About
GStek, Inc. is a well-positioned telecommunication service provider with Department of Defense customers. Based in Chesapeake, Virginia, the service-disabled, veteran-owned business has a nationwide network of over 200 full-time employees servicing contracts that include phone system maintenance, new installs, upgrades, IT support, and information assurance. GStek is highly competitive on government requests for proposals for telecommunication services supported by strong leadership and program management abilities.
The Challenge
GStek was interested in exploring opportunities in the commercial telecommunications market. The company reached out to GENEDGE, an NIST MEP affiliate, for strategic guidance, market research, and marketing support. GENEDGE provided services to GStek in two phases. In phase one, the company explored the strategic objective and conducted initial research. GENEDGE worked with GStek to formulate a value proposition and outline next-step business model investments aligned toward opportunities in the commercial market. It was important to understand how GStek’s capabilities would support a commercial telecommunications service value proposition. To begin transitioning to a refreshed look and feel for commercial markets, the company would need promotional support.
MEP’s Role
In phase two, GENEDGE facilitated a strategy facilitation and ideation session to guide GStek leaders in the development of a new vision for the commercial market space. Despite lacking in-house marketing support, the leadership team was committed to digging deep on customer needs and opportunities to craft a commercial business model vision aligned with their initial research findings. Next, GENEDGE conducted a Technology-Driven Market Intelligence (TDMI) session, including a full market research exploration. Using Lean Six Sigma techniques, GENEDGE facilitated an in-depth strategic review of the research results to help the company discover and prioritize commercialization planning goals based on the research. GStek developed a commercialization road map for immediate action, and the top opportunity aligned with a major investment push by Google and other commercial network extenders/builders to install fiber throughout the U.S.
Finally, GENEDGE helped with a website redesign to refresh the look of GStek’s most public promotional asset, which had not been updated in about a decade. The new website is constructed on a popular, very easy-to-update content management system. The company invested in plant improvements and workforce skills, and GStek employees can now maintain the website content themselves without the need for in-house marketing support as market needs change. GStek expects to generate millions in revenue from entering new markets, and the company is adding new jobs.
Results
Estimated $2.8M sales increase from entering new markets
Invested around $800K in plant and workforce skills
Anticipate the addition of 20 new jobs