----What are the most difficult aspects of actual implementation?
The GPO's functions feature real-time data
exchange and transmissions, and it operates around the clock throughout
the year. Since our role is to provide prompt services so as not
to inconvenience our partners in every way we can, we naturally
have to deal rapidly with any problems that may arise, and that
of course includes nighttime emergency responses. Operational matters
like this are the hardest part.
Undoubtedly, real-time operations characterize
SCM. For example, when a US subsidiary issues an order, the information
is transmitted throughout the company in real time. Although there
is a time difference, Olympus Hong Kong China and others are only
one hour behind Tokyo, so they operate in virtually the same time
zone. We used to exchange information at several fixed times each
day, but now that we do it in real time, managing the information
is real hard work .
From the users' viewpoint, being able to use
the system 24 hours a day, 365 days a year really makes for greater
convenience.
Yes, that's why we can never halt operations.
This is an extremely troublesome area. The more convenient the
system is for users, the more severe the problems we face on the
operations side.
Since the information we gather from all over
the world is processed immediately, the parties issuing orders
almost certainly expect a response from Tokyo within a certain
predictable time frame. Sure enough, they carefully time their
pick-ups of urgent invoices and other documents. We have to be
ready for them. Even more important, we cannot allow faults arising
in the GPO or G-SCDB to cause them any inconvenience.
With earlier setups, there were quite a few
cases where systems constraints prevented SCM from functioning
well, but this time we managed to eliminate system-related obstacles.
At the very least, system-related constraints should no longer
exist.
----Real-time means to provide uninterrupted services
throughout the year, doesn't it?
To be absolutely precise, we halt the service
for about 45 minutes on Sundays for backup purposes, but we are
doing our utmost not to inconvenience our partners. We receive
information during the halt, but since we cannot process it in
real time, we inevitably get a time lag of 45 minutes. But this
is the only time. At all other times we offer a 24-hour emergency
response.
For a while we had a problem with pile-ups of data that arrived in the middle
of the night, but now this information reaches my mobile mail terminal to allow
me to respond according to the contents of the mail.
----So you're working even when you're
not at the company!
When Ms. Kobayashi applied to purchase a mobile
phone, I thought it was a bad idea to allow it. You see, I anticipated
what it would involve.
But I thought it would be better to know what's
going on as quickly as possible. Rather than panicking the following
day when the US side asks why they haven't received the response
data, I believe it is better to find out what's happening and take
steps to deal with it even during the night.
I feel relieved if you can say that(Laughs). |
