Main components of an intelligence system in an SME?

Two main categories of components / functions are to be considered in a SME watch system and we have seen how these two dimensions are inseparable:

• The electronic dimension
• The human dimension

In terms of the electronic dimension of intelligence, while the SME must make choices in terms of sources, tools, databases, etc.; it must also initially select the axes of intelligence most important to it (customers, positioning and competition, business environment, technological environment, legal environment, etc.). Indeed, watch priorities must be established in order to guarantee proper execution and results that can lead to concrete business development actions.

The human dimension of intelligence is not to be overlooked. On the one hand, your industry experts, the intermediaries with whom you develop your markets, your customers, your competitors and your employees are all sources to consider. On the other hand, you also need to set up your watch cell, which will bring together the following internal players:

• The "sentinels" are in charge of gathering relevant data.
  • Internal: marketing department employees, production employees (generalization of a production system, etc.);
  • External: sales department employees (obtaining competitor brochures, comments made at trade shows, points of sale, etc.).
• Analysts work with sentinels and retrieve information from them, before processing and circulating it.
• Many decision-makers are usually the recipients/beneficiaries of the watch, and also participate in interpreting the various information gathered.

It is recommended to set up your watch cell with a restricted group of people and expand it later, again, to ensure proper execution.

Finally, whether we're talking about watch in its electronic dimension or in its human dimension, a responsible group must be set up with an employee in charge of supervising and coordinating these different components or functions.