Data Access and Transactions

Real-Time Information Systems

There’s nothing wrong with collecting information about customers, as long as that information is not misused, or sold without permission. Building a database of customer habits is useful not only as a mechanism for feedback to management, but also as a means of providing individually tailored service to repeat customers. Likewise, field sales information, design and production schedules, product inventory, online purchases, sales transactions, marketing research, and competitive information all have an impact on your ability to provide service to your customers. Making that information available in real time (or as a continuous up-to-date flow of information) dramatically affects your ability to make rapid and incremental improvements to your business processes.