Analyzing Local, Cloud-Based Data

The patent for the new technology, which Big Blue has just lodged with the US Patent Office, describes it as a dynamically optimized distributed cloud computing-based business process management (BPM) system.

Behind that mouthful is a method for developing new enterprise applications that will be able to combine and analyze data generated in business processes with data that already exists in either enterprise cloud-based services or third-party data stores. The result, IBM says, will be deeper and more accurate customer insights.

IBM provides the example of a retailer that needs to analyze shopping patterns, which many of them have probably been doing in recent days and weeks with Black Friday only 48-hours away.

Using the new technology, retailers will be able to analyze their own in-house sales records to identify shopping habits of existing and potential clients. They will then be able to combine that with multiple cloud-based services like review agencies and review sites. With this information, IBM says, businesses will be able to personalize the whole consumer experience in a way that has not been possible to date.

IBM Research Labs

The concept of using information to drive sales is not new. The ability to combine local, enterprise cloud data and external data, no matter where it is located, is new and challenging, IBM maintains.

According to IBM, the drive to develop this technology comes from those who work directly in the customer experience or digital marketing space, like Chief Marketing Officers, sales management or other C-Suite executives.

It is also a response to the increasing number of sales channels consumers are using to do their shopping, particularly mobile devices, social networks and other collaboration tools. Dennis Quan, of IBM’s cloud infrastructure services, said:

« Combining business processes and data from cloud services with information stored on-site will allow business leaders to optimize their operations, particularly during times of peak performance … Our patented technique removes barriers and challenges that are inhibiting companies of all sizes from accessing all of the cloud infrastructure and services they need to get the job done. »

This is just the latest patent from IBM relating to customer experience management and new technologies to help. In September, IBM announced a number of new technologies straight out of its customer experience laboratory, which itself was only set up earlier this year.

Its purpose, IBM said at the time, was to optimize customer experience for brands and services and, in doing so, develop ways to individualize customer experiences and find patterns in the way products are consumed.

This combined with the amount of data stored in internal systems and the need to optimize business processes and big data flows outside the enterprise is pushing IBM to develop new ways of mining data.

However, it is unclear how long it will to get this and other new technologies to market, is it might be a while before businesses can actually use it. Expect more from this soon.

By David Roe
Source: cmswire.com