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Answers to Video Cases 1 2 Essay example

Decent Essays

Case 1: Walmart’s Retail Link Supply Chain
1. Where does Walmart’s supply chain start? What triggers Walmart’s Retail Link system to ship goods to local Walmart Stores?

Walmart’s Retail Link is triggered by consumer purchases in local stores by point-of-purchase cash register data. This is in contrast to more traditional supply chains which often start with a manufacturer or distributor shipping goods to local stores based on forecast sales or the hope of making more sales by flooding isles with products (“push” driven supply chains). In the case of Walmart, the supply chain is driven by consumer behavior which “pulls” replacement stock from inventory.
2. Why is a detailed knowledge of consumer purchases at each store important
to …show more content…

But Walmart’s own managers oversee the inventory system and can quickly spot those vendors who would take advantage of their access to Retail Link.
Case 2: Salesforce.com: The Emerging Social Enterprise
1. Why did Comcast join public social networks? What difference did it make for
Comcast’s business? What might be the benefits for a consumer?

Because so many of its customers use public social networks and engagement in conversations about the firm, Comcast believed it needed to join these social networks to address problems and identify supporters and positive comments as well.
2. What issues and challenges is the use of social network monitoring supposed to solve or address at Salesforce.com?

The key statement is that “the conversations about your firm beyond your Web site are just as, or more, important than what’s happening on your Web site.” In other words, because so many of its customers use social networks and spend time on social networks, it is important for Salesforce to be there also and to engage their customers. It’s a questions of listening and engaging with customers. How else could this be done in a social network world?
3. Radian 6 (now owned by Salesforce) is described as a “listening and

engagement platform.” What does this mean and how does it differ from traditional marketing techniques for communicating with the customer?

Radian started out as a firm that monitored how brands were being discussed on social networks. And then helping its clients

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