Task: Identify And Manage Opportunities

The Engagement Manager must be alert to identify opportunities to sell. These opportunities may arise because of uncertainties, competitors’ strategies, industry trends, changes in Client’s business scenarios as well as Capgemini’s newer offerings that may benefit the Client, outside the current scope of service. Information such as value, possible solutions, delivery models etc. must be explored for each opportunity. Opportunities must be categorized and prioritized based on potential benefits. Further actions are taken on these opportunities to maximize value for Client and Capgemini.

The Engagement Manager must identify potential opportunities, which if materialize, will bring value to the Client and/or Capgemini. Some opportunities may not be explicit but can be identified through various approaches including healthy client relationship. Appropriate information related to opportunities must be obtained and documented in the Opportunity Log. The Engagement Manager must identify opportunities with high probability and value and update opportunities with possible solutions, delivery models, etc.

Following strategies can be adopted for opportunities

Pursue – In this approach, the engagement or organization makes all efforts to ensure that the opportunity occurs. It is used when the benefit of the opportunity is significant.
Enhance – In this approach, the engagement or organization makes efforts to increase the probability of occurrence of the opportunity. However, it may still not lead to the opportunity actually occurring. This may be because the efforts required to ensure occurrence outweigh the benefits for the client of Capgemini.
Escalate – In this approach, the responsibility of managing the opportunity is transferred to the Sales team. In some cases, opportunity can be shared by allocating some or all of the ownership of the opportunity to a third party who is better placed to leverage the opportunity.
Ignore – In this approach, the opportunity is identified, but no concrete action is taken to ensure its occurrence. This approach is used when the cost of the response is high and there is less of a chance of it occurring or the benefit does not outweigh the effort involved.

The EM should identify the strategy to follow in consultation with the team, Delivery Manager and the Account Manager. Opportunities that fit within the extension limits of the engagement, while contributing to added sales, can be taken up for discussion with the Client. This may trigger a change in Contract through the Change Control stream. Opportunities which contribute to performance improvement can be added to the Continual Service Improvement Register and worked upon through the Performance And Improvement Management stream. Certain opportunities may be beyond the Engagement Manager’s purview. In such cases, the Engagement Manager must share the appropriate Opportunity information with the Sales and Account Management teams for further actions.
The Engagement Manager must periodically review the Opportunity Log to ensure opportunities are managed to closure..