'For hundreds of years, one of the central planks of a decent education was being taught how to find information. In barely a half-dozen years, the Internet has made this all but obsolete. Suddenly, it's sorting information that's become crucial - learning to identify flecks of gold among the hectares of bullshit. Critical, sceptical, analytical thinking has never been more important.'(1)
Matt Price is absolutely right to emphasise the value of ‘critical, sceptical, analytical thinking' (a basic tenet of competitive intelligence). But, as a journalist, he would be well aware that the ‘flecks of gold' are rarely found in published sources. After all, unless they are particularly stupid, companies go to considerable lengths to keep their secrets secret.
But organisations comprise many people (the ultimate sources of soft information), both inside and outside the company. That gives us the means to find those ‘flecks of gold', and it doesn't necessarily have to be through direct communication.
Early in 1992, a well-known wine and spirit retailer and his son had a serious difference of opinion concerning the management of the company. As a result, the son decided to establish his own business in the same line. Some time later, a local journalist, on his early morning ramblings, observed the son sifting through containers of empty bottles (deposited outside peoples' homes for recycling) and taking notes. The bemused journalist asked what was going on. The son replied that he was, ‘getting a feel for what the locals are drinking before opening my new store'.
By September 1994 turnover in his, now, several outlets had increased more than eight-fold in only his second year of operation, and that same individual had traded in his Porsche for a Ferrari. Soft information had made the crucial difference.
Despite numerous reports of similar success stories, hard information is generally preferred because it is widely available and easy to retrieve. Unfortunately, routine published information is usually of limited intelligence value. The more colourful parts of your intelligence puzzle are typically gleaned from soft information; that is, rumour, suggestion, opinion, gossip, hints, and speculation.
Elicitation Soft information often provides insight and perspective; it can help to identify potential business opportunities, new markets, and potential threats; and it can stimulate innovation by raising awareness of new ideas and technologies that may be adopted with advantage.
Hence, intelligence practitioners are avid users of soft sources. And their preferred means for acquiring information is through elicitation; a technique which depends for its success on the use of subtle, apparently innocent conversations, frequently involving the use of disarmers or flattery. Yet, unless you are completely tactless or insensitive, elicitation may be used with impunity.
Gaining maximum value from elicitation is virtually assured if you have access to a knowledge map (or contacts database) incorporating personal information. Introducing such details into a conversation implies an interest in that individual, and will encourage your correspondents to provide information they may not otherwise disclose.
Elicitation also relies upon the fact that we all wish to appear well-informed and, as a result, we tend to reveal more than we should. Most of us are keen to be regarded as honest and trustworthy; we welcome praise or sympathy; and we dislike adverse criticism. These are all human frailties that may be exploited to advantage.
Direct observation
Direct observation, another popular information-gathering technique, can reveal the identities of vendors, suppliers, contractors, consultants, and other visitors to a site. It can help to confirm the number of employees, the length of shifts and changeover times, the volume of product, the level of morale, whether or not construction work is being undertaken, even the financial health of the company (take a look at executives' cars!). Where possible, make a note of the nature or content of any training material, and the identities of the trainers.
Note well, however, that observers at outside events (trade shows, networks) should not be too obvious. They should be plain, neither tall nor short, neither fat nor thin, and dressed appropriately. In the words of Patrick O'Brian (2):
Intelligence-agents should have turnip faces, indistinguishable one from another; their height should be the common height; their complexion sallow; their conversation prosy, commonplace, unmemorable.
Being well aware of this fundamental rule, the former head of Woolworths Australia would occasionally don an old cardigan and push a shopping trolley around his competitors' premises - checking on prices, layout, and new promotions; as well as gathering useful ideas and chatting to customers.
Indeed, soft information is highly regarded by decision makers, more especially that concerning change of any kind. Change invariably results in an increased flow of information. Hence, what you should be looking for is the unusual, deviations from the norm, or the extraordinary. Note what doesn't fit, and keep asking why. Even something as simple as unusually large quantities of fast food delivered to a company late at night can suggest that something very important is going on.
Naturally, collecting soft information has its problems. It is often hard to find, and usually has a short life. Curiosity, inspiration, patience, imagination, and serendipity may all play a part in its location and evaluation. And, as with any skill, practice in using elicitation techniques is vital. You can increase your effectiveness by deploying your colleagues as observers and collectors, and by arranging a programme of training in elicitation techniques and observation.
Handling meetings
We all have to attend meetings - some more than others. And the techniques you employ are vital in an intelligence context. Use them as an opportunity to gather information and to collect individual contact details. Accomplish this latter by exchanging business cards. Enhance the value of those cards by annotating them (as soon as possible, and without causing embarrassment to the giver) with relevant details. You might, for instance, usefully record:
the date and venue of the occasion on which it was received;
subject expertise, professional activities, and membership of influential groups or committees;
other pertinent personal information, such as interests and hobbies, involvement in sports or other pursuits, and the names of close relatives.
When used in the right context (during a subsequent telephone conversation, for example), the notes you made will act as very effective disarmers - and will almost certainly guarantee a sympathetic ear.
Take notes throughout a meeting. After the event, reduce the notes to key points and link them to related topics of interest to your company. Incorporate appropriate recommendations and pass them to the most suitable individuals for action to be taken.
This technique is based on the long-standing military practice of identifying news items that may have a bearing on current operations. In most military headquarters, the Duty Operations Officer (or equivalent) is required to scan major daily newspapers and other mass media overnight, seeking to identify relevant items. Brief reports are then produced relating these items to existing files and current activities, and recommending appropriate action.
These three essential techniques will allow you to exploit the many sources of soft information that are available to you. These will be described in Part 2 of this article.
References
Price, Matt; Best leave the young to their own devices; In: The Weekend Australian, 26-27 August, 2006.
O'Brian, Patrick; The Yellow Admiral: London; Harper Collins; 1997; p83.
Over the past 20 years Vernon Prior (operating as Prior Knowledge) has presented training programmes in competitive intelligence (CI) and knowledge management (KM) in Australia, Brazil, Brunei, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates.
Vernon has a post-graduate Diploma in Librarianship and Information Science (DipLib), is a Fellow of the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals (FSCIP), and Founder of the Society of Knowledge and Competitive Intelligence Professionals Australia (SCIPAust).
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'For hundreds of years, one of the central planks of a decent education was being taught how to find information. In barely a half-dozen years, the Internet has made this all but obsolete. Suddenly, it's sorting information that's become crucial - learning to identify flecks of gold among the hectares of bullshit. Critical, sceptical, analytical thinking has never been more important.'(1)
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