services

In case you wonder what the difference is of all these, you are in good company. There is no perfect answer to this, but a lot of good suggestions. In Vannfast, we have successfully completed many such strategic processes before and can help you to simplify and carry out these in a way that leads to the concrete improvements and results you want for your business. 

• A VISION is a long term and inspiring goal you may never quite reach…
• A MISSION briefly describes what your business is and what it deliveres
• VALUES describe internal and external business behaviour and culture
• GOALS must be specific, easy to understand, achievable and not too many
• A STRATEGY describes how your business will reach its vision (a plan!)
• A TAGLINE (or slogan) is a sentence or expression that shall sell products and strengthen your business’ brand names. 

Wherever you are in the world, you need to have the “shopkeeper” and enthusiasm in you whenever you want to market and sell something. And you will also get far with a smile, politeness, respect and integrity in all cultures and corners of the world. But irrespectively of the market and product, you must also know your market well and have the “right product” before you risk time and resources on a market launch. Then you need to start with a Market Analysis in order to up your chances for success.

Following this, tailor made marketing and sales work are needed, depending on product, market, timing etc. In Vannfast we have long experience in this type of work, having developet many markets with a wide range of products and services. Consequently we can assist you in adopting the best possible way forward in order for you to get the best result from the time and resources you invest.

Of course, nothing is better marketing than a good reputation and “word of mouth”. But before you get that far, your products must be fine tuned, analysis and marketing done, brand names built and your sales organization must have pounded the pavement for some time…!

Especially young and newly established companies often lack experience in practical business development, commercialization and building an organization. Vannfast can offer a wide range of assistance here, from being your mentor to more in-depth involvement, to solve specific challenges, as well as setting up good routines and systems tailor made to meet your needs, such as within: 

• Evaluating various business models, go-to-market and marketing strategies
• Financial management (banking, bookkeeping, cashflow, budgetting, financing etc.)
• Contracts, agreements, terms and conditions of sale, delivery and payment
• Purchasing, manufacturing, inventory and logistics
• Quality assurance, documentation, certification- and approval requirements
• Delivery, assembly, installation and start-ups in the field
• After-Sales-Service, SaaS and HaaS, warranty obligations and legal conflicts
• Technical and business Due Diligence services
• Head hunting, employment contracts, incentive schemes, Code of Conduct, Anti-Corruption

Getting into export is often connected to various types of risks, and you really need to do your homework to succeed. Especially in so called “emerging markets”. Do you have the staying power, the right products, people and financial strength needed for such commitment? Very often it is more important to decide what NOT to do when requests come in from far corners of the world. The pitfalls are many, and this is a business area where an experienced advisor and pathfinder such as Vannfast can provide invaluable help, prevent big problems and subsequent financial losses.

At Vannfast “we have been there, done that and got the T-Shirts” as they often say in America. One thing is to “have a product you are sure someone abroad will want and buy”, but have you thought about everything else that need to be addressed for long term success?

Subsidiary or dealership/agents, proper legal contracts, applicable law, Trade Finance (financial instruments, Letter of Credits/Guarantees, trading regulations, exchange rate hedging, sanctions etc.), IDD of partners and customers (Integrity Due Diligence), understanding culture and religion, security and risk analysis, anti-corruption, Code of Conduct, Global Compact 10, freight and logistics, insurance policies, patenting/IPR, certification and documentation requirements, assembly, installation and follow up when something goes wrong?

A good product often started as a “bright idea” many years ago… But to go from an idea to a commercial and profitable product is a very long road. Sometimes it is a product idea that nobody has ever though of before. Other times it is an excisting product in need of further development. But without continuous development and improvements, most good products will sooner or later vanish and die.

In Vannfast we have carried out many successful product development processes for a large number of products within aquaculture. Our expertise and know-how in this field can help you successfully complete development of your own ideas and products, including:

• Creative but systematic brain storming
• Advise within IPR (Intellectual Property Rights) and patenting
• “Stage Gate” development processes (feasibility study, planning, market requirements, design and development, market launch preparations, customer pilot and full market launch).

And remember, the most dangerous thing to say in an R&D department is: “We have always done it this way…”. Just remember the music business. When the music CD “suddently” came, tens of thousands workers in the music record business lost their jobs in the USA.

When you finally stands there with the signed contract in your hand and you are happy with the margins in the Excel spreadsheet, there are still many things that can go wrong before the money is in the bank account. This is the time to hand over the contract to your Project Manager who’s task it is to safeguard the margins, and preferrably increase them. But this is easier said than done, and experiences from this business show that this is one of the biggest challenges in the aquaculture supply business. 

This is often about following a “red thread” all the way from the quote to the completed delivery in every part of the process, and really keep your house in order. It often only takes one weak link in this chain of events for your margins to disappear, and often damage your company’s reputation in the process.

In Vannfast we have long experience also in this field, having managed complexed delivery projects both in Norway and internationally. We can contibute in various ways here, including being directly involved in specific projects alongside your project management team.