SanDisk

Multilingual B2B Channel Portal

Client Overview
SanDisk is a large, publicly-listed company which designs, develops, manufactures and markets flash storage products for a wide variety of electronic systems and digital devices. SanDisk has a global turnover in excess of $3bn.

Business Challenge
In 2007, SanDisk's European operation suffered with poor internal communication and a fragmented online presence which was difficult to manage and administer. The organisation wanted to increase the speed with which it could launch a product or campaign and saw a need to develop its distributor and retailer list to better understand its complete channel.

Solution
Metakinetic developed a bespoke B2B channel portal, consolidating SanDisk's fragmented European channel websites. The solution was based upon the robust Microsoft .NET framework and included a tiered admin system to facilitate multiple Europe-wide administrators' editing and adding product information, whilst retaining central control over the system's usage. The diverse language requirements and geographically varying products were catered for by making the system both multilingual and including tiered content to allow for localisation of product information as necessary.

We worked closely to SanDisk's brand guidelines to ensure brand consistency and an immersive brand experience. We designed the system to result in optimum uptake by both users, retailers and distributors, ensuring the user experience was intuitive and engaging. Prior to development we spent considerable time understanding SanDisk's communications requirements and existing processes, in order to deliver significant cost savings for communications. To further enhance internal processes, we integrated the system with SanDisk's existing back office and supply chain management system to allow easy supply of POS and merchandising materials for retailers.

As part of the implementation and ongoing management of the system, we act in an agile support role for SanDisk's European agencies.

Results
The new system has delivered significant administrative cost savings for the company and has resulted in a marked improvement in European communications, with considerably higher levels of both retailer and distributor engagement. SanDisk has also now been able to get a better understanding of its complete channel through the development of its distributor and retailer list, resulting in an increased and more rapid uptake of its products following launch.