Benefits

• On-line access to sales data streamlines brokers’ work and speeds delivery of product to market
• Web interface provides for an easier, more intuitive and productive user experience
• Redesign and upgrading of database improves performance and minimizes users’ wait time

Challenge

An international food processing company that prepared dairy products had been struggling to provide its nationwide network of brokers with adequate sales and shipping data. More than 100 brokers required daily access to this information in order to facilitate the timely and efficient distribution of the dairy products.

The information flow was inefficient. Brokers had to telephone their regional managers and request information. The managers ran reports from an overworked MS Access database that was difficult to operate, and then faxed the results back to the brokers. The overall response time was poor, which was detrimental to the business of this customer-driven organization.

The client’s IS director needed to identify and introduce a new technology to management that would resolve these problems. Management had previously expressed interest in developing a Web-enabled solution.

Stratagem's Solution

A Stratagem consultant redesigned the Access database and converted it to the more robust SQL Server relational database.

The consultant then developed a Visual Basic (VB) application that enabled the brokers to look at the sales and shipping figures residing in the new database. The VB application featured a visual interface, making it easy for the nontechnical audience to use.

The application also included Active Server Pages — dynamically created Web pages that enabled the brokers to receive the information they requested in a format customized to their needs.

Stratagem completed this assignment for the client on time and well under budget.

Result

As a result of Stratagem’s work, the client’s brokers are now able to go on-line to generate their own sales reports. They can ‘drill down’ to the level of data detail they choose. They can also import whatever data they need from the database into Excel files on their PCs, incorporating that information into sales proposals and other documents.

The client’s customer base is well served by the dramatic improvement in the brokers’ response time. By getting faster access to the data they need, the brokers make more informed decisions. They are able to analyze trends and brand acceptance, and they are better prepared to assist their customers in the buying process.