Information Technology: Strategic Advantage, Essay Example

Introduction

This assignment shall evaluate the achievements of the E-Commerce website which is currently being implemented by the organization. Its adoption has been a strategic decision that has that has been advantageous to the organization against the competitors in the market. Despite of the competition being stiff the organization is being placed strategically to meet changing needs of customers and the growing demand of being international.

Implementation of the E-Commerce website has mainly being considered after increase on enquiries by the customers need to buy the goods and be offered services online instead of travelling to our stores. It has also been promoted by change of preference of purchasing goods and access to services online by the customers and improved internet infrastructure which have ease accessibility to most of the potential customers.

Strategic Advantage Being Realized

Access to Global Market

Use of E-Commerce website opens up opportunities to the global market because of its capability to be accessed by customers at any region provided they have internet connections. According to Andam, (2003) entry to new market regions has been a challenge to market the goods. However, use of the website has enabled the organization to be able to market its goods globally and make sales as well without necessarily opening branches in those regions as it has been the tradition.

Use of the E-Commerce website will eliminate distance barrier as it won’t matter on where the stores are located as access to its goods or services needed would be done online. This will eventually increase business opportunities to the organization and it will not only retain the customers which it has but also being able to attract more from the competitors in the industry.

High Turn Over

Initially the working hours were limited to the normal scheduled working hours but implementation of E-Commerce website has opened up accessibility of services to the customers all time round. Therefore, the organization has experienced increased order placement, processing and dispatch which have translated to increased sales.

This has greatly being contributed by convenience of the customers being able to use the system depending on their availability and efficient in processing of the orders placed. Prosperity of the organization is mainly measured by its productivity. Therefore, with increased turn over the organization is anticipating recouping the funds which it has invested in the system within a shorter duration.

Less Turn Around Time

The system is timely and saves the turn around time for processing orders and customers query. Time is very vital and for it being managed well the organization is realizing more relief because its being able to handle more orders, process and deliver them in a timely manner without experiencing backlogs as it has been the case prior to its implementation.

Placing of orders is being done at the convenient time of customers who eventually key in most of the details required to process the order. Once they submit their request, the order is received immediately and a receipt message is automatically sent to the customer notifying receipt. Initially the customer had to call during working hours to place an order, send a mail or come in person in the organization which slowed the process and the transactions being done were manual.

Minimal Errors

The process has higher levels of accuracy than manual processes and amazingly does more work and require less human labor. Initially manual order processing required the staff to key in the details of the customers or records them in the order file. Such transfer of information was prone to errors of omission or inaccurate data entries which mainly contributed to a lot of complains and grievances by the customers as they follow up their orders which were delivered short of their expectations.

Therefore, reduction of errors has not only increased contentment and confident of the customers but have also saved the face of the organization to be termed as reliable, efficient and honest. Such associations with the customers are important attributes which requires being able to meet the changing needs in the business.

Handling Customer Queries

Customer care department has been having an ease time when serving the customers. The Web site has frequently asked questions which customers would be able to get the information they need without necessarily having to contact customer care employees. Ease access to the information required enables customers to make reliable decisions in a timely manner and avoid frustrations which they would experience when sourcing for clarifications of issues to facilitate in their decision making.

Customers would also be able to search for goods or services which they require from the website as it has a database of all the goods and services offered by the organization. Use of the online search is much easy than searching in a store. The search is highly customizable and allows the customers to use different parameters to source what they need/meets their requirements (Dale & Duffy, 2002). The commonly used parameters are price range, color, size or shape/design depending on what the customer needs.

Cost Effectiveness

Implementation of E-Commerce website have been expensive to the organization since when the feasibility study was done, system analyzed, designing, coding, testing and training and eventfully putting it in to use. The organization will be able to benefit financially as the project will make its operations to be cost effective in long run despite of its high capital expenditure. Hence, it is a worthwhile investment because it will reduce the operational cost of the organization in all aspect of its applicability.

Tracking of Goods Online

Initially once the customers have placed an order it was quit difficult for them to be able to trace its progress and be certain that it’s being worked on. Much credit of tracking of the orders placed has been attributed by implementation of the E-Commerce website. Using order number and identification details which are required by the system to authenticate access to the information of the order and ensure the records are secure. Customers are able to trace their orders since its receipt by the organization, approval by different departments, packaging, dispatch and delivery of the goods until they receive it.

Conclusion

Implementation of E-Commerce website has made the organization to have a high competitive edge among its competitors. However, like all computer system the website needs post implementation evaluation to be done routinely to ensure that it is able to sustain its operations and improve it to meet changing needs in its application in the organization. According to Reijers, Et al. (2004) post implementation review will mainly be used to indentify faulty areas which need to be rectified or incorporate new technology to improve its operations so that it won’t be absolute or irrelevant in the market.

References

Andam, Z. (2003). E-Commerce and E-Business. Retrieved on February 01, 2010 http://www.apdip.net/publications/iespprimers/eprimer-ecom.pdf

Dale, B & Duffy, G, (2002). E-Commerce Processes: A Study of Criticality. Data Systems and Industrial Management. 102(8), 432-41

Reijers, H., Jansen-Vullers, M & Netjes, M (2004). Business Process Redesign for Effective E-Commerce. International Center for Electronic Commerce. 60(4), 382-91