In this article, we share how direct access to local providers and a dedicated account manager helped a multinational client overcome high intermediary fees.
Contents
About the Client
A respected global accreditation and conformity assessment body operating across diverse industries. The institution verifies and validates management frameworks, products, services, and personnel qualifications, ensuring compliance with international standards and best practices.
Task
The company intended to register a trademark in 130 countries but decided against using the Madrid System. This choice stemmed from significant risks linked to the basic application, including a high likelihood of Office Actions and potential rejection by the USPTO. Their main goal was to minimize costs while ensuring an efficient registration process.
Initially, they worked with a single provider who managed registrations through their network, covering multiple jurisdictions. However, the overall service costs were high because the provider added their own margin, making the process more expensive than expected, leading to overpayment, as each bill for any service in any country exceeded $1,000.
Key Challenge
In addition to the high costs, the client faced several operational challenges.
Beyond elevated costs, the client also grappled with operational inefficiencies. They lacked a centralized system to manage their trademark portfolio, as multiple service providers were involved. This approach forced the company to either manually check public databases — often incomplete or outdated — or contact providers via email to request updates. Without a dedicated employee to oversee trademark deadlines or manage provider coordination, administrative tasks quickly became cumbersome and error-prone.
Solution
- Cost Optimization: By connecting the client directly with local service providers in each target country, we eliminated extra intermediary markups, cutting overall expenses by an estimated 4%.
- Centralized Portfolio Management: The client subscribed to our Intellectual Property Management System (IPMS), enabling automated status updates and consolidated oversight of their entire trademark portfolio in one platform.
- Personal account manager: A personal manager now handles deadlines, coordinates with service providers, obtains relevant information, and provides timely updates. This single point of contact eliminates the need for the client to juggle multiple providers across varying time zones.
Result
By working directly with local service providers, the client dramatically reduced overhead and avoided unnecessary intermediary fees. These savings allowed them to reallocate resources more effectively while maintaining a seamless trademark registration process across 130 countries.
With our Intellectual Property Management System (IPMS) in place, the client now has comprehensive visibility and control over their entire trademark portfolio. Automated notifications provide real-time insights on deadlines, application progress, and pending actions, thereby minimizing the risk of missed deadlines or lapses.
Additionally, a dedicated manager serves as the single coordination point. This individual proactively monitors the portfolio, liaises with service providers, verifies documents, and relays information as needed. As a result, the client no longer needs to coordinate with multiple contacts across different time zones or navigate the complexities of global trademark laws. Before implementing iPNOTE, several employees spent half a day juggling administrative tasks. Now, a single employee efficiently manages the process, checking in with the dedicated manager only when specific updates are required.
