1 / 48

Proven Solutions for Complex Customer Relationship Structures

Proven Solutions for Complex Customer Relationship Structures. Roger Hartman, INRANGE Consulting April 16, 2007. Agenda. Executive Summary Objectives TCA Overview Modeling Approaches Key Challenges Solutions Conclusions Questions & Answers. Executive Summary.

emery-pena
Download Presentation

Proven Solutions for Complex Customer Relationship Structures

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Proven Solutions for Complex Customer Relationship Structures Roger Hartman, INRANGE Consulting April 16, 2007

  2. Agenda • Executive Summary • Objectives • TCA Overview • Modeling Approaches • Key Challenges • Solutions • Conclusions • Questions & Answers

  3. Executive Summary • TCA customer data is core to EBS • Structure allows for significant granularity and flexibility • Challenge of leveraging the TCA • Resulting usability Issues

  4. Objectives • Provide TCA Overview relevant to this topic • Acknowledge TCA Customer Modeling Approaches • Identify Key Challenges • Review Specific Solutions

  5. TCA Overview • Introduced with EBS Release 11i • Inclusion of Party Layer • Ability to establish Party Relationships • Account Layer separate from Party Layer • Account Relationships

  6. TCA Overview – Logical Model Party Party Party Relationship Person Relationship Organization Account Relationship Account

  7. TCA Overview - Terminology • Party - person, organization, relationships • Account - customer financial details • Party Relationship - establishes the relationship between two parties • Account Relationship - establishes the relationship between two accounts

  8. TCA Overview – Party Layer • Details independent of our selling relationship • Separates these details from account record • Allows for significant modeling effectiveness

  9. TCA Overview – Account Layer • Financial details specific to our selling relationship • Traditional R10.7/11.0.3 Customer • Cannot exist without Party record

  10. TCA Overview – Party Relationships • Describes relationship between two parties • Unlimited number of relationships between parties • Unlimited number of relationship types • Relationship is separate entity

  11. TCA Overview – Account Relationships • Allows for transactional shipping and billing relationship between accounts • Less flexible than Party Relationships • Essential to customer modeling in 11i

  12. Modeling Approaches • Various acceptable modeling approaches • Child Sites Approach • Customer Organization Entities as Parties • Clear “Best Practice” approach for B2B

  13. Child Sites Model Headquarters Headquarters Subsidiary1 Subsidiary2 Subsidiary3 Account Party Site

  14. Headquarters Headquarters Subsidiary2 Subsidiary1 Subsidiary3 Sub1 Sub2 Sub3 Site Site Site Party Relationship Account Relationship Account Site Party Best Practice Model

  15. Best Practice Approach • Most organizational entities modeled as parties • Any entities with DUNS number modeled as parties • Offers significant flexibility and power • Introduces significant usability concerns

  16. Key Challenges • Challenges can arise around usability, interfaces, integration, reporting, performance, etc. • Our focus today is usability

  17. Key Challenges - Usability • Difficulty searching for and finding customer records • Visibility to the associated account or party layer • Require additional details about the relationship • Require additional details about the organizational structure

  18. Solutions • Broad and universal impact • Simple to moderately complex • Consistency in model is key • Standard functionality and extended functionality • Customizations should be avoided when possible

  19. Global Ultimate Domestic Ultimate Subsidiary1 Level 1 Subsidiary2 Level 1 Subsidiary3 Level 1 Subsidiary2 Level 2 Subsidiary2 Level 2 Sample Organization Structure

  20. Solutions • Grouped into the following: • Finding the Correct Party • Identifying the Correct Account • Understanding the Party Relationships and Structure • Account Layer Visibility • Party/Account Structure Exceptions

  21. Finding the Correct Party • Increased number of parties means more difficulty distinguishing between records • Party name should be proper name • Address Line option can be effective in some cases

  22. Finding the Correct Party • Extend standard search capabilities to include additional name details in results • Universal Search is common to several EBS modules

  23. Finding the Correct Party

  24. Spreadtable Modifications • Standard capability within the EBS • Include values in the datasource relational view • Include values from other tables by joining to key in the datasource view • Be mindful of performance impact

  25. Spreadtable Modifications

  26. Identifying the Correct Account • Introduction of Party Layer means less focus on customer account number • Common concern with upgrades from 10.7 or 11.0.3 • Account number not included in many standard search capabilities

  27. Identifying the Correct Account • Add Account Number to Universal Search results • Extend seeded Spreadtables to accomplish • Assume in this model most parties have only one account • If multiple accounts, display earliest active record

  28. Identifying the Correct Account • Expose Account Number in standard Universal Work Queue (UWQ) nodes • The UWQ is common across EBS product families • Deliver work to application users • Gain efficiencies by adding necessary details

  29. Identifying the Correct Account

  30. Identifying the Correct Account

  31. Understanding Party Relationships • Party Relationships allow for significant modeling flexibility • Standard EBS functionality is insufficient for users to fully understand existing relationships • Example: inbound sales lead call

  32. Understanding Party Relationships • Objective to allow users to view and maintain additional relationship detail • Define DFF on Relationship • Available on standard eBusiness Center (eBC) Relationship tab

  33. Understanding Party Relationships

  34. Understanding Party Relationships • Standard Relationship forms display immediate relationships only • eBC allows hyperlink access to related parties • Users require more information and simple access

  35. Understanding Party Relationships • Customer Support Dashboard • Accessible from forms such as Contact Center, eBC, At-a-Glance • Easily extended by defining new Customer Profile Variables • Includes Drilldown capabilities

  36. Understanding Party Relationships • Sample Dashboard Profile Variables • Global Ultimate • Domestic Ultimate • Levels to GU • Levels to DU

  37. Understanding Party Relationships

  38. Dashboard Modifications

  39. Understanding Party Relationships • Add similar logic to standard UWQ nodes • Tasks • Leads • Opportunities

  40. Understanding Party Relationships

  41. Party Structure Details • Users benefit significantly from increased access to details relevant to the overall structure • Leverage the Dashboard to include: • Critical Customer within Structure • Open SR’s within Structure • Escalated SR’s within Structure • Open Opportunities within Structure

  42. Party Structure Details

  43. Account Layer Visibility • Users require visibility to account details • Customer Standard form, eBC Account tab often excluded from most users • Continue to leverage Dashboard to include Account detail

  44. Account Layer Visibility

  45. Adding the Account Layer • TCA model requires manageable process to initiate Account creation

  46. Adding the Account Layer

  47. Conclusions • The TCA best practice approach is highly desirable • This approach leads to usability issues not addressed by standard EBS functionality • The solutions offered address universal usability concerns • These solutions are reusable and can be replicated across additional EBS areas

  48. Questions & Answers roger_hartman@inrangeconsulting.com

More Related