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SerCom
Solutions
1 . 2 Market Background
Since 1986, SerCom has focused exclusively on servicing the
hi-tech sector, initially supplying technical manuals. This
evolved into a turnkey service in 1989 with the company providing
full supply-chain management services. The company then recognised
that the evolution of the Internet threatened their core business
of traditional physical fulfilment. Embracing the Internet with its associated opportunities and threats was paramount
if SerCom was to remain in business.
In
October 1999, SerCom commissioned Ebeon to carry out a feasibility
study examining the e-fulfilment market space. This study
concluded the following in relation to SerCom:
- SerCom's
traditional competitors were focused on offering new channels
and services, aimed at managing key functions for their
clients - effectively bridging the process that connects
their clients' two most important assets, their products
and their customers.
- A
more immediate threat for SerCom was the emergence of new
players within this market space, bringing with them their
already proven technology platforms.
Amidst
these changes in the market, there had been a lack of companies
offering a comprehensive end-to-end solution with many offering
rather fragmented services. This limitation was seen as an
opportunity for SerCom to offer a true value-adding proposition
to their customers. Today SerCom endeavours to differentiate
itself from its competitors and position the organisation
as a global provider of ebusiness solutions, specifically
- "everything behind the buy button".
SerCom's
planned ebusiness solution would include all e-fulfilment
modules, including the provision of full Electronic Software
Delivery (ESD - see sidebar). While the industry in general
had not embraced ESD fully, all indicators pointed towards
an overwhelming adoption of this delivery channel over traditional
print medium in the near future. (Its slow adoption can be
attributed mainly to lack of wide spread high bandwidth communications
for the download of large amounts of data).
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