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To understand what's possible in a converged network environment when
communications and business processes are no longer separated, consider the
impact of communications enablement on two very different but commonplace sets
of business processes:
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Sales processes, which are largely communications-driven
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Supply chain management processes, which are extensively data-driven
In sales, latency in communications is the make-or-break factor for many deals.
If a sales manager is working to close a major new deal but doesn't know about
supply or product issues the customer is experiencing or when they will be
fixed, then an aggressive competitor can take advantage and win the business.
By proactively engaging the right sales managers in resolution processes with
the right product, supply and even transportation people, CEBP ensures that
everyone is in the loop. Removing latency allows sales managers to communicate
more proactively with their customers and ensure new deals get closed.
In today's highly interdependent supply chains, businesses now find it
essential to remove latency and respond immediately to exceptions when the
supply chain breaks down. In day-to-day operations, enterprise resource
planning (ERP) and supply chain management systems (SCM) are the primary tools
for managing far-flung, often global supply chains and maintaining Just-in-Time
inventories. But what happens when inevitable breakdowns occur? Humans need to
intervene. Reaction time is critical - the breakdown event must be detected, as
quickly as possible, and the right person or people must be notified through
any communications means necessary. This is where CEBP comes in to action.
Gwyne Wade, Vice President for the new CEBP solutions at Avaya, discusses
additional CEBP examples in her article later in this newsletter. Customer case
studies including Whirlpool in the consumer manufacturing area and Computer
Resources in the healthcare area can also be found at
www.avaya.com/cebp.
Communications enabled business processes are new to most CIOs and enterprise
technology managers — so while these managers are eager to move forward,
the key question often is "where and how to start?" Typically, the low-hanging
fruit includes processes that are strategic, have undesired latency, and offer
strong return on investment that can fuel communications enablement of
additional processes.
Defining strategic goals and examining how process latency impacts these goals
is usually a useful starting point. For instance, strategic objectives may
include improving disaster recovery, customer satisfaction, employee
productivity, or supply chain agility. In the past, achieving the goal of
removing human latency from these key processes has required extensive and
expensive communications expertise, along with the ability to take a holistic
view of business and communications processes. Now however, with service
oriented architecture (SOA) that encapsulate complex capabilities in simple,
standards-based service wrappers, businesses have the opportunity to integrate
previously disparate communications and data applications more quickly and cost
effectively.
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| Articles on Communications Enabled
Business Processes
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John
Muir Health Network Enhances Doctor-to-Doctor Communication and Makes Hospitals
More Efficient
