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Strategic Planning for Enterprise Software Companies

Explore readiness and support planning strategies for enterprise software companies. Learn about trends, complexity, integration options, and key considerations for success. Enhance customer support, lower TCO, and improve accountability. Discover methods to launch and sustain products effectively.

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Strategic Planning for Enterprise Software Companies

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  1. Support Readiness Planning for Enterprise Software CompaniesMike Bourn SSPA Conference 4/7/04

  2. Enterprise Support Trends • Complexity and Integration Options • Mission-Critical • Consolidation – “largeness” • Outsourcing, Hosting, Managed Applications • Open Source • Lowering TCO for Sys Mgmt • Security and Accountability • Increased troubleshooting discovery, definition, and resolution times

  3. Product/Service Exceptions Cost Cycle Make Sell COST COST Product Sustaining Customer Sustaining Value- Added Svcs Corporate Support Digital Files EXCEPTIONS Customer

  4. Support System Overview Balancing Supply and Demand Vendor Customer Customer Support Org Sustaining Engineering Product Sustaining Customer Sustaining Support Supply Support Demand

  5. Support System Overview Downward Spiral of Compromises Compromises in Customer Response, Product Quality, Completeness, & Scheduling Increase Demand Customer Support Org Sustaining Engineering Product Sustaining Customer Sustaining Supply Demand More exceptions, interruptions, and escalations … impacting resources, schedules, and quality

  6. Ready? Training Services Resources Communications Systems Learning Curve Readiness Customer New Product, Release, or Acquisition Support & Services ? Supportability Corporate Commitment Impact on Customers Custom Apps Positioning Bugs Performance Upgrades

  7. Optional Approaches to Support Readiness Management • Do Too Little • Wait to be told • Do Too Much • Attempt to parallel entire Eng/Mkt effort and be connected to each piece • Do The Right Amount • Ensure support organization readiness • Provide quality feedback and requirements • Represent existing customers • Ask right question at right time

  8. Strategy for Launching New Internal SR Process • Determine best internal method for detecting and tracking new products before launch • Idea/Requirements • Development sequence • Marketing management • Determine what you want and when you want it from the other organizations • Executive commitment

  9. What U Want • Early Awareness (> 60 days pre-release) • What is it? Specifications/Requirements. What are the issues? Who owns them? What is the plan? • Cross Functional Coordination (30-60 days pre-release) • Execution of the plan underway. • Pre-Release Scheduling (0-30 days pre-release) • Readiness deliverables: training, comms, services, systems, etc. • Release • Everything done!

  10. What U Want: 2 Major Concepts:#1 Product Supportability • Supportability Requirements (variable process): • Product impact on customers • Product supportability assessment • Product technology inventory: skills requirements • Product boundaries and positioning: corporate commitment • Product service models

  11. What U Want: 2 Major Concepts:#2 Support Readiness • Support Readiness Mgmt. (repeatable process): • Support ops process coordination / project mgmt • Support ops resources • Support ops training • Support ops communications • Support ops readiness management reporting

  12. Readiness and Supportability Early awareness Cross functional Coordination Pre-release Scheduling Post RRB SUPPORT SERVICESSUPPORTABILITYTRAININGSYSTEMS Coordination / Communication Coordination / Communication Early awareness Cross functional Coordination Pre-release Scheduling Post RRB Response Center READINESS PROCESS Field Services READINESS PROCESS

  13. Supportability Requirements Sell Make Marketplace Requirements Features Technology Requirements Strategy Product Service Models Product Supportability Existing Customer Requirements Corporate Support

  14. Readiness Process:Early Awareness (>60 days) • Supportability review: What is it? What are the issues? What is the support/service model? • 3rd party contracting? Embedded technologies? Reselling? Tech Partners? • Tech ownership and boundaries (e.g. open source)? • Scope training requirements

  15. Readiness Process:Early Awareness Typical Issues • Customer consequences for install/upgrade • Naming and numbering • Superceded releases or products?

  16. Readiness Process:Cross-Functional Coord.(30-60 days pre-release) • Lock in the operational readiness game plan • Services description • Systems plan • Training plan • Resources plan • Necessary pre-release inputs/outputs from other organizations

  17. Readiness Process:Cross-Functional Coordination (30-60 days pre-release) Communications plan Projected release compatibility Consequent impact on existing customer base Integration restrictions Compatibility with other products

  18. Readiness Process: Pre-Release Scheduling(0-30 days pre-release) • Training dates • Early drops of the product • Systems readiness • Internal readiness communications • Customer communications draft • Final days Q/A test data review

  19. Tips for Exerting InfluenceCross-Functionally Marketing ? Engineering “Mental Models” Customer Support

  20. Marketing’s View • Perspectives and Challenges • Pressure from Sales Force • Corporate strategy / Executive priorities • Competition • Announcements / Product Launch • Industry Analysts • Corporate Support Leverage Points • Existing customers / Sales force • Product “reality” • Development Engineering practices

  21. Engineering’s View • Perspectives and Challenges • Schedules • Requirements • Resources • Corporate Support Leverage Points • Requirements • Metrics • Contracts: OEM, Reselling, Partner • Product knowledge

  22. Customer Support View ? • Perspectives and Challenges • Technical problem solving • Phones • Exceptions • Corporate Support Leverage Points • Enterprise support definition • Supportability requirements • Service models • Management reporting

  23. Corporate Support Readiness • Corporate Support is: “All other value delivered to customer.” • Every department – Customer Support, Sustaining Eng, Sales, PS, Education needs a Readiness Process. • Know what you want and ask the right questions at the right time. • Understand other department’s mental models and priorities.

  24. Q & A For Additional Information, contact: Mike Bourn (Dir. Response Center) 714-327-7119 mbourn@filenet.com Teresa Powell (Mgr. Support Readiness) 714-327-3906 tpowell@filenet.com

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