| Many companies have started moving to a central | | | | processes which are critical. Support Desk will start |
| support desk to cater to their Global QAD Support | | | | with Transition SLA at this time and for a agreed |
| requirements. | | | | limited period. |
| As an influencer of QAD TCO, consolidation of | | | | Steady State and Performance measurement: At the |
| support desk is a key element to controlling the | | | | end of the Transition Phase, Central Support will move |
| operating environment of QAD. The influence of | | | | to Steady State and applicable SLA. Performance of |
| Support goes beyond meeting the technical and | | | | the Support Desk will measured using the Call |
| functional requirements. A consolidated support | | | | Management Software and against all levels of |
| environment plays a key role in process | | | | severity. |
| standardization and drive overall IT policy. | | | | Advantages of Central Support Desk: |
| Key Steps in Support Consolidation | | | | What does an organization gain by moving to a |
| Objectives of Support Competency Center: | | | | Central Support? |
| Consolidation of multiple support groups into a central | | | | Lean Support: Centralization of QAD Support invariably |
| desk requires a well thought out process. With multiple | | | | leads to reduction in the overall support resource |
| sites, languages and requirements, objectives of | | | | requirement. Especially where the Support is mandated |
| support consolidation must be clear in order to achieve | | | | to handle the entire environment i.e., Application to OS. |
| the same. | | | | Knowledge Repository: Central QAD Support will help |
| Formation of Support Competency Center: The | | | | consolidate the knowledge of processes across the |
| strength and staffing of Support center will depend on | | | | organization. This enables sharing of common issues |
| the scope of support i.e., Functional, Technical, OS, EDI | | | | and resolution. Code Reuse and Process sharing can |
| etc. In addition, infrastructure and software for Call | | | | be achieved across markets and sites |
| Logging and Tracking will require to be in place. Past | | | | Process Standardization: With QAD Support |
| call volume including details of severity, volume, time of | | | | Consolidation, there is more transparency on disparate |
| call, time zones and horizon of support help determine | | | | processes followed across sites. This enables to |
| the optimum support desk staffing. | | | | identify and streamline customizations. Over a period |
| Service Level Agreements: Call severity and SLA's will | | | | of time, organizations can achieve single code set |
| require to be defined in detail. It will be prudent to have | | | | (except for localization and statutory requirements) |
| a two tier SLA i.e., Transition SLA and Steady State | | | | across databases. |
| SLA. Transition SLA is applied during the initial stage | | | | For successful execution, the following should be |
| and for a limited period. Performance of the Support | | | | considered. |
| Desk will be measured against the agreed SLA. | | | | Environment Governance: Central Support Desk goes |
| Due Diligence: Site must be assessed for level of | | | | beyond resource optimization. An effective |
| customization, localization, availability of customization / | | | | governance layer will ensure control over site |
| localization, interfaces etc. Site assessment helps is | | | | requirements on processes and customizations. The |
| assessing the complexity of the site and sequence in | | | | governance layer will act as the gate keeper for all |
| the central support takeover. | | | | site specific requirements and keeping an overall |
| Foldback Study: Each site must be folded back for all | | | | business model intact. |
| business processes, custom codes, cron jobs, pending | | | | IT Objectives: Support Desk must be synchronized |
| user requirements etc. For business processes, walk | | | | with the corporate objectives and driven towards the |
| through of every step must be made with key users | | | | same. Central Support Desk being at the forefront is in |
| and recorded. The fold back must be completely | | | | a position to drive the IT Policies and Objectives in a |
| documented and signed off by the site management. | | | | more effective manner |
| Support Takeover: Central Support will take over | | | | Knowledge of Business: Central Support must have |
| support after foldback study has been signed off by | | | | thorough knowledge of the business and beyond just |
| the site. Support Desk will take custody of codes at | | | | the technical knowledge of the application and must be |
| this point. In cases where source codes are not | | | | able to model the business and carry forward the |
| available and identified during due diligence, work should | | | | same for effective deployment and standardization. |
| be commenced to write the source codes for those | | | | |