iPath is a fully integrated web-based Customer Relationship Management, Trouble Management, Order Management, Task Management, Inventory Management and (soon to be) Billing application. It has been designed and developed by the vCom Solution's IT team with requirements provided by vCom's Operations and Sales.
The application was designed by following four core principles in the effort to make vCom more efficient in its business processes:
Performance - the application must always perform efficiently. As requirements are requested for new features, we will always balance the benefit of the feature against its effect on performance. If the feature will cause a drain on performance, it may not be implemented and alternatives will be considered.
Capability - the system must at a minimum provide vCom with the same capabilities as previous systems. That is not to say functionality will always be brought over "as-is" from Logicware; rather, "good" functionality is duplicated. Bad functionality is not replicated in iPath.
Ease of Use - the system must be designed around ease of use and not require the user to perform excessive "mouse-clicks" to perform a task. We have leveraged some important tools to make the data-entry process much easier. This guiding principle insures that we always consider the role of the user and how each screen is designed. Some examples:
whenever possible, the "Enter" key can be used to save data rather then having to click the "Save" button.
every screen has a default field where the cursor will be, preventing the user from having to select the first field.
searching is done "live" as you type on certain screens to improve performance
These are just a few of the examples that were implemented based on this principle.
Integration - the system has been designed around future integration with CustomCall. The goal being that data entry into CustomCall will no longer be required - gaining greater efficiencies for vCom.
The launch of iPath will occur on 8/18/06, and Phase II is to be determined. Phase II will include database enhancements and bug corrections.