Company: IBM, Armonk, NY
Company Description: IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. IBM helps its clients capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. IBM's breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to its clients.
Nomination Category: Sales Awards Achievement Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Achievement in Self-Service Sales
 Nomination Title: Unleash New Potential for Business Growth
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes, explaining the nominated achievement since July 1, 2022, OR written answers to the questions? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video. If you are submitting written answers to the questions for this category, provide them in the spaces below.
- Briefly describe the nominated organization or individual: history and past performance (up to 200 words):
Total 200 words used.
Greater China Group (GCG) Technology Lifecycle Service (TLS) is a $200M size of business with several hundred of individuals providing infrastructure delivery service and lifecycle technology solutions to our clients. The market environment has been changing drastically in this new era of AI. As a major player in the industry, IBM TLS business has been undergoing a full digital transformation for faster response to our clients and the Market.
IBM Quote-to-Cash (Q2C) is a key function under IBM Finance and Operations organization and is composed of cross-functional squads providing an end-to-end Quote-to-Cash support following the company’s hybrid cloud and AI strategy, while delivering the end-to-end digital transformation for IBM business.
Using IBM’s technologies and expertise to eliminate complexity the GCG Q2C TLS team is responsible for supporting the TLS business. Along with that, the team is focused on simplifying how they work and embedding IBM watsonx AI to make TLS business more productive.
Following the Organizational strategy, the team successfully supported the deployment of tools and solutions to transform TLS transactional process into seller self-service, meanwhile simplifying and automating a variety of process activities and elevating the value the team brings to enable flexible and resilient support to the business.
- Outline the nominated achievement since July 1 2022 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 250 words):
Total 240 words used.
The deployment of robust Configure-Price-Quote (CPQ) solution, which integrated all pre-sales and post-sales activities and processes has been a journey for the GCG Q2C TLS team. It needed to cope with the changes while exploring new opportunities to further improve productivity and increase the value of its services.
The challenges to overcome:
1) New functionalities of the CPQ solution have been continuously tested and upgraded to support GCG diverse business scenarios. Over 20 major change requests and 100+ tickets were raised, tracked, and resolved. The team conducted 10 rounds of testing for new system deployed. This process provided an opportunity to further reduce cycle time from bidding to registration.
2) Newly deployed system required an end-to-end process redesign, including involvement of the finance and accounting functions to make the overall support smoother and streamlined. Team led 15 cross-functional workshops to seek process alignment, simplification, and concurrence to support new system deployment and enable system interface.
3) Sales team needed to up-skill to catch up with the changes, especially to understand the data interface among different systems. The GCG Q2C TLS team helped by closely monitoring the handling of complex deals and providing timely guidance and support to the sellers. In addition, the team led more than 20 rounds of seller trainings across GCG Market with full coverage on end-to-end process and the system. They also created a comprehensive seller handbook and digitalized it for an easier access by the sellers.
- Explain why the achievement you have highlighted is unique or significant. If possible compare the achievement to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the nominee's past performance (up to 250 words):
Total 209 words used.
GCG Q2C TLS team has delivered an outstanding business results through the journey of leading digital transformation of TLS business. They embraced new technology and surfed the tide of AI demonstrating amazing ability of adaption and innovation. It sets up a great example for their counterparts in the industry:
1) Wisely and proactively embedded the latest technology in supporting business and leading industry solutions.
2) Promoted mindset and behaviour change. Enabled seller’s self-service to achieve acceleration of response to customer’s requirement and the overall seller productivity was improved by 26% as a result.
3) Through adopting new technology and process re-invention, the team has successfully reduced the full transactional cycle time by 25%. 100+ ideas submitted in AI discovery, 60+ motions on automation and 84 proposals on process changes through constant efforts on innovation; More than 40 RPA (Robotic Process Automation) opportunities were identified and implemented with around 10,000 hrs of savings with operational accuracy improved to nearly 100%; Average process steps were reduced by 30%.
4) The team developed a culture of adaptability, resiliency, and innovation not just within the team, but within the TLS business unit through leading transformation activities at all levels with its expertise expanded way beyond the transaction support and full business cycle.
- Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
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