IT geeks unite - is this an option?

[Tank]

What's the SLA? When you pay $10 a month, you can only expect $10 per month worth of service. Sure you often might get better than that, especially with a large provider, but when push comes to shove, you get no more clout with your supplier than I do when I sent an email to Amazon because something is wrong with my S3 bucket.

15 post in and already people are disagreeing on something as hardware platforms.

Im a thunking there isnt a chance EDS or the like are going to be worrying about the united Kiwibiker geeks just yet.

[paddy]

Im a thunking there isnt a chance EDS or the like are going to be worrying about the united Kiwibiker geeks just yet.

You mean HP.... :-)

[Tank]

You mean HP.... :-)

Yep - Hard to go with the name change after working with them so long.

I used to consult for HP to Merchant banks in the UK for a while.

I can sell billable hours like you wouldn't believe!

[paddy]

Yep - Hard to go with the name change after working with them so long.

It's the procedures and policy changes that are a real pain in the neck. New datacentre inductions, new contacts, new escalation procedures, new hardware installation procedures, new...

[jeffs]

Providing, Hardware, software and services will not change the mindset. Given the scale, there are only 3 players in NZ who can do the IT stuff.

IT costs are a very small part of the ACC budget, and they don't actually run it, they outsource it.
Nice thought though

[paddy]

IT costs are a very small part of the ACC budget, and they don't actually run it, they outsource it.
Nice thought though

Yes, the rest of their budget gets blown on financing motorcycle accidents. So I've heard anyway.

[jeffs]

Cynic

[Squiggles]

Integrate it with renewing licenses and testing as per the 2010-2020 Safer Journeys stuff and its a good way for the gubbiment to move towards safer roads as well

[Ixion]

In fact , a change to either a fuel based or a licence based system (or combination of) would require almost no IT resource.

ACC already collect part of their income as a fuel levy. Changing to collect all their income from fuel would require no system changes at all. It would just be a bigger number .

Licence would require some very small changes , but certainly not a big project. NZTA already collect a licence fee every 10 years, it would only be necessary to change that to every year, and then an accounting transaction to account for the ACC component and remit the funds to ACC.

Need some bigger printers (more reminder letters); and a dunning process for those who didn't pay , though if not paying invalidated the licence then the existing legal process could handle that.

If they wanted to charge different rates for different licence classes that might need some reprogramming. (or more likely reconfiguration). But not a biggy.

Few months duration for a small team

Business process, not IT.

[maxf]

Hmmm - wasn't it already reported in the InfoWorld (last couple of weeks) that ACC are already going out to RFI for new systems - see here :

http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/30...ftware-upgrade

Quote:

ACC is gearing up for a major software purchase that will let it assess the risk of customers and award them discounted levies.

The software system will let ACC manage services such as insurance products, customer relationships and levy payments.

Business management head Diane Bradley says the system will replace its eight-year-old levy collection and billing system and be integrated with its $131 million claims management software to allow ACC to better analyse its data and tailor products to customers.

"Integrating with the claims system will give us a really good understanding of levy payers and their claims. We'll be able to have a look at an organisation's history of claims and make a decision on what levy rate they should pay."

The system will help ACC assess the risk of customers, a process done manually today.

ACC has issued a request for a proposal from vendors and will present a business case to its board in May. It expects the system to be in place within three years of awarding the contract.

ACC will not know the cost of the project until the business case has been approved, Ms Bradley says. "But given the timeframe, it's likely to be a reasonably lengthy one.

"When you've got any sort of system with the range of functionality we're seeking, it is a pretty big project." ACC will hold a vendor briefing for interested firms tomorrow.

A bill that will let ACC offer discounted levies is before Parliament.

Meanwhile, the Government has signalled plans to introduce competition in ACC's work account, which provides cover for businesses and the self-employed, and has said it could also open up other areas such as ACC's motor-vehicle account to competition.

So they're already setting themselves up as a profit-making exercise... what's your product **today**? Also guess some of this cost is going to be EDI costs so there can be some central registry - accessible by Police, I'd guess - that states your premium coverage status... No cover = fine and/or off-road, I'd hazard. I guess it will be central so that when the competitors come in and undercut ACC (if it's not already gutted by then) there is "transparency" and "commercially competitive equality" from day 1?

I'm sorry, this really is getting farcical if NZ allows control of a legislated charge on every single citizen be determined by some foreign, private concern - when is our Boston Tea Party going to be held?

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PC disclaimer: My views are personal and do not reflect that of my employer.