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By George O'Conor
After the initial data load, customers only need to provide automatic nightly incremental updates. The entire implementation process requires only minimal time from IT staff and is completed within weeks, which is in stark contrast to the 12 to 18 months required for traditional BI solutions.
Once the solution is implemented, the vendor supplies a login to a secure Web site, and by the end of the adoption period, selected management, staff, customers, and vendors are actively using the product.
Reporting and Analysis
On Demand analytics solutions provide a myriad of pre-built reports using multidimensional views to improve visibility of large amounts of essential business data. Users can interactively configure their data via drill-down menus so that only relevant data is displayed.
Users can interactively slice and dice data and generate "what-if" scenarios so they can look forward to what might happen (instead of looking backward) and strategize how to reach their desired outcomes.
Information "dashboards" provide executives immediate access to exception information in order to quickly and accurately identify potential trouble spots and to act decisively in real-time to correct them.
The "hosted" aspect of On Demand analytics now makes it possible for organizations to have a continuously accessible 360-degree view of its business.
Analyzing On Demand Analytics Vendors
When evaluating a hosted On Demand business analytics solution, it is important that you understand at the outset all details regarding costs, delivery times, training, support, and user interfaces:
1. Ensure that the vendor can provide fixed start and end dates for implementation of the solution. It should be stated clearly up front in the contract what internal resource allocations are required during the implementation period and after the project is completed. A successful implementation should not require extensive IT resources.
2. If the implementation is not bid at a fixed cost, find out why. Many BI solutions are plagued by costly open-ended budgets and implementation periods. This should not be the case with an On Demand model. The monthly hosting fee should equal a fixed yearly fee of 15–20 percent of the initial implementation. Keep in mind that if you increase your reporting/analytics capabilities, you should expect a reasonable increase in hosting fees from the vendor.
Regarding license fees, pay-per-user licensing fees will likely diminish or disappear as this market becomes more competitive. Always know the license fee up front, and if possible, pick a vendor with little or no per-user fee. One great benefit of a hosted solution is that the maintenance fee should be covered by the monthly hosting fee.
3. Go with a browser-based interface if possible. Installing and maintaining client software can be expensive and can potentially be a drain on IT resources.
4. A well-designed user interface requires very little training and encourages adoption by all employees—from executives to the rank and file. The solution should be easy to use and intuitive so that there will be quick companywide adoption. The vendor should specify an employee adoption program in its contract for the initial implementation period.
5. Make sure that the vendor stands by its solution and views customers as partners. There should be clearly stated benchmarks for customer satisfaction and recourse if the implementation does not deliver the expected results. Know whether the vendor offers a guarantee of satisfaction after the implementation.
After selecting potential providers, rate them on how well they respond to your priorities and requirements. Ask these vendors to provide demos and customer references.
6. On-demand business analytics take business data from any source to provide essential business visibility. This is a quantum leap forward from traditional queries and even many traditional BI offerings. Having rapid, On Demand visibility into critical business conditions both within and outside of corporate boundaries enables companies to act decisively and produce results that dramatically increase agility and competitiveness.
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