BAS6434 Advanced Accounting
Information Systems
11
Tutorial #11
Question 1
Quickfix is rapidly losing business, and management wants to redesign its computer repair
processes and procedures to decrease costs and increase customer service. Currently, a
customer needing help calls one of five regional service centers. A customer service
representative records the relevant customer information, finds the closest qualified
technician, and calls the technician’s cell phone to see whether the repair fits into his or her
schedule. If not, the representative finds the next closest technician. When a technician is
located, customer repair information is provided over the phone. The technician calls the
customer and arranges to pick up the computer and replace it with a loaner. Making these
arrangements takes one to two days and sometimes more if technicians are not available or
do not promptly return calls.
If a broken computer cannot be quickly repaired, it is sent to a repair depot. These repairs
take another four to seven days. If problems arise, it can take up to two weeks for an item
to be repaired. When a customer calls to see whether the computer is ready, the service
representative calls the technician to find out the status and calls the customer back. The
repair process usually takes five phone calls between the customer, the service
representative, and the technician.
There are several problems with this process that have led to a significant drop in business:
(1) it is time-consuming; (2) it is inconvenient for a customer to have a computer removed,
a new one installed, and then the old one reinstalled; and (3) service representatives do not
have immediate access to information about items being repaired. Quickfix decides to use
BPM principles to redesign its business processes.
Required:
a. Identify the repair processes that occur and decide which should be redesigned.
b. Describe how the repair process can be redesigned to solve the three problems
identified.
c. What benefits can be achieved by redesigning the repair process?
1
Question 2
Meredith Corporation publishes books and magazines, owns and operates television
stations, and has a real estate marketing and franchising service. Meredith has 11 different
systems that do not communicate with each other. Management wants an executive
information system that provides them with the correct and timely information they need
to make good business decisions. Meredith has decided to use prototyping to develop the
system.
Required:
a. Identify three questions you would ask Meredith personnel to determine systems
requirements. What information are you attempting to elicit from each question?
b. Explain how prototyping works. What would the system developer do during the
iterative process step? Why would you want the fewest iterations possible?
c. Suppose the company decides the prototype system is not practical, abandons it, and
takes some other approach to solving its information problem. Does that mean
prototyping is not a valid systems development approach? Explain your answer?
Question 3
Nielsen Marketing Research (NMR), with operations in 29 countries, produces and
disseminates marketing information. Nielsen has been the primary supplier of decision
support information for more than 70 years. NMR’s most recognizable product is the
Nielsen television ratings. Nielsen is one of the largest users of computer capacity in the
United States. Its information system consistently ranks above average in efficiency for its
industry. NMR hired IBM to evaluate outsourcing its information processing. NMR
wanted to know whether outsourcing would allow it to concentrate on giving its customers
value-added services and insights, increase its flexibility, promote rapid growth, and
provide it with more real-time information.
What are the benefits and risks of outsourcing for NMR?