Enterprise Collaboration Portal
AutoTrader.com, created in 1997 and headquartered in Atlanta, is the Internet’s leading auto classifieds marketplace and consumer information website. AutoTrader.com aggregates information in a single location on over three million new cars, used cars, and certified pre-owned cars from thousands of auto dealers and private sellers; the site attracts more than 14 million unique monthly visitors. Through innovative merchandising functionality such as photos, videos, detailed descriptions, and comprehensive research and compare tools, AutoTrader.com unites new and used car buyers with sellers online, improving the way people research, locate, and advertise vehicles. AutoTrader.com is a majority-owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises. The venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers is also an investor.
Business Challenge
Many companies that undergo rapid growth experience a corresponding increase in the number of tools required to support the business. As the number of systems increases, the overhead necessary to support those systems expands beyond the point of achieving a solid return on investment. AutoTrader.com realized the company had reached that point and wanted to consolidate internal collaboration and productivity tools. One candidate for consolidation and functional enhancement was the corporate intranet. AutoTrader.com required a platform that was extensible and capable of supporting both existing functionality and new desired functionality. To aid in user adoption, AutoTrader.com needed the replacement collaboration platform to be easy-to-use, allowing for frequent content administration.
Solution Approach
After a thorough review of AutoTrader.com’s requirements, Northridge recommended migration of the existing Plumtree intranet to the Microsoft SharePoint platform. Migrating to the SharePoint platform allowed replication of the existing intranet functionality while providing additional functionality to power new internal collaborative efforts. Northridge addressed specialized AutoTrader.com functional requirements by leveraging the Microsoft .NET Framework to develop custom components that plug into the SharePoint platform. To ensure intranet security, permissions, and accessibility, Northridge leveraged AutoTrader.com’s existing Microsoft Active Directory environment. (Note that Plumtree is now known as Oracle WebCenter via the Oracle acquisition of BEA Systems and the BEA AquaLogic product line).
Results Delivered
The rollout of the SharePoint intranet for AutoTrader.com has proven successful with a seamless migration from Plumtree to SharePoint. The new SharePoint intranet provides the ability to delegate content authoring—ensuring content is dynamic and fresh—and provides information to users without IT delays. The AutoTrader.com management teams leverage custom SharePoint approval workflows for content governance and accuracy. The roles and permissions enabled through Active Directory allow for collaboration across the organization and its regions. The custom .NET components and integration with external training sites, wikis, and blogs create a single point for internal collaboration across all AutoTrader.com teams.