What we do
Recent examples of our work
Growth strategy
Multimedia publisher
A leading publishing company with a large variety of brands wants to transition into the digital era and introduce new business models. First, in collaboration with the executive board, we developed a profound vision on the industry and created a base scenario. We examined each of the brands on their financial performance, defined their current market position and their growth potential. Moreover, we interviewed both the editorial and supporting teams (such as marketing and sales) to assess the organization’s DNA and its “digital readiness”.
Following these analyses, we painted the new horizon for a coherent portfolio, identified the ‘must-win-battles’, built a new operating model and designed the agenda for successful change management. Within 2 months, we established the new digital direction and adjusted the organizational structure to drive and support this digital transition according to the needs of each individual brand.
Customer contact
Financial service provider
A health insurer aims to create value and transmit its unique DNA in every interaction with its customers. We defined a clear promise that supports their brand positioning and that will be leading in all contact with customers. Together with a committed team of the client’s employees we performed a deep-dive analysis for the different channels, mapped customer journeys and identified cues for contact for each customer segment.
Inspired by external cases and technological developments, we re-designed the customer journeys and built a roadmap based on increased self-service and focused live interaction. Within 6 months, the company experienced exponential growth of usage in its self-service channels and increased customer satisfaction.
Product strategy
Health insurer
One of the leading health insurers strives to improve the performance of its broad variety of supplementary health insurances. Together with the client, we created new connections and interactions between multiple data sources. With state-of-the art analytics, we provided a new perspective on product development.
Through a multi-year perspective on customer value, we succeeded in identifying the drivers of the decreasing earnings. Next, we distinguished customer segments, thoroughly analysed the industry and collected a broad variety of potential innovations. This resulted in a combination of measures that positively impacted earnings on the short run and a direction and roadmap to be prepared for future growth.
Proposition Design
Educational publishing house
A market leader in learning solutions for higher education experiences increasing pressure on its business model. Without innovation, this market leader will be pushed out of the market due to technological developments and changing consumer behaviour. Our client needs to innovate and re-invent its business model and gets Riverwise on board.
These guys are extremely committed – sometimes it seems that their motivation to get my business in motion is even bigger than mine
CEO (Multimedia Publishing Company)
About Riverwise
Excellent
on expertise
We are consultants with a big drive to obtain a thorough understanding of our clients’ industries, recent and future developments and how these impact our clients’ business models.
We connect these industry insights with an equally thorough understanding of the internal context: what are our client’s core capabilities, how is the client positioned within the market and what are our client’s unique value creators.
This enables us to design tailored strategies that really do create value.
Brutally
honest
To be sincere, our style is pretty straightforward. Knowingly, because we do not believe in prioritizing comfort over having the right conversations; especially when it is about setting the right direction.
In many service industries short-term performance of existing customer portfolios – even without sustainable long-term strategies – conceals future downfalls. We, therefore, deem it our duty to be sincere about our client’s competitive position and the need for change.
Our sincerity and straightforwardness always derive from the objective to enable the organisation to capitalize on its unique strengths.
Extremely
engaged
Our drive to be excellent on expertise and to be sincere and straightforward are grounded in our strong belief that these are the prerequisites to really propel an organisation forward.
And that is what it is all about: we are extremely engaged with our clients.
We get fuelled by our client’s success, because their success is our success. To enforce our connection with the client and their success we are very willing to connect our rewards to our client’s successes. Of course, only when the client is also up for it. Because no matter how engaged we might be, the client remains the one in the driver’s seat.
I have been looking at those numbers for over 30 years, but you provided a new and refreshing perspective – very impressive
CFO (Health insurer)
Our
team
We are a team of ambitious young professionals that is eager to win – without losing a strong human touch. This is in our veins: who we are, how we work and how you experience working with us. We are not easily satisfied and will always raise the bar; for ourselves and for the client. Because we only feel successful when we see real impact, get an organisation in motion or realised tangible growth.
We are a team that goes all-in all the time. We do not settle for a calm and easy bike ride in the Belgian Ardennes. Going full speed is so much more fun! After work there are plenty of moments to celebrate our successes: there is our annual ski trip, we go sailing, have dinner together, participate in the ‘Bruggenloop’, and obviously our Friday afternoon drinks.
We are a team with strong common drive to win – nothing will hold us back
Bas (Consultant Riverwise)
Working at Riverwise
Working at Riverwise is slightly different
Working at Riverwise demands courage and is a guarantee for an extremely steep learning curve. From your first day, you will participate fully in our projects: designing the product strategies or developing a new omni-channel strategy. Real participation instead of standing on the sidelines.
Straightaway, you will visit the client and experience the full scope of the project and everything that it takes to work as a strategy consultant. You go all-in and take on what is within – or just outside – your capabilities. It is not unlikely that within your first year, you will be the one leading working sessions with the client, see your proposition getting launched and that you have been the one developing a business case which is the base for a new growth strategy. The more you show and the more you grow, the more responsibilities you will get. As such, your influence on the results at the client increases. This requires ability and guts.
We really believe that the best way to learn is by just getting started. No dull analytics trainings or public speaking workshop, but getting in front of a crowd and getting started. You will collaborate closely with one of our senior consultants who will provide you with feedback – sometimes confronting, but always aimed at your growth. Therefore, it helps if you are self-secured, have confidence in your abilities and trust your talent. And what if you feel that you might benefit from a certain training or workshop to improve your knowledge or skills? Of course, these are possible.
Riverwise is a ‘strategy boutique’ with a strongly connected, high performing team. Next to our work as strategy consultants, we build Riverwise together: being part of our recruitment team, helping to create pitches, developing workshops or supporting our marketing. As such, we all help Riverwise grow.
At Riverwise learning and growth are never ending processes: every year you will keep learning and developing; often even more than you expect. Sticking to what you are comfortable with is not the Riverwise way – and that requires courage.
Our work
We are focused on growth. We design growth strategies, develop new propositions and improve customer contact strategies. We are a ‘strategy boutique’ and work for multiple leading firms. We are specialized in various industries, like media, finance, healthcare and education.
From your first day at Riverwise, you will contribute to the growth of our clients. Our starting point is always a profound understanding of the industry and the client’s company: we perform competitive analyses, examine their value chain, analyse customer bases, search their financials and empathise with (potential) customers. As such, we identify opportunities: how will we generate growth? We do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach: every challenge and every client requires an approach tailored to their needs.
Our way of working is characterised by intense collaboration with our clients, because impact can only be generated when everyone is on board. Submitting a well-designed report is not the end goal – we want to see and experience growth! Therefore, we stay connected and support throughout the implementation of our strategies. This requires intelligent consultants with the ability to connect. Consultants that are adaptive, innovative, attentive and truly engaged.
