a strategic approach to managing customer relationships and the planning of marketing activities.

The feedback received to the proposed new customer acquisition concept, both from external customers and internal stakeholders, highlights the importance of a holistic approach to customer acquisition. The harmonic utilization of all the proposed tools of the concept should help the case organization develop a strong brand. This culminates in a brand desired by both prospective and existing customers who will eventually become profitable, long-term business partners.