A maturing IT services market and increased demand for business rather than technology solutions have put enormous pressures on services firms’ communications capabilities. As buying centers move beyond the IT department to also include the executive suite and boardroom, services firms need to articulate value propositions that emphasize business value more than technology performance.

This ITSMA Case Study explores the genesis, structure, and worldwide deployment of EDS’ Business Issues Communication Framework, a global initiative to focus marketing communications programs on industry-specific, business-oriented messages. In 2002, after an intensive internal process analysis and external market survey, EDS implemented a series of strategic and programmatic changes worldwide to reorient marketing communications and create new, higher-impact programs. With the new framework, EDS has implemented hundreds of new programs and generated measurable improvements in marketing effectiveness as measured by sales leads and deals closed.