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EMC2 : Delivering Customer Centricity – Case Memo

I) Identify five key challenges facing EMC's customer-centric approach.

1. Complex product line: EMC's product line is diverse and complex, making it

challenging for a single account manager or team to provide comprehensive support

for customers across various hardware, software, and consulting offerings.

2. Varied customer base: EMC serves a diverse range of customers, each with distinct

needs, behaviors, and preferences. This necessitates tailored pricing and service

levels, posing a challenge to effectively managing customer relationships.

3. Acquiring new customers: As EMC acquires new hardware, software, and consulting

firms, it gains access to different customer segments. However, integrating these

customers into the existing EMC customer base requires careful planning and

execution.

4. Evolving customer behavior: Customers are increasingly relying on online resources

to research products and make purchasing decisions, reducing their reliance on early

engagement with EMC sales representatives. EMC needs to adapt to this trend to

remain relevant.

5. Economic instability: Economic downturns can increase customers' price sensitivity,

leading them to defer IT purchases or switch to lower-priced alternatives. This

presents a risk to EMC's customer base, even if customers are satisfied with EMC's

offerings.
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II) How would you recommend they address these challenges?

1. EMC should spend money on training its sales representatives so they are more

aware about the goods and services offered by the company. It might also think

about forming specialised teams for specific product lines.

2. To better understand the demands and habits of its various client segments, EMC

should carry out market research. In order to verify that it is serving each segment's

unique needs, it might then customise its marketing and sales techniques for each

one.

3. To ensure a smooth transition, EMC should make an effort to comprehend the

requirements and expectations of the clientele of each acquired company. This can

entail giving account managers with specialised training or a committed support

team to help with the shift.

4. To assist customers in finding and interacting with the information they need early in

the purchasing process, EMC should invest in digital marketing and sales skills. This

can entail constructing an extensive online knowledge base or interactive

technologies that assist clients in learning more about EMC's products and solutions.

5. EMC should concentrate on showcasing the benefits of its solutions and products

and how they may assist clients in achieving their business goals. Creating case

studies or other marketing materials that demonstrate the value of utilising EMC's

goods and services may be necessary to achieve this. In order to assist customers in

managing their budgets during difficult economic times, EMC should also think about

providing flexible pricing and financing options.