Files and Databases
Some files used by Verizon are customer files, service files, billing files, product files, sales files, distributor files, among others. An example of a database system used by Verizon is in the customer database. Customer call information goes to databases. A customer database used by Verizon communications is (Microsoft) SQL Server 2000 Production database. The system functions on a Hewlett Packard ProLiant server along with EMC Symmetrix DMX storage devices. Along with that there is a Microsoft SQL Server RDBMS (Relational Database Management System) with Transact-SQL as the principle query language.
Verizon has other databases for billing, and sales transactions as well. These two databases are connected to update CUstomer Service Record (CSR) and inventory of items used or purchased by each customer. All of these records are obtained from a Carrier Access Billing System, supported by Microsoft's Access software. This system also allows each field to have a key field such as billing account numbers for each customer.
Database Management, Reports, and Storage
The employees responsible for databases are part of the call centre staff which is led by DBAs (Database Administrators). For example, for customer databases, they are responsible for customer data changes, operations, and updates. HOw the call centre staff views or puts in changes, is by retrieving customer records through account numbers, telephone numbers, social numbers, or other personal information that will open the account to view. There are some automatic changes that also are also part of customer records such as with billing, the balances change automatically.
Online analytical processing (OLAP) is using collective information from multiple databases to make important business decisions. Customer activity, sales, and marketing information can be manipulated to obtain online analytical processing. Verizon has their own data warehouse that supports their OLAP, which they also offer to their corporate and wholesale customers. The importance of the data warehouse, unlike an Online Transaction Processing (OLTP), is that it is not information from just one database, but from all databases available in the company, which better organize the company's information resources.
Verizon uses Microsoft Access support software, as a database management system and to obtain reports. Verizon reports include customer records, service changes, billing service, calling activity, product service, and more. Also, data marts are used to focus on certain areas ofo the company's operations. Verizon uses data marts to focus on specific areas instead of a whole database to create a report. For example, Verizon Businesss may want a report only on the relation between sales and service in order to see which services produce the most revenue; they will have to only retrieve information from the sales and service data marts rather than from the extensive data warehouse.
Data Mining
For Verizon’s division, Verizon Wireless, data mining is a very crucial part of their daily operations. Data mining can also be useful to other companies, not only communication companies, because it helps collect useful information that can be used to increase revenue and even cut company costs. Data mining can help detect trends in customer purchases, which if pegged right, can be a revenue booster. An example of this for Verizon Wireless can be as detailed as figuring out what day of the week or month over a certain amount of time has the highest recorded profit after expenses. Seeing what that day is, a sale should be put in place for the most common product which will make customers or potential customers want to buy more. Data mining can be as simple for Verizon Wireless as figuring out which gender likes the color of a phone better; because according to Verizon Wireless, they lose sales many times due to the fact that the customer will sometimes not like the color on the phone they want to purchase. The company that Verizon has used in the past and still uses for data mining is StatSoft- the creators of Statistica, widely used software used in many major corporations, government agencies, and Universities worldwide. They provide the most comprehensive data analysis, visualization, management, and mining procedures.
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