VACME! - Value Added Commercial Management with Enthusiasm!
Sales and marketing support for growing technology businesses

We love working for budding new companies. Read on to find out about our specialist VACME service –

Value Added Commercial Management with Enthusiasm - the hallmark of Qi3.

Recruitment in technology SMEs
Personnel recruitment can be an expensive business for small high-tech companies. A highly skilled human resource is required - at a reasonable cost. A full-time Product Manager with the necessary sales, business and scientific knowledge may be hard to find and will bring a heavy fixed-cost.

Our Approach
Technology enterprises now have an alternative: use Qi3 in place of a permanent full time marketing/product manger. You may see this as unorthodox, but we think of it as “in-sourcing” rather than “out-sourcing”. The VACME! service is ideal for companies at transitional stages, when a new market is to be addressed, a product launched, distribution channels or sales staff changed. We often provide a service for 6-24 months, with a level of effort supplemented by bursts of activity around trade shows and staff recruitment.

We deliver a mixture of skilled sales and marketing resources, led by one of our senior staff – all of whom have multiple experiences as sales, marketing and managing directors of technology businesses.
Our deliverables are tailored to your needs – often a product launch, early sales, strategic alliances, licence agreements or established distribution channels.
We can support recruitment and aim to hand over to new full-time staff with a pipeline of sales prospects.

Our VACME! methodology incorporates a number of the Service Elements that we deliver to all our clients.

The VACME! service has supported numerous companies at various stages of development. Please see our Case Studies section for examples. We would be pleased to discuss your needs in detail and to provide references.

VACME FAQ

What is the value of the Qi3 approach?

Our ethos is to deliver maximum value, working in close conjunction with the company's product team. We support the company by analysing the options, recommending actions, and then “rolling our sleeves up” to implement the business plans.

How effective is this approach in the long run?

We support you with the skills and experience of scientists who've sold, marketed and used high-tech instrumentation throughout their careers, and an extended business network beyond that. We make the investment in becoming thoroughly acquainted with the product portfolio, marketing needs, and the company ethos and culture.

Can our product portfolio be managed by "part-timers" as effectively as a full time employee of our own?

Yes, it can. We are committed to the success of UK small enterprises; for example, in a 40% by time, per month, commitment from us, we aim to deliver all the actions that a full-time employee could deliver.

How would Qi3 ensure that knowledge and market intelligence gained from product-management remains within my company?

We aim to impart our experience and know-how to you at every opportunity. Since we work from within the organisation on a mid to long-term basis, we will plough knowledge we gain back into your company, e.g., training your employees, holding workshops, and helping with recruitment of sales and marketing staff. We can also provide you with a knowledge management tool (e.g., a database or Internet tool), which captures all the market intelligence we gather, and ensure you can maintain this as an on-going resource.

Will Qi3 work for a success fee rather than a retained payment?

Of course! We are happy to work on a mixture of fees, sales or profit bonus and/or equity. We are in the business of creating a “win-win” situation.

I'm still rather unsure about this approach…are there any other advantages?

Taking on Qi3 for product management provides your company with a guaranteed service level that may be varied according to the needs of the business. A team of experts in all relevant business areas ensures that the skill you need is available at all times.