Inside i2
Much has changed in the world of business since i2's startup 20 years ago. Technology-driven automation has continued to eliminate many manual processes.Wireless phones and email devices have become ubiquitous, rendering the 9-to-5 workday virtually obsolete. And the Internet has forever changed the way we buy and sell goods and services.
But in the past two decades, one thing has stayed the same--i2's customers want tangible results, quickly. That's why, throughout the years, we've maintained an unwavering focus on delivering value.We demonstrate that focus through our commitment to research and development, in which we have invested more than $1 billion since our founding. As a result, i2 has more than 150 patents issued and more than 140 pending patent applications.
We cultivate a specific sort of restless ambition at i2-- we're never satisfied that we've found the best way to do something. By staying in a perpetual state of innovation, we create continuous opportunities to develop new services and technology to meet the evolving needs of our customers. One such way we're delivering rapid, measurable and world-class business results to customers is through i2 Operations Services.
i2 Operations Services drives the kind of quick value that today's customers seek. Frequently in the past, supply chain management initiatives necessitated substantial investments of money, time and human resources on the part of companies embarking upon them. That reality persists today, serving as a roadblock for many organizations overwhelmed by the implementation process.
Deploying creative methods for tackling the toughest business problems, i2 Operations Services enables our customers to outsource key supply chain processes to us. By bundling the services and software that they want i2 to manage, customers can begin achieving value quickly, at a lower cost than traditional implementations. Supply chain management initiatives deployed using i2 Operations Services can achieve results as soon as changes are implemented, with less upfront investment and faster cycle times.
i2 Operations Services has been proven at some of the world's leading companies, including a top consumer electronics manufacturer. Operating in an exceedingly competitive market, this manufacturer responded to increasingly complex customer requirements by embarking on an extensive supply chain management initiative. This company leveraged i2 solutions and services under the subscription model offered under the i2 Operations Services umbrella, with the goal to increase on-time delivery, elevate customer service and achieve greater market share. Using i2 Demand Manager and i2 Supply Chain Planner, it moved to the top of its industry in terms of customer service--all without a single i2 license being sold or a product being implemented in-house.
The electronics manufacturer deployed i2 Total Channel Management solutions as a service through the i2 Competency Center in India. A mix of on-site and off-shore services enabled a 24x7 planning operation. i2 process consultants in the areas of business, finance, IT systems, and channel qualification and management were located on site with the customer. Business analysts and solution architects in the i2 Competency Center were assigned to design solutions and operate processes.
Prior to deploying this consumer-oriented solution, the manufacturer suffered from misaligned inventory, stock-out problems, and dead inventory in slow markets. Sales and profits were weak, and relations with key retailers were strained.With the visibility provided by i2 solutions, inventory distribution is now aligned with consumption, and product availability to customers has jumped from 70 percent to 95 percent. In the first year of the project, unit sales of a targeted model went from 20,000 to 100,000, and average weeks of supply in the channel went from 25 to just 5, continuing to trend downward. A major electronics retailer has since elevated the consumer electronics manufacturer from a tier-three supplier to a tier-one "go-to" brand for its product.
Other successful deployments include a large storage device original equipment manufacturer that has leveraged i2 Operations Services to reduce the order error rate to 1 percent. In addition, a large semiconductor company utilizes i2's services to run and maintain its global supply chain management solution, while a global leader in the personal computer market has leveraged these services to run and maintain an award-winning eCommerce solution.
These are just a few examples of how i2's unique approach enables our customers to achieve tremendous value. But what truly makes i2 Operations Services unique is the i2 team that supports it. These industry specialists leverage their extensive experience to deploy i2 solutions and services in a customized way that maximizes value for each individual customer.
This specialized approach enables i2 to deliver greater profitability to our customers, as well as lower hardware and workforce costs, all with reduced risk.
by Hiten Varia
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Hiten Varia is executive vice president, Global Customer Operations, and chief customer officer at i2. For more information, contact supply_chain_leader@i2.com. |
