reproduce below an interesting article on the outlook for business intelligence, from the perspective of those responsible for ICT, published DataManagerOnline:
http://www.datamanager.it/news/business-intelligence / the-business-intelligence-view-from-responsible-ic
The survey, carried out on ICT managers of 150 medium-sized enterprises active in Italy in the manufacturing, trade and services has highlighted the need for such a sound knowledge of developments in your company and a constant comparison with competitors are indispensable requirements, although they are often not translated into practice.
If you find a confirmation that 90% of companies regularly use the processes of reporting and 79% use planning tools, it is rather surprising to note that, according to executives interviewed by ICT Axiante, two out of three companies, namely 67% of the sample, I would never in a comparison with competitors , when in fact the benchmark is a valuable tool to understand the evolution of business, or find that more than one company in two, namely 55% do not regularly measure customer loyalty .
"As a consultancy we are accustomed, every 12-18 months, conduct investigations to take the pulse of the market, so you can always adjust the most of our proposals, "said Romeo Scaccia, President of Axiante.
"This time we chose to explore the direction for ICT business areas clearly identified, to know their perceptions on the current use of BI applications in the enterprise, and especially on the key processes that support these applications, extending the ' timeframe of the survey plans for the next 12-18 months. "
The 150 companies surveyed, of medium to large, that is, with sales up by 300 million, belong to the major fields activities, such as pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, services or industrial products, and include the Italian branches of international groups.
when approaching the leaders of ICT companies, deliberately not been asked technical questions, instead focusing the investigation on four key areas: monitoring, planning, sales and marketing area.
Regarding the first area, that of controlling financial, it was found that about 90% of companies are using it regularly reporting processes, and this shows that the formal procedures are performed regularly.
Ma il 40% delle aziende intende migliorare questi processi, per avere ulteriori dettagli (il 47%) e maggiore tempestività (il 31%): segno che le aziende hanno sempre più l’esigenza di “leggere” dietro ai numeri per comprendere meglio i fenomeni di mercato, e in tempi sempre più rapidi come imposto dal ritmo del business.
Molto significativi anche i dati relativi alla funzione di planning : il 79% delle aziende utilizza strumenti evoluti per operare un forecast su base mensile. Quel che è interessante notare, è che la revisione sia del budget sia degli obiettivi avviene nel 14% su base mensile, nel 36% dei casi ogni tre mesi e nel 30% dei casi ogni semestre: in sostanza, solo il 20% delle aziende è rimasto ancorato alla classica ri-pianificazione annuale del budget.
“Il cambiamento, anche repentino, negli scenari di business è diventato una costante, e le aziende si sono abituate a ripianificare spesso per non farsi cogliere impreparate”, ha sottolineato Scaccabarozzi.
“Ecco perché si parla sempre più di ‘Rolling Forecast’, ovvero di previsioni continue, con le quali le aziende operano veri e propri aggiustamenti “in corsa”, rivedendo in continuazione i piani e le previsioni in modo che le scorte, gli investimenti, le risorse umane, e la finanza aziendale, possano be realigned to the changing competitive environment. "
But it is part of the sales and marketing you can see some surprises, according to the perception of IT managers: how to define it the fact that 67% of companies not using any benchmark tool than competitors and that 52% do not regularly measure customer loyalty? These are two aspects that are closely linked, especially in contexts of stagnant market growth is limited and substantially as the Italian one, where they often acquire new customers at the expense of competitors.
It is clear that in order not to lose market share to Companies must constantly monitor their performance against the competition, but one in three does not.
goes a bit 'better on the front of the monitoring of loyalty, as little more than one company on two monitors regularly review it enjoys with its customers.
"The data for the analysis of competition and loyalty us a bit 'surprised, because they show still a low use of important functions, due to the fact that until recently the tools suit were not available, "said Romeo Scaccia.
"Conducting benchmark requires processing large amounts of data within and without, and their detailed analysis it is clear that such an analysis can not be done with the classic spreadsheet, but require the presence of Data Warehouse and a particularly sophisticated tools of Business Intelligence and Business Analytics.
How Axiante, we have to our credit numerous projects of this type, implemented in particular in the pharmaceutical sector, which is one of the most active on the front of bechmarking.
As for tools, IT managers of companies surveyed by Axiante not have many doubts: the ' 84% said that Business Intelligence is a top priority for the next 18 months.
"This is nothing new - said Scaccia - as never before in uncertain times as what we are experiencing there is a need to have the largest possible number of elements in order to make correct decisions.
And the substantial stability of our business as a consulting firm specializing in BI and CPM applications, even in times of crisis demonstrates once again how companies wish to be prepared an appointment with the recovery. "
One last interesting fact emerged from the research is on the Data Warehouse in the company: in 45% of cases was carried out by four or more years, while 25% was 3 years ago. No wonder then that 53% of companies intend to review its data warehouse in 2010.
"These findings reflect, in part because they are closely related to those relating to their focus on Business Intelligence by the vast majority of companies," said Scaccia.
"It is not surprising to discover how a company more than two intends to adapt during the course of this year its data warehouse, built in practice five years ago, a period far too long, measured both in terms of ICT, both in terms of what happened in the macroeconomic and competitive. "
But making a Data Warehouse is a task to be tackled with caution, as it is, as you know, the heart of the system of analysis and decision of the company, since you live all the necessary data.
"That's why companies must increasingly rely on consultants to act as real architects: the structure and interrelationships of data in the Data Warehouse should be established a priori with a study as possible approfondito”, ha concluso Romeo Scaccabarozzi.
“Gli architetti e gli specialisti che Axiante mette a disposizione dei propri clienti sono in grado di affrontare anche i progetti più complessi, come è dimostrato dalle numerose referenze al nostro attivo”.
Then I had a hand in the design began reporting on the table. I do not know why, but I had to trace three times! I could not hit it as I wanted ... Here 
