For Axway's B2B Integration solution, should we focus on adding more industry-specific connectors or improving overall performance and scalability?

Introduction

For Axway's B2B Integration solution, we're facing a critical trade-off between expanding our industry-specific connectors and improving overall performance and scalability. This decision will significantly impact our product strategy, market positioning, and customer satisfaction. I'll analyze this trade-off by examining our current product landscape, evaluating potential impacts, and proposing a data-driven approach to make an informed decision.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Based on our market position, I'm thinking our B2B Integration solution might be facing increased competition. Could you share insights on our current market share and primary competitors?

Why it matters: Helps prioritize features that differentiate us from competitors Expected answer: We're a top 3 player with 20% market share, facing pressure from cloud-native solutions Impact on approach: Would influence whether we prioritize industry-specific features or overall platform improvements

• Considering our revenue model, I assume we charge based on transaction volume and connector usage. Is this correct, and how does it break down between these two components?

Why it matters: Informs which approach might have a more direct impact on revenue Expected answer: 60% from transaction volume, 40% from connector licensing Impact on approach: Higher connector revenue might favor adding more industry-specific connectors

• Looking at user behavior, I'm curious about the adoption rate of our existing industry-specific connectors versus generic ones. Do we have data on this?

Why it matters: Indicates demand for industry-specific solutions Expected answer: Industry-specific connectors have 2x higher adoption rates Impact on approach: High adoption would support focusing on more industry-specific connectors

• From a technical perspective, I'm wondering about our current performance bottlenecks. Are they primarily in data processing or in the connector interfaces?

Why it matters: Helps identify where performance improvements would have the most impact Expected answer: Data processing is the main bottleneck, especially for high-volume transactions Impact on approach: Would lean towards prioritizing overall performance improvements

• Regarding our development resources, how are our teams currently structured? Do we have dedicated teams for connectors and core platform development?

Why it matters: Influences the feasibility of pursuing both options simultaneously Expected answer: Separate teams for connectors and core platform, with some shared resources Impact on approach: Might allow for a balanced approach, allocating resources to both areas