Ringing the Changes
As a first step toward strategic growth since the breakup of the
Spanish telephone network monopoly, Airtel Vodafone invested $1.9
billion in its own transport and access networks, allowing it to meet
the demands of a rapidly growing operation. With more than seven
million customers, the company also recognized it needed to invest in a
database to manage customer data and provide high-level marketing
information.
A data warehouse, the Almacén Integrado de Datos (Aida), was
constructed. The purpose was to provide Airtel Vodafone staff with all
the quality information required for dealing with business processes
quickly, simply and efficiently. This was difficult given the huge
volumes of data. In order to convert the mass of basic data into usable
business intelligence, Airtel Vodafone needed a powerful data warehouse
that was fast, flexible, scalable and easy to use.
The integrity and consistency of information had to be maintained, even
though the data was generated from disparate departments. It was
essential that any solution could ensure a high degree of information
integration throughout the company. Airtel Vodafone selected Sybase
IQ.
Getting the Best
A fundamental problem of using Aida was the sheer volume of information
handled on a daily basis. Waiting for all the complex data-processing
algorithms to be resolved caused unacceptable delays. However, storage
technology and advances in processing capability means that an enormous
volume of data can now be processed at relatively low cost. Sybase IQ
cut the waiting time for query responses down to just seconds. This
compares very favorably with other tools that can take hours.
Airtel Vodafone recognized that achieving this kind of result meant
selecting the best possible database management solution. It was
particularly important that data from disparate sources could be fully
integrated in order to provide high-quality analysis that was fast and
reliable.
Single Data, Multiple Uses
The Airtel Vodafone data warehouse organizes information according to
the company’s business map. Even though many different departments use
the same data, the consistency and integrity of the information is
maintained. The data warehouse converts data into knowledge turning
real-world facts, via an interface, into valuable business
intelligence. The ability to accurately analyze and predict customer
activity is crucial to Airtel Vodafone’s overall business
strategy.
A thousand employees use the data warehouse for multidimensional
analysis, making more intensive use of the system. With
multidimensional analysis using specifically designed information
structures, data concerning customers, infrastructures and company
processes can be extracted and users are able to create modeling and
simulation processes including techniques that complement
analysis.
Data mining techniques are also used to extract information on customer
behavior patterns. Airtel Vodafone’s customer-facing personnel are able
to input the information they collect on a daily basis, so that it is
integrated with data already stored in the warehouse. This data is
subsequently combined and converted into information structures for
inquiries.
Total Integration
The data warehouse enables information access according to workflow
needs rather than the hierarchical structure of the organization,
increasing employee productivity and effectiveness. This means that
users in marketing, for example, are using the same information as
those in finance, albeit coming at it from different angles and using
it for different analyses. The data warehouse environment comprises
marketing databases, call systems, customer service, GSM network
statistical data, invoicing systems, collections and retrievals and all
logistics information.
Using Sybase IQ, Airtel Vodafone now has an ideal environment to suit
all its needs, enabling rapid low-cost integration of data stored in
various operational surroundings. It can therefore provide either
detailed or summarized information of the company’s activities direct
from the data warehouse environment. Sybase IQ has enabled Airtel
Vodafone to gain market share and become a major player in the European
telecommunications sector.
“Airtel Vodafone’s choice was influenced by Sybase’s considerable
systems expertise. Based on its Sybase IQ database manager, Sybase
developed a business intelligence system capable of handling the work
performed by everyone using the Airtel Vodafone data warehouse.”
