Overstock\'s Success in Policy Implementation

Strategy Implementation and Control

The successful implementation of strategies within an organization is possible when instituted via the organizational design, culture, employees, and control systems. The benefits of such strategies are felt when they are successfully implemented through these elements. Even the best-conceived strategy may fail when the stakeholders like employees, culture, or structure fail to coordinate or implement as expected. The following study considers and analyzes how Overstock Company implements its current strategy in order to realize the success it so desires.

Overstock Company has specialized in the online retailing trade, and it has grown over time to be a leader in this business sector. It has developed a large market share and made a name for its business empire. Overstock enjoys its success now because of implementing the control systems strategy in its approach to its online business. Amongst the three organization systems essential to controlling strategy implementation, the one most evident, which Overstock has fully embraced, is the information systems. In information systems, the company uses information technology and its advancing nature as a marketing platform and a channel of reaching out to its existing and potential customers. The Information Technology platform is used to provide link and information between manufacturers and retailers, control inventories, and streamline logistics and distribution of the goods and services. An appropriate IT system should be able to provide to an organization's clientele the right information in the right format and time.

Looking at Overstock's Information Technology System, it is a RightNow technology. Seemingly, Overstock embraced RightNow aware of the importance of good customer care services in the very competitive online retailing business world. This awareness follows the fact that one disappointment of the customer, online amounts to a complete loss of that customer and possibly others who will interact with that customer. The RightNow technology, which Overstock chose to use in its Information System, is capable of responding to its clientele effectively, efficiently and quickly. This capability applies whether the clients are using a phone, email or the web. This technology provides an appropriate interaction platform between Overstock and its clients, which provides its managers with sufficient information necessary for critical decision making in the company.

I believe the Overstock's choice of the information system tactic effectively supports its strategy at appropriately. With constant and sophisticated technological advancements especially in the world of information system, most people are now reachable within a click of a button. That means that many people can be found on the information technology platform by phone, web, or emails. Overstock's choice is strategic given the nature of its business orientation. The use of the RightNow technology moved Overstock Company to position four, on the National Retail Federation's list of the 150 highest-rated companies, from the point of nonappearance on that list. This eminent and commendable performance already confirms that the information systems strategy was the best, and is already working for Overstock.