Challenge

The University of Milan - Bicocca's (UNIMIB) multiple infrastructure centres provide research and analytical services to university researchers and external organisations. Their laboratory instrument booking processes are readily in place, however, their external organisations and clients' engagement and processes needed structuring.

Our objective in this project was developing UNIMIB's service centre offering support by, making key recommendations on standardised service offerings for prospective clients; and expanding the University’s client base by identifying potential clients for the services offered.

In our pilot study, our key activities began with mapping out the university's current services to create a clear picture of existing capabilities. To ensure best practices, we benchmarked leading organisations that provide similar services and built this newly acquired knowledge into optimal centre setups. We then conducted interviews with a range of past, present, and potential clients, to better understand their key needs and expectations. Armed with this information, we developed tailored marketing content and presented our findings to a group of stakeholders, including the Vice Chancellor and research directors, who provided actionable feedback for the centre's future development.