Frontline CALS - Extranet Enabled Support of Customer Relations Based on Product State Information

The electronic economy has proliferated during the past decade. Many initiatives are launched in order to support customer's interaction with the company, however, often fragmented. A more holistic approach is provided in this article. The article suggests a business model in the era of electronic commerce called Frontline CALS. Frontline CALS integrate three bodies of knowledge, i.e. Continuous Acquisition and Lifecycle Support, Electronic Commerce, and the Customer Consumption Chain in order to construct a concept that enhances the service quality for customers with time critical operations. The essence of Frontline CALS is that it combines a product and a customer view with the aim of enhancing the service quality offered by the dealers in collaboration with the producer. The article further provides empirical insight from an early prototype implementation of a Web Service System intended to support Hardi International contact points with their farmer customers.