Report Requirements:
Item 7:  What IT features/systems do you need to support your enterprise?  

 

a.  Enterprise Resource Processing 

In order to run our business smoothly, we would need Enterprise Resource Processing (ERP) to integrate all of our business activities.  One such ERP we could use is the Oracle Database Enterprise Edition, which would help with things like data mining, online analytical processing (OLAP), and data warehousing.   

b.  Features needed for online business transactions 

To conduct business online, we would need online transaction processing so that multiple users can buy from us at the same time.  We would need a system that is able to process multiple transactions simultaneously and immediate respond to the requests of our users.  Our transaction processing system (TPS) would include payroll management, sales and order processing, inventory management, product purchasing, receiving, and shipping, and accounts payable and receivable.   

Also, to ensure our customers’ safety and privacy, we will need to have security technology for secure transactions.  We will use technological protections such as encryption and firewalls so that our customers’ private information stays safe. 

c.  Features needed for personalized services 

To create our personalized services for members, we would need a SQL Database Management System so that users can do things like query which guests have already RSVP-ed and add in calendar events. 

d.  Customer Service 

To communicate with our customers, we will use mailing lists (listservs) to send out mass emails about our specials to our dedicated customers.  In providing customer service, we will also need to implement Internet relay chat (IRC) so that consumers can communicate in real-time with a customer service representative. 

For first-time customers, we will have a tutorial for ordering from our site, so we will use Flash technology to create an attractive and easy-to-follow animated tutorial. 

e.  Customer Relationship Management 

To enhance customer relationships, we would also need a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) database to keep track of our customers’ information such as addresses and birthdays, and preferences based on what they buy.  CRM software will allow us to gather and analyze customer data.   Through this, we will be able to offer our customers products that fit their individual preferences. 

As mentioned in item 5, we also would need web statistics to see which products are most popular and which may need to be discontinued.

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