Dell goes Big B2B Online

Dell is a good example of how an organization successfully uses e-commerce to support its business. How did Dell get to where it is today? What if you were the project manager for Dell working on the initial e-commerce applications? We are going to go back in time and assume that Dell has successfully launched its consumer e-commerce applications and is ready to begin work to support B2B using e-commerce. You will be using the information below to develop the necessary project deliverables throughout the course.

Company Information

Dells vision is to strive to provide the best possible customer experience by offering superior value; high-quality, relevant technology; customized systems; superior service and support; and differentiated products and services that are easy to buy and use. Dell is a technology company, offering a broad range of product categories, including desktop computer systems, storage, servers and networking products, mobility products, software and peripherals and services to manage IT infrastructure for large organizations. Dell is the number one supplier of personal computer systems in the United States, and the number two supplier worldwide.

Dell has successfully proven their ability to use e-commerce applications in their consumer line of business. The company has grown significantly and increased revenue margins since opening their website for business. They have also become more efficient in their day-to-day operations. The company would like to continue that growth in the area of B2B (business to business sales).

Project Information and Objective

The project is to implement a web presence to support B2B sales. The website a service to enable businesses to buy customized information technology solutions to support their business needs. The overall goal is to increase revenue in the B2B line of business and make Dell one of the preferred suppliers of computer systems to businesses in the United States.

The B2B web site should included the following capabilities:

• Easy ordering a custom online store that ensures access to products at the companys discounted price.
• Easy tracking the ability to view real-time order status, online invoices, and purchase history details.

Project Resources and Constraints

The project manager has 10 employees assigned to the project and 2 project sponsors. The project manager will work full time on the project. Of the 10 employees, 2 are from marketing, 3 are from networking and infrastructure, and 5 are from development. Of those 5 development resources, 2 of them are graphic design specialists. The new website can run on the infrastructure that is in place to support the consumer line of business. However, the project will require a new set of webservers to support the increased traffic.

The budget for the project is $500,000. These funds should secure the purchase of the additional hardware. The project team may also use these funds to consult experts or consultants to help with the design.

The timeline is to have the project complete in 9 months.

The project will have to conform to the following constraints:

• The following holidays are observed: Memorial Day (the last Monday in May), July 4^th, Labor Day (the first Monday in September), Thanksgiving (the fourth Thursday in November), and December 25^th and 26^th.
• If a holiday falls on a Saturday, then Friday will be given as an extra day off; if it falls on a Sunday, then Monday will be given as a day off.
• The project team works Monday through Friday.