SMBs set to slash marketing costs using SaaS research model

A partnership between Vantedge Group and AbsolutData aims to bring the value of manufacturing market intelligence to small and midsize businesses (SMB) via an on-demand model with an affordable monthly service fee. According to Bob May, senior VP of analytic services for Vantedge Group, “We've come up with the Software-as-a-Service [SaaS] approach.

ByFrank O Smith (fosmith@thewritinggroup.com) May 1, 2008

A partnership betweenVantedge GroupandAbsolutData旨在将制造业市场的价值telligence to small and midsize businesses (SMB) via an on-demand model with an affordable monthly service fee.

According to Bob May, senior VP of analytic services for Vantedge Group, “We’ve come up with the Software-as-a-Service [SaaS] approach. Instead of just doing projects for clients, we want to become their partners.”

Bob May, senior VP of analytic services for Vantedge Group, says a new partnership with market analytics specialist AbsolutData brings together senior-level professionals who have managed hefty in-house market intelligence services.

Vantedge Group specializes in customer intelligence, delivering project services around strategies for acquiring, growing, and retaining customers; while AbsolutData offers market analytics, predictive modeling, and research. Together the companies can now deploy senior-level professionals with expertise in managing significant in-house market intelligence services.

Services are initiated with an assessment to quickly identify key metrics, and the health of the customer base. External market source data is gathered to build a data-rich Intelligence Bureau—i.e., a hosted “intelligence cube” that serves as the foundation for analytics and reporting, and is continuously added to over time.

Client investigation includes opportunities, customer defection/churn, and customer risk factor profiling. Intelligence is available through secure login via a Web portal.

“The Intelligence Bureau is the engine that runs behind the scenes,” says May. “The idea is to continuously build up the intelligence cube to do predictive modeling, analytics, and other research aimed at acquiring more customers, growing the ones you have, and retaining them over time.”

The Vantedge Intelligence Bureau is a hosted “intelligence cube” that serves as the foundation for analytics and reporting—and one that is continuously updated over time.