Collectors Could Find Uses for Business Intelligence

Technology companies are contacting firms in the business intelligence field as they seek to extend their offerings to customers, operate more efficiently and find an edge over their competitors.

Business intelligence applications range from basics such as spreadsheets to advanced dashboards running ad hoc reports that allow users to drill down or consolidate information to get detailed sub-category information or to get enterprise-wide detail.

Collection firms can use business intelligence to help determine where they should spend their resources (e.g., customers most likely to pay, those with the highest outstanding balances) and so on, Jim Smith, senior sales consultant for Business Objects, said in a presentation in Chicago Thursday.

Business Objects defines business intelligence as “the use of an organization’s disparate data to provide meaningful information and analysis to employees, customers, suppliers, and partners for more effective decision making.” Business Objects, with dual headquarters in San Jose, Calif. and Paris, provides business intelligence software to more than 43,000 customers and a network of more than 3,000 partners and resellers.

Earlier this year, Business Objects released its Edge application aimed at the mid-market, which the company defines as firms with $15 million to $1 billion in annual revenues. The application starts at $200,000, said Smith.

Plans call for Edge to be offered through SAP, which purchased Business Objects earlier this year. Indeed, the business intelligence market has become the latest battleground for the multinational technology houses. Just this week, IBM purchased Business Objects competitor Cognos. Another competitor, Hyperion Solutions, was acquired by Oracle in April.

Business intelligence gives its user flexibility to analyze detailed information, allowing the firm react quickly as trends change, rather than needing to wait to analyze reports that can take several days or weeks to produce, said Smith.

To have these capabilities, a firm must be able to agree to standard terms for customers (historical reports have to use AT&T or Cingular, not both, for example), products, delinquent accounts (each department has to agree on the number of days outstanding when an account becomes delinquent), Smith said.