Business Intelligence Software Systems Analysis

Executive Summary

This report examines the business intelligence software systems used by Procad to acquire an in-depth understanding of how these systems work, what value they bring to the business and any issues they have that could potentially be resolved.

Literature Review

Business Intelligence

Business intelligence in its simplest form can be defined as accumulating data from various sources and categorising in such a way for storage, in a data warehouse, that it becomes useful information. It is then analysed, via data mining, for patterns and trends that identify knowledge that can be used by senior decision makers to plan profitable activities. This process is achieved through a joint effort of implementing hardware and software.

Secondary research for HubSpot software system

HubSpot is a key tool for Procad’s success. It allows the company to manage, manipulate and use data. It manages data from each department and combines it, allowing access from any device. Each department, employee, and management can acknowledge where each sale is at with its live up-to-date feed, and the needs and wants of the customer. It provides the customer with relevant marketing information, an employee to help close the sale and finally it provides technical support to the customer. Overall it is an essential customer relationship management specialist.

Methodology

For the research phase of the report an interview was used as it allowed a more open and friendlier environment to be established between the interviewer and interviewee. This environment in conjunction with the semi-structured nature of the questions allowed acquisition of information that would otherwise be unattainable; this is due to engaging the personal and emotional response of the interviewee regarding their experience with the business. These interview results were recorded via an audio recording as it allowed the interview to progress more efficiently without the need for pausing to physically write out results.

Findings

Within Procad the main users of the HubSpot are the marketing, sales and technical departments. From the beginning of the process where marketing department send necessary information to the potential client, to the end where technical support is available at the customer’s request. The interactions between customer and employee are constantly logged in the system. Allowing the sales process to efficiently move along. Each department will have the necessary information to allow them to provide the customer with what they may need. This is also useful for when the subscription between the customer and Procad ceases. Procad can send a report to the customer detailing how many times they were in contact with Procad, reminding them how much they availed of the service; in an attempted to attract them with another subscription purchase. (see appendices F)

Conclusions

Upon completion of both the secondary and the primary research into the business intelligence systems used by Procad the overall objectives of this research report have been achieved. As we now have a deep understanding of how and why these systems are implemented by Procad, we identified a clear connection between the information produced by these systems and profitable earnings for the business. Lastly, we found one issue with the implementation of this system but regarding the overall benefit the system brings to the business this issue is worth the cost.