Service Provider Strategy : Proven Secrets for XSPs Book

	Preface	xvii
	Introduction to the Seven Operational Challenges	1
Chapter 1	Level Setting	3
1.1	History	4
1.2	Why Work with a Service Provider?	5
1.3	Why Use the Internet in Business?	7
1.4	Trends	8
1.5	New Services	10
1.6	Challenges	12
1.7	Endnote	13
Chapter 2	Basic Operational Challenges	15
2.1	Partnering and Alliances	17
2.2	Organization	18
2.3	Entering the Market	22
2.4	Service Delivery and Provisioning	25
2.5	Customer Care	27
2.6	Billing	28
2.7	Infrastructure and Availability	29
2.8	Summary	29
	Case Studies	31
Chapter 3	Case Studies: An Introduction	33
Chapter 4	North America--PartnerCommunity, Inc.	35
4.1	The North American Market	35
4.2	Case Study--PartnerCommunity, Inc.	36
4.3	Endnote	53
Chapter 5	Asia Pacific--Acer CyberCenter Services, Inc.	55
5.1	The Asia Pacific Market	55
5.2	Case Study--Acer CyberCenter Services, Inc.	57
5.3	Endnote	67
Chapter 6	Europe--KPNQwest	69
6.1	The European Market	69
6.2	Case Study--KPNQwest	70
6.3	Endnote	80
Chapter 7	Latin America--Triara	81
7.1	The Latin American Market	81
7.2	Case Study--Triara	82
7.3	Endnote	98
	The Readiness Primer	99
Chapter 8	Introduction to the Readiness Primer	101
8.1	The Seven Operational Challenges	101
Chapter 9	Partners and Alliances	103
9.1	Partner Strategy	103
9.2	Identify Gaps	104
9.3	Investigate	104
9.4	Negotiate	105
9.5	Contract	105
9.6	Manage	106
9.7	Exit	107
9.8	Case Studies	108
9.9	Summary	122
9.10	Endnotes	123
9.11	xSP Strategy Checklist for Partners and Alliances	124
Chapter 10	Organization	125
10.1	Services Strategy	125
10.2	Organizational Model	126
10.3	Resource Sizing	130
10.4	Organization and Resourcing Models	132
10.5	Outsourcing	135
10.6	xSP Strategy Checklist for Organizational Structure and Resourcing	139
Chapter 11	Entering the Market	141
11.1	Go-to-Market Strategy	141
11.2	Building a Service Offering Strategy (Product)	142
11.3	Determining Customer Needs and Market Drivers	144
11.4	Determining the Service Offering	145
11.5	Determining Focus Market Segmentation and Size	147
11.6	Services and Implementation Lifecycle	149
11.7	Services Strategy	150
11.8	Pricing Strategy/Methodology	150
11.9	Determining Cash Flow	151
11.10	Placement and Promotion: The Communications Mix	152
11.11	Value Proposition	152
11.12	Marketing Communications	153
11.13	Service Execution Components	158
11.14	Summary	165
11.15	Endnotes	166
11.16	xSP Strategy Checklist for Entering the Market	167
Chapter 12	Service Delivery and Provisioning	169
12.1	State of Affairs	169
12.2	What is Service Delivery and Service Provisioning	171
12.3	The Service Delivery Interface with the Logical Organization	175
12.4	Generic Service Delivery	177
12.5	Pitfalls of Service Delivery	179
12.6	Examples and Case Studies	182
12.7	Summary	187
12.8	Endnote	187
12.9	xSP Strategy Checklist for Service Provisioning and Service Delivery	188
Chapter 13	Perception Is Reality	189
13.1	Call Centers	189
13.2	Other Ways to Manage Customer Perception	192
13.3	Customer Relationship Management (CRM)	192
13.4	How CRM Can Support New Services	196
13.5	An Example of a Phased CRM Implementation	199
13.6	Summary	202
13.7	Endnotes	202
13.8	xSP Strategy Checklist for Customer Care	203
Chapter 14	Billing	205
14.1	Trends Affecting Billing	205
14.2	Main Billing Challenges	206
14.3	Basic Data Pricing	207
14.4	Rating	208
14.5	Rating System Parameters	210
14.6	Mediation	211
14.7	Invoicing	213
14.8	Electronic Bill Presentation--Turning Paper to Vapor	213
14.9	Revenue Assurance	214
14.10	Billing Requirements	218
14.11	Summary	220
14.12	xSP Strategy Checklist for Billing	221
Chapter 15	Infrastructure	223
15.1	Logical Architecture	223
15.2	Scalability	227
15.3	Dependability	228
15.4	Supportability	229
15.5	Security	229
15.6	Manageability	229
15.7	Ongoing Care and Feeding	229
15.8	Case Study--Exodus Communications	230
15.9	Summary	234
15.10	xSP Strategy Checklist for Infrastructure	235
Chapter 16	Afterword	237
	Appendices	239
Appendix A	Definitions	241
Appendix B	Sample Business Plan	245
B.1	Sample Business Plan for Best Hosting Company	246
Appendix C	Sample Service Level Agreement	253
C.1	Service Level Agreement	253
C.2	Definitions	256
C.3	General Terms	259
Appendix D	Service Descriptions	261
D.1	Collocation Services	261
D.2	Limitations	270
D.3	Service Level Agreements	270
Appendix E	Pricing	271
E.1	Pricing Level 1: Most Detailed	271
E.2	Pricing Level 2: Intermediate Level	271
E.3	Pricing Level 3: Suitable for Customer Collateral	271
Appendix F	Sample Cash Flow	275
F.1	Examples of Assumptions	275
Appendix G	Sample Customer Questionnaire	279
G.1	Understanding the Current Environment and Customer Requirements	279
G.2	Service Provider Service Feedback	280
G.3	Service Level Requirements	282
G.4	Pricing	283
Appendix H	Helpful Associations, Organizations, and Publications	285
H.1	Associations	285
H.2	Periodicals and URLs	286
H.3	Industry Analysts/Consultants	287
Appendix I	CRM Process Inputs and Outputs	289
I.1	Billing System	289
I.2	Order Management	289
I.3	Network Trouble Ticket System	290
I.4	Computer Technology Integration (CTI)	290
I.5	Document Management	291
I.6	Geographical Information System (GIS)	291
I.7	Data Warehouse	291
I.8	Credit Checking Agency	291
I.9	Foreign Exchange System	292
I.10	Example of Functional Specification with Implementation Timing	292
	Bibliography	301
	Index	303