Professional services (bank, legal etc.)
EasyLink runs myster shopping on shortterm loan providers |
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| Completion: | 2021 - 06 |
| Target markets: | CZ |
| Objective: | EasyLink was contracted to recruit and coordinate 5 mystery shoppers to collect market intelligence on 5 different providers of quick loans in the Czech Republic. |
| Results: | Each mystery shopper requested and drew a 7-day loan from a dedicated provider and recorded all communication, collecting information on terms, fees, penalties and offers of additional services. An extension of the loan was requested prior to due date in order to further analyse each company's offering. |
Verified list of service providers in the city of Pilsen |
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| Completion: | 2020 - 10 |
| Target markets: | CZ |
| Objective: | A Swedish company planning to build a facility in the city of Pilsen in the western part of the Czech Republic has requested assistance in identifying verified providers of professional services. |
| Results: | EasyLink developed a database with verified contact persons in five groups of service providers, including executive search companies, staffing companies, accounting companies, banks, and custom brokers. |
Recruitment of attendees to a fintech seminar in Sophia, Bulgaria |
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| Completion: | 2019 - 11 |
| Target markets: | BG |
| Objective: | Our client requested our assistance in promoting a seminar with presentation of several Irish companies in the fintech sector, to be held in Sophia, Bulgaria. |
| Results: | EasyLink compiled a list a of banks and other financial companies and institutions, and promoted the event to relevant managers. |
UK client operating on international oil futures markets joined trade mission to Poland |
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| Completion: | 2019 - 10 |
| Target markets: | PL |
| Objective: | The UK client provides a wide range of live and closing settlement prices on the Rotterdam spot and the international oil futures markets delivering the services to clients via a wide range of innovative and fully customisable technologies. They operate on foreign markets and wish to extend their activities to Poland. |
| Results: | Our client was part of a large trade mission aimed to Polish market. We provided a list of prospective partners with their full business profile whose selection was based on criteria specified and agreed with the client. A total of 25 companies, mainly fuel wholesalers, indepedent petrol chains and heating oil traders, were approached with a business collaboration proposal from our client. Individual business meetings with 4 of the listed companies were scheduled in Poland during the trade mission in October 2019 |
Market sizing for leading insurance broker |
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| Completion: | 2019 - 09 |
| Target markets: | RO |
| Objective: | A Central European insurance broker approached EasyLink in order to evaluate market potential in Romania and obtain source information for a targetted business development strategy. |
| Results: | Per agreed project brief, EasyLink delivered statistics on the number of companies in the Romanian economy, and separately for top 5 sectors by share on GDP. Data were provided by type of entity (Ltd. vs Inc. vs...) and by ownership (local vs. foreign), and also split by turnover. Separately, we also studied total insurance premiums (insurance paid). |
Market overview - digital signage market - CZ, HU, PL and RO |
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| Completion: | 2018 - 08 |
| Target markets: | CZ,PL,HU,RO |
| Objective: | The client is an Italian company with 20+ years in the digital advertising sector. The company has no experience with export and would like to start with the CEE. Therefore it commissioned EasyLink to prepare a market overview of the digital signage sector in the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Romania. Based on the results the client will choose one country to further explore for a distributor search. |
| Results: | EasyLink conducted market research in all four target countries and produced 10-13 page reports for each detailing the market size of out-of-home advertising compared to other media types, main trends and drivers in the sector, key domestic players (OOH operators), existing systems/products, an overview of target customers (airports, ground transportation, shopping centers, exhibition centers) and a list of potential partners to be later approached during potential partner search. Based on the four reports the client chose Hungary to start with a full-scale partner search. We extended the initial list of companies and approached the total of 31 prospects, providing them with company and product literature for their review. 6 companies were interested in meeting the client in Hungary in mid February 2019. We assisted the client with all logistic matters and also helped to find an Italian-Hungarian interpreter to facilitate communication and mutual understanding during meetings. |
Market research for 3D modelling software distributor |
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| Completion: | 2018 - 01 |
| Target markets: | CZ |
| Objective: | The client is an exclusive CEE distributor of a leading 3D-based design, engineering and information management software, especially for the marine and plant industries. EasyLink was tasked to deliver a market report which would cover and monitor key factories and development project in the following industries: food, pharmaceutical, chemical, oil & gas, and pulp & paper. On top of it, the client asked to find new companies and update information about their current contacts among the Czech Engineering companies, design offices, and O&O companies. |
| Results: | The client received a comprehensive report which consisted of detailed profiles of over 30 prospect engineering / design / O&O companies, over 30 most important factories from the desired target industries, plus list with description of the main planned industrial development projects. On top of that, we conducted 5 phone interviews with the prospect companies to evaluate their current interest and potential of switching towards the client’s software solutions. |
Foreign investment scoping in 5 CEE countries |
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| Completion: | 2017 - 10 |
| Target markets: | HR,BH,RO,HU,PL |
| Objective: | Our client is an important Italian company who is planning a foreign investment in Europe and is asking us to provide advice to understand which of 5 targetted countries is most convenient to invest in. Criteria to select the best location for their investment include labour cost and legislation, availability of and possibility to recruit qualified and skilled staff, lower presence of competitors, level of knowledge of Italian language, legislation regarding privacy, ease of doing/starting business and other. |
| Results: | EasyLink conducted market research in Poland, Romania, Hungary, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Topics covered included procedures to legally start and operate a company (limitation for foreign companies) + associated costs, procedures to close down a company, costs of commercial facilities: greenfield sites, offices, warehouses, number of local/ international companies that operate in the same sector (outsourcing services for the banking sector), labour market regulations, minimum/average wage, availability of qualified staff, privacy legislation, foreign direct investments, most attractive locations to start a business, business development opportunities etc. The 5 reports detailed every one of these criteria and provided a valuable comparison for the client to help them decide which one of the five targetted countries will be best for investment. |
Quick information request - associations and publications for HR managers |
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| Completion: | 2016 - 11 |
| Target markets: | PL&CZ |
| Objective: | The client was interested in learning about associations and specialised magazines for human resources managers and human resources management in Poland and the Czech Republic. |
| Results: | EasyLink delivered the requested information by the requested deadline and to the client's satisfaction. The Polish report provided details of 5 specialist associations, 7 conferences and congresses and 9 specialized publications. The Czech report had 4 associations, 5 conferences and 6 magazines. |
Financial sales/advisory services in Poland |
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| Completion: | 2016 - 08 |
| Target markets: | PL |
| Objective: | EasyLink consultant in Poland was tasked with an overview of the financial sales/advisory services in the Poland. |
| Results: | The output was a 22-slide PPT presentation providing and overview of the market with details about the size, structure, statistical data and profiles of the biggest players, description of key products/services and volumes shared by individual players.This helped the client in assessing its potential on the Polish market and deciding about further steps. |
Client requests a short list of legal and tax advisers in Poland |
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| Completion: | 2016 - 05 |
| Target markets: | PL |
| Objective: | While preparing to build up presence in Poland, a US company has requested our services in identifying professional service providers in the field of legal and tax counseling. |
| Results: | EasyLink has swiftly compiled a list of 5 recommended tax advisors and 5 legal counsellors, focusing on locally based, Polish professional agencies with experience dealing with foreign clients. |
US consulting company wishes to establish a branch office in Romania |
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| Completion: | 2015 - 07 |
| Target markets: | RO |
| Objective: | The client is a business and technology consulting firm that offers a range of business and technology management services to help clients develop strategy, make decisions, implement integrated solutions, and drive organizational success. The company requests a market research project to research the possibility of establishing a presence (company, branch or subsidiary) in Romania to do business in Romania and the European Union (EU). |
| Results: | Easylink conducted a desk research and made a number of phone calls with competent officials in order to answer all questions posed by the client. The EasyLink consultant in Romania prepared a 25-page report which addressed all the issues requested: types of companies authorized (requirements, costs, tradeoffs), ownership of a newly established Romanian entity by a US-based/non-US-based company, registration of a trade name (legal requirements and limitations), timeline to establish a company and required steps, permits, documents; tax issues, US government limitations, incentives provided by Romania or the EU (any special permits required) + a summary - what would the client need to have ready (at least what can be prepared in advance) so that once they decide to go ahead, everything from their end is ready. The comprehensive report helped the client to understand local legal and other requirements faced when establishing a branch office and consequently save a lot of time and funds during the establishment procedure thanks to measure and steps taken in advance. |
Recurring project: Sourcing nurses in Romania and Bulgaria for a UK provider of medical personnel |
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| Completion: | 2014 - 11 |
| Target markets: | RO&BG |
| Objective: | The client provides both public and private sector with nurses, care staff, support workers, domiciliary carers, chefs and housekeeping staff. The company is interested in identifying opportunities of sourcing nurses of all grades (particularly Learning Disability and Nursing of older people) interested in working overseas, in UK, through partnering with a local organization in Romania and Bulgaria, or by promoting its employment opportunities directly to nurses. EasyLink’s task was to approach local agencies recruiting nurses with which the client met in 2012, identify additional agencies and arrange meetings with them. The client also wished to meet directly with potential candidates. To this end, EasyLink was asked to provide information on relevant institutions, which could assist in recruitment (labour offices), as well as relevant events (job fairs for nurses – location, duration, registration procedure) and magazines, and assist with organising advertisements on free job sites in Bulgaria and Romania. |
| Results: | EasyLink’s teams in Romania and Bulgaria approached qualified HR agencies (21 in Romania and 15 in Bulgaria). 7 meetings were arranged in each of the countries; they were held during the client’s visits in November 2014. EasyLink provided all necessary in-market services such as logistics and interpretation and accompanied the client to meetings wherever necessary. |
Global provider of oil prices, news and analysis seeking customers in the Czech Republic |
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| Completion: | 2014 - 11 |
| Target markets: | CZ |
| Objective: | Our client is a UK-based provider oil prices, news and analysis on the Rotterdam spot market and markets in London and New York. They also provide live intraday forex prices. The company’s services are of benefit to large volume oil buyers such as oil majors, oil distributors, bunker traders, ship operators, aviation and large volume commercial buyers operating in the transport and industrial sectors. The client wished EasyLink to approach major oil wholesalers or petrol station chains and offer them the client’s solutions. |
| Results: | The first output consisted a tailored market research report enlightening the client on crude oil processing and sourcing, oil products distribution and price policies as well as competitive solutions present in the market and an overview and database of prospective end-customers. In the next stage, EasyLink focused on approaching 40 companies selected by the client from the list of prospective partners incorporated in the report. In the course of the project, 18 additional companies were added to the shortlist. Out of the total number of 58 companies that were all contacted by phone, 31 requested further information by email. We arranged 5 meetings for the client during his visit in the Czech Republic in November 2014. During the follow-up stage we contacted all the visited companies and inquired about their impressions from the meeting and next steps to be taken by each party. We provided a feedback with comments from all of the prospects for evaluation by the client and helped to develop an action plan for the company to pursue in the months following the market visit. |
Sourcing professionals for the IT and engineering industries in Slovakia |
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| Completion: | 2014 - 11 |
| Target markets: | SK |
| Objective: | The client is a UK consultancy dedicated to sourcing of professionals for the IT and engineering industries. The company aims at finding a partner agency to source professionals from Slovakia. |
| Results: | EasyLink approached 13 HR agencies focusing on the target sectors. 6 companies expressed interest in discussing potential partnership and meetings were arranged with them during the client’s visit in Slovakia in November 2014. |
Background check in Hungary |
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| Completion: | 2014 - 06 |
| Target markets: | HU |
| Objective: | Our client was preparing to enter into a business arrangement with a Hungarian company and requested a due diligence consulting project from EasyLink in Hungary. |
| Results: | EasyLink’s team in Budapest compiled data available on the Hungarian company, including, to the extent possible, official company registration, ownership structure, information relevant to the company’s reputation/record in media, any information on debts, bankruptcy proceedings, inclusion in black lists etc., information on activities of company executive director and owner(s) based on full text search in local media articles, detailed company profile including a summary of its published activities, customers, partners, and available financial data. The check was conducted without any direct contact with the company. This comprehensive package of information truthfully reflected the overall background and standings of the company and provided a decent ground for the client to safely enter into a business arrangement. |
Consumer credit market analysis in Slovakia |
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| Completion: | 2014 - 01 |
| Target markets: | SK |
| Objective: | EasyLink was requested to prepare a market study of the consumer credit market in Slovakia for a major Estonian loan provider. |
| Results: | The 32-page analysis prepared by EasyLink covered the following areas: situation of the Slovak economy (population, unemployment rate, household income), income and taxes, social benefits (structure of the Slovak social security system), competition (overview of the banking system, loans and credits, credit services, documents needed to receive credit, credit associations, creditworthiness checks etc.). The report also contained information on online betting sites allowed and used and collecting companies. |
Business strategy solution provider eyeing opportunities in Slovakia |
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| Completion: | 2013 - 11 |
| Target markets: | SK |
| Objective: | EasyLink was commissioned to screen and profile companies engaged in business intelligence and training services. |
| Results: | EasyLink consultant in Slovakia conducted market research into companies involved in organizational change management services, training, strategy execution, governance and business strategy execution. We approached 12 companies and disseminated relevant information about the client and its intentions in Slovakia. Four companies were positive and meetings were arranged with them. |
Sourcing nurses and other care staff from Poland to the U.K. |
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| Completion: | 2013 - 06 |
| Target markets: | PL |
| Objective: | The U.K. based client commenced trading in 2006 and now has 2 offices providing both public and private sector with nurses, care staff, support workers, domiciliary carers, chefs and housekeeping staff. The client is interested in identifying opportunities of sourcing nurses of all grades (particularly Learning Disability and Nursing of older people) interested in working overseas, in UK, through partnering with a local organization in Poland, or by promoting its employment opportunities directly to nurses. |
| Results: | The tasks of the EasyLink consultant in Poland included: determining if and how nurses can be recruited from Poland, incl. legal aspects, arranging meetings with potential partners – recruitment agencies, identifying medical journals and portals where jobs can be advertised, arranging meetings with local nurse association or university to build better understanding, organizing an informative seminar in Warsaw and Krakow during the mission. |
Headhunting nurses in Romania and Bulgaria |
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| Completion: | 2012 - 11 |
| Target markets: | RO&BG |
| Objective: | Our client, a British specialist in healthcare services, was interested in identifying opportunities of sourcing nurses interested in working overseas, in the UK, through partnering with a local organization in Romania and Bulgaria, or by promoting its employment opportunities directly to nurses. EasyLink was to determine if and how nurses can be recruited from the target countries, incl. legal aspects; to identify medical journals and portals where jobs can be advertised; to set up meetings with recruitment agencies and professional associations; and to organize an informative seminar in each country. |
| Results: | EasyLink verified route to market, provided information on legal aspects on hiring nurses as well a short overview of competitor landscape. In-market consultants approached specialized recruitment companies with track-record in medical sector and professional associations. In addition to setting up meetings with 8 potential partners in Romania and 6 in Bulgaria, EasyLink organized an informative seminar in both capital cities in order to target nurses directly. The seminar was promoted at hospitals and clinics, in newspapers with national coverage and on specialised recruiting websites. During a follow-up exercise the client shared they were exited with the opportunities provided and planned to hire tens of Romanian and Bulgarian nurses until the end 2013. |
British employability interventions specialist finds partners in Romania |
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| Completion: | 2012 - 11 |
| Target markets: | RO |
| Objective: | Our client, a provider of employment solutions and advisory services with a unique project for improving employability of older people engaged EasyLink to explore the Romanian market and to identify and contact potential partner organisations/institutions interested in the client’s solutions and in developing opportunities to promote the project as a product/service of interest and value to Public Employment Services, Chambers of Commerce/ employer organisations, local authorities, municipalities and NGOs. The client also wished to meet interested partners during a trade mission planned for November 2012. |
| Results: | Based on the client’s criteria, EasyLink approached NGO’s providing social services related to labour market or social development, NGO’s providing services to immigrants/refugees and public institutions involved in the labour market. Our search generated 6 interested leads including the National Authority for Qualifications and United Nations Development Programme in Romania. The client was able to establish its first partner shortly after the market visit is working towards projects across Europe. “The support and advice I received was excellent, the EasyLink trade advisors understood my organisation's needs and helped me to make the connections in Bucharest that are delivering business results for our company.” |
Insight into the consumer loans market in the Czech Republic and Slovakia |
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| Completion: | 2012 - 05 |
| Target markets: | CZ&SK |
| Objective: | A Lithuanian client commissioned EasyLink to explore the consumer credit market in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, to summarize legal aspects connected to the issue, and prepare answers to provided questions, which EasyLink Business Services consulted with market specialists and experts. |
| Results: | EasyLink conducted research into the consumer credit market in the respective countries using both secondary and primary sources of information. The first part of the reports focuses on general legal aspects of credit loans, such as legal requirements on credit providers, distance contracts, loan commissions, control bodies and debtor databases incl. profiles (contact person, members, application requirements, etc.). The second part offers a market overview presenting data on consumer credits in the banking and non-banking sector. Focus was especially given to non-banking institutions and providers of consumer micro-credits including profiles of major players and their share of the market. |
Providing data on the Czech insurance claims market |
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| Completion: | 2011 - 11 |
| Target markets: | CZ |
| Objective: | Our Dutch client wished to enter the Czech insurance market via acquisition of a local company. |
| Results: | EasyLink prepared a MS Excel spreadsheet with data on the number and types of insurance claims in the Czech Republic as well as shares of insurance companies. The volume of total insurance claims in the Czech Republic grew from EUR 2 billion in 2006 to EUR 3.2 billion in 2010. |
Recruitment agency wishing to provide international qualified staff to Romania |
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| Completion: | 2008 - 11 |
| Target markets: | RO |
| Objective: | A Wales-based recruitment consultancy with a global reach was seeking local Romanian recruitment consultancies interested in collaborating in the area of recruitment of suitable candidates from abroad for the Romanian construction industry. |
| Results: | The consultant in Romania identified and interviewed 15 personnel recruitment companies to ascertain their interest in working with the client. |
Romania: Do opportunities exist for a U.K. business consultancy? |
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| Completion: | 2008 - 11 |
| Target markets: | RO |
| Objective: | Our client advises mainly small and medium-size companies on a number of key business issues. EasyLink was requested to inquire with local business consultancies about opportunities for our client’s services in Romania. |
| Results: | EasyLink’s consultant identified and interviewed 22 organisations and established their needs and requirements for outside consultancy assistance in the areas |
Irish recruitment agency evaluates the Czech and Slovak markets |
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| Completion: | 2007 - 03 |
| Target markets: | CZ&SK |
| Objective: | EasyLink was asked to estimate and evaluate market size of HR recruitment in general, and specifically of on-line recruitment via Internet job boards, and secondly to identify and provide in-depth profiles of all key players. |
| Results: | We provided an approximately 20-page study for each of the target markets with all requested information, including detailed financial figures. |
Updating an existing report |
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| Completion: | 2005 - 05 |
| Target markets: | CZ |
| Objective: | EasyLink was asked to update an already existing report on credit cards. |
| Results: | The consultant reviewed the almost 50-page report looking for inconsistencies, incorrect data, improper reasoning as well as finding and adding missing data and analysing events that took place after 1 March 2005, the date when the original report was prepared. |
Research of the insurance and insurance brokerage markets in Poland and Romania |
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| Completion: | 2005 - |
| Target markets: | PL,RO |
| Objective: | Our client, one of the Czech largest companies specializing in insurance broking and risk management for large, medium as well as small-size businesses, sought EasyLink’s assistance to provide information on the local insurance and insurance broking market structure and size and regulations for setting up a new insurance broking company as well as to identify potential clients for industrial/corporate insurance and analyze methods and costs of effective setup and operation of a local branch office. |
| Results: | Our reports, both very thorough - the report for Poland alone was 146 pages in length, addressed a number of issues including the insurance market’s key statistical data and structure, applicable legislation, position of insurance brokers, insurance companies, and sales channels by type of insurance. We further analyzed the market in respect to the potential client base as well as provided information on the steps required to establish a branch office and legal framework. We also carried out cost analysis and provided labour market data. |
Czech Republic and Slovakia: Research of translation agencies and freelance translators |
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| Completion: | 2004 - 05 |
| Target markets: | CZ + SK |
| Objective: | Our Polish customer requires a large number of English to Czech and English to Slovak translations within the IT and medical areas. The customer has experience with both individuals and companies charging higher prices once they learn the client is foreign. Our customer thus regards this project as a means of getting an understanding of the local pricing for high quality work. The client also needs to identify translation partners. However, prior to finding them he wishes to conduct research of the translation business in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. |
| Results: | We relied on expert interviews with translation companies and translators as well as desk research to gather data on local rates for translations for local clients charged by translation companies and freelance translators, standards for calculating translation fees (e.g. counting per word or page or line and how many characters or words are there in a line or page and does this include spaces or not, what does “one page” mean), translator associations, organizations, conferences, medical organizations or conferences. We also identified the best places to advertise jobs for translators and inquired into rates for advertisements as well as what is the best day of the week to advertise in newspapers, online, in medical magazines/web sites and on university notice boards. In the second stage, we focused on identifying two kinds of partners (translation companies and freelance translators) in both countries and both sectors meeting very specific criteria set by the client. Prospective partners were then interviewed and asked for RFQs. |
Study of the leading cleaning and maintenance providers |
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| Completion: | 2001 - 06 |
| Target markets: | CZ |
| Objective: | We were asked to carry out extensive research of Czech cleaning and maintenance providers and identify potential partners. |
| Results: | EasyLink contacted 15 leading companies in the cleaning and maintenance services sector that experienced strong growth in 1990’s, both in terms of financial volumes and number of jobs; the sector employed 31,000 people in 2000. We screened capabilities of individual prospects and determined their level of interest in a partnership with the client and prepared detailed profiles and analysed and compared services provided by individual players. |