Introduction
A corporation introduces itself as Manabanit Motors Inc. and its fleet of cars, the new face that must be reintroduced to the high-tech sales and marketing world. Since the 1950s, the traditional Manabanit Automobile has existed. It was essentially a small company that averaged between 100,000 and 150,000 autos each year. As the years passed, the administration perfected the Manabanit Automobile Production System — this is the Asian method for obtaining mass production efficiencies with modest volumes.
Manabanit expanded to become export-focused and began to establish manufacturing facilities in several countries, including the United States, utilizing the notion of the Asian production system without implementing the current trend in Information Systems. Several of its managers initiated production-enhancing experiments. A Japanese manager introduced the production concepts of kaizen and kanban. Kaizen refers to constant improvement. (Imai, 1986, p. 2)
Engineers from Manabanit shortened or shortened some production phases to save time and increase flexibility. However, Manabanit engineers and automakers found the application of SFAS peculiar.
Manabanit was able to reap the benefits of the flexible manufacturing processes of the Manabanit Production System while it was still a struggling small business. The principle of continuous improvement is in fact ongoing and admirable. The corporation went global and created manufacturing facilities in numerous countries. Manabanit has retained its personnel, ensuring that employees remain with the company for an extended length of time despite the economic downturn. Additionally, the company has maintained and expanded its target market throughout time.
The company is a knowledge-based organization, but it is unclear how it would give this massive knowledge and information to its database. Manabanit must introduce the SFAS in order to go global and compete with other major automakers in the world. It has created a database of information, but this database must be web-enabled to accommodate the increasing number of clients who have had their unique autos appraised. Actually, these are Asian automobiles with an original design that are compact and lightweight, efficient, and inexpensive.
The salespeople are accustomed to the manual system, which requires the completion of flyers, booklets, and a great deal of paperwork. This is the reason why it has not adopted the new automation and SFAS, which would have reduced paperwork, enhanced the database, and reduced the amount of time spent on administrative tasks.
A consultant offered to Manabanit's management the reasons why the company should automate its system operations, but management opposed the proposal, stating that its salespeople are more effective than computers. In addition, it would necessitate more sales training and the purchase of desktops, laptops, and other mobile communications tools. The office would require new equipment for renovation.
Years passed, and the company's growth was consistent. Global corporations were forced to yield to the demands of the times. The Internet and information technology have gained popularity. The Internet was introduced. Manabanit Motors went online, created a website, and automated its expanding sales force as a result of the company's new administration, which consisted of young, ambitious executives. The company's loyal clients and stakeholders were becoming concerned about the availability of new, efficient salesmen. Customers desired to interact with the company over the Internet, but there was no means for them to do so other than through the traditional complaint desk staffed by an inefficient customer relations representative or by mail.
Here is Manabanit Motors's SFAS proposal.
Overview of the Application for the Sales-Force Automation System
This sales force automation system consists of marketing, customer support, product processing, and order entry. Additionally, applications include contact managers, which entails the automation of calendar and address book applications, databases, and workflow engines. Boehm and Jain (2007), on page 777
The applications can be linked to web-enabled goods that connect the mobile workforce, which consists of marketing analysts and customer sales reps who can give information about customers, products, and competitors. (Baran et al., 2008, p. 304)
Automation will reduce paper-intensive procedures, such as documenting and reporting of sales and service or customer order placement. Therefore, automation can improve targeted marketing, reduce expenses, and boost sales. SFAS can reduce the amount of tedious paperwork and paper ledgers and brochures. (Docstoc.com, 2009)
In addition, this will enable the use of PCs, laptops, mobile communication, and cutting-edge technology. Manabanit Motors is certain of receiving a return on investment (ROI) as quickly as feasible. Customers can have close interactions with salespeople. They are able to log consumer interactions and input all necessary data into the system. The benefits of utilizing SFAS range from cost savings to an increase in consumers for the business.
CRM systems or the use of the internet to support and respond to consumer requirements and complaints expedites customer care. Online billing minimizes the use of paper invoices. Utilizing the internet through the organization's website is one way for the corporation to save millions of dollars and reduce client effort. There will be increased engagement between customers and corporate representatives as a result of the company's utilization of their website's customer service. Customer service is available around-the-clock, seven days per week. That is a significant amount of time and cost savings for the organization, as well as an increase in client interaction that will increase customer satisfaction. Customers can use their credit cards to pay their bills through the websites. This procedure saves time and money compared to visiting the company's billing office. With online invoicing and payments, the cycle is reduced from over a month to approximately six days.
Other businesses also utilize instant messaging (or text messaging) to respond to client complaints and product feedback.
The majority of sales-force automation solutions require field-based salespeople or company representatives to utilize notebook computers that contain customer information and other vital data. The laptop is pre-loaded with data manipulation and form-filling software that is conveniently accessible to salespeople. Personal digital assistants (PDAs) are portable devices that link organizational information systems via the internet. The field sales representative can quickly connect online to the company's information systems, allowing for the automatic storage of information and data. Product information that the customer and sales representative may choose to discuss on the spot is readily accessible. The salespeople can enter all the necessary information into the company's system and main office, forward this information to the order-processing department or to the manufacturing unit if the customer desires a custom-made product, and the manufacturing unit can prepare the product in the shortest time possible.
Using PDAs and other mobile communication technologies, salespeople can connect to the internet to verify costs, confirm the availability of the customer's desired products, and immediately place an order. The salesmen can place the order from the field without returning to the office.
The proposed Manabanit data flow diagram
This data flow diagram's strength is that it depicts the system's overall structure without the specifics of the many steps and operations. This is highly significant in a company's vertical structure when the company's upper echelons oversee the system directly, including salespeople and field employees. It is more essential when presenting systems to management and other business professionals.
DFD diagram Context Level for Manabanit Motors' makeshift SFAS
This is a simple diagram consisting of two entities: the customer and the Manabanit Motors customer information and validation system, as well as the customer registration procedure.
The process begins with the customer's online registration and product order (ex. Manabanit car). It then flows to the process of accepting orders from clients (at one of the stores), which is validated as 'valid or invalid orders', i.e., the system verifies whether the order corresponds to products available from the stock inventory or products made by the company. (Holden, 1992, p. 164)
If the order is valid and the goods is in stock, the Manabanit database will validate and send the customer a letter of approval.
DFD diagram at Level 0
Level 0 describes in full the procedure by which the customer sends a hard copy of the Order form. The customer will fill out the form that provides the product description he or she wishes to order. The order is subsequently transferred to the company's customer service department. The order is then validated by company personnel to determine if it is valid or invalid. If the order does not fulfill the requirements, such as the product not being in stock or the customer already having credit, the order is denied and sent back to the client, while the process is recorded in the "rejected customer database." If the order is valid, a letter of offer alerting the customer that the order has been accepted is issued, and the procedure is recorded in the customer database.
DFD diagram at Level 1
The procedure at Level 1 involves the internal workings of order processing. Customer support enters the order into the database for verification. If so, the order is accepted and a letter of offer to the customer is issued, alerting the consumer that the order has been accepted. If the order is invalid, the customer is sent a rejection notice. The procedure is recorded in the client database.
DFD Diagram at Level 2
The order flow details include billing information that travels to another procedure called "invoices." In addition to client information and order details, the'receive orders from customers' process contains additional information that may result in the delivery of the automobile. This is because Manabanit Motors also accepts custom-built orders from consumers, and the subsequent step is either manufacturing or warehousing (but it can also be from the warehouse).
Conclusion
This new SFAS has many advantages over the company's previous system, which was not web-enabled. The invoice-to-payment period was not shortened; the customer was required to pay for the product at the branch office. This innovative approach facilitates the payment of parts or components and cars via Internet-based order processing. Customers are able to pay with credit cards.
SFAS delivers the organization process simplification. As the previous management had anticipated, this appeared to add complexity to the company's procedures, a great deal of effort and training, and additional costs. However, the complexity proved to be a simplification and made the salespeople's work simple. In the field, salespeople can immediately input a great deal of information about customers, the environment, and problems that may not yet exist, but which they can foresee. In addition, staff and management can assess the operation, market behavior, and unforeseen challenges within the organization. Management and staff can immediately implement measures and provide solutions. This is also a form of risk management. SFAS has much more work to do in international business.
References
Baran, R. J, Galka, R. J. and Strunk, D. P., 2008. Relationship management with customers. 304. Thomson South-Western, Mason, Ohio.
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Project termination does not equal project failure, according to Boehm (2000). (2000). Software engineering: Barry W. Boehm's lifetime contributions to software development, management, and research. Edited by R. Selby. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New Jersey, page 737.
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Docstoc.com, 2009. Web-based DFD (Data Flow Diagram) Examples.
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M. Imai, Kaizen, London: Random House, 1986, p. 2.
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Value-based software engineering was published in 2007 by K. J. Sullivan. Software engineering: Barry W. Boehm's lifetime contributions to software development, management, and research. Edited by R. Selby. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New Jersey, page 731.
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