Value Delivery Network

A value delivery network allows many companies to create customer value that cannot be created by use of the company's own value chain. A "Value delivery network," is made up of the company, suppliers, distributors, and ultimately the customers who partner with each other to improve the performance of the entire system (Armstrong et al. 52). This type of system interests me because I have always been curious as to what path a product or service must take in order to be considered a "value" to a customer. Generating my interest during one of the case studies during class, Accenture is a company that has improved the value delivery network for many companies. Accenture has improved not only the value delivery system for the airline industry, but its own global delivery system with its partner BT.

Accenture found the need to introduce e-commerce to the airline industry's line of services to its customers. E-commerce, as Accenture puts it; reduces costs, maximizes information about customers, allows targeting certain distribution channels, differentiates products, establishes long term relationships, and creates lifetime loyalty; all of which creates value in the delivery network (Stewart). E-commerce allows the airline industry to connect to its customers directly and with third party electronic channels that provide value to customers in ways unknown in the traditional distribution cycle (Stewart). As a consulting firm, Accenture not only improved the value delivery network for the airline industry, but for its partner BT.

Signing a 10-year, $575M outsourcing contract w/ BT, Accenture has essentially expanded its geographic reach of services provided to BT within the global market. Services provided under the new contract include customer contact/call center, recruitment, pension administration, payroll and benefits administration, performance management administration, health and safety, and HR advisory and information services. By outsourcing most of its services to Accenture, BT improves