dws

Businessmodel of DWS

Customer Segments

DWS provides a range of services and solutions to commercial and institutional clients. The Company’s core customers can be organised broadly into the following categories:

  • Education Clients, comprising a range of higher education institutions and other educational organisations;
  • Banking and Financial Services Clients, comprising various financial services firms, insurance companies, and banking institutions;
  • IT and Communications Clients, comprising various companies operating in the information technology and telecommunications sectors;
  • Energy and Gas Clients, comprising various energy and gas industry bodies and operators, in particular energy sector regulator the Australian Energy Market Operator;
  • Utilities Clients, comprising major gas and electricity distributors and service providers; and
  • Government Clients, comprising a range of government agencies and public bodies. DWS does not specifically name any of its clients on its website. It does, however, publish client success stories for customers including a high-profile university, a government agency, and a utilities services provider.

DWS is based in Australia, which comprises the Company’s core market. The Company does not appear to have any significant international operations.

Value Propositions

DWS provides value to its clients in the following ways:

  • Its market standing and reputation, with the Company established as a leading provider of information technology services provider in Australia, where it serves a network of high-profile clients, including government entities;
  • Its broad range of services and solutions, with the Company offering an extensive catalogue of services and solutions, including application development, business analysis, and manages services solutions to clients across the education, utilities, and government sectors;
  • Its broad national coverage, with the Company operating a network of offices across Australia, serving clients in all provinces, including through locations in major cities such as Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Perth and Coolangatta; and
  • Its commitment to innovation and development, with the Company seeking to provide cutting edge solutions to its clients and developing a range of unique internally developed software products. ### Channels

DWS operates a website at www.dws.com.au, through which it provides information on its various products, services, and office locations. The Company does not operate an online sales channel, nor does it operate an online client portal that enables customers to manage their transactions.

DWS makes its sales through an in-house direct sales force that deals closely with clients. These sales personnel are spread across Australia, operating out of the Company’s national network of sales and administrative offices, including locations in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide. The Company also provides services through dedicated teams employed at its subsidiaries, including wholly-owned units SDM Sales Pty Ltd
Symplicit Pty Ltd
Phoenix IT&T Consulting Pty Ltd.

DWS does not appear to utilise the services of third party channel partners such as resellers, distributors, and sales agents.

Customer Relationships

Despite its online presence and information technology solutions, DWS does not offer products and services to clients on a self-service basis; nor does it operate an online client portal.

DWS makes its sales through its in-house direct sales force. These sales personnel work closely with the Company’s clients, consulting with customers to fully establish their individual requirements and circumstances. The Company seeks to establish longstanding relationships with its clients through the provision of high-quality services, providing, where possible, solutions that are tailored and scaled to suit clients on an individual client-by-client basis.

DWS provides ongoing support to its clients, who are able to contact the Company’s sales and support personnel at its various office locations over the phone or via email to obtain personalised assistance. Customers can also make more general enquires through an online contact form. DWS does not operate a web-based client support centre providing online support resources.

DWS operates social networking accounts with Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn through which it is able to publish regular company updates and interact directly with customers.

Key Activities

DWS is an Australia-based information technology services provider. The Company offers a range of information technology solutions to commercial and government clients, notably across the utilities, financial services, IT and communications, and gas and energy industries.

DWS’s portfolio of services includes IT consulting services, IT strategy and architecture advice, program and project management, business and technical analysis, custom application development, systems integration and solution testing, data automation, digital strategy and design services, and strategic sourcing and productivity services.

The Company operates through a network of domestic offices, including locations in major cities such as Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Coolangatta, Adelaide, Canberra and Perth.

Key Partners

DWS collaborates closely with a range of partner companies and organisations that support the Company’s core development and delivery operations. These partners can be organised broadly into the following categories:

  • Supplier and Vendor Partners, comprising suppliers of services, technologies, and equipment that are utilised in support of the Company’s delivery of information technology services and solutions;
  • Technology and Software Partners, comprising various technology companies and software developers that assist in the development and implementation of the Company’s products and solutions and the maintenance of its IT systems;
  • Consulting Partners, comprising a range of industry partners and specialised consulting firms that provide support and advisory services to the Company, offering guidance in its development and delivery strategies; and
  • Strategic and Alliance Partners, comprising a range of leading companies across multiple sectors with which the Company collaborates on various joint projects, including in branding and marketing. DWS has a number of key partnerships in place. The Company lists a number of its partners on its website, including high-profile companies and organisations such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, IBM, MIT Sloan Management, and Intersystems.

Key Resources

DWS’s key resources are its proprietary technologies and software solutions, its IT and communications infrastructure, its sales and distribution channels, its partnerships, its physical properties, and its personnel.

While DWS uses and offers internally developed software products, which have been acquired through various business combinations, the Company does not appear to hold a significant number of patents. Searches of records published by IP Australia and the US Patent and Trademark Office identified no patent applications filed in the Company’s name.

DWS also owns and or leases a network of physical properties across Australia, principally comprising its chain of domestic sales and administrative offices.

Cost Structure

DWS incurs costs in relation to the development of its technologies and software solutions, the development and maintenance of its It and communications infrastructure, the procurement of professional and consulting services, the operations of its sales and distribution channels, the implementation of marketing and advertising campaigns, the management of its partnerships, and the retention of its personnel.

In 2016 DWS recorded employee benefit expenses in the amount AUD 114.11 million, occupancy expenses in the amount of AUD 1.86 million, and other expenses in the amount of AUD 4.28 million.

Revenue Streams

DWS generates revenue through the provision of various information technology services and software solutions to commercial and institutional clients across Australia. The Company derives its revenue primarily under sales and service contracts that are agreed with customers on a case-by-case basis.

In 2016 DWS generated AUD 144.49 million for the year in revenue from continuing operations, up on the AUD 96.63 million recorded by the Company in 2015. The Company also generated other revenue of AUD 1.38 million. The largest portion of the Company revenue was derived from clients within the banking and financial services sector, which accounted for 39% of total operating revenue. This was followed by the IT and communication sector which accounted for 26%.

Written on October 25, 2017