A customer who purchases an appliance at Sears Roebuck, such as a washing machine, may also purchase a three-year service contract for an additional fee. The contract provides repair service and parts at no cost for the specified appliance through an authorized Sears service provider. When a person with a Sears service contract needs to repair an appliance, such as a washing machine, he or she must call the store's Repairs and Parts department to schedule an appointment. The department makes the appointment and provides the caller with the approximate date and time of the appointment. The repair technician arrives during the designated time frame and diagnoses the problem. If the problem is caused by a defective part, the technician replaces it if he/she brings one with him/her or orders it from Sears. If the part is not in stock at Sears, Sears orders it and provides the customer with the approximate arrival date of the part. The part is shipped directly to the customer. Once it arrives, the customer must call Sears to schedule a second appointment for a repair technician to replace the part that was ordered. This is a lengthy process. It can take up to two weeks for the first repair visit to occur, another two weeks to receive the ordered part, and another week for the second repair visit to occur where the ordered part is installed.

Draw up a diagram of the existing process. 1- What is the effect of the existing process on Sears' operational efficiency and customer relationships? 2-What changes could be made to make this process more efficient? 3-Draw a diagram of the new improved process. 4-How could information systems support these changes?