B. Radioshack Online Provides All the Answers RadioShack's advertising tagline, "You've got questions. We've got answers" reflects a change from a geek-oriented business model to a for-everyone model that is intended to attract and keep customers who are not so technically literate and not so interested in "do-it-yourself electronics. A key component of this new strategy is RadioShack Online (radioshack.com), an intranet that educates in-store associates about business processes and product information, making them better equipped to address customer questions and needs. Applications supported by RadioShack Online include: Customer ticket look-up. Returns can be verified from any store, on any sale, for any date, with or without a receipt. Parts look-up. Each store is able to maintain catalogs featuring 100,000 items not ordinarily kept on hand. Items can be ordered in the store and shipped directly to customers' homes. Service contracts. When a customer returns a defective product under a service contract, associates can go online to instantly verify that there is a contract and to get approval for fixing the merchandise. Product availability. When a desired item is out of stock, employees can search for it through the entire stock file for all stores in all regions. Testing. Tests that are part of RadioShack's employee-certification program can now be taken online in a store, with immediate feedback. Electronic memos and manuals. Paper manuals have now been put online for easier access and updating. Online credit card applications. Associates can type credit card applications directly into the online network and receive an approval or rejection within 60 seconds. Sales reports. These can illustrate performance by associate, store, and region. Customers never see, touch, or use this internal network, but they benefit from its existence. Bob Gellman, Vice President for Online Strategies at RadioShack says that thanks to RadioShack Online, shoppers view associates as "friendly, knowledgeable people who are very adept at de-mystifying technology." RadioShack benefits too by retaining happy customers. Case Study Questions: 1. How does RadioShack Online fit into RadioShack's new business model? 2. In addition to the benefits for customers and for RadioShack that were highlighted in the case, how do in-store associates benefit? 3. Why would RadioShack Online qualify as a strategic information system?