preview

Analysis of Netflix Information Systems

Better Essays

Netflix: Business Success Achieved through Information Systems

First formed in 1991, Netflix has become today’s predominant video rental service. They offer a hybrid service allowing DVD delivery by mail as well as streaming movies and TV shows via their company website or access on 200 other devices. Their unique business process has netted them over 16 million subscribers and revenue around $500 million annually. The reason for their growing success can be attributed to a good business model and just as important, properly implemented systems. An extremely efficient supply chain management system (SCM) and customer relationship management system (CRM) have helped Netflix become the world’s largest video subscription service.
Before …show more content…

For example, if a customer in NYC places an order, they will be assigned to the closest distribution center, for that location it would be Flushing, NY. If the first DVD in their queue is not available at this location it will check the next closest center, Stamford, CT. If that center does not have it as well, the system works down the distribution center list until the DVD is located. If the DVD is not available from any center at that time, the software checks the next movie in that customers queue and restarts the process. Even if the DVD ends up being sent from the Netflix main library in San Jose, CA, the system will print a return shipping label for the closest distribution center to the customer in order to minimize return-mail times (Cohen).
A quick review of the process shows us that Netflix’s proprietary SCM software decides what movies are to be sent and where they are going to be sent to. How does this system add value to the company and is it necessary for them to operate? Well it starts adding value initially by reducing costs. When the company first started it had around 75,000 customers but required over 100 employees per distribution center in order to insure quick turnaround. Now with a customer base in the millions, distribution centers average around 45 employees (Cohen). This is due to the software allowing a lesser amount of people to handle a larger work load. According to Tom Dillon, lower costs translate to competitive

Get Access