Gap Analysis: Global Communications

Introduction

With the rapid increase in technology, telecommunication companies need to ensure that they are provided services and support that allow them to maintain a competitive advantage. Small business and consumers rely on telecommunication companies to provide services and packages that make the daily operations of a business or personal activities flow smoothly. In order for a telecommunication company to be successful at providing optimal service, resources and technology need to be optimal.

Global Communication is a telecommunication company attempting to expand its services to small business and consumers. Global Communications recently encountered a drop in stock value. This decline prompted management to evaluate Global Communications ability to recovery from the decline. Global Communication needs to increase profit and expand its global market.

Our team will analyze Global Communications situation and provide an overview which identifies the issues, opportunities and the stakeholder perspectives. A problem statement will be provided and a description of Global Communications aspirations will be described. The end state goals will be discussed and a gap analysis will provide possible solutions for Global Communications.

Situation Analysis

One of the several issues that Global communications is dealing with is small and lesser returns and reflecting on whether or not the industry has the ability to spring back from the economic decline they have been experiencing. Not having the competitive flexibility in dealing other industry leaders, (i.e. local, long distance and international markets) competing for the same business. The other troublesome issue that Global communications has to deal with is the cable companies. The cable companies are addressing and handling the issue and problems Global communications just can’t seem to grasp by way of encompassing computers, televisions and (POT) plain old telephone services.

In effort to recover from the economic decline Global communication is experiencing, they will have to downsize their domestic call centers, layoff call center representatives and relocate and handful of reps to their expanding consumer call centers. The remaining representatives that were asked to stay on with the company will be asked to take a salary reduction cut of 10%, due to their consumer centers operating on leaner budget as opposed to the budget of their small business centers.

The opportunity’s the senior team has identified and proposes to pursue is by way of creating alliances with satellite providers, which will offer video services along with a satellite version of broadband. This partnership with the satellite providers will enable Global communication to help enhance the business functions of a small business owner. Those newly acquired business functions will allow the small business owner to anytime Internet access using wireless telephone or personal computer cards. An additive for small business owners that have mainframes will have the capability to access information via mainframes remotely.

A cost-cutting opportunity the senior team identified which will help the company recover from the economic decline and increase profitability will be to maximize marketability internationally. Another profit initiative and cost cutting effort for Global communication will be to move their technical call centers to India and Ireland. This reduction will cut cost nearly 40 % and this will help support their management decision in transforming the company into more of a global corporation over a projected 3 year plan.

Stakeholder Perspectives

All stakeholders agree that in order to be effectively competitive in a global market, drastic changes are needed. Communicating that union benefit reductions are needed, competing with local markets to help increase globalization and outsourcing their call centers by moving them out of the country was an agreed upon management decision. Although job cuts are a part of financial decision making, stakeholders were in consensus with their decision making

Global Communications’ Vision

Global Communications aspires to become a global telecommunications resource leader. The only way for Global Communications to survive in the industry is to have both competitive pricing and the technical sophistication necessary to attract new consumers. Global Communications has developed a comprehensive outsourcing plan that will realize growth and reduce costs by introducing new services and products at a cost savings to its consumers.

Problem Statement

Global Communications can become an industry leader by increasing profitability and technical sophistication through partnership with India and Ireland.

There are many obstacles to overcome before they can realize their goal. The major problem facing Global Communications is one of shifting from a small business service provider, where people were the competitive advantage, to one that is sales-based and focuses more on a global consumer market. As a result, Global Communications is facing a morale issue as many employees are faced with losing their jobs or having to relocate.

End State Goals

Global Communication’s end state goals are to avoid going out of business, increase profit, and enter the global market. In order for Global Communications to avoid going out of business the company needs to increase profits, and enter the global market. Global Communications can achieve these goals by cutting cost, and partnering up with a wireless provider. In order for cost to be cut the company needs to train existing employees for sales positions and they must also outsource technical support positions to India and Ireland. Outsourcing these positions to India and Ireland will cut unit cost tremendously. Partnering with a wireless provider will allow Global Communication to enter the global market and will also allow the company to provide new services and products like video services, any time internet access, and wireless data. Being able to cut costs and enter the global market will allow Global Communication to achieve its end state goals of becoming global, increasing profit and staying in business.

There is an alignment between the problem statement and the end state goal. The problem statement states Global Communications can become an industry leader. The end state goal is to increase profit, become a player in the global market, and to stay in business. Outsourcing and providing global services allows global communication to stay in business to increase profits, and achieve