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.
“I enthusiastically joined the Rapid Innovation Sprint Programme at Edge Hill University, where the exceptional team facilitated a meticulous analysis of our company. The results prompted us to critically re-think and question our sales and targeting strategies, leading to significant business growth. This invaluable experience has been instrumental in our continued success.”
Paul Edwards
Managing Director – Print Logic Reprographics Ltd
The challenges
Paul Edwards, Managing Director of Print Logic Reprographics entered the Rapid Innovation Sprint Programme to grow his business through rebalancing the customer portfolio and maximising the opportunity from their existing customer base by targeting high-value, long-term customers using outbound sales. Despite growing the customer base and increasing revenue through the pandemic, Paul needed to identify his ideal customer profile to improve productivity and profitability. Improving efficiencies within the business would also allow more time to address some of the business challenges and to take advantage of new opportunities.
The opportunity
Facilitated by the SME Growth Experts, Paul recognised that targeting high-value, long-term customers would provide a valuable commercial opportunity to support them in successfully achieving their financial objectives. All organisations have a level of dynamic capabilities to be able to sense, seize and transform themselves to better exploit opportunities in their existing customer base but also take advantage where new opportunities arise. Well-honing these dynamic capabilities will allow Print Logic to improve their efficiency and productivity which will drive up their profitability as a result. The strategy was also likely to require new digital technologies to underpin the new outbound sales process.
The key changes
Several changes were identified in the business model to achieve scalability. Automation of business processes through a new business intelligence platform will allow sales staff more time to focus on new systematic outbound business development which will drive up demand from profitable customers. Print Logic were also facilitated to plan their sales pipeline, customer journey KPIs and revenue model ensuring their new outbound business strategy was financially viable.
The plan and outcomes
Print Logic used the latter stages of the programme to devise their Growth Action Plan for embedding the new business model changes. As a direct result of the programme, Print Logic has increased their turnover by 15% and their profitability by 20%. Paul and the team have also improved their business process efficiencies through automation underpinned by a new business intelligence platform to make future recruitment easier. The programme has given Print Logic the plan and the infrastructure to achieve real scale, allowing them to drive up their revenue, create new jobs and ensure profitability.
The LCR High Growth Programme is specifically designed to support high growth (or high growth potential) businesses in the Liverpool City Region to adapt, innovate, and grow; get in touch with one of our account managers to see how we can support you and your business.
Rapid Innovation Sprint Programme is part of the LCR High Growth Programme that is part funded by ERDF and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and delivered by Growth Platform – Liverpool City Region Growth Company.