| Enterprise Content Management uses Internet | | | | |
| technologies to make information accessible | | | | Enterprise Content Management systems can |
| from all over the world. In an age of global | | | | also help Business to Government - B2G - |
| business, this enables employees spread | | | | transactions, particularly in the context of |
| across the globe to maintain effective | | | | Government Request for Proposals - RFPs. The |
| contacts with their headquarters and also | | | | company can register with the concerned |
| other offices located anywhere in the world. | | | | government departments so that it is alerted |
| | | | to new RFPs relevant to its business. |
| Internet technologies are used to create an | | | | |
| intra-business network, and Intranet, that | | | | Not only can the company bid against the RFPs |
| restricts access to authorized persons. This | | | | through it ECM system, but it can also make |
| means that worldwide accessibility is | | | | available requested information such as its |
| combined with security. | | | | financial status, technical competence and |
| | | | references in a more authentic manner. |
| Business-to-Employees | | | | |
| | | | The company that uses an ECM to deal with |
| Business-to-Employee - B2E - networks offer | | | | government will also find it easy to comply |
| services and products to employees. It | | | | with regulatory requirements by having access |
| facilitates dissemination of corporate | | | | to the latest regulations and relevant forms |
| announcements and special offers to | | | | and rules. Online filing of reports that can |
| employees, as well as online requests for | | | | be verified by the government departments |
| supplies, reporting of employee benefits and | | | | online reduces the time involved. |
| other employee-related tasks. | | | | |
| | | | How ECM Works |
| Business-to-Business | | | | |
| | | | ECM works mainly through the in-house |
| Business-to-Business - B2B - transactions | | | | intranet and company web portals. While the |
| tend to be critical for the smooth flow of | | | | Intranet provides information access and |
| business. For example, timely deliveries from | | | | communication facilities to the company's |
| raw materials suppliers are critical to avoid | | | | employees, the web portal allows outsiders, |
| "stock out" stoppages of manufacturing | | | | such as suppliers, customers and government, |
| operations. | | | | access to needed information and |
| | | | better-quality communication facilities. |
| An Enterprise Content Management system can | | | | |
| allow a supplier to access scheduled | | | | The key advantages that are provided by |
| requirements of your supply needs online. It | | | | Enterprise Content Management systems are: |
| will then be possible for the supplier to | | | | |
| schedule their own manufacturing operations | | | | - Provides online access to information from |
| to enable timely deliveries of your | | | | anywhere instead of having to move paper |
| requirements. | | | | documents back and forth |
| | | | |
| In such a situation, any variations in your | | | | - Streamlines time-consuming business |
| manufacturing schedules will be immediately | | | | processes through collaboration across both |
| reflected in the supply schedule, and will | | | | short and long distances |
| alert the supplier to cut back or speed up | | | | |
| deliveries. | | | | - Improves security and audit trails that |
| | | | makes it possible to conduct business more |
| You can also enhance your relationships with | | | | confidently |
| your own customers through ECM. For example, | | | | |
| if you are a supplier of important inputs to | | | | Conclusion |
| your customer's operations, you can integrate | | | | |
| your ECM with that of your customer to alert | | | | Enterprise Content Management systems make it |
| you about the supply needs, and any changes | | | | possible to improve information access and |
| therein. | | | | communications both in-house with employees |
| | | | (who might be spread worldwide) and with |
| In both supplier and customer relationships, | | | | outside agencies such as suppliers, |
| communication can be improved in a major way | | | | customers, and government. It’s even |
| through instant messaging, bulletin boards, | | | | possible to integrate outside systems with |
| online meetings, and other similar devices. | | | | the company’s own, in a secure manner, |
| The ability to establish immediate, direct | | | | to speed up business transactions. |
| contact and to communicate requirements with | | | | |
| sufficient clarity will improve | | | | These lead to faster completion of |
| relationships. | | | | transactions and streamlined business |
| | | | processes, which in turn lead to far-better |
| Business-to-Government | | | | business results. |