Competitive Intelligence Software
StratScan
StratScan, a web based intelligence database and collaboration platform, was developed by IBIS in 2005 and has since undergone a number of functionality and technology upgrades. It is truly a South African development and product. It is simple to install, customise and roll-out in an organisation. StratScan enable companies to manage the Competitive Intelligence cycle and to provide management and users with an easy to use tool for the enterprise. It provides the ideal vehicle for a holistic view of the competitive environment and assists to react swiftly on all relevant events.
Intelligence platform and portal
The entire process of acquiring StratScan is a developmental and learning experience for your company from which all concerned will benefit. StratScan is a user-friendly solution specifically developed for corporate intelligence requirements and serves as a single secure intelligence platform and portal for the entire organization.
What it can do for you
StratScan is a web-based application that does not require specialised or supporting software. It enables users to:
- Formulate the company’s competitive environment
- Build a Competitive Intelligence database
- Distribute important news and events on a continuous basis to selected persons
- Define and track events in your competitive environment
- Single port for storage and distribution of classified documents
- Log all the bits and pieces of competitive information that become available from internal and external sources
- Compare companies and products
- Involve all relevant persons in your organization to share and contribute competitive information
- Initiate alerts to persons who have to react to important events
- Create groups for collaboration
- Manage information requests in your organization
- Retrieve relevant information when required
- Determine sensitivity access levels to participants
- Link an unlimited number of persons to participate in and collaborate with business or competitive intelligence
- Generate and distribute customized reports (newsletters) for selected periods to selected users
StratScan functionalities
The StratScan interface is an information portal that provides companies with a complete view of their current business environment at any specific moment in time. It highlights tasks in progress and current alerts. It provides easy access to:
- Information searches in the database
- Holistic view on a company’s defined competitive environment
- Relevant information submitted to the system recently
- Alerts
- Intelligence products stored on the system
- Links for easy access to pre-defined internet based information sources
Customised competitive environment
The application has been designed and lends itself uniquely to customise the competitive or business environment of the users organisation. Each element of the competitive environment can be dissected into two further sub-levels for detailing the specific element in its logical context. This provides the user?s with a holistic and accurate view of each of the elements in its competitive environment and facilitates cost effective scanning and tracking.
Company profiling
Companies are profiled according to an information framework with set fields to facilitate comparison/benchmarking between two or more organisations. Specified environmental elements applicable on companies can be linked to companies in order to view a company?s profile holistically.
Persons and sources database
Key persons or sources can be profiled and stored in the applications database. This enables companies to develop an effective database on such persons that can be retrieved when needed.
Continuous information uploads
Relevant and important information may be submitted by any user and will be immediately available to all other users. This capability serves to keep all users of StratScan abreast of current business events that may have an effect on the business and enables the user to take immediate action.
Generating and distribution of reports (newsletters)
Generating reports for a selected period in respect of selected topics in the database and distributing the report by e-mail (HTML format) to selected addressees. The report contains the brief summaries of stores information as well as a hyperlink to the original document and recipients can retrieve the document by clicking on the hyperlink.
Easy information and news input by users
Submission of information to the system is an uncomplicated and simple procedure. Text can be typed in or be pasted into the relevant sections and/or attachments of any file type can be submitted together with information. Should it be deemed practical, the individual submitting the information may also insert tags to facilitate easier and more focused retrieval.
Alerting service
Should information that is regarded as urgent or very important be submitted to the system, it can be assigned as an alert to specified users. The alert may be transmitted by way of the system or by an e-mail that would be sent to the specified persons immediately.
Task setting and tracking functionality
Tasks can be defined and assigned to applicable user(s) in group(s) so as to coordinate and control the execution and progress of the task by the owner. This ensures that important tasks and assignments are tracked and adjusted by the owner of the task.?
Powerful search and retrieval capability
Search and retrieval of information in the system is done by way of phrased searches that will retrieve information containing such words or phrases. Alternatively an advanced filter can be applied to filter through information in order to retrieve information with very specific attributes.
Security
Before the user can access information stored in the application, a username and a password have to be entered. This process ensures only authorised access to the system and data stored in it. Passwords are used for security reasons and stored in the application database.? The system administrator can amend username and password information and can add additional users to the system.
Access to and security of information
Information is created with access levels. Users are assigned specific levels of access to information. The assigned levels can be adjusted at any stage. Users can determine the number of levels and assign descriptions (confidential, sensitive etc) to the various levels. Users will be able to view only such information that is permitted in terms of their levels. Unauthorised information will not be visible to such users. User restrictions will also determine which parts or functionalities of the system are accessible or available to such users. This function is customisable by the user.
Effective control over classified documentation
The system facilitates a central repository and distribution platform for classified documents in the organisation. An audit trail is created for the history of all documents. This allows for ownership for and control over classified documents in the organisation.
Easy set-up of user groups
User groups can be defined for specific tasks or alerts to groups of persons. Users can be assigned to multiple and a variety of user groups. This enhances collaboration and coordination among users.
Audit trail
All activities by users within the system are recorded and may be viewed by the administrator as an audit trail?