Johannesburg, 08 Jan 2004
Business intelligence (BI) VARs and resellers can add significantly to the business value of their customers by introducing them to appropriate BI strategies.
This is the view of Annette Hieber, sales and marketing director at Bytes Business Solutions. She says a thorough understanding of a customer`s business is key.
"The verticalisation of BI solutions into specific market sectors is an important aspect of the BI sales process," she stresses. "In fact, it is a requirement for BI solution providers if they are to maintain a competitive-edge in the marketplace, entrench their positioning, expand market share and limit new intrusions into their territory by other companies."
According to Hieber, BI is one of the most significant by-products of the e-commerce revolution, which focused on the integration of data and its widespread availability to all parties in the supply chain.
"No company can function effectively if various departments, divisions or branches operate in isolation. The same can be said of the supply chain.
"More importantly, if any one link in the supply chain is ignorant of the requirements of the marketplace - and the outside forces impacting on it - then they will be sluggish in reacting to it, and the door will be opened to competitors with superior business intelligence," she says.
BI vendors need to find real business value for their customers, in the creation of business opportunities for them. For example, the information gathered by medical insurance companies from medical claims has intrinsic value to other suppliers in the value chain.
"And details of airline passenger buying patterns and behaviour gathered by airports companies has value to airlines and other related service organisations.
"Many examples exist where information is used to great effect to enhance businesses in the supply chain. There is one condition: BI data must be obtained correctly and packaged efficiently."
Turning to BI resellers, Hieber says consultative selling skills, including business analysis capabilities, are central to the skills portfolio of any BI channel player.
"A close look at the lifecycle of the relationship with the customer shows that different skills at different phases are required. A significant amount of emphasis has to be placed on the ongoing value of BI to the customer," she adds.
"For this reason, the establishment of strategic account teams has become important. A `pure` sales focus is no longer sufficient. Account management and the need to align ourselves with our customers` strategic drives will ensure success for BI providers in the future."
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