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... presentative's are visiting. The effect on stock levels. Requirements Definition The purpose of the Requirements Definition is to specify from the end-users perspective what functionality they expect and would like from the application in order to use it to do their respective jobs and achieve the business goals. Functional Requirements Marketing Parameter driven queries across the Customer Profile, Sales and Stock and the Finance databases, e. g.
Daily reports on changes to the customer database. Data mining reports looking for correlations which give high sales. Buying Department Decision Support (DSS) for the buying staff identifying value added products / services to clients requiring these and suggesting an order quantity from sales history. Sales Representatives Automated reporting to a sales representative of any information sent to his / her clients. A one-form lookup of any client detailing credit status, last campaigns sent out and last update to the client database. Managers A post campaign report, giving details of stock purchases / sales , clients targeted, staff involved and monetary sales / margins recorded.
Sources of Data Minimal, if any, duplication of manual data entry is allowed. The required system will be able to access available data from the existing information systems with electronic application interfaces (API): CODA in finance for credit and trading terms. CSD provided ERP for the product and sales databases. The data collected for the customer profiling will form a new database within a new or existing IS system. Again this must have the same access (API) and information-sharing capabilities as the other databases being used. The client data also requires a input from the sales success of previous targeted campaigns, as such the client data will be cyclical i.
e. any previous marketing activity will directly influence any future marketing activity. Scaleable user interfaces. Inputs Manual inputs will be required from sales staff, marketing staff and the clients. The levels of IT understanding from staff internal to the business are high. All staff are trained in using any of the companies information systems.
However the levels of understanding from the clients are likely to be varied, therefore the input needs to be via Graphic User Interface for customers and a fast, less graphical, access for staff Inputs access from PCs in each of the offices connected to the LAN, from remote laptop PCs (staff) via standard telephone lines and via the Internet for customers access to the client database. Outputs For high level users, selected output formats is required: visual on screen, paper based for manual review and CSV files (comma separated text files) for manipulation into spreadsheets, presentations etc. For low level users paper reports and visual reports are required. Field based staff require visual reports that can easily be viewed on a laptop PC screen, as they do not have easy access to printers. Security All IT and IS systems linked internally or externally must sit behind the current firewall software provided by Cisco Systems. The system will be able to assign each user with unique level of access i.
e. tailor the input, process and output functions on an individual basis. The exact level of access will be requested by the staff and approved by Department Head and IT Manager. To ensure the integrity of the sales / stock and accounts databases the system will only be able to view and copy data from these areas. No write, delete or amend function will be possible from this system to these databases which are critical to the business. The company policy is to have access for writing, amending or deleting critical information to be strictly limited to within the company buildings.
This system is linked to the outside by the Internet and telephone connections and is therefore deemed to be at high risk to infiltration. All users will be assigned usernames and passwords for entry to the system. This may be the same as existing passwords for the sales and accounts systems. Clients will only have access to view or amend there own data fields within the customer data profile.
The exact list of which fields to show the marketing manager will supply. No client will have access to data or information from the sales or accounts databases. Data Protection. Any information on individuals may only be stored a contact name for the client. No personal details are to be stored. The company is not registered with Data Protection Registrar to use data in this manner.
The company requires all systems to comply with the 1998 Data Protection Act. Training and documentation. Full documentation on using the system is to be provided as part of the requirements. This information will be supported with interactive training modes built into the system. Startle IT staff will be kept informed and consulted will training requirements. Cost and Benefits Based on experience from previous IS projects, the cost for system development will be 5, 000.
This is based on the current CSD daily rates. This cost only includes development of software any additional hardware is not included, although it is unlikely that additional hardware will be required. The benefits will be to save costs involved in producing and sending marketing information to clients who do not need or want it. To create sales campaigns tailored to the clients needs and therefore increase sales. Startle are already seeing clients buying patterns switching to other distributors, the risk of not addressing these issues is financially greater than the cost of developing the system.
Conclusion This project would be represented in a prioritization exercise as: urgent but without a deadline. However, just because there is no deadline within the business does mean the project should fall behind others with a more logical deadline. The business is aware it is loosing clients and failure to tackle this will have a significant effect on sales and profitability. A 3 % drop in sales equates to a 17 % loss in margin if costs remain constant. This system will enable the sales and marketing departments to reduce costs whilst target more relevant campaigns to the clients.
It will give support to the buyers in their purchasing decisions and it will allow managers to monitor the sales and purchasing.
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Research essay sample on Marketing Activity Data Protection
