Event Management, Business Activity Management, and who needs it, anyway? Tip #1

Tip #1 - In business, things will go sideways.  Be prepared.

With all of the data that we're creating every day, especially as things become more automated, how can anyone possibly keep up with all of this?  Are we expected to spend more time reading reports?  That doesn't sound very productive. In business, knowing what didn't happen, or is not going to happen as expected is very important.  Knowing what looks like a problem in the making is extremely valuable.  That's one of the things that event management and business activity managment is all about - getting some advance warning about things that are about to go sideways. A great example is customer credit - something that definitely needs to be managed.  Under the old fashion way, a customer has to show up in the 60 day (or worse) column before someone swings into motion to make some collection calls.  And then you go through the dance - "Can you send us a copy of the invoice? It's waiting approval from so-and-so who's on vacaction until next Wednesday, It's in our check run for this Thursday" etc., etc.  (Call me if you need some more of these...I've heard some beauties).  Using an Event Management system, things can be VERY different.  Let's say one of your customers just went past their terms (like 10 days past 30 days).  And you are about to ship some more product to them, only your event manager system just notified credit, and either the credit department or your system has locked down printing of pick tickets for this customer until the hold is released.  Someone in customer service has also been notified that this customer's order will not be shipped until this credit problem is resolved, and optionally, the customer has also been notified that their order is being held up until the problem is resolved.  Within hours, a few phone calls are exchanged, and the problem is resolved, while you still have some leverage with your customer.  They might be embarassed for the moment, but it was their mistake, after all.  You resolved it with them while everyone was still friends.  They received the merchandise that they needed, and you received the cash that you were owed.  And they also know to not delay payment to YOUR company when the cash requirements report is printed next time.  They know that some vendors watch, and others, not so much.  You are now on their list of vendors that is watching.  The lesson here is that like credit, which will go sideways if you are not watching (guaranteed), there are many things in business where you can be prepared, forewarned or alerted that something important needs your attention.  It doesn't matter what type of software application you are using, or how many different applications or databases might be involved, either.   Business activity management systems look for pre-defined conditions in the database, and then execute your pre-programmed instructions.  The trigger could be something as simple as an email received with a particular word in the subject line.  The response that you plan for might be simply an email to someone that can affect the outcome, or it could be a complex series of outcomes.  In our example above, it might have been a simple email to the controller or credit manager, or a combination of that email plus automated credit holds on all orders and an email notification to the customer.  You define the action to take - whatever is appropriate for the issue at hand. Put these simple and inexpensive tools to work for you - and deal with fewer fire drills every day.  Fire drills are very expensive, and take time away from your productivity.