Cell Systems

Summary

This document will discuss and determine the probability of a new internal cell phone activation system at the electronics retailer, Best Buy, to improve and manage profitability as well as efficiencies that services the needs of over 20,000 mobile employees located in all 50 states who are connected to a company-wide business infrastructure ten hours a day, seven days a week, and 363 days a year. This feasibility study is a part of the system development life cycle process for this proposed system.

Background

In May 2008, Best Buy had partnered up with a European based company called Car Phone Warehouse. This partnership would allow Best Buy to expand the company into the telecommunications market as well as allowing their brands to be sold throughout Europe.

Best Buy Mobile features one of the largest selections of mobile phones and networks, as well as an extensively trained staff to help their customers make the most out of their mobile phone purchase. Best Buy had understood what their customers wanted throughout R&D and focus groups, and actively listening. According to Best Buy, Dudash (2008), "Customers let us know quickly that they dreaded shopping for a mobile phone anywhere in the United States, whether with us or anyone else. Wireless customers are asking for more choice and more attention to their individual needs, and our new concept provides that".

Determining the feasibility

Taking the time to study the feasibility is worth the effort as it will ultimately save time and money to both the business leaders and systems analysts.

The activation that is currently being used is called "Beast". This allows a Best Buy Mobile consultant to access the customer's account information, validate the customer's eligibility, activate the new mobile phone, and print out the contract to that carrier. This system works with all carrier systems. The program has been running for approximately four years and is not possible to develop a new system.

Defining the problem

Best Buy's activation program called "Beast", has been experiencing problems with system crashes, unknown carrier errors, missing buttons, elongated transaction times, the ability to perform certain transactions as well as timing out when connected to carrier sites.

Issues discovered by interviewing eight employees are broken down by weight.

1. When Beast crashes, consultant must call into help desk to get token code in order to call the carrier to get mobile phone activated. The call to the help desk is greater than 30 minutes and is roughly around the same time to call the carrier. This creates long activation times which run over an hour at the least.

2. If the customer changes their