Our Market and Marketing Strategies
New Opportunities
CFN investigates and reports on opportunities, trends and the competitive environment for clients' products and/or services. CFN is always watchful for new areas where opportunities exist for clients or where CFN can develop additional expertise.
The special products and services of a client company may, under certain circumstances, lead to a unique opportunity for a directed contract with the Government. CFN looks for these so as to advise on how best to present the client's case successfully.
The demand for the services that CFN provides seems to remain strong. With added Government spending on defence and security, there are many potential areas where CFN can assist a client directly, provide strategic advice, or facilitate a connection to advance an initiative.
Perhaps the greatest impediment to seizing every new opportunity that arises, is a fundamental tenet of CFN not to work for more than one client on any particular project. While the provision of strategic advice and information to all our clients may be appropriate during the early stages of a project, there comes a time with all of them where we must ensure that we do not have a conflict of interest situation. Accordingly, all CFN consultants work for all clients, and we do not create 'Chinese walls' within the firm. Moreover, CFN will remain scrupulous in ensuring that competing clients understand this and our potential commitment to other companies in specific areas of work.
Recent Actions
CFN recently did an informal review of the potential opportunities on the West Coast by gathering market intelligence on the defence and security business available, the existence of current consultants in that area, and the ability of our current office to meet the demand. It was concluded that our ability to provide advice from consultants actually located in Ottawa was what most clients or potential clients sought. As such, the partners agreed to maintain a presence in Victoria for coordination and face-to-face involvement, but not to make any specific changes at this point.
The recently-announced major equipment expenditures and the need for off-shore contractors to provide the necessary industrial and regional benefits has created a significantly increased demand for assistance in delivering on IRBs. CFN invested in 2004 and 2007 to increase our manpower in this area.
Position in the Marketplace
Competition exists but CFN Consultants continue to enjoy an important and well-recognized position in the provision of strategic advice and assistance in defence and security. Given the fact that we are 'knowledge brokers' and that our capabilities largely flow from the collective expertise and experience of our consultants, we feel our vision is realistic – to be "the premier consultancy specializing in Canadian defence and security".
Approach to Servicing Clients
CFN continues to maintain clients on retainer, with a view to establishing and developing long term relationships. We must continue to work to retain our clientele, through assistance, services and advice which they value. This approach allows us to be very competitively priced, especially when one considers that all clients enjoy the contributions of all consultants, within the areas of work agreed.
This business model has served CFN and our clients well and will continue to be the foundation for our relationships and provision of service. This is not to suggest that we will not take on specific project work from time to time, especially if it holds the promise of positioning us well for further, continued revenue over a longer period.