Improving Decision Making in an ISP through Business Intelligence
Keywords:
Business Intelligence, ISP, Internet Service Provider, ISP Service Management, Predictive Analytics, Predictive ModelAbstract
In order to attract subscribers and increase revenue in a very competitive  Internet Service Provider (ISP) industry, the players make great effort to improve their service management. The ability to make effective decisions is crucial to survival in this dynamic business environment. This paper proposes a Business Intelligence Model for ISPs in Kenya to assist management in developing effective service management strategies.
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The needs and critical information requirements of the senior management of a leading ISP in Kenya were identified by conducting interviews. Using SAP Business Objects and SPSS, the Business Intelligence model was developed for verification. We explored customer usage characteristics and preference knowledge by examining monthly volume usage and the cost of bandwidth using data form the ISP covering a period of four months. Embedded OLAP tool was used to identify patterns to determine the usage value of customers. Customers were divided into clusters identifying customer value which enabled the senior management in the organization to develop direct and effective marketing strategies. Based on the model, senior management was able to learn from the past and forecast the future. The model improved information flow, increased the speed and quality of key marketing and sales decisions in the organization.
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