Cisco Systems Inc.

is currently going through important transformations as market

requirements are changing. Due to the nature of the company’s industry, which
regularly updates itself, it is important for each industry player to keep its marketing
strategy and its sales channels up-to-date. Therefore, it can be observed that Cisco
Systems has gone through rapid transformations in its sales and marketing
strategies. Moreover, the role of sales channels becomes increasingly important for
an industry in which the competition is intense. Therefore, the company decided to
change its approach towards reselling from sales frequency to value addition. With
such an approach, Cisco believes that it can effectively target all the five customer
segments that it has identified through the Pyramid model.

Following questions are answered in this case study

solution:
1. Analyze Cisco’s Marketing Strategy in 1995, 2001, and 2005.

2.  How have Cisco’s channels evolved over last 10-15 years period and why in
that way?

3.  What grade would you give Cisco for managing channel evolution? Good or
bad? Why?

4.  Against the background of your answers to 1) and 2) what marketing strategy

should Cisco deploy for the VoIP products?

5. Which channels do you recommend, voice VARs? Data VARs? both?

6.  Cisco’s broad product line requires multiple channels. What are your
reactions to the “Pyramid” model advanced in Figure A of the case? What is the core
concept of the model? What are the implications of this model for the future?

Cisco Systems Managing the Go to Market Evolution Case

Analysis

Analyze Cisco’s Marketing Strategy in 1995, 2001, and 2005.

Cisco’s marketing strategy has evolved over the time period 1995 till 2005. To begin
with, when Chambers took over, the marketing strategy had to be more direct as
Cisco was introducing newer products, which customers were not aware of.
Moreover, there was increasing competition, and each firm looked to surpass the
other by making customers more aware about their products. Later around 2001, the
company engaged itself in partnerships with various companies and promoted its
products and services with the help of electronic systems giants. This also meant
that the company’s marketing strategy from the year 1995-2005 went from a direct
channel to a more indirect one.
In the year 2005 onwards, since the Internet was well-established as a tool, the
online means of marketing were employed by the company. This also happened
 because the company was now targeting nearly 10 million consumer accounts, who
were regular users of the World Wide Web (WWW). Therefore, more marketing
options opened up for Cisco due to the extensive use of the Internet both for
business users as well as the end-consumers. Hence, the more commonly employed
methods of marketing now for Cisco are intermediaries and the Internet.

How have Cisco’s channels evolved over last 10-15 years

period and why in that way?
Cisco Systems Inc. is currently going through important transformations as market
requirements are changing. Due to the nature of the company’s industry, which
regularly updates itself, it is important for each industry player to keep its marketing
strategy and its sales channels up-to-date. Therefore, it can be observed that Cisco
Systems has gone through rapid transformations in its sales and marketing
strategies. Moreover, the role of sales channels becomes increasingly important for
an industry in which the competition is intense. Therefore, the company decided to
change its approach towards reselling from sales frequency to value addition. With
such an approach, Cisco believes that it can effectively target all the five customer
segments that it has identified through the Pyramid model.

Following questions are answered in this case study

solution:
1. Analyze Cisco’s Marketing Strategy in 1995, 2001, and 2005.

2.  How have Cisco’s channels evolved over last 10-15 years period and why in
that way?

3.  What grade would you give Cisco for managing channel evolution? Good or
bad? Why?

4.  Against the background of your answers to 1) and 2) what marketing strategy

should Cisco deploy for the VoIP products?

5. Which channels do you recommend, voice VARs? Data VARs? both?

6.  Cisco’s broad product line requires multiple channels. What are your
reactions to the “Pyramid” model advanced in Figure A of the case? What is the core
concept of the model? What are the implications of this model for the future?

Cisco Systems Managing the Go to Market Evolution Case

Analysis

Analyze Cisco’s Marketing Strategy in 1995, 2001, and 2005.

Cisco’s marketing strategy has evolved over the time period 1995 till 2005. To begin
with, when Chambers took over, the marketing strategy had to be more direct as
 Cisco was introducing newer products, which customers were not aware of.
Moreover, there was increasing competition, and each firm looked to surpass the
other by making customers more aware about their products. Later around 2001, the
company engaged itself in partnerships with various companies and promoted its
products and services with the help of electronic systems giants. This also meant
that the company’s marketing strategy from the year 1995-2005 went from a direct
channel to a more indirect one.
In the year 2005 onwards, since the Internet was well-established as a tool, the
online means of marketing were employed by the company. This also happened
because the company was now targeting nearly 10 million consumer accounts, who
were regular users of the World Wide Web (WWW). Therefore, more marketing
options opened up for Cisco due to the extensive use of the Internet both for
business users as well as the end-consumers. Hence, the more commonly employed
methods of marketing now for Cisco are intermediaries and the Internet.

How have Cisco’s chanCisco Systems Inc. is currently going through

important transformations as market requirements are changing. Due to the nature of
the company’s industry, which regularly updates itself, it is important for each
industry player to keep its marketing strategy and its sales channels up-to-date.
Therefore, it can be observed that Cisco Systems has gone through rapid
transformations in its sales and marketing strategies. Moreover, the role of sales
channels becomes increasingly important for an industry in which the competition is
intense. Therefore, the company decided to change its approach towards reselling
from sales frequency to value addition. With such an approach, Cisco believes that it
can effectively target all the five customer segments that it has identified through the
Pyramid model.

Following questions are answered in this case study

solution:
1. Analyze Cisco’s Marketing Strategy in 1995, 2001, and 2005.

2.  How have Cisco’s channels evolved over last 10-15 years period and why in
that way?

3.  What grade would you give Cisco for managing channel evolution? Good or
bad? Why?

4.  Against the background of your answers to 1) and 2) what marketing strategy

should Cisco deploy for the VoIP products?

5. Which channels do you recommend, voice VARs? Data VARs? both?

6.  Cisco’s broad product line requires multiple channels. What are your
reactions to the “Pyramid” model advanced in Figure A of the case? What is the core
concept of the model? What are the implications of this model for the future?
 Cisco Systems Managing the Go to Market Evolution Case
Analysis

Analyze Cisco’s Marketing Strategy in 1995, 2001, and 2005.

Cisco’s marketing strategy has evolved over the time period 1995 till 2005. To begin
with, when Chambers took over, the marketing strategy had to be more direct as
Cisco was introducing newer products, which customers were not aware of.
Moreover, there was increasing competition, and each firm looked to surpass the
other by making customers more aware about their products. Later around 2001, the
company engaged itself in partnerships with various companies and promoted its
products and services with the help of electronic systems giants. This also meant
that the company’s mCisco Systems Inc. is currently going through important
transformations as market requirements are changing. Due to the nature of the
company’s industry, which regularly updates itself, it is important for each industry
player to keep its marketing strategy and its sales channels up-to-date. Therefore, it
can be observed that Cisco Systems has gone through rapid transformations in its
sales and marketing strategies. Moreover, the role of sales channels becomes
increasingly important for an industry in which the competition is intense. Therefore,
the company decided to change its approach towards reselling from sales frequency
to value addition. With such an approach, Cisco believes that it can effectively target
all the five customer segments that it has identified through the Pyramid model.

Following questions are answered in this case study

solution:
1. Analyze Cisco’s Marketing Strategy in 1995, 2001, and 2005.

2.  How have Cisco’s channels evolved over last 10-15 years period and why in
that way?

3.  What grade would you give Cisco for managing channel evolution? Good or
bad? Why?

4.  Against the background of your answers to 1) and 2) what marketing strategy

should Cisco deploy for the VoIP products?

5. Which channels do you recommend, voice VARs? Data VARs? both?

6.  Cisco’s broad product line requires multiple channels. What are your
reactions to the “Pyramid” model advanced in Figure A of the case? What is the core
concept of the model? What are the implications of this model for the future?

Cisco Systems Managing the Go to Market Evolution Case

Analysis

Analyze Cisco’s Marketing Strategy in 1995, 2001, and 2005.

 Cisco’s marketing strategy has evolved over the time period 1995 till 2005. To begin
with, when Chambers took over, the marketing strategy had to be more direct as
Cisco was introducing newer products, which customers were not aware of.
Moreover, there was increasing competition, and each firm looked to surpass the
other by making customers more aware about their products. Later around 2001, the
company engageCisco Systems Inc. is currently going through important
transformations as market requirements are changing. Due to the nature of the
company’s industry, which regularly updates itself, it is important for each industry
player to keep its marketing strategy and its sales channels up-to-date. Therefore, it
can be observed that Cisco Systems has gone through rapid transformations in its
sales and marketing strategies. Moreover, the role of sales channels becomes
increasingly important for an industry in which the competition is intense. Therefore,
the company decided to change its approach towards reselling from sales frequency
to value addition. With such an approach, Cisco believes that it can effectively target
all the five customer segments that it has identified through the Pyramid model.

Following questions are answered in this case study

solution:
1. Analyze Cisco’s Marketing Strategy in 1995, 2001, and 2005.

2.  How have Cisco’s channels evolved over last 10-15 years period and why in
that way?

3.  What grade would you give Cisco for managing channel evolution? Good or
bad? Why?

4.  Against the background of your answers to 1) and 2) what marketing strategy

should Cisco deploy for the VoIP products?

5. Which channels do you recommend, voice VARs? Data VARs? both?

6.  Cisco’s broad product line requires multiple channels. What are your
reactions to the “Pyramid” model advanced in Figure A of the case? What is the core
concept of the model? What are the implications of this model for the future?

Cisco Systems Managing the Go to Market Evolution Case

Analysis

Analyze Cisco’s Marketing Strategy in 1995, 2001, and 2005.

Cisco’s marketing strategy has evolved over the time period 1995 till 2005. To begin
with, when Chambers took over, the marketing strategy had to be more direct as
Cisco was introducing newer products, which customers were not aware of.
Moreover, there was increasing competition, and each firm looked to surpass the
other by making customers more aware about their products. Later around 2001, the
company engaged itself in partnerships with various companies and promoted its
 products and services with the help of electronic systems giants. This also meant
that the company’s marketing strategy from the year 1995-2005 went from a direct
channel to a more indirect one.
In the year 2005 onwards, since the Internet was well-established as a tool, the
online means of Cisco Systems Inc. is currently going through important
transformations as market requirements are changing. Due to the nature of the
company’s industry, which regularly updates itself, it is important for each industry
player to keep its marketing strategy and its sales channels up-to-date. Therefore, it
can be observed that Cisco Systems has gone through rapid transformations in its
sales and marketing strategies. Moreover, the role of sales channels becomes
increasingly important for an industry in which the competition is intense. Therefore,
the company decided to change its approach towards reselling from sales frequency
to value addition. With such an approach, Cisco believes that it can effectively target
all the five customer segments that it has identified through the Pyramid model.

Following questions are answered in this case study

solution:
1. Analyze Cisco’s Marketing Strategy in 1995, 2001, and 2005.

2.  How have Cisco’s channels evolved over last 10-15 years period and why in
that way?

3.  What grade would you give Cisco for managing channel evolution? Good or
bad? Why?

4.  Against the background of your answers to 1) and 2) what marketing strategy

should Cisco deploy for the VoIP products?

5. Which channels do you recommend, voice VARs? Data VARs? both?

6.  Cisco’s broad product line requires multiple channels. What are your
reactions to the “Pyramid” model advanced in Figure A of the case? What is the core
concept of the model? What are the implications of this model for the future?

Cisco Systems Managing the Go to Market Evolution Case

Analysis

Analyze Cisco’s Marketing Strategy in 1995, 2001, and 2005.

Cisco’s marketing strategy has evolved over the time period 1995 till 2005. To begin
with, when Chambers took over, the marketing strategy had to be more direct as
Cisco was introducing newer products, which customers were not aware of.
Moreover, there was increasing competition, and each firm looked to surpass the
other by making customers more aware about their products. Later around 2001, the
company engaged itself in partnerships with various companies and promoted its
products and services with the help of electronic systems giants. This also meant
that the company’s marketing strategy from the year 1995-2005 went from a direct
channel to a more indirect one.
In the year 2005 onwards, since the Internet was well-established as a tool, the
online means of marketing were employed by the company. This also happened
because the company was now targeting nearly 10 million consumer accounts, who
were regular users of the World Wide Web (WWW). Therefore, more marketing
options opened up for Cisco due to the extensive use of the Internet both for
business users as well as the end-consumers. Hence, the more commonly employed
methods of marketing now for Cisco are intermediaries and the Internet.

How have Cisco’s channels evolved over last 10-15 years

period and why in that way?
marketing were employed by the company. This also happened because the
company was now targeting nearly 10 million consumer accounts, who were regular
users of the World Wide Web (WWW). Therefore, more marketing options opened
up for Cisco due to the extensive use of the Internet both for business users as well
as the end-consumers. Hence, the more commonly employed methods of marketing
now for Cisco are intermediaries and the Internet.

How have Cisco’s channels evolved over last 10-15 years

period and why in that way?
d itself in partnerships with various companies and promoted its products and
services with the help of electronic systems giants. This also meant that the
company’s marketing strategy from the year 1995-2005 went from a direct channel
to a more indirect one.
In the year 2005 onwards, since the Internet was well-established as a tool, the
online means of marketing were employed by the company. This also happened
because the company was now targeting nearly 10 million consumer accounts, who
were regular users of the World Wide Web (WWW). Therefore, more marketing
options opened up for Cisco due to the extensive use of the Internet both for
business users as well as the end-consumers. Hence, the more commonly employed
methods of marketing now for Cisco are intermediaries and the Internet.

How have Cisco’s channels evolved over last 10-15 years

period and why in that way?
arketing strategy from the year 1995-2005 went from a direct channel to a more
indirect one.
In the year 2005 onwards, since the Internet was well-established as a tool, the
online means of marketing were employed by the company. This also happened
because the company was now targeting nearly 10 million consumer accounts, who
were regular users of the World Wide Web (WWW). Therefore, more marketing
options opened up for Cisco due to the extensive use of the Internet both for
business users as well as the end-consumers. Hence, the more commonly employed
methods of marketing now for Cisco are intermediaries and the Internet.
How have Cisco’s channels evolved over last 10-15 years
period and why in that way?

nels evolved over last 10-15 years period and why in that
way?