Perkins Solutions Accessibility Consulting Services

Joseph R Bellantoni, Kathleen Brennan, Michael Coady, Bill Desmarais, Leigh Heyman, Erica Marrari, Ryoji Tachibana

Contents

• Overview and Executive Summary• Recommendations • Research Methods • Analysis and Strategy • Other Suggestions

OVERVIEW AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Background

Perkins Solutions’ historical source of revenue, mechanical braillers, is under threat from newer technologies. As brailler profits decline, Perkins is seeking new business strategies to continue their legacy of thought leadership and innovation for the visually impaired.

Problem Statement

Perkins Solutions has set a goal of growing their consulting services to $675k revenue in FY17 to demonstrate its viability as a long-term strategy for eliminating their dependence on the Perkins School endowment.

Executive Summary

MIT EMBA Team’s key recommendations cover three main categories:1. Continued market assessment2. Service design 3. Pricing strategy

Analysis• Assess and evaluate data collected from 2015

– projects, pricing, customers, timelines, repeat purchases• Consider buyer’s path before thinking about price itself• Be clear on the problem you are solving• Identify your customers• Look for sources of sustainable advantage• First look at whether consumers are buying then look at

purchase power• Remember that more customers (sales) won’t get you out of financial trouble;

more customers can amplify the problem if you do not have the right expertise

• Devise a pricing strategy that describes who, what and for “what” Perkins will charge

• ROI calculations need to be properly understood

RECOMMENDATIONS

INSERT HEREInsert Recommendations

ANALYSIS AND STRATEGY

Research Methods Timeline

May 13, 2016: Introductory visit and meetings at Perkins

May 14, 2016: Review of materials and formulation of problem statement.

May 15, 2016: Completion of “left-hand side of A3”: Background; Go See & Assess; Identify Root Causes.

May 16, 2016: Interviews with staff/administrators : review of Financials, Business, and R&D questions.

May 17, 2016: Data synthesis and presentation preparation

Research MethodsMaterial Review: 1. Perkins’ “Project outline” (Consulting Services) 2. Statement of Work: Perkins and Edmentum 11-2-15 3. Accessibility Auditing Services Proposal 4. Assistive Tech Time Line 5. Background Information Document 6. Draft: Perkins Solutions Workshop and Digital Accessibility 7. Final Tufts Proposal 4-8-16 8. Overview of Industry 2016 9. Perkins Products 3-year Manufacturing Strategy10. Proposal to Conduct a Digital Accessibility Audit of Select Edmentum Digital Products 6-8-1511. PowerPoints: statistics, supply chain, TLC.

Research MethodsMaterial Review: 11. Excel Spreadsheets:

Analysis 2010-2016 Braillers and AT;Copy of Analysis 2010-2016 Brillers;e commerce sales by month;e commerce sales by product 2014-2016;Interview recommendations 5-10-16;Perkins Access Competitor Information; Perkins Solutions FY17 Projections

ANALYSIS AND STRATEGY

Strategy

• Porters Five Forces• Framework for developing a competitive

strategy– Total market, competitive landscape, positioning

• Implementation– Pricing, Packaging Services, Communications,

Sales and Marketing• Business Model shift from Product to Service

Porter’s Five Forces Analysis – Perkins Solutions• Entry into industry is quite low. Compliance checklists and

automated technologies have made it easy for most anyone to enter the field.

Threat of New Entrants

•There are several threats of substitution which include other consulting firms (of which there are many), automated software, and nothing (which is the choice of most firms).

Threat of Substitution

• There are already several competitors in the space including Freedom Scientific who own a popular screen reader system among the blind. Perkins will have to differentiate to stay viable.

Intensity of Rivalry

• In this case the supplier power is nominal. Perkins Solutions has many options from which they can source materials and employees.

Bargaining Power of Suppliers

• The bargaining power of buyers is high. Because of a lack of accountability in accessibility compliant website, buyers have little concern for cleaning up their sites.

• For those who do want their web site compliant, they have many options from which to choose.

Bargaining Power of Buyers

Perkins Solutions

•To be a leading accessibility consulting firm.

• Conduct compliance audits for government, academic, and corporate websites.• Conduct usability assessments with

actual disabled employees.

• Small direct sales force (2 reps in 2016).•Work closely with resellers.• Has always relied on partners – resellers,

manufacturing, NPOs to help sell their products.

• One of the premier schools for the blind in the country.• Have a wealth of knowledge and experience

in people with disabilities which includes those with multiple conditions.• Potential for a strong network across their

five divisions.• Employ people with disabilities.

Objective

Scope External Position/Consistency

Internal Organization/Fit

Perkins Solutions– Old Strategy: Manufacturing Based

Current Entrepreneurial Strategy

• Perkins Solutions core business focused on the

manufacturing and sales of Brailler machines.

1. The technology revolutionized literacy for the

visually impaired.

2. Has been a staple for Perkins since the 1950s.

3. New technologies and mainstreaming have

severely impacted the sales over the last two

decades.

Structural Requirements

• Manufacturing in current facility imposes overhead

that is difficult to manage.

• Materials, processes, and use of facilities do not

appear to be optimized.

Source: Choosing Entrepreneurial Strategy by Joshua Gans and Scott Stern, MIT Sloan, Book TBP

Perkins Solutions– New Strategy: Consulting Based

Entrepreneurial Strategy – Moving to Value Chain

• Competing in the consulting sector will

require Perkins Solutions to be re-branded

as a member of the value chain for the

target project.

• Multiple competitors and influencers will

need to understand the value added impact

that Perkins Solutions brings to solving the

problem.

Structural Requirements

• Expansion of presence in target markets to

build credibility, influence ,and partnerships

Source: Choosing Entrepreneurial Strategy by Joshua Gans and Scott Stern, MIT Sloan, Book TBP

20

Problem Recognition

Information Search

Evaluation

Purchase

Movement

The Buying Path

• The ideal Buying Path begins with some sort of Problem Recognition and ends with a purchase

• The target buyers in web site accessibility and usability typically do not know they have a problem and find it difficult to prioritize these projects over other initiatives with which they need to solve.

• Perkins Solutions will need to focus on driving problem recognition and information search.

Source: 15.732 Marketing Management, Professor Catherine Tucker

The Economic Buyer and Influencers need to understand there’s a problem to be solved and why your solution is best

Consulting Process

Opportunity Qualification/

Needs Assessment

Request for information

Budget Allocation

Request for Proposal

Universe of Public Needs

• In order to be successful, Perkins Solutions will need to create enough demand for their

proposed solutions to move into the universe of web accessibility needs

• Web accessibility must be in the conversation during the needs assessment and

information request This will make winning the request for proposal (RFP) possible

Perkins Brand Recognition Trend Analysis

Perkins Solutions Brand Recognition Trend Analysis

Perkins Solutions Brand Recognition Trend Analysis

Research MethodsInterviews/Discussion: 1. William Oates, General Manager2. Joe Martini, Director of Assistive Technology3. Dan Roy, Director of Operations4. Igor Feinberg, Director of Sales5. Marla Runyon, Accessibility Consulting Lead6. Joann Becker, Senior Technology Specialist7. Tim Cumings, Technology Specialist8. Jeremias Feliz, Technology Specialist9. Jerry Berrier, Manager, National Deaf Blind Equipment Distribution Program10. Kelsey Bronski, Marketing and Communications11. Ellen Hall, Business Development12. Luiza Aguiar, Director of Products/Innovation13. Wen Lo, Director of Accounting

Other suggestions

• Expand AT consulting to include Handicap accessible workplaces

• Hackathon regarding consulting needs/opportunities

• Prep their propose• Brand recognition through leadership

development(Maybe recommendation)• Go-Lab international consulting--opportunities

Other suggestions• Manufacturing other observations

a) Move manufacturing out of Perkins to other cheaper locationb) Downsize India Operationc) Full capacity in India for cost down

• Hackathon /opportunities• Good presence-couldn’t find under AT search• Products/consulting around social media (would people who are

blind pay for a product that enables them to use social media, ie. Facebook)

• Optimizing website but Vocational Training• Can’t you use extra space at Perkins Solutions if it downsize the

manufacturing.