Support Readiness Planning for Enterprise Software Companies

Mike Bourn SSPA Conference 4/7/04

Enterprise Support TrendsEnterprise Support Trends

Complexity and Integration Options

Mission-Critical

Consolidation – “largeness”

Outsourcing, Hosting, Managed Applications

Open Source

Lowering TCO for Sys Mgmt

Security and Accountability

Increased troubleshooting discovery, definition, and resolution times

Product/Service Exceptions Cost Cycle

Make

Product Sustaining

Sell

Customer

Dig

ital F

iles

Value-Added Svcs

Customer Sustaining

Corporate SupportC

OS

T

CO

ST

EX

CEP

TIO

NS

Support System Overview

Support

Supply

Support

Demand

ProductSustaining

CustomerSustaining

CustomerSupport

Org

SustainingEngineering

Balancing Supply and Demand

Vendor Customer

Support System OverviewSupport System Overview

ProductSustaining

CustomerSustaining

CustomerSupport

Org

SustainingEngineering

Compromises in Customer Response,Product Quality, Completeness, & Scheduling

Increase Demand

More exceptions, interruptions, and escalations … impacting resources, schedules, and quality

Downward Spiral of Compromises

Supply Demand

Ready?Ready?

CustomerNewProduct, Release,or Acquisition

NewProduct, Release,or Acquisition

?Support &Services

Optional Approaches to Support Readiness Management

Optional Approaches to Support Readiness Management

Do Too LittleWait to be told

Do Too MuchAttempt to parallel entire Eng/Mkt effort and be connected to each piece

Do The Right AmountEnsure support organization readiness

Provide quality feedback and requirements

Represent existing customers

Ask right question at right time

Strategy for Launching New Internal SR ProcessStrategy for Launching New Internal SR Process

Determine best internal method for detecting and tracking new products before launch

Idea/Requirements

Development sequence

Marketing management

Determine what you want and when you want it from the other organizations

Executive commitment

What U WantWhat U Want

Early Awareness (> 60 days pre-release)What is it? Specifications/Requirements. What are the issues? Who owns them? What is the plan?

Cross Functional Coordination (30-60 days pre-release)

Execution of the plan underway.

Pre-Release Scheduling (0-30 days pre-release)

Readiness deliverables: training, comms, services, systems, etc.

ReleaseEverything done!

What U Want: 2 Major Concepts:#1 Product Supportability

What U Want: 2 Major Concepts:#1 Product Supportability

Supportability Requirements (variable process):

Product impact on customers

Product supportability assessment

Product technology inventory: skills requirements

Product boundaries and positioning: corporate commitment

Product service models

What U Want: 2 Major Concepts:#2 Support Readiness

What U Want: 2 Major Concepts:#2 Support Readiness

Support Readiness Mgmt. (repeatable process):

Support ops process coordination / project mgmtSupport ops resourcesSupport ops trainingSupport ops communicationsSupport ops readiness management reporting

Readiness and SupportabilityReadiness and Supportability

Response Center

READINESS PROCESS

Field Services

READINESS PROCESS

Early Early awarenessawareness

Cross functional Cross functional CoordinationCoordination

Pre-release Pre-release SchedulingScheduling

Post Post RRBRRB

Early Early awarenessawareness

Cross functional Cross functional CoordinationCoordination

Pre-release Pre-release SchedulingScheduling

Post Post RRBRRB

Coo

rdin

atio

n /

Com

mun

icat

ion

Coordination / C

omm

unication

SUPPORT SERVICES

SUPPORTABILITYTRAININGSYSTEMS

Supportability Requirements

Make

CorporateSupport

Sell

Features

ProductSupportability

TechnologyRequirements

ProductService Models

MarketplaceRequirements

Existing Customer

Requirements

Strategy

Readiness Process:Early Awareness (>60 days)

Readiness Process:Early Awareness (>60 days)

Supportability review: What is it? What are the issues? What is the support/service model?3rd party contracting? Embedded technologies? Reselling? Tech Partners?Tech ownership and boundaries (e.g. open source)?Scope training requirements

Readiness Process:Early Awareness Typical Issues

Readiness Process:Early Awareness Typical Issues

Customer consequences for install/upgrade

Naming and numbering

Superceded releases or products?

Readiness Process:Cross-Functional Coord. (30-60 days pre-

release)

Readiness Process:Cross-Functional Coord. (30-60 days pre-

release)

Lock in the operational readiness game plan

Services description

Systems plan

Training plan

Resources plan

Necessary pre-release inputs/outputs from other organizations

Readiness Process:Cross-Functional Coordination

(30-60 days pre-release)

Readiness Process:Cross-Functional Coordination

(30-60 days pre-release)

Communications plan

Projected release compatibility

Consequent impact on existing customer base

Integration restrictions

Compatibility with other products

Readiness Process: Pre-Release Scheduling

(0-30 days pre-release)

Readiness Process: Pre-Release Scheduling

(0-30 days pre-release)

Training dates

Early drops of the product

Systems readiness

Internal readiness communications

Customer communications draft

Final days Q/A test data review

Tips for Exerting InfluenceCross-Functionally

Tips for Exerting InfluenceCross-Functionally

?

Marketing

Engineering

Customer Support“Mental Models”

Marketing’s ViewMarketing’s View

Perspectives and ChallengesPressure from Sales Force

Corporate strategy / Executive priorities

Competition

Announcements / Product Launch

Industry Analysts

Corporate Support Leverage PointsExisting customers / Sales force

Product “reality”

Development Engineering practices

Engineering’s ViewEngineering’s View

Perspectives and ChallengesSchedulesRequirementsResources

Corporate Support Leverage PointsRequirementsMetrics Contracts: OEM, Reselling, PartnerProduct knowledge

Customer Support ViewCustomer Support View?Perspectives and Challenges

Technical problem solvingPhonesExceptions

Corporate Support Leverage PointsEnterprise support definitionSupportability requirementsService modelsManagement reporting

Corporate Support ReadinessCorporate Support Readiness

Corporate Support is: “All other value delivered to customer.”

Every department – Customer Support, Sustaining Eng, Sales, PS, Education needs a Readiness Process.

Know what you want and ask the right questions at the right time.

Understand other department’s mental models and priorities.

Q & AQ & A

Mike Bourn (Dir. Response Center)

714-327-7119mbourn@filenet.com

Teresa Powell(Mgr. Support Readiness)

714-327-3906tpowell@filenet.com

For Additional Information, contact: