Crack the Case. D. Ohrvall

7

Streamline a Process

Read Your Audience

Anchor a Hypothesis

End the Case

•Give a recommendation for how the new process will work and what the savings will be.

•Be concise with your reasons, reflecting on your hypothesis tree and the facts you found in your discussion.

•Process improvement cases can be strategic if you tie them to the value levers.

8

Restructure the Team

“My“Myclient’sclient’smanagementmanagementteamteamisisextremelyextremelyweakweak.. TheTheBoardBoardwouldwouldlikeliketotowipewipeoutout33ofof thethe55keykeyplayersplayers.. WhatWhatarearethetheimplications?”implications?”

“How“HowwouldwouldyouyouapproachapproachrestructuringrestructuringthetheFinanceFinanceandandAccountingAccountingfunctionsfunctionsofofmymy client?”client?”

“How“HowshouldshouldwewethinkthinkaboutaboutassemblingassemblingthetherightrightteamteamtototaketakethisthisproductproducttotoEurope?”Europe?”

Question Signposts

Form a Plan

102 Purchase additional cases and the book Crack the Case: How to Conquer Your Case Interviews at www.consultingcase.com. Copyright © 2004 Turtle Hare Media

8

Restructure the Team

Read Your Audience

Anchor a Hypothesis

Here are some possible hunches:

End the Case

•Give specifics about how you would change the team and how it could impact the bottom line.

•Be concise with your reasons, reflecting on your hypothesis tree and the facts you found in your discussion.

•People are everything in terms of making the business concept work so do not get distracted from the bottom line when trying to restructure the organization.

9

Competitor Attack

“Amco“Amcojustjustgotgotdealtdealtaaterribleterribleblowblow––theirtheirmainmaincompetitorcompetitorloweredloweredpricesprices15%15%acrossacross thetheboardboardbecausebecauseofofaanewnewdealdealwithwiththeirtheirmainmainsupplierssuppliers.. WhatWhatwouldwouldyouyoudo?”do?”

“My“Myclientclientisisworriedworriedthatthattheirtheircompetitioncompetitionisisdevelopingdevelopingaanewnewlinelineofoftechnologytechnologythatthatwillwill makemakeourourproductsproductsobsoleteobsolete.. HowHowwouldwouldyouyoufigurefigureoutoutwhat’swhat’sgoinggoingon?”on?”

“Spiffy“SpiffyStuff’sStuff’snewnewclothingclothinglinelineisisleavingleavingususininthethedustdust.. HowHowdodowewerespond?”respond?”

Question Signposts

Form a Plan

104 Purchase additional cases and the book Crack the Case: How to Conquer Your Case Interviews at www.consultingcase.com. Copyright © 2004 Turtle Hare Media

9

Competitor Attack

Read Your Audience

Anchor a Hypothesis

Mine for an Answer Areas to explore include, but are not limited to, the following:

End the Case

•Respond to a competitor threat with a specific plan. Outline savings, new revenue opportunities and “stop the bleeding” plans.

•Be concise with your reasons, reflecting on your hypothesis tree and the facts you found in your discussion.

•This is a common case so practice several scenarios within the MVM.

10

Market Shift (industry, technology, suppliers)

“My“Myclientclientmakesmakesaadatadatastoragestoragedevicedevicethatthatmaymaybebeoutdatedoutdatedininthethenextnext66monthsmonths.. WhatWhatshouldshouldwewedodoififourourtechnologytechnologygetsgets“leap“leap--frogged”frogged”bybyaacompetitor?”competitor?”

“ABC“ABCCompany’sCompany’sindustryindustryisisgoinggoingthroughthroughmassivemassivechangechange.. ThereThereareareconsolidationsconsolidations happeninghappeningeverywhereeverywhere.. HowHowshouldshouldweweadviseadvisethem?”them?”

Question Signposts

Form a Plan

106 Purchase additional cases and the book Crack the Case: How to Conquer Your Case Interviews at www.consultingcase.com. Copyright © 2004 Turtle Hare Media

10

Market Shift (industry, technology, suppliers)

Read Your Audience

Anchor a Hypothesis

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

End the Case

•Industry shifts can strand your client so you be ready to come up with alternatives with these cases.

•Be concise with your reasons, reflecting on your hypothesis tree and the facts you found in your discussion. Back up your new ideas with data or data you plan to get as a next step.

•Most cases should have a “can do” hypothesis but do not be afraid to paint a negative picture when the facts support it.

Chapter 9

Ten Interactive Case Packs

“Practice is the best of all instructors.”

- Publius Syrus

There is simply no substitute for practice. But as my older brother always told me, “Practice doesn’t make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.” In the spirit of his advice, I have created a set of tough cases that will hone your ability to dissect problems, drill for data, and discuss complex business issues. Your end of the bargain is to create a realistic interview setting, select a conscientious partner and seek honest feedback. Together, these elements will make your practice sessions as “perfect” as possible.

Did I mention that these cases are tough? If you’ve ever done any weight training, you know that the only way to build muscle mass is to totally exhaust your muscle tissue and then allow it to rebuild. In the same way, some of these cases (particularly the 4-star and 5-star ones) may be too difficult for you at first. Don’t worry. By working through the cases in the order I’ve presented them, you’ll build your capacity to handle more complicated business problems.

In the beginning, don’t expect to finish the cases in a the 20-25 minute timeframe of a real interview. In fact, you (and your study partner) should feel comfortable spending 30-40 minutes solving the cases. It is more important to understand the concepts in the case than to finish it quickly. Your speed will naturally increase as you practice the fundamentals of the MVM™ and the FRAME Method™.

The following are some questions and answers to help you extract the most value from your practice sessions.

108

Are the cases based on real companies?

All of the companies are entirely fictitious. The business problems, however, are true to life. I have made every effort to include realistic data when possible. For example, the Always Fresh case uses actual population and deodorant usage statistics. In my view, using make-believe companies provides a more level playing field for candidates. It’s unlikely that many of you will have domain experience in, say, the electronic parts industry. Because you’re dealing with fictitious companies, you won’t be tempted to rely on tacit knowledge about Starbucks Coffee or Federal Express (to name a few popular case topics).

How does the rating (star) system work?

Every case is rated from 1 to 5 stars, depending on a few factors:

•Quantitative complexity

•Number of “zones” involved in the problem

•Estimated time to complete

I recommend starting with the easier cases first and working your way to the harder ones.

What’s the best way to practice with these cases?

Without a doubt, the best way to practice is with a partner. In fact, as you work your way through the ten Case Packs, you should seek to practice with three or four different partners. No two interviewers will use these cases in exactly the same way, so interacting with a variety of study partners will round out your preparation.

Can I use these cases for self study?

Yes, you can. Although it is my firm belief that you will benefit most from realistic mock interview sessions, you can also use the cases while studying on your own. Pages 3-6 of each Case Pack provides a 3-step self study plan.

Here is a suggested plan for practicing solo:

Step 1: Read the case question out loud. After hearing the question, use your Candidate Notes page to write down the most important Case Facts. On that same sheet take about 1 minute to develop your plan in the Form a Plan section.

Step 2: After taking notes and forming your plan, rotate the sheet to face your imaginary interviewer and present your plan out loud (just as you would if you were standing and presenting your thoughts from a white board). Practice posing questions and thoughts about the main sections of your plan.

Step 3: After you have presented your plan and practiced asking questions about the different areas of your plan, being working through the data slides for this case. If there are no slides, you can review the answers in the interviewer notes. If there are slides, turn them over one slide at a time and talk through the insights for each slide. When you are done, review the interviewer and candidate notes. Use the Candidate Self Assessment at the end of the case to rate your performance.

OK, enough talk—now go study. Good luck!

109

Blueblood Distribution

Known for its first class selection of wines and spirits, Blueblood is facing a decidedly low brow problem. Some of its distribution centers are not up to snuff. Can you help management bring these laggards into line?

Case Pack: 001

Difficulty (1-5):

Crack the Case:

How to Conquer Your Case Interviews

consultingcase.com