Executive summary

NetApp, a leader in enterprise storage and data management, is a pioneer in online communities. They launched an online community years ago to support their customers from all around the world. The original goal of their community was to build a digital experience that cultivated relationships, conversations, and expertise. NetApp reassessed their long-term community goals, analyzed their data, and decided to pursue a new platform to support their customer-centric approach. NetApp onboarded a Khoros-powered community with the goals of achieving greater ROI and increasing customer engagement and satisfaction.

NetApp’s previous community platform and infrastructure did not meet their goal of being customer-focused. Prior to their relaunch with Khoros, their community was plagued with technical issues. They were unable to focus on connecting with customers because they were inundated with cumbersome upgrades and spam. In fact, spam was so pervasive on the platform that NetApp employed a separate vendor to manage the problem. Plus, they did not have the controls required to govern a robust and healthy community, so they knew they needed a massive overhaul. After a rigorous exploration process, NetApp selected a Khoros-powered community because it gave them the flexibility to make extensive customizations. Another benefit to choosing Khoros was the seamless bi-monthly technical upgrades, an important improvement from their previous community platform. Khoros also made it simple to measure community performance and engagement. The real-time information led to smarter decision-making based on hard data. The data has also helped NetApp prove the value of their community investment.

Now NetApp’s Khoros-powered community has a new look, a new platform, and a simplified structure. They made several upgrades to the platform including site search, improved social sharing and browser support, and they created a better mobile experience. Khoros gives NetApp a competitive advantage by allowing customers to provide peer-to-peer support, share best practices, and connect with other NetApp influencers.

“Our community sets us apart from the competition. It gives us operational efficiencies, our customers have a direct way to connect with NetApp subject matter experts, and prospects have a place to go to see what makes NetApp special.”

— Terri Peluso
Community Program Manager, NetApp