How to counter attack when your business is encircled?

Panic on one side tension on the other, you go through most testy time when your business is encircled by a much stronger competitor or sometimes two or three competitors acting in an unholy alliance to finish your business forever. Obviously you cannot surrender. Counter attack, is the only way out.  

In a military classic titled “Military Misfortunes” Eliot Cohen & John Gooch writes a succinct statement:  “There are three types of failure – failure to learn, failure to anticipate and failure to adapt”. Similarly a business can suffer one or more of these failures that make it subject to offensive business strategy known as encirclement. This can bring pandemonium in its ranks and a possible catastrophe to the business as a whole.

Anticipating encirclement rather than reacting to it is best policy but when the market intelligence fails to predict such encirclement the business must commence counter attack on the following lines:

1. Close all loopholes or points of entry where the attacker can attempt a breakthrough leading him to the centre of business activity causing major collapse

2.  If the encirclement is partial the escape points must be explored to get necessary support from friendly or sympathetic firms who would readily rally around fearing that one day they may be also subjected to such encirclement

3. Explore the possibility of forming new alliance with supporting firms in order to take the fight elsewhere where the attacking firm is weak

4. Boost morale of your men in the front and give them financial and non-financial inducements to keep the tempo of counter attack

5. Provide logistical support in the form of men &money to the frontlines that are seriously affected by this encirclement

6. Sabotage the marketing campaign of the enemy using unconventional, guerrilla tactics including spotlighting any nefarious activity that is being carried out by the attacker unknown to the market place

7. When the encirclement is full and all-round never keep a stone un-turned in attacking enemy with such vigour and ferocity that encircling competitor gets cold feet

8. Undertake diversionary business tactics such as relieving pressure by enemy in your backward by fighting the enemy elsewhere. Examples include legal battle or lodging complaint with authorities regarding unfair business practice

9. Every underdog has his day. So your final trump card must be to isolate your enemy, break his alliance partners, break his morale and make him run short of his supplies of men & money.

 

Cheers!

 

Muthu Ashraff Rajulu

Business Strategist

Mobile: + 94 777 265677

E-mail:   cosmicgems@gmail.com

Blog:   Business Strategist