SAS® study reveals BI competency centers are key to effective Information Management

Organizations with BI competency centers have improved financial results

SAS Global Forum, ORLANDO, FLA  (Apr. 17, 2007)  –  Many organizations are still struggling with the management of their information assets and how to use them to drive business performance, according to a recent study conducted by SAS, the leader in business intelligence. SAS’ research indicates that implementation of practices to improve information management benefits organizations by yielding better performance and financial results.

In March, SAS surveyed 175 business professionals representing organizations of various sizes and industries across the globe. The research shows that many companies are in the infancy stages of effectively managing their business information. Less than 25 percent reported that their senior management relies on business intelligence to make decisions. In addition, nearly eight in 10 had not yet fully implemented practices to ensure data quality, integrate needed data across the business or create standard data definitions.

Conversely, those companies more sophisticated in their approaches to business information have seen the results on the bottom line. The survey found that organizations that have made commitments to effectively manage their information tend to be larger, more global and publicly traded. In addition, the study reveals that the performance of these organizations is stronger than that of their counterparts. Of particular note is that organizations with Business Intelligence Competency Centers (BICC) exhibit significantly higher commitment to information management best practices, which in turn leads to improved financial results.

The case for BICCs: better information management

Business Intelligence Competency Centers comprise cross-functional teams from IT and business. BICCs seek to promote the optimal use of BI and performance management across the organization. They drive consistent BI deployments; ease in managing, implementing and supporting BI and performance management initiatives that span multiple departments; help standardize methodologies, definitions, processes, tools and technologies; and enhance BI skills.

SAS partners with customers to manage information and to promote excellence through its SAS Enterprise Intelligence Platform and the sharing of best practices, methodologies and services like BICCs.

Across organizations, more and more data is being collected and generated on an ongoing basis. This data is flowing in and through the organization -ultimately to be translated into information. Business performance remains critically dependent upon timely, accurate information and analytical capabilities for good decision making. Effective Information Management can help organizations be more efficient, differentiate themselves from the competition, mitigate risk and comply with governmental regulations.

SAS customer TD Meloche Monnex, the largest direct-response home and auto insurer in Canada and one of the top three home and auto insurers in that country, implemented a BICC seven years ago to manage information and ensure that accurate data was being used to drive business decisions. Since then the BICC has grown in size and scope to manage data quality, analyze trends and conduct forecasting.

TD Meloche Monnex’s BICC has helped it understand and manage information assets and create contextual and highly usable information. "There are no silos at TD Meloche Monnex," said Carl Lambert, Vice President of Forecasting and Business Intelligence at TD Meloche Monnex. "We have an integrated team of specialists who work with the various departments within the company. Our data is centralized so when we’re putting together the company budget for instance we know the status of all projects companywide, and we can prioritize resources. The BICC allows us to see the big picture."

Lambert advised that any company considering implementing a BICC should start with a small team and then enlarge gradually. "The big bang approach won’t work," Lambert cautioned. "The benefit is in providing high-quality data and gaining credibility within the organization. The BICC should become a trusted adviser to the departments it supports. Help them make smarter decisions, and you help the bottom line."

SAS provides a strategic, proven approach that can help organizations realize many of their Information Management objectives – one that helps position organizations for long-term success and transforms CIOs into business innovation leaders. SAS goes beyond the standard definitions of technology that can be applied to Information Management and brings the analytical perspective required to address the complete life cycle of information. SAS allows organizations to go beyond just managing information to maximizing returns on all information assets.

Today’s announcement came at SAS Global Forum, an annual conference attended by more than 3,500 SAS users from around the world.

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