Page 476 - Handbook of Modern Telecommunications
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Network Organization and Governance                                         4-7

            reply to a bill with a payment can improve cash flow management. According to that data, billing cycles
            may be rescheduled.
              Archiving documents in a data repository allows the storage of several years worth of documents on
            powerful servers eliminating the need for expensive computer output to laser disk storage and makes
            retrieval easier for customer service agents and others who may need to see the exact document as it
            was rendered to the customer. Whereas microfiche and CD-ROMs have many positive attributes, the
            time and expense of seeking the correct document, pulling it, and reprinting it is counterproductive.
            Archiving documents in a flexible data repository facilitates multichannel communication. Front-end
            integration into customer service software and marketing automation systems is useful for campaign
            development and response tracking. Each mailpiece then becomes a vital customer touch point.
              In reality, document imaging is a very straightforward operation. The process requires these five
            simple steps: (ESPI03)
               1.  Design: Create a database with a defined file structure
               2.  Capture and translate: Scan, fax, or import documents into the database while interpreting hand-
                 writing, machine print, barcodes, and data entry fields.
               3.  Index: Index and store documents to CD, DVD, or magnetic media.
               4.  Export: Distribute images via the corporate network, the Internet, or CD-ROMs.
               5.  Retrieve: Quickly search and retrieve any stored documents.
            4.1.2.4  Manage
            Since the goal of the integrated output architecture is to build a tightly integrated and information-rich
            environment, it is of importance that a system-to-system workflow management tool be implemented to
            monitor and measure the stream of data as it moves across the many front- and back-end systems.
              Valuable information is often underutilized or even overlooked for integration because it exists in a
            format such as e-mail or in Web pages that make it seem unobtainable. Unstructured or loosely struc-
            tured data formats, such as in e-mail or electronic reports, hold huge amounts of potential information
            that can enrich business decision-making processes. The solution must manage both structured and
            unstructured content equally. To ensure success, a homogeneous framework is required with the fol-
            lowing principal attributes:

              •   Robust imaging capabilities that provide efficient document and content capture
              •   Customizable indexing fields allow for intercompany search and rapid document retrieval
              •   Carrier-specific indexing fields to allow for intercompany search and rapid document retrieval
              •   Records management capabilities to manage archiving and audit trail retention required for regu-
                 latory compliance
              •   A secure and scalable object repository that keeps all content in order
              To be successful, solutions should meld content and process management, workflow, and enterprise
            and Web connectivity.

            4.1.3  Hot Topics

            4.1.3.1  Documents for Optimal Communications
            There are three kinds of transactional documents: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Good statements
            tend to belong to well-respected organizations, whilst the bad tend to come from organizations that
            have less than stellar reputations, and the ugly tend to be either from regulated monopolies or by once-
            famous organizations now under the control of cost accountants. The companies that produce good
            documents understand that no matter how accurate or complete the information in a document is, the
            reader will dismiss it if it is impenetrable, contains too many fonts or the type is too small or too large
            to read. In short, it is ugly and consumers have better things to do than decipher such documents. These
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