Q1. What were the problems faced by Income in this case? How were the problems resolved by the new digital system?
Income’s insurance processes very tedious and paper based.
The collection schedule could introduce delays of two or three days.
Investment to upgrade the HP 3000 mainframe that hosted the core insurance application broke down – took several months to restore the data loss if hardware crashes
In-house IT team – Broke multiple times, halted the system’s and caused temporary interruption
Started with customers meeting an agent, filling in forms and submitting documents
Then submit forms to branches from couriers to the office service department
Office service would log documents, sort them, and then send them to departments for underwriting
Proposal allocated to underwriting staff then sent to computer service department lastly redistributed
For storage all the original document packed and sent to warehouse, staff log and store the document
Q2. What types of information systems and business processes were used by Income before migrating to the fully digital system?
In 2002, upgrade the HP 3000 mainframe that hosted the core insurance applications as well as the accounting and management information systems but still frequently broke down.
HP 3000 only backup system allowed restoration of previous days backup data.
The COBOL programs were also developed in early 1980s and maintained by Incomes in-house IT team.
To be quite cumbersome and time taken to launch new product ranged.
New customer application for motor insurance.
Q3. Describe the Information systems and IT infrastructure at Income after migrating to the fully digital system?
Information system
Income change to Java based eBao life system from eBao technology
Its compromised 3 subsystems which is Policy Administration, Sales Management and Supplementary Resources
Consist of customercentric design, seamless integration with imaging and barcode technology
Immediately on high availability platform
IT infrastructure
Has been replaced with a more robust, scalable architecture
All servicing branches has been replace with scanner
Monitor changed into 20inches
PC Ram size upgraded to 128mb
new software and hardware for application servers, web servers, and disk storage system were installed
Q4. What benefits did Income reap from the new system?
500 office staff and 3400 insurance advisors could access the system anytime , anywhere
Staff member who telecommute enjoyed faster access to information almost as fast as those who accessed the information in the office
Improve cross sells and customer service
System become more flexible
Cut the time and cost needed to design or launch new product
Support agents and brokers
Customer can do online services easily
Q5. How well is Income prepared for the future? Are the problems described in the case likely to be repeated?
Income has continuously upgrade their software system according to the evolving of technology from paper based system to digital web-based system
This is to ensure the easiness of their services
Income also ensured that their customers will always get the best service from them
Those problem would not likely to be incurred if Income continuously analyzes the problem and drawbacks of their system
And if Income keep on finding the best and new ways to solve the problems, it might never occurred again
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