Service
Function
Link
Area 1
ACCOUNTS/BILLING
Financial processes become more streamlined, small business processing can be centralised and simplified. Paper processing will be reduced and in some cases eliminated. Accounts and billing information can be made available over the internet to customers and suppliers and orders and payments generated electronically.
Area 2
INVENTORY CONTROL
Systems can be open ended so that both the supply and demand ends of the supply chain have a clear view of data. Information flows more freely, and collaborative forecasting supports automatic replenishment processes
Area 3
PROCUREMENT
There are two views – e-procurement, a web-based system for internalpurchasing and procurement and i-procurement, a web-based system connected to the outside systems of vendors to automate procurement and payment. Processes are streamlined, the business has greater control over what it is purchasing and when and excess administration is eliminated. Bulk buying may also be made easier through e-procurement systems.
Area
4
HR
Intranets will give people access to staff information and web-enabled HR applications reduce the amount of paperwork previously required to complete HR functions like reimbursements. Expense account claims and travel validation processes can be automated, staff frustrations can be reduced. Find out about e-Recruitment
5
MARKETING
Marketing departments can be linked to the web-enabled systems of sales and supply areas, and with the systems of major partners and vendors. E-business systems can link with those of mail houses and call centres so that when a call is received, interlinked information is sent out to the customer automatically, and notification fed back to the marketing department
6
CRM
Customers will provide and keep updated their own information if there is an e-business mechanism - like a website - that acts as an entry point for that information. This is a significant advantage as many CRM systems fail to deliver due to the overheads required keeping the information in them up to date