The Role Of Data And Information Systems In Apple, Vail Ski Resort, And Walmart
Apple’s customer centric approach with data
Data is important for Apple since with an effective use of available data, Apple aims in improving the customer satisfaction. Apple invests heavily on research to gather customer centric data, which is further used in development of products with improved facilities such as iPad. iPad is able to multitask, that allows the customers to read a webpage and simultaneously download a webpage in background. The continuous research enables Apple to track the use of programs and products. iPad is mainly designed with exposed screen and a separate keyboard that is specifically built for accessories. With a strategic use of data, information and business intelligence, Apple gain a business benefit of tracking the use of its products and programs. This step helps in tracking whether the Apple products are being used or accepted by the consumers. It is important for Apple to collect those data to improve their future products and understand their customers’ preferences.
Considering Apple’s latest release the iPad, it can be said that iPad is more of a customer centric product as it is designed according to the preferences of the customers. A bit more than a decade ago, Apple was almost on a brink of bankruptcy. However, with development of unique and innovative products, Apple could gain competitive advantage in the market. Thus, it is important for Apple to collect data, information and knowledge so that it can improve their products specification and design customer centric products.
Apple achieved business success by collecting data, knowledge and information about the products and the customers’ preferences. With the collection of these data, Apple could develop more customer centric products. Apple could achieve business success with the use of information technology and continuous improvement. The collection of such data helped the company in achieving the same. Furthermore, the collection and use of such data helped the company to track the sales, hours of working, employee turnover and inventory demand. These information helped Apple in perfectly managing their new and old products and in invention of new products according to the needs of the customer, such as the iPad. According to the planned business technology research, the staffs of Apple could collect and analyze the customers’ data in an efficient manner. Earlier, the managers use to manually collect and analyze data which was a time consuming and complicated task.
With the use of Information Technology, Apple could achieve business success since the managers were more competent to the business function thereby making the organization departments more effective. With the collection of data, the Apple was able to provide best customers’ service since the organization is more interested and involved in ensuring customers’ satisfaction. Since an organization cannot success without the involvement of customers, it is the strategic plan of Apple to collect customers’ data to improve their business strategy.
Vail Ski Resort‘s use of information systems in ski operations
With the implementation of customer relationship management system, Apple will be able to gain information about customers’ data to gain an insight to the customers’ expectations. The customer relationship management can help Apple to gain an insight to customers’ expectations about a particular product of Apple. This will further help the company in integrating other ideas, processes and possibilities into their products to develop innovative products. The integration of customers’ needs and expectations will ensure that customers are getting the products according to their expectations. For example, iPad has been developed considering the needs of the customers. With this Apple device, a customer can download applications, check email and play music with ease. The device has been designed according to the needs of the customer which could have been possible with the collection of data from CRM. The implementation of CRM will help in business growth as well. The arrival of iPad resulted in simultaneous expansion of the network of accessories as well. iPad was designed with an exposed screen and without a camera. Thus it is clear that it was specifically built for accessories. Thus, it can be said that Apple can gain business intelligence through implementation of customer relationship management system.
An information system is software that helps in organizing and analyzing the data. The use of different information system is prominent in Vail Ski Resort which is the largest single mountain ski resort in United States. The presence of different information system is noticed in managing the entire operation and business of Vail Ski Resort.
One of such information system is transaction processing system. With the transaction processing system, the company collect basic data that includes details about the number of skiers who are using lift at a time, number of tickets sold. This is possible by since Vail make use of Radio Frequency Identification in their lift tickets and ski passes. The EpicMix social media program enables the organization to scan the tickets and passes at the base of each lift. After scanning the data is automatically transferred to the EpicMix application. The application can be easily accessed by a Smartphone or a computer. Apart from the transaction processing system, Vail makes use of management information systems as well to make instantaneous decisions. Vail implemented SAS intelligence software in order to collect and manage the customers’ data more efficiently. The collection and storage of customers’ data helps in easier analysis and anticipation of the customers desires which results in greater business benefits.
Walmart’s adoption of information technology for inventory and sales management
The use of different information system helps in improved business operations as well. Since the customers’ data can be easily collected and analyzed with the information system such as SAS customer Intelligence software, the company could easily get hold of the customers’ data and their preferences. The data obtained from the information system can be used to target the customers who are most likely to return. With an accurate data of the customers, the officials could identify their target customers. This could be used for business benefit as well. The anticipated customers can have more amenities than others and might be entitled to get more attractive offers. This is a business strategy by Skies to identify the loyal customers. The collection of customers’ data will help in easier decision making as well. The information systems ensure that executives can use data for better decision making. The improved decision making enables better business profit since the need and the demands of customers can be easily tracked. This is possible since the information systems in Vail are able to collect more accurate information which helps in making accurate long term as well as short term decision making. The collection and analysis of data will help in designing marketing campaigns targeting the needs of the customers. Thus improvement in system operation and business can be achieved.
The information systems support decision making by accurate data collection and storage. The data stored in information systems help in appropriate designing of the marketing campaigns, thus increasing the customers’ reach. Vail should focus on marketing campaigns more since it will work for increasing the customers’ reach and in improving the business benefits. Since the organization can easily track the customers’ need and demands, the decision making process becomes easier and efficient for the organization. The easier decision making helps in providing quality services to the customers as well. The data about the customers, tickets and the booking are simultaneously added in the decision making system and data management system, thereby improving the decision making process.
The three different decisions that can be supported by the system include decisions about marketing, decisions about providing additional benefits to the loyal customers. The loyal customers can be tracked with the help of data stored in the system. Apart from that, the decisions about the marketing campaigns can be easily taken with those information systems.
The use of different IT and IS in Walmart can help in faster communication and data processing. The use of information technology can help in speeding up the time taken for development of new products and assigning those products in the market. Walmart have always been known for developing high tech information technology and using it as an essential ingredient for better market growth. The use of information technology for better inventory management and suppliers’ management is common in Walmart. The use of information system in Walmart enables the organization in better decision making as well. Furthermore, the Walmart has developed a well equipped and computerized Point of sales system as well for better management of the sales. The point of sale system has helped Walmart in achieving the world’s largest market share and revenues. Walmart has been first in the retail industry that adopted the use of electronic radio frequency identification tags for better inventory management. The use of RFID has enabled the organization is better management and tracking of the inventory items.
The use of information technology provides best shopping experiences to the customers and which acts for better business benefit. Walmart make use of cutting edge technology to maintain good customers’ relation, which is another significant advantage of this technology. Furthermore, the Walmart stores have latest wireless systems that help in easier information management.
In order to improve the services it offers, Walmart has strategically implemented the concept of self service in business. However, there were certain challenges associated with the CIO. The most important challenges that were being faced were the problems with the research and the development of the CIO. However, the company was able to address these problems quite efficiently.
Information technology plays a significant role in business. It helps in easier management of different business processes. For the business of WalMart, information technology plays a significant role in improving the customers’ reach and increasing the customers’ satisfaction by development of Smartphone Apps. Furthermore, Walmart allows its customers to place online orders that improve the customers’ satisfaction. The use of information system helps Walmart in speeding up the business processes. Walmart has ranked among the first retailers in Fortune Magazine. Walmart makes use of high tech information technology as an essential ingredient for the growth of Walmart. With the use of information technology, the process of information tracking becomes easier as well.
Walmart has made use of information technology in developing better business strategies. The use of information technology helps in easier tracking of the inventory and sales data along with easier management of the customers’ need. Since the customers’ need can be easily tracked and understood, it is easier for Walmart to develop business strategies in an effective manner. For example, the data about the sales and customer preferences enables Walmart to offer more customer centric products. The goods that have high demands are the most profitable ones as well and therefore, accurate data about those products increases the profit margin of the company. Furthermore, with the use of information technology and information system, Walmart has been able to reduce the operational and maintenance cost to large extent thereby increasing the profits and revenues from the business. Thus technology has helped the business of Walmart to bloom as it helped the company to develop efficient business strategies.
Information systems are an integral part of any company or business. Information systems generally processes data from company inputs for managing different operations within the organization. The use of information system therefore helps in effective management of operations at different levels thus reducing the load of manual labors. Furthermore, the use of information systems helps in easier decision making. Easy and effective decision making helps in developing effective business strategies, which in turn contributes to the growth of the company. The use of information system further helps in effective problem solving as all the required data are present in one place. The use of an information system helps in organizing the business data in one place that helps in efficient problem solving. The use of high tech information technology and information system worked for Walmart in a positive manner, which can be cited as one of the most important benefits of use of information systems in organization.
SCM or supply chain management is a technique for efficient management of goods and services associated with an organization. the term supply chain management encapsulates a broad range of activities that include acquiring of raw materials, production of goods and delivering the final product to the customers. An effective supply chain management can benefit Zappos in a number of ways. For better management of the business and for facilitating the supplier partner relationship, the supply chain management data is shared with the suppliers.
CRM or customer relationship management helps in developing and maintaining good relationship with the customers. It is a strategy that helps in easier management of an organization’s relationship with its customers as well as with its potential customers.
The implementation of a CRM system or software can benefit Zappos in a number of ways. Zappos is known for providing efficient services to its customers. With the implementation of a CRM, Zappos can control the customers’ query and solve them in a more effective manner. Zappos receives 5000 calls per day from its customers and therefore it is quite clear that the company needs an efficient CRM system in place for better management of the customers’ relationship with the company.
Zappos would need to implement SCM, CRM and ERP for a connected corporation mainly to ensure that with business growth, the business data are correctly organized. Appropriate SCM helps in easier tracking of goods and supplies. Apart from that the CRM helps in efficient customers’ management. All the data related to customers can be easily tracked and fetched with the help of a CRM. ERP or an enterprise resource planning g software is equally important to integrate all the essential and important business process, which further helps in easier management of the same. Thus it is quite clear that Zappos would need to implement SCM, CRM and ERP for a connected corporation.
The merger with Amazon and Zappos prove to be a huge business benefit for Zappos as the customers’ reach for the organization increased by a considerable extent. Although the merger between Zappos and Amazon had enlarged the economy scale for both the companies, there are certain issues, Zappos customers can face. Variation in strategic goals of can result in customers’ not getting the same treatment that they are used to. Amazon might have a different strategy of customer management which the existing customers of Zappos might not be aware of.
The supply chain management system of Amazon is systematic which Zappos can make use of in order to increase the sales and the customers’ satisfaction. Accurate inventory and in stock data can be communicated with the customers in real time with the help of supply chain management system of Amazon, which has the capability of increasing the sales and customers’ satisfaction.