Mémoire-projet

Abstract

This thesis examines the challenges and opportunities faced by GrindoSonic, a Belgian academic spin-off, as it seeks to transition from one-shot equipment sales to a recurring revenue model. Although the company already offers a maintenance contract that is both technically useful and economically reasonable, client adoption remains surprisingly low.

Two research questions guide this study:

1) What are the key barriers to adopting the maintenance contract? 2) How can the offer or sales strategy be adapted to support recurring revenues?

A qualitative, exploratory methodology was used, based on 17 semi-structured interviews with clients who are both adopters and non-adopters of the contract. The interviews explored value perception, resistance factors, and openness to alternative service models.

The theoretical framework combines research on university spin-offs, highlighting the structural and commercial constraints of tech-based startups and on recurring revenue models such as subscriptions, SaaS, PaaS, and performance-based pricing.

Key findings include:

• Clients value the core product but often see the maintenance contract as redundant, especially when the device functions well. • The contract suffers from unclear positioning and weak differentiation from basic support. • Three major adoption barriers emerged: limited communication, unclear value, and cost sensitivity. • Clients expressed openness to alternative models like predictive maintenance or modular service packages, only if those are better tailored to their needs.

Recommendations include structuring the maintenance contract into distinct service levels with clearly defined benefits like improving post-sale engagement, exploring outcome-based models such as PaaS, and fostering co-creation with clients.

Ultimately, the shift to recurring revenues in a specialized B2B context requires not just a new offer, but a deeper transformation of client communication and relationship management. GrindoSonic's success depends on aligning its technological excellence with a more client-centered, value-driven approach.