| A good carpenter will have a workshop full of tools. | | | | for them a custom application from the ground up. |
| He or she will also understand their intricacies and | | | | Being price contentious however, this corporation |
| when to utilize them. And, they know that each item | | | | elected to use one of this BI company's previously |
| was designed to be used for the completion of a | | | | developed products and adapt their business |
| specific task. Thus, choosing the right device, will not | | | | processes to meet the needs of this software instead |
| only get the job done, but it will get the job done quickly | | | | of the other way around. So over the course of |
| and effectively. Business Intelligence should viewed | | | | several months, they flew group after group of |
| similarly as a set of tools. Just like the carpenter, these | | | | employees into the corporate office for training. Then, |
| implements can only be effective when their trades | | | | multiple attempts to transition over to the new system |
| person uses them wisely. For the sake of productivity | | | | were made, only to find productivity fall sharply |
| and quality, they should only be implemented to | | | | because of the increased need in labor to complete |
| perform the task they were designed to complete. | | | | their new procedures. Needless to say, it was an |
| All to often, Business Intelligence is thought of, and | | | | extremely expense failure. |
| even marketed as an all encompassing instrument for | | | | Sad thing is, they ultimately decided to permanently |
| understanding the complexities of a business' needs. | | | | implement that new system. Perhaps because they |
| However, there is no "canned" solution to Business | | | | spent to much on it to let it go. Maybe they still believe |
| Intelligence. How can a software give insight into a | | | | that if they can make it work, all of their problems will |
| large high tech business, if it was originally developed | | | | be magically be solved. I can not be certain, but I do |
| for the a small widget manufacturer? Buying an | | | | know where things at least started to go wrong. |
| out-of-the-box BI software will, in most cases, do | | | | When they ignored the fact that their business is |
| nothing more than cause excess stress. In order for a | | | | unique. In order for them to make good choices, their |
| product to provide insight into a business, it must be | | | | decision makers need different information than |
| tailored for that business. | | | | another company might. |
| I am aware of an large international corporation who | | | | Every company needs to take into account their |
| underwent a total business process makeover. They | | | | distinguishing characteristics before beginning any BI |
| wanted to give the administrative and accounting | | | | journey. Something as seeming minute as how the |
| personal, greater insight into the day to day running of | | | | business entity is structured may be the difference |
| each of their US installation offices. That way they | | | | between success or failure. Even the decisions making |
| could find ways to save the company money. Either | | | | process should be taken into account. |
| by limiting expenses through consolidating offices, | | | | Ultimately, Business Intelligence has no value unless the |
| inventory, and/or personnel or through streamlining | | | | right tools are used for each specific business' needs. It |
| business processes. So they enlisted the help of a | | | | is likely that no one solution will most effectively meet |
| major Business Intelligence firm to provide a solution | | | | the needs of more than one organization. Therefore it |
| that would give them that visibility. | | | | is vitally important to have a product that is customized |
| It was recommended that they have this firm create | | | | on a case by case basis. |