COMDEX, LAS VEGAS -- November 15, 1999 -- Cisco Systems, Inc. today announced the addition of 12 new members to the Cisco Resource Network. Cisco is bringing Independent Software and Hardware Vendors (ISVs/IHVs), service providers, Value Added Resellers (VARs), and systems integrators together through the Cisco Resource Network, to provide information, tools and resources to help small and medium-sized businesses fully participate in the Internet economy.
The new companies joining the Cisco Resource Network today include: Agillion, Inc.; Ceridian Small Business Solutions, Inc.; HotOffice Technologies, Inc.; i2 Technologies, Inc.; Lawson Software's ijob solution; NetObjects, Inc.; Noosh Inc.; On The Go Software; Onyx Software Corp.; RewardsPlus; SPS Commerce and Upshot.com (For more information see today's related announcements from these companies)
"Small and medium-sized companies view their customer and employee relationships as a key competitive advantage, and they want to use the Internet to continue to build and strengthen these assets," said Eugene Lee, vice president of marketing for Cisco's Small/Medium line of business. "The Cisco Resource Network helps remove the burdens associated with selecting and implementing technology solutions, enabling small and medium-sized companies to concentrate on their core competencies."
The Cisco Resource Network provides small and medium-sized companies with the resources they need to ease the selection, procurement, and implementation of Internet business solutions. The Cisco program focuses on the following five critical Internet business solution application areas:
- Business-To-Business eCommerce
- Business Process Management
- Financial Management
- Customer Relationship Management
- Employee Productivity
The First Steps
As with any important business decision, the first step toward embracing an Internet business solution is learning about the solutions available and mapping them to one's own business needs. To help small and medium-sized businesses with the self-education and research phase of their implementations, Cisco has included several E-learning tools on the Cisco Resource Network Web site.
The first tool most visitors access is the Inc./Cisco Internet Benchmarking tool, which shows businesses how they fare in comparison to their peers in the use of the Internet and networking technology. This innovative interactive tool is developed based on the Inc./Cisco Growing with Technology Awards program using data from the over 750 businesses that participated in the program last year. (For more information, visit www.inc.com/cisco or http://www.inc.com/custom_publishing/cisco/benchmark.html.)
Other tools on the Cisco Resource Network Web site are designed to help small and medium-sized businesses identify those Internet business solutions best-suited for their needs.After identifying solutions of interest, companies can read case studies that detail how other businesses have implemented similar solutions.
Implementation Phase
After a company has decided on a set of Internet business solutions to meet its needs, it tackles the next phase - implementation. Installing a sophisticated Internet business solution can be a time-consuming process, requiring management of multiple vendors and distracting top executives away from their core business competencies. The Cisco Resource Network removes this burden by bringing together technology providers, service providers, ISVs, IHVs, VARs, solutions integrators and consultants that work together to simplify the installation process.Small and medium-sized companies looking to implement an Internet business solution can use the Cisco Resource Network to locate a local member reseller or consultant who will work with other program participants to ensure a smooth installation process. The program also helps members locate other members when additional expertise is required.
Cisco Resource Network for Resellers
In the new Internet economy, resellers and solutions integrators are looking to expand their solutions portfolio and service offerings to allow them to develop and grow their business models while continuing to provide more value to customers. One way to do this is by partnering with complementary application, platform and network integrators who can collaborate to develop and provide whole solutions to customers.
The Cisco Resource Network for resellers was created to give VARS and integrators a means to identify complementary resellers. For example, a Cisco networking reseller can team with other VARs such as application integrators to successfully deploy Internet business solutions. The program also offers a full range of sales and support tools, training, education resources, marketing and demand generation assistance, software and hardware alliance programs, and lead dissemination to qualified Cisco resellers and Cisco Resource Network member VARs. Resellers interested in joining the program can visit the Cisco Resource Network for Resellers registration Web site at www.cisco.com/go/smallbiz_register or www.cisco.com/go/mediumbiz_register.
The Cisco Resource Network
Through the Cisco Resource Network, Cisco is bringing ISVs, IHVs, service providers, VARs, and systems integrators together to provide information, tools and resources to help small and medium-sized businesses fully participate in the Internet economy. Cisco and members of the Cisco Resource Network are taking the lead in helping small and medium-sized companies effectively plan and deploy Internet business solutions that support today's business objectives and seamlessly grow to cost-effectively handle tomorrow's expanding business requirements. For more information visit the Cisco Resource Network.Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) is theworldwide leader in networking for the Internet.Cisco, Cisco Systems, and the Cisco Systems logo are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partnership does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any of its resellers.
