Problem Identification Paper
Legendary management consultant Peter Drucker once said, "So much of what we call management consists in making it difficult for people to work." AT&T recently discovered how true that statement is, and in doing so cost the company both financially and in reputation.
The focus of this paper is on the botched attempt by AT&T to gain their competitive edge back from their main competitors. This paper will identify the problems associated with the project and discuss how project management principles were not used to reach project goals while adversity caused the project to implode. The discussion of relative legal compliance aspects causing difficulties for the company will be shown and recommendations will be given as to how this project could have had a vastly remarkable outcome under different circumstances.
The Project
Two years ago AT&T Wireless implemented a project to upgrade their Customer Resource Management system (CRM). The project was a huge undertaking and was the leverage company executives' thought was needed to reposition the one time communications giant as worldwide leader in communications. At least, that was the plan.
Background
After the turn of the century AT&T Wireless began to fall behind in the world of wireless communications. Customers jumped from carrier to carrier and AT&T lacked the technological advances to retain their customer base and remain profitable. Market share was slipping and changes were necessary as AT&T was losing ground on its most important asset, its phone network.
While the advances in cell phone technology advanced at blazing speed, AT&T's antiquated system could not transfer data via cell phone. This was a monumental problem that was costing the company millions. Co ...