Case Study Analysis: Eco-Guardian's Dealings with WLL-Mart

This case study examines the business relationship between Eco-Guardian and WLL-Mart, addressing key questions about contract negotiation, supply chain management, and the impact of social media on B2B businesses. The analysis delves into the challenges faced by Eco-Guardian in dealing with the larger corporation, emphasizing the importance of securing favorable payment terms, delivery schedules, and product quality. It highlights the necessity for Eco-Guardian to synchronize its supply chain, maintain healthy cash flow, and establish long-term contracts with WLL-Mart. Furthermore, the study explores the benefits, prerequisites, and risks associated with the adoption of social media technologies in a B2B context, using examples like Maersk Line. It underscores the potential for increased sales, lead generation, and brand awareness through social media marketing while also cautioning against the risks of legal issues, lack of standardized procedures, and potential loss of control over brand assets. The assignment uses references to support the findings and conclusions.

RUNNING HEAD: ECO-GUARDIAN AND WLL-MART
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ECO-GUARDIAN AND WLL-MART
NAME OF THE STUDENT
NAME OF THE COLLEGE

ECO-GUARDIAN AND WLL-MART 2
Abstract
The following paper deals with a case study on Eco-Guardian and the Wal-Mart. The paper
will answer two questions related to the case study.

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Contents
Abstract......................................................................................................................................2
Question and answers.................................................................................................................4
References..................................................................................................................................6

ECO-GUARDIAN AND WLL-MART 4
Question and answers
Question 1) what should be done by the Eco-Guardian with regards to their dealing with the
Wal-Mart? Answer in detail.
The best deal for a supplier is not one where they can sell their products at the highest rate.
The other factors which affect the negotiation are payment terms, delivery time and the
quality of the commodity which is required by the client (in this case, Wal-Mart).
It is the world known fact that "bigger opportunities come with more significant risks"
but it is deals like this which make or breaks a small or medium based firm. It is evident for a
company of this little stature such as Eco-Guardian to feel that they are not big enough to
retaliate the “take or give away approach” of Wal-Mart, "not trusting their brand value and
many other reasons, but it is essential for the firm to understand what key advantage or
benefit its customer can gain because of the enterprise's product supply.
As, Jon Horsfield, a manager from a similar firm such as Eco-Guardian says that the entire
process of designing, producing, delivering and receiving the payment can take more than six
months at a stretch. Hence, it becomes difficult to see even a single penny until you bend over
backward (Goodfellow, 2016).
It is important that now, Eco-Guardian synchronizes its supply chain in a proper manner,
maintain a good cash flow by keeping a checklist of all the various stages and expected costs
and lastly contact Wal-Mart and create a supply contract of a minimum, three years to five
years.
It is quite alluring for small or medium sized firms to work with bigger clients
keeping aside the payment and contract terms but such things can land them into trouble later
on.

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Question 2) Giving clear examples, identify the benefits, prerequisites, and risks which may
outbreak due to adoption of social media technologies and the Internet in context of B2B
Contrary to the rapid growth of social media networking in marketing, advertising,
and B2C businesses, B2B business has been quite slow in grasping and embracing social
media marketing. Although, since, 2014 we have seen an escalating usage of social media for
B2B businesses right from Maersk to General Electric and many more companies in a bid to
build awareness, recruit more employees and generate leads. As per a survey (2015) by
AdAge, B2B businesses have implemented plans for increasing their digital spending up to
80% this year which was previously 67%.
Some of the benefits of social media marketing are that B2B business can create more
sales for itself, generate more lead and also huge volumes of profits. For example, one of the
biggest and most popular bulk shipping and container company, Maersk Line has integrated
social media marketing deep into its system. This has been done with the help of more than
30 leveraged, local as well as global accounts.
Few of the risks and repercussions for B2B business are that social media exposes or
promotes their clients through the usage of social media, ignorance of local legal rules and
regulation can land them into trouble at times, the online marketing teams have not yet been
given a set procedure or protocol which they should follow, hence, it mean, the organization
needs to work in the grey area. The level of getting sued is high, and there is no surety of
being insured even if the firm has been doing everything in a correct manner. It is peculiar to
notice that most of the official accounts of these B2B businesses are set up by interns or
employees or marketing agencies which mean that the ownership of these accounts along
with all the followers remains in their hands also, which can backfire (Marsh, 2014).

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References
Goodfellow, C. (2016, March 31). Manufacturing: How to win and service big contracts.
Retrieved June 25, 2016, from http://www.thepitch.uk/manufacturing-how-win-and-service-
big-contracts
Marsh, E. (2014, April). 7 serious business and legal risks of B2B social media marketing.
Retrieved June 25, 2016, from http://blog.hubspot.com/insiders/legal-risks-of-social-media-
marketing