Memorex Telex

Company: Scala Business SolutionsCustomer: Memorex TelexSubmitted by: Catalyst PRDelivering business-critical IT solutions across Western Europe means keeping abreast of fast-changing technologies and providing customer service with speed and accuracy. Corporate communications experts, Memorex Telex, has evolved rapidly in recent years, but has maintained a reputation for being at the forefront of the IT solutions industry, designing robust, scalable corporate networks for more than 60,000 customers.Memorex Telex was one of the first users of Scala’s business management system in 1992. Since then, the company has relied on Scala to ‘run the business behind the scenes’ through its powerful business management solution controlling backoffice data across the enterprise, from stock availability to customer credit limits.In 1998, the company faced the challenge of finding a backoffice business management system that had Year 2000 and Euro compliance, with the scalability and speed to keep pace with operations across Germany, UK, France, Ireland, Spain and the Netherlands.

Leigh Johnson, IT Manager at Memorex Telex (UK) Limited, found the solution in Scala Global Series version 5.1, running in conjunction with Microsoft SQL Server.”We knew Scala, and we knew that the level of service they had to offer was excellent,” says Johnson. We looked at their SQL 7-based package and immediately knew it matched our needs perfectly. Scala 5.

1 lets us forget about looking after the data so we can get on with running our business and installing the system was surprisingly simple and straightforward. We went live without any difficulties at all.”The consulting and implementation process was very professional and in depth. Julian Curtis, Account Manager at Memorex Telex, says, “Because we are an IT company, our staff were clued up on what they wanted, and Scala’s service has enabled us to move forward with the right technology to support a long term business strategy.”Scala 5.

1 SQL now provides a powerful backbone to Memorex Telex operations consolidating crucial business data across the organisation, from stock control and dispatch orders through to sales commissions and financial ledgers. Key user benefits include processing power and indexing that has, in some cases, halved the time taken to carry out system tasks. Users say the financial reporting and management accounting capabilities are excellent and easy to customise through the reporting system.”Generating monthly sales ledger statements used to take 1½ hours,” says Johnson, “now it takes just 45 minutes. Time savings are also seen with complicated queries, with responses generated in 20 seconds instead of minutes.”The Windows interface means that Scala 5.

1 is very user-friendly as it has a familiar layout. Curtis adds, “That’s the beauty of it – once you have had a quick pad around the menu, you know where everything is.”The speed of Scala 5.1 SQL is allowing users to provide faster, more accurate customer service than ever before. “Users can run queries and reports online and provide customers or suppliers with immediate answers over the phone by accessing real-time data on demand. In the past, such rapid customer service was not possible because queries had to be made offline.

“Similarly, real-time access to data through Scala 5.1 SQL means staff no longer have to work with historical information. “Previously, reports were run weekly, which meant users were often working with information that was several days old. Scala 5.1 SQL eliminates this problem. The flexibility of Scala 5.

1 SQL also means that we can run reports while users are executing transactions at the same time, without experiencing any performance problems,” says Johnson.Following the success of Scala 5.1 SQL, Memorex Telex has installed Scala’s award-winning e-business product line, Scala.Solutions, with a view to taking full advantage of e-business opportunities. “Scala 5.1 SQL gives us a solid platform to manage all aspects of our business with greater speed, accuracy and confidence,” says Johnson.

“Looking ahead, Scala.Solutions is also the ideal platform for developing our e-commerce capabilities and will bring greater independence to users who can access data more freely, enabling them to make quicker and more informed decisions.”Curtis summarises Memorex Telex’s view on the Scala e-business management system by adding, “It’s the cornerstone of our business. Our relationship with Scala will continue to grow as we develop a competitive business strategy, and we have the confidence in knowing that Scala 5.1 will support us in maintaining leadership status within our industry.”