Cold Cut Systems

Critical Success Factors for Cobra marketing

Multi Level MarketingPainIdentify and develop a national/local Champion Make use of international implementation casesCobra as a strategic and operational enablerLeading and coaching the decision making processCompetition

Multi Level Marketing

The Cobra offers many dimensions of advantages, and each user group has different need Politicians – Public expectations, Environment, Financial Govermental bodies – Certifications and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)CFO – Financial, Environment, Organisational development (Crew sizing), Training needsCommander – Fire fighting efficiency, various methods, SafetyFire Fighter – Efficiency, ease of use,

Multi Level Marketing

Key to success in the UK is

Strategic marketing from credible source on Chief level (Mark)andOperational demonstrations and national champion (Northampton Fire and Rescue Service)

Senior support from Chief Fire Officers (”buy in”)Make your marketing road map!

Market Development

Product / Method

Product Method

Limited Sales

Tendency towards

specialist use

TechnicalFocus

StrategicFocus

Very slow progress to

sales

Political support

Multiple purchases

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PAIN

Each market and fire service has different PAIN, different rationale for implementing the Cobra

UK = Fire fighter safety, sometimes financialSweden = Cobra Efficiency Rural = Difficult to recruit volontary FF, limited time to train, access to water, low experience in BA operationsUrban = traffic situation, flexible organisations

Which is the PAIN in your market and among your customers?

Local Champion

Priority in building a market is setting a local champion Strong and credible business case.

Identify and cooperate with a innovativeand bold fire chief in a mid sized service

Prioritize to implement several Cobras in one service (critical mass) rather than several customers with one Cobra each! Support from CCS possible.

Cooperate in fairs, demonstrations and seminars!

Northampton case

Search for alternative methods initiated by unacceptably high number of fatalities in the UKStrong senior level supportAdd technology and method rather than replace leads to acceptance among crewHighly dedicated implementation plan – 6 units first year (rather than buy one for evaluation)High focus on training and methodsCost cutting pressure but rational investmentsCenter of Excellence in Cobra training, SOPs and UK risk analysis etc conducted. Cobra soon fitted on 19 out of 23 appliances

Make use of international implementation cases

The Cobra has a very strong development in several countries. Good opportunity to present how theses services have implemented the Cobra. Make use of relevant cases for different customersStudy visits are most often welcome and very powerful marketing!

Northamptonshire Isle of Wight Lincolnshire Staffanstorp Lomma Vattenfall Nuclear Power Plant BASF Germany

Cobra as a strategic and operational enabler

Initially, Cobra was seen as a specialist tool with spectacular cutting ability…

Cobra is not only a fantastic fire fighting product, positioned as first response tacticsCobra is a modern methodology for fighting fireCobra is also an enabler for developing the fire service organizationSelling Cobra is more about changing culture than selling a product.

Leading and coaching the decision making process

Convincing an enthusiastic incident commander of the Cobra is a great start…. Rarely leads to automatic sales? What is missing?

Support from Chief?Political decision and budget allocation?Governmental level is pro or contra Cobra? Accepted and subsidized?

Lead the process!

Competition

Currently poor or no direct competitionBiggest obstacle is our ability to demonstrate the main benefits and reasons to changeAlternative methods may be percieved as competition

High pressure systems (non-piercing) completely lack tactical capacity and research shows the lower pressures (100 bar) gives much less extinguishing and inerting efficiency. Flow rates (30 l) are often smaller, i.e. less capacity.

CAFS is good in some situations but completely lacks comparision regarding access, fire fighter safety, cleanliness etc

Competition - copies

No track record. No installed customer base in Fifi vs. 600 systems globally Unproven concept vs. 15 years of continuous development No cases vs. Thousands of successful incidents No or limited research vs. Various reports from independent

organizationsTechnical shortcomings

Abrasive, hose, radio, pressure, flow rates, configuration options etc CCS uses only highest quality components and global suppliers.

Intellectual property rights (patents and trademark)Complete Method and Product

Training for users, commanders and trainers Service, spare parts Installation support, Commissioning

Rationale Cobra is about fire fighter safety. Which CFO would invest in an

unproven concept and hence introducing risc instead of reducing risc?

Competition

Eventually we will face competition, which then may be able to build the market faster!

Cobra is the original and market leader – now and in the future!

Make sure to lead and coach the procurement process so a tender specification is powerful and favours the Cobra

Future and Conclusions

Plan your sales process

Strategic message to decision makers is critical for sales development

Leverage on the international development, especially UK

Sales is hard but will become easier and easier

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