Description:

As marketers grapple with the creation of online sales support tools, Sun Microsystems, Inc. (Sun) has developed a particularly expansive, integrated, and effective online approach. Sun has moved beyond the simple employment of Web-enabled tools to build an internal communications network designed to facilitate push and pull marketing support, customer self-service, online training, and direct services sales.

This best practice case study describes the evolution and current status of Sun's initiative. It highlights the importance of sales force involvement in system development, the resulting efficiencies gained by using the system, the emphasis on providing value to customers, and the often-overlooked feedback loop to ensure that the system keeps pace with evolving needs.