Service Contract Information Management
This program drives development of an e-business process to automate the management of service contract information. Economic benefits are reduced parts carrying costs, reduced logistics costs for mis-shipments, reduced data rework at time of service delivery, more accurate picture of contract start/end possibly leading to higher sales of renewed contracts to the service provider.
High Level Introduction
During a service product lifecycle, data are exchanged to quote, purchase/sell, manage, and renew service contracts as well as to request service under existing contracts. Parties involved may include end user, reseller/systems integrator, distributor, service provider, and manufacturer.
All parties involved in a service transaction generate data including:
- contract billing and contact information
- contract holder and contacts
- service location and contacts
- replacement part shipping location and contacts
- product information
- product serial number(s)
- coverage dates
- coverage level(s)/SLAs
Information regarding specific contracts or pieces of equipement covered under a contract change over time as equipment is moved, service levels are upgraded or downgraded, equipment is exchanged, or parties involved in the transaction change. An efficient and effective way of communicating this information is necessary for each of the parties to be able to fulfill their process roles and obligations in the service supply chain. Primary Supply Chain Roles
Primary Supply Chain Roles
End User
Owner/user of products, beneficiary of contract, supplier of contract data (product location, etc.)
System Integrator
Possible owner of product, responsible for product integration into existing environment, may provide first level service, possible proxy for service provider in validating contract information, possible proxy for end user in supplying contract data, possible proxy for end user as beneficiary of contract
Service Provider
Provider of service to systems integrator or end user, user of contract data, maintainer of data for replaced/repaired/exchanged products within a contract, possible seller (owner) of service contract
Logistics Provider
Provides logistics for product replacement and/or product return, may update product data in contract for replaced or returned products
Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)
Manufacturer of the product, originator of product data, possible seller (owner) of seller contract
Important Stakeholders
These are the additional groups and roles that should be considered in the requirements development and implementation phases of the Program. For each group describe how the program participants should work with the group.
- Awareness Communication Only
- Needed at Implementation
- Needed for Specification Design
Industry Stakeholders
These are the secondary service providers or groups that also participate in the e-business process or benefit from the Program.
Standards Groups
Description of existing sources for best practices or standards related to the e-business process.
Legislative Groups
Description of known legislative groups or regulations that impact the e-business process.
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