| And the company has
learnt to speak the language consumers understand. It is
offering catchy terms like Packet Intelligent Quotient (PIQ)
for its products. "The higher the PIQ, the faster will
the data zip around the house" is the USP that will push
consumers to upgrade from PIQ 1 to, say, PIQ 2. In its effort
to catch them young, Cisco is setting up networking academies
world-wide in collaboration with engineering colleges to train
youngsters in Cisco''''s products and technologies.
The Challenges
Is
it going to be easy? Perhaps not as the challenges are enormous.
Its plans to address the consumer segment, which works on the
pull approach will require huge investments and time. Its duel
with established competitors like Lucent and Nortel in the
telecom arena will be the real test. These players are not only
giants but have long established relationships with service
providers and have also shown ability to turnaround fast.
However, the biggest question that haunts Cisco''''s initiative
is its success with IP solutions for voice communication. While
Cisco claims that its IP products, which were basically for data
applications, offer very high reliability and quality for voice
too, it will take some time for service providers to get
convinced. And last but not the least is how long will the
dot.com wave service. It has taken a heavy toll on investor
confidence in the US bourses.
There is thrill and
euphoria all around as Cisco has become world''''s second most
valuable company beating General Electric, Wal-Mart, and Intel.
Analysts are sure that it would soon beat the numero uno
Microsoft. But there is caution too. The soft spoken Chambers is
aware of the increasing threat—threat not just from
traditional rivals like Nortel and Lucent, but more so from the
small and unknown players. He does not ignore the possibility
that one of these many small companies might repeat Cisco''''s
own feat. And Chambers lets a bit of paranoia drive his team.
But he clearly has his head on his shoulders.Page(s) 1 2 3 4
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