INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FOR MANAGERS

Name: R.S. Viswakeerthi Roll No: 137MB159 Class: I-MBA

Information System of FedEx Company

Federal Express was among the first express transportation companies to realize the benefits of technology. As early as 1978, just five years after it began operations, the company pioneered the first automated customer service centre. To provide real-time package tracking for each shipment, FedEx uses one of the world's largest computer and telecommunications networks. The company's couriers operate Super Tracker hand-held computers, to record the transit of shipments through the FedEx integrated network. FedEx's use of technology focuses on the customer, rather than merely on remaining competitive. With FedEx, businesses can determine the status of their packages at all possible locations along the delivery route in real time. Customers can track packages in three ways: via the FedEx Web site on the Internet, by using FedEx Ship Manager at fedex.com, or FedEx World TM Shipping Software.

To provide the time-definite service customers have come to rely on, FedEx is continually developing innovative technologies. The following examples illustrate why FedEx remains the leader in the express cargo transportation industry. COSMOS (Customer Operations Service Master On-line System) is a computerized package tracking system that monitors every phase of the delivery cycle at Federal Express. FedEx employees constantly input information into COSMOS by several means. Customer service representatives enter shipping information into COSMOS through computer terminals, alerting the dispatcher closest to the pick-up or delivery area. Dispatchers relay pick-up and delivery information to the courier via DADS, small digitally assisted dispatch computer systems found in all courier vans. Hand-held computers, called Super Trackers, are used to scan the progress of the package an average of 5 times from pick-up to delivery. Couriers simply scan the bar code on every waybill with their Super Tracker, at every stage of the delivery process. Scans are performed at time of pick-up, on arrival at the origin station, at the final station, when placed on the van of the courier's route and at delivery.

Super Trackers retain and transmit package information such as destination, routing instructions and the type of service requested. Once a courier returns to the van, the information is downloaded from the Super Tracker to DADS, which updates the package location in the COSMOS system. Thus, a customer can find out at any time exactly where their package is and when they can expect delivery, whether they call Customer Service or track the package themselves on the FedEx Web site or using FedEx Ship software. Constant tracking allows Federal Express to maintain positive control over shipments every step of the way. It is so integral a part of the system that FedEx promises to deliver all packages within one minute of the delivery commitment or the customer does not pay. The company also offers a second guarantee that is unique to the industry: if a customer cannot be told exactly where their package is, within 30 minutes of their inquiry, FedEx will pay the transportation costs of the package. From COSMOS and tracking to service guarantees, the Federal Express network is designed to provide 100% customer satisfaction. Of the important things in the corporate world is the existence of information systems are adjustable and can be handled by the client and the interaction with it, such as modern information systems used by FedEx, which has been produced in the modern

period of the companys development organizations such as interaction with customers and system disc top.

FedEx based on EIS (Executive Information Systems)

Features of an EIS

Access to internal and external data What-if analysis Ad hoc queries Drill down Project tracking Colour business graphics Network connections, e-mail access High security Indications for developing EIS

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Internal Need for rapid updates from different business units. Need to access corporate data. External

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Competitive, rapidly changing environment. Need to access external databases. Increasing (or fast changing) Government regulations.

Difference between MIS and DSS and EIS: The difference between the three systems lies in their functions. The main function of MIS is related to the managing the internal operations and the documents. The DSS helps employees in making decisions even for the daily tasks. The EIS assists the senior level managers in making serious decisions that are very important and critical to make. MIS and the other two systems are still interlinked because of the fact that MIS holds all the documentations that are used by the other two. In the same way, DSS and the EIS are similar in a way that both are focusing on the decision making. The MIS has the feature to be used by the intellectual group that includes the high level and middle level management, as compared to that the DSS is the only one among the three that is used at all the business levels and the information it uses is not only internal but also the external one. Summarizing, EIS is complicated as compared to the DSS and MIS.

Information system in this company : Information system used to FedEx a comprehensive system of connecting the sections in all areas where there are branches of the company, this system effectively and able to support the work inside and outside the company and is capable of activating the communication between customers and the company, directors, employees, and can also be used to deliver messages and information between managers and employees and customers. Development of Information System in the company : Information system development can be the year of the company could be the work of the system to take on customers, managers, services, products and employees through the work of a sub-system is to take the opinion and presented to users in all assortment. There are 46 call centres across the globe handling over 500,000 telephone calls daily. FedEx Russia's Web site on the Internet is another technological advance increasing customer convenience and reducing the need to phone Customer Service. Customers can access information and track their packages at their own convenience. Although these technological developments allow Federal Express to provide prompt and easy-to-access service, customers

who prefer the "personal touch", or who require more in-depth information, can still speak to a call centre representative. Providing the accurate and efficient service customers demand is crucial to the success of the express transportation business. To carry on its tradition of increasing customer convenience and satisfaction, FedEx will continue to pursue improvements to the technology used in its call centres.