Database Reference
In-Depth Information
table 5.1 (
Continued
)
Benefits Achieved from SAP e-Business technology
Achieved Area
Benefits Activity
Service
Shorter wait times for callers requiring customer service
Decreased time to resolve service requests
Higher rate of service issues resolved on first call
Increased productivity of customer service representatives
Higher rate of service issues resolved on first field service visit
Decreased rate of service issue escalation
Extended customer service through 24 × 7 self-service options
Increased customer service representative satisfaction
More accurate information concerning customer service operations
architectures of choice for computerized systems because of the tremendous flexibility permitted
by this approach. Applications can be installed, configured, and run on a central computer or dis-
tributed across several numbers, depending on the type and load of the applications. Moreover, as
the processing requirements and loads change, the corresponding systems can be upgraded selec-
tively. This approach provides a path for the companies to achieve greatly enhanced performance
at only incremental costs while preserving the investments made in the earlier hardware.
In SAP, N-Tier computing forms the basis of cooperative processing of disparate software
components that could reside on either a centralized or distributed configuration on many serv-
ers that are networked to each other. The communication between the servers could be based on
◾
Synchronous program-to-program communication
◾
Asynchronous message exchange
◾
Remote SQL
These disparate software components could be meant for graphical presentation, for processing
applications, or even for the storage of data. Special application servers can also be installed for
individual work areas as well. Allocating separate servers not only helps in balancing loads but also
enables allocating individual server configurations that are appropriate for the concerned tasks.
This not only helps in improving the throughput and response times but also optimizes costs.
The N-layer approach, with its distribution of presentation, applications, and database func-
tions on separate computers, truly provides a viable foundation for extended enterprise solutions.
However, for integrated systems like SAP, the real achievement is to implement the multilayer
concept without losing the integration of data and the processes across the entire system.
5.2.5 Comprehensive World-Class Functionality
SAP provides a suite of prepackaged, best-in-class applications to manage customer, partner, and
employee relationships on a global basis, delivering the broadest and deepest set of features in the
marketplace. The prebuilt features and business processes are designed to satisfy the majority of an
organization's business requirements out of the box. SAP covers most of the significant business
processes within several industries and businesses. Organizations can utilize divisional operations
