Interactive Session: Running the Business from the Palm

Chapter 1 Interactive Session Organizations Running the Business from the wield of Your Hand Case Study Questions 1. What kinds of applications ar set forth here? What ancestry functions do they support? How do they improve operating(a) efficiency and finale making? Email, messaging, social meshing, and gross sales force management argon described in this case study. The applications support chore functions including collaboration, location-based dishs, and communications with colleagues.These applications improve operational efficiency and decision making by allowing people to communicate from wherever they argon. They are no longer tethered to one inject or one machine. They can receive teaching and info instantaneously which allows them to sack better, faster decisions. In the case of Doylestown Hospital, doctors employment iPhone applications to access medical summons applications, giving them a broader base of teaching on which to base decisions. 2. constitute the problems that line of productses in this case study solved by development alert digital machinations.TCHO Chocolate solved some of its operational and production problems by using iPhone apps to remotely log into each chocolate-making machine, control time and temperature, bout the machines on and off, and receive alerts about when to make temperature changes. The company owner remotely views several video cameras that show how the TCHO Flavor Lab is doing. Company employees fill in photos, email, and text messages via iPhone apps. GEs employees use iPhone and iPad apps that help them find patterns and trends in large volumes of data that may help alert them to problems before they buzz off serious enough to affect clients or suppliers.Monitoring apps let managers zoom in from a global map to a specific transformer and read name performance indicators at any time. Dow Corning managers analyze real-time data from pith corporate frames including sales figures, trends, and projections, using agile handheld devices. In 15 seconds I can halt a sense of whether theres a financial performance issue I need to get involved with, said Executive Vice President and Chief fiscal Officer Don Sheets. Sunbelt Rentals have multiple systems and databases into a single software product program for its sales teams.Rather than accessing several contrasting computer systems for information, sales agents receive combined information from corporate point-of-sale systems, inventory control and management systems, and enterprise systems, for a truly integrated view of business functions. SAPs Business One mobile application sends alerts on specific events to sales managers, giving them real-time information about deviations from approved discounts, inventory availability, and in-stock products. 3. What kinds of businesses are just about likely to benefit from equipping their employees with mobile digital devices such as iPhones, iPads, and BlackBerrys?Any busine ss with a need to communication with nodes, suppliers, and business colleagues can benefit from equipping employees with mobile digital devices. Student answers go away vary as they relate their own experiences and knowledge of using mobile digital devices. Try to encourage the students creativity and imagination with this question. Here are a couple examples Insurance companies claims adjusters or agents writing new policies or updating old ones, can take pictures of billet as-is or thats been damaged, update data on the condition of a property, and document property damage for claims processing.Real estate agents can take pictures of homes for sale and send to prospective buyers, send information to other agents or prospective buyers and sellers, answer questions, and arrant(a) documents related to buying and selling property. Winemakers can receive up-to-date withstand forecasts, track crop information via GPS coordinates, store and access data on crop varieties for later an alysis, track employee productivity during harvest time, take pictures of crops to include in a database, and communicate with suppliers and customers. 4. One company deploying iPhones has said, The iPhone is not a game changer, its an industry changer.It changes the way that you can interact with your customers and with your suppliers. deal the implications of this statement. First and foremost, those that effectively and efficiently deploy mobile digital device engine room gain a huge competitive advantage everywhere those who do not use the engine room to stay in eternal touch with customers and suppliers. Sales and Marketing can take a give by not having access to information that can close business deals faster and more efficiently. Costs can increase without the ability to pass on suppliers and track product shipments, especially for those companies who use just-in-time supply chains.Interactive Session engineering UPS Competes Globally with Information Technology Ca se Study Questions 1. What are the inputs, processing, and outputs of UPSs software system tracking system? Inputs The inputs include package information, customer signature, pickup, slant, time-card data, reliable location ( enchantment en route), and billing and customer clearance documentation. Processing The data are transmitted to a central computer and stored for retrieval. Data are as well as reorganized so that they can be tracked by customer account, date, driver, and other criteria.Outputs The outputs include pickup and talking to times, location while en route, and package recipient. The outputs also include various reports, such as all packages for a specific account or a specific driver or route, as well as summary reports for management. 2. What technologies are apply by UPS? How are these technologies related to UPSs business schema? Technologies include handheld computers (DIADs), barcode scanning systems, wired and wireless communications networks, desktop c omputers, UPSs central computer (large mainframe computers), and storage technology for the package delivery data.UPS also uses telecommunication technologies for transmitting data through pagers and cellular phone networks. The company uses in-house software for tracking packages, calculating fees, maintaining customer accounts and managing logistics, as well as software to access the World Wide Web. UPS has used the same strategy for over 90 years. Its strategy is to fork out the best(p) service and lowest rates. One of the most visible aspects of technology is the customers ability to track his/her package via the UPS Web site.However, technology also enables data to seamlessly flow throughout UPS and helps streamline the workflow at UPS. Thus, the technology described in the scenario enables UPS to be more competitive, efficient, and profitable. The result is an information system solution to the business challenge of providing a high level of service with low prices in the f ace of mounting competition. 3. What strategic business objectives do UPSs information systems address? Operational excellence UPS has maintained leadership in small-package delivery services despite stiff competition from FedEx and the U. S.Postal trunk by investing heavily in advanced information technology. untested products, services, and business models In June 2009 UPS launched a new Web-based Post Sales rate Management System (OMS) that manages global service orders and inventory for critical move fulfillment. The system enables high-tech electronics, aerospace, medical equipment, and other companies anywhere in the universe that ship critical separate to quickly assess their critical parts inventory, determine the most optimal routing strategy to meet customer needs, place orders online, and track parts from the warehouse to the end user. Customer and supplier occasion Customers can download and print their own labels using special software provided by UPS or by acc essing the UPS Web site. UPS spends more than $1 jillion each year to maintain a high level of customer service while keeping costs low and streamlining its overall operations. amend decision making Special software creates the most efficient delivery route for each driver that considers traffic, weather conditions, and the location of each stop. UPS estimates its delivery trucks save 28 million miles and burn 3 million few gallons of fuel each year as a result of using this technology.To further increase cost savings and safety, drivers are trained to use 340 Methods developed by industrial engineers to optimize the performance of every parturiency from lifting and loading boxes to selecting a package from a shelf in the truck. militant advantage UPS is leveraging its decades of expertise managing its own global delivery network to manage logistics and supply chain activities for other companies. Its Supply Chain Solutions family provides a complete bundle of standardized se rvices to subscribing companies at a fraction of what it would cost to build their won systems and infrastructure. . What strategic business objectives do UPSs information systems address? UPS invests heavily in information systems technology to make its business more efficient and customer oriented. It uses an array of information technologies including barcode scanning systems, wireless networks, large mainframe computers, handheld computers, the Internet, and many different pieces of software for tracking packages, calculating fees, maintaining customer accounts, and managing logistics. You may want to high spot how UPS has had to change and adapt to new technologies to remain competitive. . What would happen if UPSs information systems were not available? Arguably, UPS might not be able to postulate effectively without technology. If the technology were not available, then UPS would, as it has through most of its history, attempt to provide that information to its customers, b ut at higher prices. From the customers perspective, these technologies provide value because they help customers complete their tasks more efficiently. Customers view UPSs technology as value-added services as opposed to increasing the cost of move packages.