Terminology ==========================
Complementary Provider The Complementary Provider provides additional products and services to extend the attractiveness of an enterprise’s products and services and scope of its of the value network. Frequently, these products and services are co-branded.
Customer The Customer buys products and services from the Enterprise or receives free offers or services. A Customer may be a person or a business.
Customer Operations Process A Customer Operations Process is an end-end process that focuses totally on directly supporting Customer needs, i.e., Fulfillment, Assurance or Billing. It may be initiated by the Customer or be initiated by the Service Provider.
e-businesse-business includes the Internet presence and buy and sell transaction over digital media of e-commerce. It also includes the integration of front- and back-office processes and applications to provide support and bill for the product or service. For the eTOM framework it is even more expansive. e-business is the integration of traditional business models and approaches with e-business opportunities.
e-commercee-commerce is Internet presence and business buying and selling transactions over digital media.
End-to-End Process Flow End-to-end process flow includes all sub-processes and activities and the sequence required to accomplish the goals of the process. Note that the top-level views of the eTOM framework do NOT show end-to-end process flow since there is no indication of sequence. The eTOM framework shows end-to-end process groupings (see definition below)
The end-to-rend, customer processes recognized in the eTOM framework are generic sequences of activities that need to occur in the enterprise to achieve desired results. (i.e. they are not specific to a particular ICSP Business, Product, Channel or Technology).
The eTOM framework does not direct or constrain the way end-to-end processes can be implemented, rather it only guides the definition of standardized process elements to be used within the enterprise. In this way process elements can be assembled for a specific service provider’s end-to-end process requirements. The eTOM framework does not mandate a single way the process elements should be organized or sequenced to create end-to-end processes.
End-to-End Process Grouping
The top-level view of the eTOM framework shows end-to-end process groupings. At this level of the process framework, flow is not appropriate. However, these groupings represent processes that have end-to-end results that are key measures for the enterprise.
Also termed as vertical process grouping(s).
End User The End User is the actual user of the Products or Services offered by the Enterprise. The end user consumes the product or service. See also Subscriber below.
Enterprise Enterprise is used to refer to the overall business, corporation or firm, which is using the eTOM framework for modeling its business processes. The enterprise is responsible for delivering products and services to the Customer. It is assumed that the enterprise is an Information or Communications Service Provider (see ICSP explanation below).
Enterprise Management Process Grouping This Process grouping involves the knowledge of Enterprise-level actions and needs, and encompasses all Business Management functionalities necessary to support the operational processes, which are critical to run a business in the competitive market. These are sometimes thought of as corporate processes and support. Some functions such as for Enterprise Risk Management (e.g. security and fraud management) have to be more tailored to Information and Communications Service Providers, but most (e.g., Financial Management, Public Relations) are not significantly different for the ICSP industry.