Electronic Business Alliance Revolutionizes Web-Based Commerce

Strategic Insights -

EDS, Cisco Systems, and Hewlett-Packard have formed an electronic-business alliance that aims to provide a single source for establishing a Web-based business, offering significant time savings and reduced start-up costs. This collaborative effort will combine EDS' premier consulting and systems-integration capabilities, Cisco's world-class Internet networking solutions, and HP's powerful security of servers and software. The alliance will deploy a global solutions center for joint testing and integration of electronic-business service offerings.

Key Takeaways:

  • The alliance, led by EDS' Electronic Business unit, will provide a one-stop shopping experience for clients to establish a Web-based business, reducing start-up costs and time savings.
  • The collaborative effort will leverage EDS' premier consulting and systems-integration capabilities, Cisco's world-class Internet networking solutions, and HP's powerful security of servers and software.
  • The alliance will deploy a global solutions center for joint testing and integration of electronic-business service offerings.
  • EDS and HP set a new record of 74 million hits on the World Cup France 98.com site on June 30, 1998, demonstrating the impact of Web commerce.
  • The alliance has already set successful implementations of the EDS Web Commerce Services offering, which includes:

+ Industrial Products Distribution: Increased new orders by 300 percent for some steel distributors using the service.

+ Procurement: Reduced administrative costs for large companies, school districts, and government agencies through Web-based catalogs.

  • The alliance includes business-to-consumer applications such as Financial, Sports/Entertainment, The Employee Store, and Customized Services.

Statistics:

  • The alliance aims to provide significant time savings and reduced start-up costs for clients.
  • The global solutions center will offer joint testing and integration of electronic-business service offerings.
  • EDS and HP set a daily record of 74 million hits on the World Cup France 98.com site on June 30, 1998.
  • The partnership has already set successful implementations of the EDS Web Commerce Services offering, which includes:

+ Industrial Products Distribution: 300 percent increase in new orders for some steel distributors using the service.

+ Procurement: Reduced administrative costs for large companies, school districts, and government agencies through Web-based catalogs.

Sources:

  • Business Wire, "EDS, Cisco Systems, and Hewlett-Packard Announce Electronic-Business Alliance" (November 3, 1998).
  • Cisco Systems, "About Cisco" (http://www.cisco.com).
  • Hewlett-Packard Company, "About HP" (http://www.hp.com).
  • EDS, "About EDS" (http://www.eds.com).