...Case Analysis: Siebel Systems: Anatomy of a Sale Summary This case traces efforts by Siebel Systems to sell lead management software to discount broker Quick & Reilly. In addition, Siebel Systems faced a dilemma：Stand by Quick & Reilly or bow to FleetBoston’s wishes. (The structure of Quick & Reilly's buying center is mapped, as is the role of its parent, Fleet Bank.) Key Issues 1. How to reply for the question Q&R have with one of their competitors- Oracle? 2. How to approach to some internal information about Quick & Reilly as well as establishing rapport and consensus? 3. How to demonstrate Siebel Systems’ CRM solution is just the one Q&R need in a short conversation? According to the article, Q&R is currently a user of Oracle CRM which is inferior to Siebel System. As result, if Q&R was planning or at least had the intention to replace their CRM system, it should be a good opportunity for Siebel System. The issues involved in this process in which how to incite and bring about the purchase. First of all, sale of Siebel System should testify they are the optimum option to prospect, which could be achieved by demonstration. Secondly, Siebel Systems need to acquire adequate information on Quick & Reilly from the conversation in order to be positive in the potential purchase. Therefore, Carman needs to know as much as possible about Q&R, such as how is the budget? Who is decision maker? Who should be focus on, Q&R or...
Words: 964 - Pages: 4
...Quick and Reilly could be our prospects • He should avoid providing incomplete information; also whatever information is demanded from customer should be provided without any reluctance • It’s a perfect opportunity to flaunt the strengths and fleet of partners • Share some of Siebel’s success stories • In order to provide details of competitive landscape in CRM market, Carman can share Gartner Research Report which shows Siebel systems as a complete solution provider and market leader • Since Cathy belongs to Client service and marketing Department; Carman shouldn’t explain too much of technical details of product instead he must focus on how a Siebel product can cater to their organizational requirements. Features influencing opinions: • Since meeting was not prior scheduled, lack of understanding about clients’ needs, budget and requirements could strain the prospective deal • Carman is not sure if Cathy Ridley is Influencer or Decider and degree of power that she holds in organization • Carman himself is not comfortable in comparing Siebel to its competitors until he knew the clients’ requirements • Conversation is more of casual one which might not lead to conversion of deal Responses if circumstances were different: • If the meeting was prior arranged the agenda could have been framed beforehand, Sales Department would be able to collect information about clients’ needs, budget and requirements thus increasing the...
Words: 928 - Pages: 4
...NAME- PIYUSH SANDUJA PGID – 61510241 COURSE – BBMK Section - I REPORT – Siebel System: Anatomy of a Sale, Part 1& 2 After looking into the positives and the negatives of Gregg Carman’s performance, I would rate Carman’s performance favorably. He tried to gain as much information as possible and also tried to play on Siebel System’ strengths rather than dwelling on Oracle’s negatives. Hence Carman maintained the Siebel values intact. POSITIVES OF GREGG CARMON’S PERFORMANCE 1) Compliance with Siebel core values: Carman, during his 15mins conversation with the VPs of client services & marketing of Quick & Reilly, completely complied with the Siebel core values as described in the Table below.. Sr. No. | Siebel Core Values | 1 | Serving our customers is not simply a market opportunity. Carman approached the situation with great humility. He didn’t boast of Siebel systems despite having market leadership. | 2 | Our respect for our customers is highly visible in everything we do. | 3 | As a company, we will never place financial gains above ethics. Carman preferred not to comment on its competitor even when straightforwardly asked by Cathy Ridley. | 4 | We choose to be leaders, but we do so with great humility. | 5 | We do not look for problems, we propose solutions. Carman showed them the demo of their offerings and how Siebel will be able to help propose a solution. | 2) Assessing a project opportunity: By conversing with the two officials...
Words: 798 - Pages: 4
...like trust. It took Siebel Systems six years to rise from start-up to star. By 2000 the software company was raking in $US1.8 billion annual revenues and ranked third on Fortune's 100 fastest growing companies list. This status came from forging alliances where it made sense and where it could. Siebel, founded in 1993, was early to market with e-business software, but being first wasn't enough. Siebel needed to fight off rival start-ups by developing critical mass fast; and that demanded the support of seasoned partners to help break into international corporate accounts. Today the company refers to its web of alliances with hardware companies, software companies, consulting firms and service providers as a "partner ecosystem". Siebel's is not an entirely benign ecosystem, though; it is inhabited by some of the most dangerous corporate predators in the IT sector - companies such as Microsoft, Cisco, Compaq and IBM. These are companies that compete and yet collaborate, and even while they collaborate they compete. Siebel's ecosystem is the tense model with which millennial management will have to come to grips. Dean Blomson, vice-president of consulting firm Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, says mergers and alliances in the networked economy are "the structural response to the digital era". Technology has catalysed the alliance trend on two fronts. First, technology has delivered the information and communications infrastructure, plus transport systems that can support global...
Words: 2251 - Pages: 10
...Introduction Siebel systems formed, by Tom Siebel, in 1993 to address the growing need of organizations of all sizes to acquire, retain and better serve their customers. His aim was to build a company that would endure over time because it was based on traditional values and a commitment to making its customers successful. By 2000 revenues had reached $2 billion, the company employed approximately 8000 people. Company was rated as one of the fastest growing companies in America for the past three years by Fortune Magazine, reviews by other business magazines saying “the world leader in software for CRM” and “the fastest growing application software company in history”. By 2001, Siebel systems had become the world’s leader in CRM software with a 50% of market share in sales management, marketing automation, customer service and support. Siebel systems had more than 200 products and went on to market through direct sales force operating out of 139 offices in 40 countries around the world. Carman is one of the sales force employees of Siebel system serving financial service clients. Carman was negotiating a $2.1 million sale to a discount broker Quick & Reilly which was recently acquired by FleetBoston. FleetBoston doesn’t want the purchase to happen and whereas Quick & Reilly was interested in Siebel’s product. Carman now is in a dilemma on how to close this deal. Questions 1. How should Carman respond to the invitation to tell the Quick & Reilly executives what...
Words: 1415 - Pages: 6
...competitive landscape in CRM marketCarman can share Gartner Research Report which shows Siebelsystems as a complete solution provider and market leader Since Cathy belongs to Client service and marketing Department; Carman shouldn’t explain too much of technical details of productinstead he must focus on how a Siebel product can cater to theirorganizational requirements. Corresponding to Siebel’s Core Values, Carman should treat customers with deference and professional fashion as representatives from Quickand Reilly could be our prospects He should avoid providing incomplete information; also whateverinformation is demanded from customer should be provided withoutany reluctance It’s a perfect opportunity to flaunt the strengths and fleet of partners Share some of Siebel’s success stories In order to provide details of competitive landscape in CRM marketCarman can share Gartner Research Report which shows Siebelsystems as a complete solution provider and market leader Since Cathy belongs to Client service and marketing Department; Carman shouldn’t explain too much of technical details of productinstead he must focus on how a Siebel product can cater to theirorganizational requirements. Corresponding to Siebel’s Core Values, Carman should treat customers with deference and professional fashion as representatives from Quickand Reilly could be our...
Words: 1168 - Pages: 5
...''Marriott made it a real smooth experience,'' says Ussery. ''I'm ready to go back.'' What makes such velvet-glove treatment possible is Marriott International Inc.'s (MAR) use of customer management software from Siebel Systems Inc. (SEBL) The hotel chain, based in Bethesda, Md., is counting on such technology to gain an edge with guests, event planners, and hotel owners. The software lets Marriott pull together information about its customers from different departments, so that its reps can anticipate and respond more quickly to their needs. It starts with reservations. Says Chairman J.W. Marriott Jr.: ''It's a big competitive advantage to be able to greet a customer with: 'Mr. Jones, welcome back to Marriott. We know you like a king-size bed. We know you need a rental car.''' Marriott, America's No. 1 hotel chain, is the industry leader in using technology to pamper customers. The company, which manages 1,850 hotels and resorts worldwide, began installing Siebel software in late 1998 and is spending just under $10 million for the initial pieces. A few other hotel chains are dabbling in customer-info systems, but Marriott is ahead of the pack, says analyst Bryan A. Maher of Credit Lyonnais Securities. ''It's a huge advantage,'' he says. The biggest boost from the Siebel...
Words: 556 - Pages: 3
...beginning of 1996. The plan was scheduled to take up to four years to complete. The plan’s goals were to upgrade and standardize the company’s hardware and move from a mainframe-based network to a client-server environment. During this plan, Hershey replaced 5,000 desktop computers and moved to TCP/IP networking based on newly installed network hardware. They did this because it was determined that Hershey needed to be able to use and share its data more efficiently due to industry demands. Upgrading their system would give them the ability to increase production and customer satisfaction and service. Enterprise 21 would replace the company’s current system with a more up-to-date resource planning software called SAP. The SAP software would be paired with software from Manugistics Group Inc. and from Siebel Systems Inc. The software from Manugistics would provide support for production forecasting and scheduling, and for transportation management. The software from Siebel would assist Hershey in managing customer relations and in tracking the effectiveness of its marketing activities. The management believed implementing these changes would help Hershey better execute its business strategy of emphasizing its core mass-market candy business. Hershey recognized that one of the bigger risks of this plan was the costly transition to the new software programs. They currently had...
Words: 657 - Pages: 3
...need to update their information technology. Hershey was similar to other food distributors and did not spend much more than was needed on their information technology. As the year 2000 was impending Hershey saw the need to replace there current legacy system for a new ERP system that would integrate all areas of Hershey’s. Your vice president of information systems Rick Bentz began to modernize and update software and hardware in the early months of 1996. This project was named “Enterprise 21”. The goals of this project were to upgrade and standardizing the company's hardware, and moving from a mainframe-based network to a client-server environment. Bentz noted benchmark studies that show Hershey’s trailed industry peers spending on information technology. Bentz also noted that Hershey’s needed to be able to share its data more efficiently. Hershey's information systems management set the goal a move to an ERP system using software from SAP AG of Walldorf, Germany. SAP was to be complemented with software from Manugistics Group Inc. of Rockville, Maryland. Manugistics would support production forecasting and scheduling, as well as transportation management. In addition, the company decided to install software from Siebel Systems Inc. of San...
Words: 1807 - Pages: 8
...for watching video? Can you identify any shortcomings of the device? 2. Compare the capabilities of the Kindle to the iPad. Which is a better device for reading books? Explain your answer. 3. Would you like to use an iPad or Kindle for the books you use in your college courses or read for pleasure instead of traditional print publications? Why or why not? II Porter’s competitive forces model helps companies develop competitive strategies using information systems. In this context answer the following questions: 1. Define Porter’s competitive forces model and explain how it works. 2. Describe what the competitive forces model explains about competitive advantage. 3. List and describe four competitive strategies enabled by information systems that firms can pursue. 4. Describe how information systems can support each of these competitive strategies and give examples. 5. Explain why aligning IT with business objectives is essential for strategic use of systems. III Discussion Questions 1. It has been said that there is no such thing as a sustainable competitive advantage. Do you agree? Why or why not? 2. It has been said that the advantage that leading-edge retailers such as Dell and Wal-Mart have over their competition isn’t technology; it’s their management. Do you agree? Why or why not? 3. What are some of the issues to consider in determining whether the Internet would provide your business with a...
Words: 296 - Pages: 2
...Structural functional theory is when society is a complex system of interconnected and interrelated social structures each having a function and working together to promote social stability. One hundred million people shop at Wal-Mart every week. Wal-Mart is very convenient for people to shop at. Most people do not even have to shop at other stores because Wal-Mart has everything. It’s also convenient because it is right around the corner from a lot of customers houses; they don’t have to travel far to find a Wal-Mart store so they save gas. People already know that Wal-Mart has the lowest prices so they don’t have to search for stores with low prices. The items sold are good quality as well as cheap. What more could someone ask for. Wal-Mart is a world leader in logistics and promotes greater efficiency between its suppliers. Bob McAdam who is the Wal-Mart vice president states in the video, “We are raising the standard of living through lowering the cost of goods for people.” He is saying that Wal-Mart is good for Structural functional theory is when society is a complex system of interconnected and interrelated social structures each having a function and working together to promote social stability. One hundred million people shop at Wal-Mart every week. Wal-Mart is very convenient for people to shop at. Most people do not even have to shop at other stores because Wal-Mart has everything. It’s also convenient because it is right around the corner from a lot of customers houses;...
Words: 1849 - Pages: 8
...The systems approach Attempts to reconcile the classical approach (emphasised the technical requirements of the organisation and its needs) with the human relations approach (emphasised the psychological and social aspects, and the consideration of humans needs). The attention is focused on the total work organization and the interrelationship of structure and behavior, and the range of the variables within the organisation. The principal idea is that any part of an organisations activities affects all others parts. The business organisation is an open system, there is continual interaction with the broader external environment of which it is part. The systems approach views the organisation within its total environment and emphasies the importance of multiple channels of interaction. The systems approachs views the organisation as a whole and involves the study of the organisations in terms of the relationships between technical and social variables within the system. The contingency approach This approach explain that the most appropriate structure and system pf management is therefore dependent upon the contingencies of the situation for each particular organisation, this approach implies that the organisation theory shouldn’t seek to suggest one best way to structure or manage organisation but should provide insights into the situational and contextual factors which influence management decisions. Other approaches to the study of organisations: -The decision-making...
Words: 366 - Pages: 2
...Chapter 1: Two Different Worldviews The Framework of Individual Psychology The Framework of Systemic Family Therapy Basic Concepts of Systems Theory and Cybernetics Family Therapy or Relationship Therapy? Summary Chapter 2: The Historical Perspective Planting the Seeds: The 1940s Cybernetics Development of Interdisciplinary Approaches Gregory Bateson Putting Down Roots: The 1950s Bateson (Continued) The Double-Bind Hypothesis Nathan Ackerman Murray Bowen Carl Whitaker Theodore Lidz Lyman Wynne Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy John Elderkin Bell Christian F. Midelfort Overview of the 1950s The Plant Begins to Bud: The 1960s Paradigm Shift The MRI Salvador Minuchin Other Developments Blossom Time: The 1970s Psychodynamic Approaches Natural Systems Theory Experiential Approaches Structural Approaches Strategic Approaches Communication Approaches Behavioral Approaches Gregory Bateson Connecting and Integrating: The 1980s Other Voices The Limits of History Controversy, Conflict, and Beyond: The 1990s The Feminist Critique Family Therapy and Family Medicine Integration and Metaframeworks Managed Care The Twenty-First Century: Continuing Concerns and Emerging Trends Summary Chapter 3: The Paradigmatic Shift of Systems Theory A Cybernetic Epistemology Recursion Feedback Morphostasis/Morphogenesis Rules and Boundaries Openness/Closedness ...
Words: 954 - Pages: 4
...first lectures of the course show an empirical and theoretical view of the major principles of the organizational design as well as the alternative design forms. The stakeholders, both insiders and outsiders, and their behavior or relations of cooperation and competition suppose an analysis need that provides them of a huge importance. I also realize about the importance of the agency theory and the problems and remedies caused, improving the importance of efficient corporate governance. This need of a good organization is solved by the systems theory, ”Organizations are systems of interdependent activities linking shifting coalitions of participants; the systems are embedded in – dependent on continuing exchange with and constituted by – the environments in which they operate”. (Scott, 1998:28). The systems which formed the organization have a common target and are classified in three levels based on their relevance. Both, stakeholders and systems, needs an analysis in order to get success in our procedures and adapt the venture structure to the different organizational designs provided in the lectures. After understanding these concepts, the lectures focused on the relation between the main management factors (Vision and mission) and the drivers analyzed, providing goals and strategies to the organization. As important as the creative process is the analysis to know the organizational boundaries, which let the organization look for available goals based on the efficiency and effectiveness...
Words: 824 - Pages: 4
...for watching video? Can you identify any shortcomings of the device? 2. Compare the capabilities of the Kindle to the iPad. Which is a better device for reading books? Explain your answer. 3. Would you like to use an iPad or Kindle for the books you use in your college courses or read for pleasure instead of traditional print publications? Why or why not? II Porter’s competitive forces model helps companies develop competitive strategies using information systems. In this context answer the following questions: 1. Define Porter’s competitive forces model and explain how it works. 2. Describe what the competitive forces model explains about competitive advantage. 3. List and describe four competitive strategies enabled by information systems that firms can pursue. 4. Describe how information systems can support each of these competitive strategies and give examples. 5. Explain why aligning IT with business objectives is essential for strategic use of systems. III Discussion Questions 1. It has been said that there is no such thing as a sustainable competitive advantage. Do you agree? Why or why not? 2. It has been said that the advantage that leading-edge retailers such as Dell and Wal-Mart have over their competition isn’t technology; it’s their management. Do you agree? Why or why not? 3. What are some of the issues to consider in determining whether the Internet would provide your business with a...
Words: 296 - Pages: 2
