Door4
The SME Productivity & Innovation Centre (PIC) at Edge Hill University delivers impact through an intensive fully-funded programme that helps established SMEs, with the vision and potential for growth, build a coherent business model strategy to scale-up.
Door4 case study
E-commerce agency
“The Innovation Sprint Programme has, quite literally, changed our business. We now recognise that prior to the Programme, our value proposition was rather vague, and did not sufficiently focus on delivering solutions to the needs of our clients. Working with the PIC team, we swiftly evolved our thinking, from what we do, to what pain points we can relieve, and how we can most effectively turn this pain relief into ongoing revenue. With the learning from the Programme, we have revised our value proposition and customer segments. We now have a laser focused offer – both in terms of service range, target customer and marketing communications.”
Leon Calverley, Managing Director – Door4
Door4 completed the programme and developed a new service offer:
- New service offering high quality performance-based digital solutions.
- Clarity of target-audience and market positioning.
- Development of new marketing messages and a website.
- Alignment of recruitment and skills needs.
Starting point
Door4 had built its successful digital service over 18 years and offered a wide range of digital and technical products, solutions and support to government departments, national and international businesses. Brochure websites, mobile apps and e-commerce were just some of the services that Door4 offered. Prior to the Innovation Sprint Programme Leon Calverley, Managing Director at Door4 described their service offer as broad, with an indistinct focus for their client base.
The opportunity
Although the business was successful, Leon wanted the business to grow but recognised that the current comprehensive service offer provided little clarity on Door4’s position within the market and obstructed the businesses ability to achieve profitable growth.
Leon and his team took full-advantage of the fully-funded programme at Edge Hill to work with academic business experts to unpick the complexities of the challenges the business faced.
The journey
The time spent away from their workplace to focus on their challenges, proved valuable from the start for the Door4 team. Using the Innovation framework and tools, the team utilised the
data insights to clarify their clients pain points and clarify their service offer.
The team used evidence-based decision-making to realign their service offer, ethos and customer focus.
The solution and outcomes
The programme provided Door4 with the confidence to implement changes to add value to their original service offer, clarity on who their customers are and the tools to build a robust growth plan. Door4 now have a clear value proposition of their digital products, enhanced by a performance-based service. The new enhanced service will target transactional businesses and showcase the teams specialist skills and expertise.
Door4, equipped with their new plan, enhanced service and clarity of customers are repositioning themselves as an e-commerce agency. The team has redefined their messaging and plans to launch a new website later this year.
In a few weeks, Door4 could feel the impact of the clarity – and their pipeline of new clients already looks healthy. The team has a much clearer understanding of where they are heading and can see where their recruitment and training needs reside. Previously, their offer was so broad that this was very difficult to establish. Leon strongly recommends that growing businesses, seeking some clarity and purpose, engage with the PIC at Edge Hill University.
What we offer
”The programme provides you with the opportunity to work on the business and not in it.”
Professor Simon Bolton – Director, SME Productivity & Innovation Centre
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