Adherence to Good to Great 3-Circle Principle Is the Key Founded in 1983, Advantech decided early on to invest its energies in the industrial computing (IPC) market and has been doing so for more than 20 years. The secret to Advantech's success lies in its ability to resist the temptation to move beyond its core competency. Three years ago Advantech achieved its stated goal – to become the number 1 industrial computing company in the world.
In 2000, at the height of the Internet boom, Advantech made a brief foray into the Internet industry. However, when small investments failed to meet expectations, the company quickly recommitted itself to the IPC sector. KC Liu, CEO of Advantech, has proudly proclaimed, “Focus is our brand!” He firmly believes that as long as the company sticks to meeting customers' demands, its brand name will be respected and remembered. In 2003, KC Liu discovered his blueprint for sustaining Advantech's success – the “Good to Great 3-Circle Principle” from one of Dr. Jim Collins' best-selling books. By adhering to this principle, he asks himself, “Are we deeply passionate about what we do? Can we be the best in the world? Do we know our main business driver?” Advantech's answer to all three questions is a resounding, “yes!” Although Advantech is not in a high profile sector, its laser-like focus and devotion to hard work has helped it gain the lead in this highly competitive industry, while maintaining high rates of growth in revenue and profit.
Building a Trusted Brand is the Roadmap to Future
Starting this year, Advantech has actively transformed its brand image, from “Your ePlatform Partner” to “Trusted ePlatform Services.” This transition signifies that Advantech will no longer limit itself to simply being a hardware provider, but will offer integrated solutions and services, in order to nurture long-term partnerships with all its customers.
Aligning with the new brand image, “Trusted ePlatform Services”, a number of workshops have been held for Advantech employees since the beginning of 2006. The workshop topics highlighted fresh brand visions for the year 2010, developing precise brand actions for each vision, implementing a product identity system through the application of “Product Early-Design” theory, and finally, establishing a customer-centric eBusiness model to fulfill the 2010 brand visions.
