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Featured Projects

Representative market research projects executed by Primary Point include:



Alternative Delivery Models for IT as a Service
Primary Point interviewed 77 senior level contacts at global hardware and software vendors, telecommunications providers, consulting and system integrators, outsourcers, infrastructure providers, and SaaS. 

Representative firms included:  IBM, HP, Dell, Sun, Cisco, SAP, Microsoft, Oracle, BT, AT&T, Telstra, KPN, NTT, Verizon Business Services, Accenture, BearingPoint, Deloitte, EDS, CSC, CapGemini, ADP, Navitaire, PayPal, Savvis, Tsystems, Siemens SIS. 
Representative contact titles included:  VP Global Marketing; Chief Technology Officer; Director Managed Services Strategy; VP Capability Governance and Partnerships Strategy; VP Marketing and Propositions; Managing Director Outsourcing Services; EVP Operational Strategy; Senior Director Marketing Strategy and Research; Chief Knowledge Officer; Managing Director Delivery Program Management and Service Quality; General Manager Managed Services; VP Technology Solutions Customer Care; VP Corporate Strategy and Marketing; SVP Product Strategy; SVP Process Excellence Market Development and Transformation; Director Infrastructure Management Global Delivery; Director IT Research and Planning.

Senior level contacts were interviewed on their firm’s current market posture and future strategy for implementing alternative delivery models for IT as a service, defined as: the use of nontraditional methods, processes, and technologies to acquire and deliver IT functionality and business services in a flexible and use-based fashion.  IT functionality was defined as elements of the delivery chain and business services were defined as results and business outcomes. 

Examples of Alternative Delivery Models include: Software as a Service (SAAS), Infrastructure Utilities (IUs), Business Process Utilities (BPUs), Storage as a service, Grid computing, Utility Computing, Capacity on demand, Remote management services, Web 2.0 approaches, Community source, Software streaming, Communications as a Service (CaaS), User-owned devices, and Software-based appliances (SBAs).

The project was particularly challenging in that:

  1. Complex subject matter.
  2. Suitable contacts were difficult to identify requiring extensive mapping and pursuit of referrals.
  3. Conference calls often involved multiple respondents from the same firm.
  4. Survey length was 45-60 minutes.

Outsourcing Strategy Research
Primary Point interviewed 70 senior management contacts at large fossil-based power generation stations within the continental US on: outsourcing posture and planning, capex strategy, and environmental planning issues.  Representative contacts included: Plant Manager; Director Maintenance; Director Engineering; VP Production; VP Operations.
The project was particularly challenging in that:

  1. A contact list was not commercially available and needed to be built manually with extreme difficulty. 
  2. Contacts were difficult to identify.
  3. Contacts were extremely time constrained.
  4. Contacts were highly resistant to telephone interviewing.
  5. Survey length was 45-60 minutes.

Energy and Utility Service Provision Research
Primary Point profiled 100 major utilities (electric, gas, water service retailers) to gather data regarding cost of customer service provision (billing, information systems, meter reading, call centers, payment processing).  Data was required from 3-5 different functional areas within each organization.  Suitable companies had at least 500,000 customers and were located in North America, EMEA, Asia Pacific. 
The project was particularly challenging in that:

  1. Complex multi-functional issues.
  2. Data was not immediately available to any one specific contact.  (Data needed to be collected over a period of days.)
  3. Necessary data needed to come from different functional areas\ individuals within each organization.  (Either directly - coordinating data acquisition from multiple contacts within the same company, or indirectly – company contact coordinating.)
  4. Data was often considered to be highly confidential.
  5. Difficulty in identifying the right point(s) of contact.  Sophisticated networking and referral techniques to identify the right knowledgeable and motivated contact(s). 
  6. Senior executive level to approve participation. 
  7. Coaching provided on specific questions where differences in terminology varied from company to company or country to country.
  8. Need for persistent but courteous follow-up to prompt or “coax” knowledgeable high-level contacts to participate.

Additional Projects
Environmental Assurance Services Research
Primary Point interviewed 60 high-level executive contacts at companies considered to be prospective end-users of environmental and sustainability reporting services.  Opinions on various service offering configurations along with emerging trends in environmental reporting and sustainability markets were collected.  Sixty interviews with respondents segmented across various industries and functional roles were completed.


Financial Services Trading Desk Applications – Major US and European Financial Institutions
Primary Point profiled 50 large financial services organizations on trading desk application computing performance issues. 


Proof of Market Product Feasibility Study – US Insurance Industry
Primary Point conducted interviews with senior management personnel at mid-tier US life insurers to assess the market timeliness of a proposed client product.  Representative titles included VP Finance, VP Controller, CFO, Chief Accounting Officer, and other knowledgeable contacts. 


Information Technology Security Consulting Services – Leading US Consulting Firm
Primary Point interviewed 80 high-level executive contacts at selected Fortune 500 companies on their need for IT Security services and related concerns and planning.  Interviews were segmented across various industry verticals.


Project and Portfolio Management Solutions - North American Public Sector Markets
Primary Point profiled senior management personnel on their firm’s posture, product offering, and market strategy for project and portfolio management solutions into the North American public sector marketplace.


Customer Satisfaction Solutions Research - Major Telecom and Professional Services Firms
Primary Point gathered opinions on customer satisfaction services from a pool of 100 major telecommunications and professional services companies.  Issues covered consulting solutions and services along with current methodologies and customer service strategies.


IT Asset Management Research – Fortune 500
Primary Point conducted Fortune 500 interviews with senior level decision-makers having responsibility for IT Asset and Service Management with an objective of benchmarking related capabilities, policies, and procedures.  Industry focus: financial services, insurance, healthcare, pharmaceutical and telecom.


Third-Party Verification (TPV) Services Research - Telecom
Primary Point conducted primary research in order to understand the dynamics surrounding the market for Third-Party Verification (TPV) services and related offerings from an end-user perspective.  Senior management personnel with a detailed knowledge of their company’s use of verification mechanisms were identified and interviewed. 


Customer CRM Data Coordination Research – Global 1000
Primary Point conducted interviews over 300 target companies on issues relating to CRM customer data coordination and related issues.  EVP, SVP, VP and Director level at Global 1000 companies were interviewed.


Data Center Facilities Management Research – Fortune 500
Primary Point conducted in-depth interviews with senior management personnel at 70 private and public companies, along with government entities in order to benchmark data center infrastructure related capabilities, policies, and procedures.  The research emphasized current and future trends. 


Peer Review Services Research
Primary Point conducted interviews with high-level executive contacts at CPA firms to determine their views on current and proposed Peer Review procedures and policies.  Two thousand interviews were completed.  Extensive statistical analysis was performed and three Power Point presentations were prepared each focusing on different user segments.


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