There is no denying the fact that the global economy around the world is facing the recessionary heat which is being felt by every Organization – small or big, global or local. In such difficult times, Enterprise Owners become impatient in acquiring new customers and improving their diminishing bottom-line. The need of the hour however, is to concentrate on “Business Basics”. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) can definitely help enterprises in achieving that!

Let us briefly visit some of the action areas from business perspective that can help Businesses to perform better during Economic Downturn.

Up-Sell and Cross-Sell Opportunities

During the recessionary times, the most effective way of getting the business is to do “Up-Sell” or “Cross-Sell” to the existing customers. The probability of succeeding in Up-Selling and Cross-Selling is directly related to how the customer relationship is maintained in the past. This is exactly where the benefits of CRM can be realized in such a tough time!
A Customer Relationship Management solution effectively and efficiently caters to the aspect of customer retention through functionalities such as Account Management, Contact Management, Case Management and Activity Management, among others. The automation of these functionalities helps in optimizing the related sales and marketing efforts.

Customer Segmentation

The philosophy of customer segmentation is evergreen irrespective of economic conditions. But its value has increased many folds, when even a penny spent on marketing and sales effort means a lot! The CRM solution enables stakeholders to accurately analyze the data related to market segments, products, leads and campaigns. This results into better understanding of customer demography, product/brand loyalty and purchase behavior, among others. To summarize the point, CRM aids in formulating a “Sales Funnel” that provides  information about the most profitable customer segments and helps devise appropriate methods (Personal campaign, Mass marketing) to target them.

Empowering Marketing and Sale Team

Enterprises tend to reduce the marketing and sales resources during the tough times. Such an approach is definitely not fruitful in the long run. The emphasis should be on empowering the marketing and sales team and thereby enhancing their productivity as well as efficiency.
The CRM solution offers automated functionalities such as lead management, order processing, product pricing, mobile notifications, system generated emails and other administrative tasks. The end result of such CRM initiatives is that the Marketing and Sales representatives can concentrate better on those activities that directly impact the company’s bottom-line and do away with the routine non-value adding tasks.

In conclusion, CRM solution enables Organization to focus on customer acquisition and retention even in the most demanding situations and that too with the most optimized approach.

Krawler CRM enables stakeholders to study customer’s needs and behavior in order to provide better customer experience. Krawler Business Intelligence 2.0 blended with its CRM offers a unique feature – Customer Intelligence that empowers managers at every level of the organization to gather and analyze information regarding customer details and activities.

The buzz word in the IT industry is ‘Service Oriented Architecture (SOA)’. The Web, IT literature and other resources provide different definitions and interpretations on SOA. Some refer to it as a “Sophisticated Product”; some as an “Architectural Approach” while others treat it as a mere marketing gimmick. Of course, a deep understanding of SOA concepts would definitely help to clear the air but a more logical way would be to answer the question – When to use a Service Oriented Architectural approach?

In layman terms, Service Oriented Architecture provides a framework where different (Heterogeneous) platforms (Windows, Linux, and UNIX), technologies (.NET, Java) and applications (ERP, CRM, and SCM) operate in synchronization. More specifically, this is achieved through “Services” and “Web based Open Standards”.

Now the logical thought that follows is that SOA should be used in an IT Architecture that consists of heterogeneous platforms, technologies and applications. Such systems often have various complex issues ranging from inter-operability to flexibility and adaptability. The SOA approach does provide an effective solution for handling these issues.

Consider the scenario where Enterprise systems have different owners and multiple teams working on them. In order to improve visibility and accessibility, centralized control is required. The Service Oriented Approach is appropriate in such a scenario as it provides complete information about the system components through its Service Registry.

A Business Process Management solution which is  blended with its SOA framework is most suitable for cross-functional process management in heterogeneous enterprise IT systems.

What if you have the Enterprise Information Architecture that is fairly homogeneous!!

In such a scenario, it is always advisable to thoroughly weigh the pros and cons of the SOA approach before coming to any conclusion. There may not be any direct perceivable advantages of SOA in such a case but the hidden benefits (such as scalability in case of future expansion) could always exist!

In conclusion, SOA implementation should be driven by business needs and requirements. The most appropriate case would be of heterogeneous systems operating in Enterprise IT framework.

Krawler is a one of the pioneers in implementing the SOA approach with its Enterprise 2.0 platform.

BPEL is used for integrating and assembling various modular service components in order to execute the business process.

BPEL stands for Business Process Execution Language. It is also known as WSBPEL – Web Services Business Process Execution Language and is maintained by the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS).

BPEL is an XML based language that enables task sharing in a distributed computing or grid computing environment through the use of web services. BPEL is basically an amalgamation of XLANG Language (Based on block structure) and WSFL Language (Based on directed graphs).

In the jSonic BPM environment, BPEL employs web services for enabling the import and export of process information as well as execution of business process.

The main aim of BPEL is to invoke various web services in the manner as defined by the process logic. This invocation can be either sequential or parallel. BPEL constructs consist of activities (basic and structured), variables, partner links and handlers (fault and exception) to carry out its function.

BPEL basic activities include “invoke”, “reply”, “receive”, “assign”, “throw”, “wait”, “terminate” and so on. The structured activities combine these basic activities with a condition. The structure actions include “switch”, “sequence”, “flow”, “while” and so on.

The ‘Partner Link’ represents the link to a web service that is being invoked or the link used by web services to invoke a BPEL activity.

‘Handlers’ in BPEL environment are used for facing an error or exception condition.

‘Variables’ are used to map and store data in the business process. There are three types of variables – Simple, Message and Element.

BPEL supports two basic types of business processes:

•Executable Process – Contains comprehensive details about business processes and can be executed through an Orchestration Server.

•Abstract Process – Contains only the public message protocols exchanged between various parties and are not executable.

The Orchestration server provides a run time environment for executing the ‘executable process’ and can operate on any platform that supports web service development, such as Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) and Microsoft .NET, among others.

BPMN stands for Business Process Modeling Notation. It is maintained by Object Management Group (OMG), also known as Business Process Management Initiative (BPMI). BPMN enables stakeholders to graphically represent business processes from process initiation stage to final stage.

The main goal of BPMN is to model the business process in a manner that is easily understood by developers, business analysts, process owners and business users. It combines the advantages of text based, event based and graphical notations based business modeling languages.

BPMN consists of four basic categories – Flow Objects (Events, Activities, Gateways), Artifacts (Data Object, Group), Connecting Objects (Sequence Flow, Message Flow, Association) and Swimlanes (Pool, Lanes). A brief explanation of these four categories is presented here:

The ever changing market conditions across the world have forced organizations to rethink the way they carry out business. Organizations are focusing on optimizing and managing operational cost, improving customer service delivery, adopting strategy (IT & Non-IT) for flexibility and much more.

For businesses to be successful, a comprehensive framework involving People, Process, System and Technology (popularly known as PPST framework) plays a critical role. Let us briefly visit these four components.

• People refers to management, employees, vendors and customers. The People component is the most critical and decisive factor that determines the state of business.

• Process refers to the way in which various business activities are carried out. A well defined process framework guarantees success, consistently.

• System refers to various enterprise applications such as ERP, CRM, SCM and PLM, among others. These enterprise applications are generally tightly integrated with their respective domains. For example, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is only attached with marketing, sales and customer service.

• Technology refers to platform (UNIX, Windows) and architecture (n-tier, client server) on which the enterprise applications are employed.  Integration and communication issues between various enterprise applications are encountered due to heterogeneous platform and architecture.

So the question arises now is – Do we have a software system that incorporates the PPST framework?

I firmly believe that Business Process Management provides capabilities for effectively and efficiently managing people, process, system and technology.

Krawler offers a unique Business Process Management solution – jSonic BPM. It offers functionalities such as Process Management, Workflow Automation, Collaboration, Reporting, Data Management and Web Services that incorporates people, process, system and technology aspects. Some of the major functional capabilities of jSonic BPM are:

• Design, model, execute, automate and optimize the cross-functional business processes.
• Manage Process users at each process activity
• Add value to the existing enterprise applications
• Integrate with heterogeneous platform and architecture through an SOA framework
• Provides Collaboration features such as Document Management
• Web Services based for communicating with any web enabled device

The next question that arises now – What are the key Business Process Management offerings?

The main BPM offering can be summarized as:

• Holistic View of Business
• Understanding about the most fundamental component of business operations – Business Process
• Leverages on existing enterprise applications
• Effective communication between stakeholders
• Flexibility and adaptability to face any dynamic business conditions

In a nutshell, Business Process Management offers a comprehensive solution for managing enterprise operations through management of business processes.  BPM provides a complete solution for cross functional business process management that involves people, system and technology aspects.

BPM, in the true sense, acts as a business enabler by empowering organizations to handle any business opportunity or threat effectively.

Web Services is a mechanism to provide a standard means of communication between various applications operating on similar or heterogeneous platforms. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is the official body for maintaining web services standards.
In the context of Service Oriented Architecture, Web Services are used to facilitate communication between service providers and service consumers. Special adapters are used for applications that don’t support web services.
Krawler employs web services standards that enable our Service Oriented Architecture to offer functionalities such as location neutrality and technology/platform independence.
There are many web services standards used in the SOA framework, including WS-Security, WS-Transaction, WS-Reliable Messaging and WS-Policy. But the underlying principals of web services are publication, discovery and communication:
Publish – Service Producers register their service in the SOA registry.  Web Services Description Language (WSDL) is used to describe a service.
Discovery – Service Consumers make a request for a service in the SOA registry. Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI) standard is used for locating a service in the registry.
Communication – Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) is used for facilitating communication between Service Providers and Consumers.

In conclusion, we can say that web services standards provide an open standards based communication framework that operates within the purview of W3C guidelines. Web Services provide a platform/technology independent communication methodology while SOA is an overall IT strategy framework that aims to provide business agility.

The term Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) has generated a lot of curiosity among business owners and IT stakeholders. Though the term has been present for quite some time now, confusion over its purpose of existence still prevails.

To move further, we need to first understand the concept of enterprise application integration (EAI). In simple terms, EAI is an approach for interconnecting all the disparate applications present in an enterprise IT environment. The concept has assumed importance over the years, as businesses have begun to utilize Information Technology extensively for carrying day to day operations.

Some of the approaches that have been used to bring about integration across the enterprise’s IT architecture include Point to Point integration, Hub and Spoke integration and the Enterprise Service Bus framework, among others. In this post, I intend to specifically speak about, and offer a comparison of these approaches.

In a Point to Point integration approach, all individual applications are linked using special ‘adapters’. The number of integration links is exponentially proportional to the number of applications present in the Architecture. To deploy new applications or modify existing ones, the entire system is affected.

In a Hub and Spoke Architecture, applications are connected with each other through a centralized ‘hub’. ‘Spokes’ provide the required connectivity between the Hub and the applications.

The major risk in a Hub and Spoke Architecture is the extreme dependence on the hub. If the centralized hub fails, operations come to a halt.

Krawler Enterprise Service Bus offers distinct advantages as compared to the Hub and Spoke & Point to Point architectures.

Enterprise Service Bus is an integral part of the SOA Framework. It uses an open standards based common messaging protocol for enabling enterprise wide integration. There are many definitions of ESB available across the web and literature. Here, I present some of the basic characteristics:

So what exactly does the ESB do? At the basic level, the enterprise service bus primarily performs the following functions:

Routing - Selecting a network path for delivering messages.

Invocation – Making a request or invoking responses from service/application producers and consumers, and

Mediation – Communicating with all resources and translate message, protocols, and data in required format.

Difference between Krawler ESB and other EAI approaches:

The enterprise information architecture consists of bundles of applications operating on heterogeneous platforms. There has been a rapid rise in the development of innovative point solutions for every unique business need.The flip side or challenge, as we like to put it, is figuring out how these applications will talk to each other and, most importantly, operate within the existing IT infrastructure.

Every time a new challenge is faced, business users need an immediate solution. IT system owners then spend a substantial amount of time and resources to scout for applications that are compatible with their existing infrastructure.

But what if you can leverage on your prevailing applications to address as many business challenges as possible? How you would welcome an architecture solution that offers reusability, adaptability, flexibility and agility – all together?

Krawler Service Oriented Architecture provides answers to all the above apprehensions and many more!! Let us first briefly visit the evolution of Enterprise Information Architecture, before moving further.

The evolution of the enterprise information architecture

In a SOA framework, the concept of an ‘application’ is replaced by ‘service’. A Service is a basic component of the SOA framework that performs a defined task. For example, if the task to be performed is inventory checking, then the concerned service is Inventory Service.

Each service is separated from the business logic and the underlying application or technology.

For example, an Accounting application is generally tied with an ERP system. If SCM solution wants to use it, it will be difficult. In SOA, the accounting application is viewed as an ‘accounting service’ wherein the accounting logic and supporting technology is separated from the platform. Having said that accounting service can be used anytime, anywhere within the SOA based enterprise framework.

Krawler SOA is an open standards based framework that enables service consumers and service producers to seamlessly interact with each other without worrying about the underlying technology, application or platform.

The prime concern of managers is keeping a check on overall employee workplace performance. With decreased workplace regulations and the overall workplace culture culminating to more informal work processes; it becomes increasingly difficult for managers to monitor employee performance on a piecemeal basis. Add to this, the virtual workspace in which the companies operate and you arrive at an organizational structure which is characterized by overburdened managers struggling with dispersed information about their employees, which sometimes crosses even international boundaries.
As a result of pitfalls occurring due to the absence of a direct reporting relationship between a manager and his employees, e-performance appraisal which provides a single interface for managers and their respective employees to interact with each other is widely gaining traction.
e performance appraisal aids in goals setting process by making it more transparent, accessible and fast. It empowers managers to set & assign goals which truly contribute to an organization’s success in long term, instead of assigning bits and pieces of work here and there. Once goals are assigned to an employee; it seamlessly tracks employee goal status at any point of time through system mediated automated mechanisms.
It provides a 360 degree view of employee performance by bringing goals and competencies together as a part of appraisal process. Competencies are skill sets that form baseline of the desired level of work performance; these are derived by the organization’s notion of skills, which have become rather necessary to attain purported strategic objectives. Managers can further evaluate individual employees based on the goals or KRA’s and competencies which are mapped to their individual job profiles.
Thus there is no “one size fits all” story inherent in the performance appraisal process; instead the process becomes more customized to individual job profiles and responsive to organization needs by tracking employee performance on a regular basis, bringing out the best performers, improving the average and shunning the worst.
This gives entirely a new dimension to the traditional measure of performance tracking of employees as it makes workforce performance appraisal a meaningful, ongoing strategic process rather than being relegated to a transactional, annual exercise.
Conclusion:
Organizations now live in a world where they have to be much more concerned with competing on the basis of their brainware rather than hardware. How they manage talent is something that will make a profound difference in their success. A more sophisticated use of performance metrics thus seems essential in establishing a clear link between employee performance and its impact on corporate performance.

The financial hurricane brought in along with the September breeze of 2008, has forced enterprises all across the globe to adopt an earlier resisted process – CHANGE! Change is a rather frightening word for many managers as it demands resuscitation of the organizational processes and a resistance from employees.

The current environment demands efforts tangential from mere superficial changes. Organizations must understand that rebranding a product portfolio or altering its marketing strategies would be a limping exercise if these are not amalgamated with a focus towards a stronger and richer customer – enterprise bond.

The most logical means of survival in these crucial times is turning back to the customers. This means investing more on efficiently segmented product marketing, streamlining the sales process and enhancing customer service by adding value to each interaction with the customer. This sustenance drive requires amalgamation of top brass acumen and strategies, operational staff and their culture, and technology with the ongoing organizational processes.
This thought led me to modify ‘CRM’ to an interesting concept – Change Relay Management. Change Relay Management (CRM rechristened!) adds intelligence capabilities to traditional CRM systems, which are usually misused as a data input device. With change relay management each functional department and its personnel is able to align all their processes with Customer behavior and demand patters. CRM prompts the marketing department to communicate the organization’s goodwill through well thought and personalized marketing campaigns. Using CRM, the sales force of the organization tracks these impressed targets and follows up. And yes, they now would know what time is right for calling, what channels should be used other than voice based ones, what schemes or product features stimulates interest in customers and more. It’s all up there on the Portal for the sales rep to use and benefit from.
CRM allows the customer service executive to solve customer issues the first time it arises, paving the way for enhanced customer loyalty and retention.