FirePond Brings Subaru 'Build Your Own Vehicle' Site Live in 90 Days
20 September 1999
FirePond Brings Subaru 'Build Your Own Vehicle' Site Live in 90 Days
Company unifying web channels and dealer initiatives with FirePond Application
Suite
WALTHAM, Mass., Sept. 20 -- FirePond, the leader in
integrated e-business, sales and marketing solutions, announced today that
Subaru of America, Inc. went live on the Web in 90 days by using the FirePond
Commerce module of the recently announced FirePond Application Suite. As a
customer already successfully utilizing the FirePond Sales module, Subaru was
able to re-use the data from its existing FirePond implementation,
accelerating its path to giving consumers a branded, interactive experience on
the Web.
The site ( http://www.subaru.com ) allows consumers to dynamically add and
delete options to multiple models in the Subaru line. While clicking through
options, the system automatically adjusts the price and delivers a detailed
description of each choice, giving consumers a convenient way to research
their personal preferences and the resulting costs before visiting their local
dealership. After interactively creating a personalized vehicle on the site,
the customer can print out a "window sticker" featuring the Manufacturer's
Standard Retail Price (MSRP) and link to the Subaru dealer network to find the
dealership most convenient to them.
"Subaru buyers are becoming increasingly savvy at using the Internet to
research automobile purchases," said Robert Dougherty, Vice President and CIO
for Subaru. "While we have had a configurator on our web site for the past
two years, it was not as data driven and flexible as our customers would have
liked. Given our already successful relationship with FirePond, it was an
easy decision to leverage our existing data across their integrated e-
business, sales and marketing system."
Subaru had previously implemented FirePond Sales to provide the company
with the competitive advantage of being able to quickly configure and allocate
vehicles to the unique needs of regional and local dealers. The system helped
Subaru to cut costs, reduce errors, and significantly streamline processes.
They achieved a reduction in order entry processing time from approximately
two days to 30 minutes.
"We're proud to offer our customers a single solution to gain competitive
advantage in each of their channels, whether it's through their established
dealerships or directly to consumers on the Web," said Klaus Besier, CEO of
FirePond. "I'm thrilled that our integrated e-business software system gives
enterprises like Subaru the speed they need to compete in today's marketplace,
and that we were able to implement this powerful system in such aggressive
time frames."
About Subaru
Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy
Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered near Philadelphia, the company markets
and distributes Subaru automobiles, parts and accessories through a network of
nearly 600 franchised dealers across the United States. All Legacy and
Outback models sold in the U.S. are produced at the company's American
manufacturing plant, Subaru-Isuzu Automotive, Inc., near Lafayette, Ind.
About FirePond
Based in Waltham, Mass., FirePond (http://www.firepond.com) is the leader in
integrated e-business, sales and marketing solutions. The FirePond
Application Suite is the first software that allows companies to create
consistent, highly personalized interactive transactions for their customers
across all sales channels, and then execute synchronized enterprise processes
based on the information captured from those interactions. To accelerate its
customers' implementations, FirePond also provides comprehensive interactive
design and implementation services.
FirePond's solutions provide the foundation for next generation e-
business, sales and marketing initiatives at some of the world's largest
companies, including GM, IBM, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, Bell
Atlantic Data Solutions Group, and Hitachi.
FirePond is a trademark of FirePond, Incorporated. All other product or
company names are the properties of their respective owners.