- Information system (IS)
– A set of interrelated components that collect, manipulate, and disseminate data and information, and provide feedback to meet an objective
All systems in Al-Ain Distribution Company (AADC) built using outsourcing method. They buy systems as a package from outside through searching, surveys and evaluating the best quality, and apply them with less time and cost. Deliver Manager (Laila Al Alawei) is the person who is responsible for the communication with the outsourcing company.
After we met with Salama Al Qubasi (Application Team Leader) and Zahera Al Shamisi (Application Team-Information Analyst), we got a general idea about AADC tasks and services that derived from the partnership with Injazat Company; which facilitate AADC task and do a significant part of its service. Injazat performs some AADC needs such as; choosing application vendors, evaluating and comparing instruments cost and quality, so Injazat Company is linking business with IT and service providers. The main systems that AADC use are Crista Report, Maximo, Smart System, and Customer Care and Billing System.
• Size of different information system(s): Departmental/Organizational/Inter-organizational
- Customer Care And Billing System(CC&B):
It’s the main and current system used to pay bills in AADC. It includes a lot of information about customers, home services and bills. By using this system, they know when electricity reaches homes, when electricity bills are paid and when it cut off.
This system save time, effort, and satisfies employees. However, increasing the pressure on the system at the beginning and end of each month represents one of the negatives that exposed the system, because most people pay their electricity bills and water bills in this period. This action may cause slowness in the system, and delay client's transactions.
- Right- Fax System ( Automated System ):
It is installed in the employees' computers, and it is used by all AADC users, managers, call center, and Injazat team. Also, Control Centre who works 24 hours and 7 days uses this system a lot. It works as an alternative to old fax machines which consume a lot of papers and may result in loss of many of these papers.
It can send faxes to any kind of fax machines through this system, and it saves documents as well. This system is more organized, controlled, allows managers to follow the staff and restrict them from unauthorized actions. It doesn't have many problems, unless the server is down. This leads to loss of time and delay sending and receiving faxes.
- Smart System:
Tracking times of the attendance and departure of employees, using access card. This program commits employees to come and leave on time. By using this system, employees become more disciplined and available. This system is an alternative to the fingerprint system that may not recognize the fingerprint sometimes.
- Hand Held Unit System(HHU) :
It is a system used to read how much water or electricity used in a certain building, and this task takes long time and needs effort, and this is very hard job for workers. If employee delayed from taking the reading to inform client about month bill, there will be no bills, and that may cause stop supplying water or electricity.
- Avaya System:
This system is used by call centre team and it allows customers to inquire about their bills and help them to put complaints, and it operates within 7 /24. By using Avaya system, AADC can control the agent, follow most calls, and solve issues in shortest time. If the server crashes, customer transactions will be delayed which lead to waste customer time.
- E- Service System:
Its web service system provides an easy way for customers to pay their bills through online system. First they have to register to have a unique account on the system. This will save their time and efforts by making their life easier. The disadvantages of the system, is that sometimes the transaction will not reflect on the CC&B due to disconnecting of Database of the system or due to one service of E-service maybe down. These types of errors can be follows through Customers complaints or through end-of month reports coming from the system.
- GIS System ( Geographic Information system ):
AADC communicates with Municipality and Ministry of Planning, and work with them in parallel in using this system. It includes house plans, graphics and electricity cables. Also, it uses maps to know where to place water and electricity pipes.
• Type of different information system(s): TPS, MIS, DSS, and EIS
Most of ADDC systems are Transaction Processing System (TPS), because it deals with daily and routine duties such as customers billing, opening new accounts for users, tracing employees' attendance, receiving calls and serve consumers.
It is important to know what the IS of the company and how to use it.
It have many systems which use in this company and each system has a specefic job. These systems lead to develop and improve the work in the company. The benefit of these systems are: save time, save each document that related to the company such as; (Right- Fax System) and increase communication between employees and customer.