Lacuna Management Services provides consultancy services to the cellular and mobile telecommunications industry
Through a network of industry experts, associates and consultants Lacuna can provide consultancy on all areas of telecommunications

About Dave Rapson

Dave Rapson

High Level Summary

Dave has over 27 years experience in Telecommunications having started his Telco. career in 1982.

• Altech Group for 15 years focusing initially  on Radio based carrier systems, progressing to the installation and commissioning of Alcatel Fixed Line Exchanges, moving onto Product Management of Alcatel PABX systems
• Started Alcatel GSM Handset Division in 1993 and as Divisional Manager Cellular responsible for all facets of the division including Marketing, Sales and Service
• Senior Manager Product Procurement:  managed MTN’s portfolio for 10,  years responsible for:
  
  
  • Handset Strategy, Ranging, Promotional Planning coordination and technical approvals including peripheral devices and accessories
  • Supplier Management and liaison
  • SIM Card supply, strategies, development and implementation
  • Recharge Voucher supply, design and development
  • PIN Number management, creation and optimisation
  • Stock management and Allocation
  • Product Forecasting
    
    
• Chief Operating Officer, Virgin Mobile South Africa responsible for :
  
  
  • Sales and Distribution, (Including Retail Outlets)
  • Retail Operations,
  • Supply Chain,
  • Customer Operations 
  • Call Centre
    
    
• Consulting to the Cellular/Mobile Communications  industry on Supply Chain, Distribution and Marketing related projects and initiatives

Lacuna Management Services

(January 2009 to date)

Started Lacuna Management Services as a consultancy into the Mobile Communications industry, focusing on but not limited to:

1. Investigation and analysis of the value chain with a specific focus on leakage and process inefficiencies.
2. Presentation of findings and proposed way forward to be agreed.
3. Implementation, Training  and process re-engineering where required
4. Project and efficiency ratio measurement as agreed in 2 above

The coordination and facilitation of the following:

• Supply Chain Strategic Planning
  • Centralised or Decentralised sourcing
  • Potential 3rd Party sourcing evaluation and appointment
  • Process evaluation
    
    
• Planning and Sourcing
  • Promotional Planning process inclusive of the various departmental stakeholders, that will bring about a coordinated group input process as well as ownership and accountability of this important process
    • Device Life Cycle management philosophies
    • Forecasting processes and enhancements
    • Product ranging in line with market expectations and research
  • Evaluation of the incumbent suppliers as well as the ranged product to ensure that this is aligned with the Promotional Plan, market expectations as well as the company profile and target markets. This would entail an in depth investigation of both incumbent product as well new suppliers etc. to optimize the sourcing decision
  • Supplier approval, contractual terms and conditions as well as pricing negotiations, volume discussions and discounts where required
  • Product evaluation and network compatibility testing to ensure that the chosen product is technically compliant with network, does not have potential epidemic and/or high cost failures and support issues
  • Handset/Sim/Network compatibility
    
    
• Supply Chain and Business Levels
  • Order Processing and Supplier coordination
    • Process integration in line with Promotional plans, suppliers as well as internal and external stakeholders
    • Logistic coordination that ensures the timeous availability of required product within the relevant channels and/or stakeholders
      
      
  • Coordination of any fulfillment and or special packaging requirements as per Promotional Plans etc
  • Evaluation and Optimisation of the best funding opportunities and options, based on the opportunities available to the network via country specific financing mechanisms Institutions and Aid groups
  • Management of warehousing processes either in house or via 3rd Party logistic partners. This is a potential high leakage environment should the correct process and controls not be in place
  • Management of available inventory that is coordinated/integrated with/into the Promotional planning process to minimize the opportunity for write downs and obsolescence. (Potential high leakage area as well)
  • Coordination of sell out processes etc with all stakeholders  and channels to ensure demand based inventory coordination and availability
  • Implementation of financial/business levers across the value chain to optimize the Product management process at differing levels and granularity
    • Cost of Acquistion
    • Total Cost of ownership
    • Stock days on hand and rotation
    • Value chain Costs and ROI of promotions
    •  Costs of Funding
    • Margin Leakage
    • Opportunity costs
    • Life Cycle Cost Management techniques
      
      
• Service and Support
• Develop a country network specific product service and support strategy that will enhance the reputation of the channels as well as reduce service costs and maximize customers  on-net  uptime and minimize off-net down times due to product failure
• Create a cohesive support strategy with incumbent suppliers and 3rd party partners, to provide the optimal level of support as envisaged by management within budgetary requirements
• Determine the Service and support infrastructure costs vs off-net customers and poor service implementation

Additional services related to Marketing, Interim Management both General as well as Industry specific are also available.