Questions for Discussion
1. Discuss the nature of the market structure and demand for Cisco’s products.
2. Given the industries in which Cisco competes, what are the implications for the major types of buying situations?
3. What specific customer benefits likely result from the Cisco products mentioned in the case?
4. Discuss the customer buying process for one of Cisco’s products. In what ways does this process differ from the buying process an end user might go through in buying a broadband router for home use?
5. Is the relationship between Cisco’s collaborative culture and the products and services it sells something that could work for all companies? Consider this issue for a consumer-products company such as P&G.