Global quest for QLBS.com

From Delhi to Dallas

Enterprise North Shore
Issue 18, August 2007

Despite competing in a complex and extremely technical sector, QLBS.com makes business success sound easy.

For this Albany-based company, who designs and produces highly sophisticated performance management systems, its journey from initial concept to global brand has never veered from its founding principles: think global; and think long-term. It all started in 2000 when Margaret Mulqueen and Steve Lewin co-founded the business, creating a unique measurement system that would help organisations ranging from international government agencies through to SMEs achieve continuous improvement. Steve’s 25 years experience in designing and implementing management information systems for corporates, combined with Margaret’s operational and strategic background, provided a solid management team from the get-go. This was to be further strengthened when Keith Phillips, who had previously held senior executive positions for Apple in the USA and UK and a track record of growing successful technology companies in NZ became president and third shareholder of QLBS.com.

In what sounds like a classic case study in a business management text book, the QLBS.com team ticked all the right boxes as it began to develop: “We did our desk research first, then went out into the market, listened to what people said, and reacted accordingly,” explains Margaret (pictured).

Chosen by world’s leading economic development agency

Seven years later, it seems QLBS.com has nailed precisely what its target market wants. The world’s premier organisation for advancing business incubation – the National Business Incubation Association based in Ohio – has recently signed a partnership deal with QLBS.com enabling its members to access QLBS.com tools. CMC – a member of the TATA group and one of India’s largest IT organisations is also a client, while closer to home, Enterprise North Shore and the North Shore City Council have sought the services of QLBS.com with the launch of Excellerator – an on-line business assessment tool which is available free to all local companies.

Unlike the array of other benchmarking systems which typically focus on lagging indicators i.e. historical performance, its clever, scaleable design combines this data with leading indicators i.e. predictive performance. The result is a diagnostic tool that is extraordinarily user-friendly while delivering highly potent business information – and is virtually impossible to replicate due to its advanced programming code.

Barry Moss, Business Facilitator at Enterprise North Shore, says: “Seeing the company thrive offshore has been gratifying. We saw QLBS.com’s potential early on and have enjoyed a close relationship ever since.” Barry adds that this is exactly the type of company who can benefit from Enterprise North Shore’s services, “whether it’s moral support or comprehensive advice in areas such as export, we can help. In fact, we’re always on the look out for Shore-based companies who are committed to growth and to exporting.”

ENS

Enterprise North Shore collaborated with QLBS.com to create Excellerator – an on line business evaluation tool provided free to all North Shore businesses.

Results facilitate better business performance

QLBS.com’s diagnostic tools are proving to be a popular resource for key parties in the economic food chain, from SMEs to government agencies. “It helps business owners identify their strengths and weaknesses,” explains Margaret. “Areas of risk and constraints to growth can be brought to light before it’s too late.” For economic development agencies such as Enterprise North Shore, the results can highlight knowledge gaps which may need addressing at a regional level, as well as providing a consistent assessment tool of local business performance. And for local councils or governments, such benchmarking allows for pre and post evaluation of new business initiatives and investments, and much more. There’s another group who have been quick to work with QLBS. com using its criteria design methodology as a way to capture processes, quality and service levels and provide consistency across its reporting systems: “Management consultancies are able to translate their intellectual property into a scaleable business model using this unique technology.”

Murray Cleverly, chief executive of the Aoraki Development Trust in South Canterbury, is convinced of its value. The agency has used the tool to measure its own performance, and now also offers a tool to clients of the agency to help them measure their performance.

The management team at QLBS.com feel they are now on the cusp of a phenomenal growth phase. But Margaret concedes there have been many challenges along the way. “We completely underestimated how long it would take to build the brand internationally. There’s no quick way to do that. You simply have to get on a plane and put yourself out there.” Consequently, the QLBS.com team regularly speak at international conferences, travel to business meetings across all corners of the world, and can be found talking technical on the phone to Europe or Canada at 4 a.m! “We won’t let our geographical location get in the way of doing business. In fact, it’s simply not an issue for clients.”

When no is the right answer

Margaret points out that not all markets have been right for QLBS.com, which is why building flexibility into a strategy is important: “We tried to get into China very early on. We went. We saw. We learnt a lot …. and then decided that neither we nor China were ready for each other!”

She does believe though that putting the time, resource and money into building overseas business opportunities pays dividends – it’s all part of the all-important relationship buildingprocess. “You’ve got to be able to demonstrate your credibility and value to clients, and prove that you are in this for the longterm,” says Margaret. “We’ve reached tipping point now. It’s very rewarding to be doing something so innovative which is influencing businesses around the world.”