商务英语-案例FacingBusinessChallengesatGateway2000FromFarmBoytoBillionaireComputers.Theoddsareslimyouwillsurvive,muchlessthrive,inthisindustry.Youhavetoguesswhatcustomerswillwantmorethanayearinadvance,eventhoughtechnologyischangingatanincrediblyfastpace.It'shardlyabusinessforcowboys-unlessyou'reTedWaitt.Sonofafourth-generationcattlebroker,Waitt(currently34andworthanestimated$1.7billion)ridesherdoverGateway2000.TheytellstoriesaboutWaitt,andnotjustinSiouxCity,SouthDakota-Gateway'shomeland.Theytalkabouthowhebuiltafortunebytrustinghisinstinctsandmakinggutsycallsthatledtheindustry.Howheborrowed$10,000fromhisgrandmothertostartamail-ordercomputerbusiness,andhowheturnedatwo-man,farmhouseoperationintoaglobalgiant-inonlytenyears.Andtheytalkaboutthepony-tailedfarmboycladindeckshoesandapoloshirtwhoknewthatsomedayhewasgoingtorunhisowncompany.ItallbeganwhileWaittwasworkingforalocalcomputerstore;hewasamazedbyhoweasyitwastosellcomputerequipmenttoacknowledgeablecomputerusersoverthephone.Soin1985Waitt(themarketer)teamedupwithhisbuddyMikeHammond(thetechnicalwhiz),andthetwostartedasmallmail-ordercomputerbusinessoftheirown.WaittandHammondworkedlonghours-fromtheirupstairsofficeinWaitt'sfamilyfarmhouse.Theirbigbreakcamein1987,whenTexasInstruments(TI)decidedtostopmanufacturingitsowncomputersandinsteadsellonlyindustry-standardIBM-compatiblepersonalcomputers(PCs).Ofcourse,ownersofTIcomputerscouldtradeintheirequipmentfornewerIBM-compatiblecomputers,butfirsttheywouldhavetocoughup$3,500.WaittandHammondknewtheycouldprovidethesamecomputerequipmentTIwasoffering-andatamuchcheaperprice($1,955).Theydidthisbyfindingthebestdealsoncutting-edgecomputercomponents,andassemblingthecomponentstobuildtopqualitycustomPCs.Becauseallsalesweremade-to-orderandtransactedoverthephone,Gatewaycouldaffordtogivecustomersmorecomputerfortheirmoney-astrategyfromwhichthecompanyhasneverveered.Withinthreeshortyears,thecompanywasshipping225PCsaday(eachoneinablack-and-whitecow-spottedbox),andsalesreached$70million.By1993salestopped$1.7billion,andthecompanysolditsstocktotheinvestingpublic.InspiteofGateway'sspeedytriptothetop,thecompanywasatatreacherousintersection.Gatewaywasrunessentiallybyoneguy-TedWaitt-whoreliedonhisinstincts.Andthecompanywasgettingtoobigtodependononlyoneman'sjudgment.Inordertosurviveinthiscompetitiveindustry,Gatewaywouldhavetofindwaystoexpanditscustomerbaseandmanagethecompany'sgrowth.IfyouwereTedWaitt,whatstepswouldyoutaketobeefupbusiness?Wouldyoucompeteonprice,speed,quality,orinnovation?Wouldyouconsiderothersalesapproachesbesidestelephoneselling?MeetingBusinessChallengesatGateway2000Relyingonhisinstincts,TedWaittmadeanumberofcriticalcallsthatputGatewayinthelead.Ofcourse,Waittwasnolongeraone-manshow.Beginningin1991,hebroughtinexperiencedexecutives(fromtopcompanieslikeDigitalEquipment,TexasInstruments,andIBM)tohelpmanagethecompany'sgrowth.TogethertheybroughtGatewaytonewheightswhilestickingwithitsefficient,bare-bonesassemblyoperation-noshowroom,littleinventory,andnoretailoutlets.Infact,Gateway'ssimpledirect-salesoperationallowsthecompanytocompeteonspeed,quality,andprice.SpeedandqualityinmanufacturinggiveGatewaythebiggestadvantage.Notonlycanspeedandqualitywincustomers,buttheywintherightkindofcustomers-thosewhoarewillingtopayabitmoreforcomputerequipment.Gatewaymoveslikelightning:Itgetsnewcomputersoutthedoorinahurry.T...
