Supporting the Needs of OBI Customers

Global Tech Team On Call 24x7

Operational business intelligence implies new types of applications that may require constant monitoring, management, and support. To help customers develop and deploy these systems, Information Builders established Follow-the-Sun (24x7) support services. As part of this new program, eligible WebFOCUS and iWay customers can obtain live support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year through Global Support Centers located in New York City, Amsterdam, and Melbourne.

"Operational BI systems often merit more intensive support services since they are tied to the production systems that run your business," suggests Stu Madison, vice president of Corporate Technical Support Services at Information Builders. "We're answering that need with our Follow-the-Sun services. When the support staff in New York shuts down at 8:00 PM, the Australian team is just starting their day. When Australia shuts down, the Netherlands picks up, and so on – giving customers help 24 hours per day from fresh personnel."

Customers the world over can continue to receive local-language support during their normal business hours. In addition, they have the option to be assisted by English-speaking representatives in these three international areas during off-hours. Live support is also continually available through the Information Builders Web site at http://techsupport.ibi.com.

"Customers who call or visit our Web site have the option to select local support when available or global support for an instant response at any hour of the day," says Madison. "Global customers like PACCAR, BEA, World Bank, Allstate, and US Bank all take advantage of our Follow the Sun service."

A 19-year veteran of Information Builders, Madison heads up the support and training organizations, both for Information Builders customers as well as for internal employees. His team handles Information Builders education services, hotline support, and back-line support for the sales force, while also taking responsibility for Web-based support services and all necessary training materials. As part of this new support program, he helped Information Builders implement an advanced call center infrastructure that allows support reps to work from home via Internet Protocol (IP) phones during emergency situations. "If a major power outage or a routine snowstorm prevents employees from working at the office, we can still give customers the support they expect via our intelligent IP phone system, which automatically routes calls to available personnel," Madison says.

InfoResponse Premium service is also available for customers who would like a named account manager to personally manage their relationship with Information Builders, both during application development and once an important operational application is in production.

Getting Involved With Customers

According to Madison, concepts like "operational business intelligence" don't always filter down to the front lines where customers are developing WebFOCUS applications, so his staff often approaches these concepts in more practical terms. "The support organization is typically reactive, responding to problems or questions that customers might have," he says. "Whether those individuals see themselves as working strategically, tactically, or operationally is not really relevant. We are simply helping them to do their jobs, which involves building, supporting, and maintaining applications so that they can be successful and productive."

The education department, by contrast, commonly introduces concepts like operational business intelligence as part of its curriculum. "Their job is not only to demonstrate how the technology can and should be used, but to help expand the outlook for customers," Madison adds.

This comprehensive perspective reflects Madison's charter: making sure customers always obtain the most from their Information Builders software. "Whether you're in New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Tokyo, or anywhere else in the world, we can connect you to knowledgeable support specialists via e-mail, the Web or by telephone to ensure you get prompt, reliable support," he concludes. "We want customers to see our education and support staff as an extension of their own organizations."