Competitive intelligence in service marketing : A new approach with practical application

Purpose – The paper aims to give a new look at competitive intelligence (CI) and the resulting benefits to growing companies. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 20 questions are presented, competitive information sources are listed, and the four core components of CI are displayed to explain how a company can implement CI into the business planning. Two case studies summarize a CI system that shows how successful this technique can be. Findings – This research will inspire marketers to take a look at their CI and reactivate it based on what is presented. The overall practice of CI shows the rewards a company that develops this program can gain. Research limitations/implications – All data were collected by Latitude Consulting. Reference is made to journal and newspaper articles. Practical implications – The paper will explain how to use CI in a meaningful way. Originality/value – This is an extremely new and original concept for businesses to apply.