Swisscom invited three vendors to perform proofs of concept (POCs) for a new planning and analytics solution. “In this POC, IBM achieved by far the best scores, with the least resources,” says Goetschi. Swisscom then worked with IBM Services® to replace its existing solution with IBM® Planning Analytics software in an agile coaching approach.

The company implemented the Planning Analytics modules for planning and reporting for approximately 2,150 users at Swisscom. Its objectives included: reducing complexity, using driver-based planning, and centralizing and developing an integrated overall model combining financial and operational data. Swisscom focused on the subscriber average revenue per user (ARPU) as a key area of analysis, given the pricing pressure in telecommunications. A joint team of Swisscom staff and one IBM consultant spearheaded the implementation and then helped facilitate the rollout of the solution throughout the company.

While better technology was a key part of its transformation, Swisscom also invested in process redesign. As a longtime user of IBM Cognos® Controller software for financial consolidation, Swisscom got a lot of value out of the near-real-time consolidation of planning data and the ability to bring the consolidated data back into the Planning Analytics solution. Swisscom also set up a private cloud for their subsidiaries to use Planning Analytics software.

The IBM solution at Swisscom covers planning and reporting, financial consolidation and close, project planning and controlling. The solution also provides integrated intercompany planning functionality using IBM TM1®, the IBM calculation engine that powers the Planning Analytics software.