TNS, a world leader in market research and information

Client Business Challenges

TNS, a division of Kantar, is a world leader in market research, global market information and business analysis. The company provides market research insight across all sectors, helping to develop precise business plans that help clients grow.

Over the past decade, challenging market conditions have eroded revenues for large market research companies, while competition from new and existing rivals has added to financial pressure on margins.

TNS needed new ways to differentiate its services in an increasingly crowded marketplace as well as improve operational efficiency to boost profitability.

TNS engaged BearingPoint to identify performance issues and design and implement a new target operating model that increased client centricity and improved project management and delivery.

BearingPoint’s Contribution

As a first step in developing a specific and unique operating model for TNS as per the brief, the BearingPoint team conducted an in-depth discovery process based on:

  • 56 two-hour meetings with 81 TNS staff
  • An online questionnaire completed by 90 staff
  • Workshops with key TNS decision makers

This phase of the project identified weak spots in TNS’ delivery strategy and helped BearingPoint to develop the new target operating model with TNS stakeholders.

This included separating client-facing and project management functions to make sure that the right combination of skills are available to deliver excellent client solutions.

Key success factors

Stakeholder engagement at all stages of the project was crucial to managing conflicting opinions and driving positive change forward.

“By rising above the politics, BearingPoint was able to stay focused on the real business issues and deliver a solution that has helped us to maximize our success.”
Steve Mitchell, UK Board Director, TNS

Client Business Outcomes

As a result of the realignment of team members to roles best suited to skillset and more collaboration with shared services partners, TNS has been able to achieve:

  • Top and bottom-line performance improvement
  • Stronger, more profitable client relationships
  • Happier staff and lower employee churn
  • New standards in the industry
  • Helping TNS drive top and bottom-line performance 869.68 KB Download