Business Transformation & Operational Excellence Insights

IBM's 2020 AWARD FINALIST CASE STUDY : Best Achievement in Technology Enabled Process Automation

Written by BTOES Insights Official | Mar 4, 2020 12:00:00 PM

Read this article about IBM, Finalist in the Best Achievement in Technology Enabled Process Automation (Robotic Process Automation, Machine Learning, Cognitive Learning, Blockchain etc), selected by the independent judging panel, for the 2020 Business Transformation & Operational Excellence Industry Awards program.

Due to the massive volumes of data available through Engage Support (Shared services workflow tool), this AI driven solution offers insights beyond human possibilities that could previously only be imagined. The first iteration of the Augmented Intelligence solution was deployed in 2017 across all Geographies and is currently hosted on IBM Cloud.

The model is designed to support the Quote-to-Cash Operational teams in the proactive identification of "attention-needed" Service Requests (SRs) navigating through structured and unstructured data and identifying issues and pain points that may surround SRs, based on negative connotation contained in any comments fields or outlier situations on the structured fields (Age, Time to Assign, Time since last update, etc...). It also learns from the users input as they confirm/discard the alerts enabling continued model retraining utilizing Human-in-the-Loop methodology. Following are the key milestones achieved:

  • 2H 2017: Initial model built on Cognos, using Watson Natural Language Classifier (NLC) Comment analysis. Pilots run in Americas & Europe. Concept success, dashboard limitations.

  • December 2017: Design thinking session with users to determine best path forward for the tool.

  • 1H 2018: Second iteration Model deployed on IBM Cloud and built on Python, using machine learning Random Forest algorithm to identify risk based on SRs that had historically received an NPS (Net Promoter Score) detractor rating. The model enables Human-in-the-loop iterative machine learning as users are able to mark whether the alerts from the system are accurate and relevant.

  • October 2018: Unstructured data model (Comments analysis) incorporated and deployed for English comments.

  • March 2019: Third iteration Model deployment. The new model, also built on Python, assesses multiple Engage Support features/fields utilizing an Anomaly Detection algorithm and is deployed on IBM Cloud. The most determining risk factors according to the model are: Time to be Assigned, Age and Time since Last Update. The model decides whether an SR is at risk based on the model’s confidence that the particular SR’s Age, Time to Assign and/or Time since Last update represent outliers compared to the standard SRs with the same Country, Unit/SubUnit and Request Type. The Unstructured data model (comments) remains untouched. This new structured data model also incorporates a new "Classification" filter, that enables users to customize the number of alerts they wish to review based on the model's level of confidence that the SR indeed requires attention. If users are time-constrained they can filter on just the "Very Likely" and/or "Virtually Certain" categories to display only the SRs at highest risk. Additionally, users can drill down to easily identify which parameter is primarily driving the alert.

The tool has over 200 users and 88% evaluated precision (88% of the risky cases identified by the model have been confirmed as risky by users). During development, the model showed that by assessing just 5% of the SR universe at one point in time, we can take proactive action on 46% of the cases that resulted in Dissatisfied Clients (Net Promoter Score detractor ratings). Assuming a manual approach to this effort, we avoided over $1M annually.

Business Transformation & Operational Excellence Industry Awards 2020

About the Awards

The Business Transformation & Operational Excellence Awards have been established to showcase globally the most outstanding organizational achievements through the application of Operational Excellence programs. Click here to view the Press Release.

The winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony at The Business Transformation & Operational Excellence World Awards (BTOES) on Wednesday, March 25th, 2020, from 6.30pm in the Venetian Ballroom at the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando Resort.

The Business Transformation & Operational Excellence Awards are open to all organizations, both private and public sector, across the globe, which have implemented Operational Excellence programs to deliver outstanding business results.

The Awards will be held in conjunction with the Business Transformation & Operational Excellence World Summit, BTOES 2020 in the beautiful Venetian Ballroom on March 25, 2020 at the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando™️. Click to access the agenda, view the current speakers, and watch the highlights video from last year.

 

BTOES.com

The issues in this article are just one of topic areas that are going to be discussed at the Business Transformation & Operational Excellence World Summit & Industry

BTOES is the industry’s biggest and best, senior-level, cross-industry gathering of Business Transformation & Operational Excellence industry leaders and senior executives.

It also hosts the Business Transformation & Operational Excellence Awardswhich showcase globally the most outstanding organizational achievements through the application of Operational Excellence programs.

The summits hosts a number of private forums for C-Level & Global corporate-level leaders as well as business unit heads.

With over 150 speakers, over 100 sessions, 12 Keynotes, 9 Track Themes, 5 parallel tracks, 60+ track sessions, 50 roundtable discussions, 20 Interactive Workshops, 6 Thought Leader Panels, 5 Leaders Boardrooms, 5 co-located events, the Industry Awards Program, Site Visits, 20+ hours of social networking including 2 gala cocktail parties, dinners, numerous group activities, this is the ultimate event to benchmark, network and drive Operational Excellence to the next level.

 

Quick Links

Speakers

Agenda

BTOES Awards

 

There is a strong focus on Cultural Transformation, Customer Delight, Sustaining an Operational Excellence program, Need for end-to-end Business Transformation, Keeping up with new technologies/impact of digitalization and Leadership Buy-in & Understanding. We dedicated two tracks to advanced technologies, such as AI, Machine Learning, RPA, Predictive Analytics, Blockchain, Cloud infrastructure etc.

The agenda is designed to encourage active meaningful conversations though all day enhanced networking and interaction opportunities, including

  • All-day Refreshment & Themed Breaks

  • 1¼ Hour Hot Breakfast Networking Sessions

  • 1½ Hour Hot Plated Networking Lunches with Topic & Industry Sector focussed tables

  • 1½ Hour Roundtable Sessions by Topic & Industry Sector.

  • Keynote & Themes Panel Sessions

  • Hosted Welcome Receptions from 5.30pm

  • Expanded more lavish Awards Program

  • Newly launched Night Summit for attendees to meet after dinner

For more information or to discuss the summit in more detail please schedule a call below,

Click here to schedule a call.