Problem
Analysis, Recommendations, & Conclusion
Problem Analysis
Vantage
Apparel has become one of the leaders within its industry while providing their
customers with superior quality products and services. Committed to maintaining that reputation,
Vantage Apparel has demonstrated attempts to eliminate all information
silos. Since Vantage has three locations
through out the country it is extremely critical that their database is
reliable and conscientious. Our focal
point is to determine each department uses information systems to fulfill an
order, but there could be some potential errors along the way.
The main
database that is used is the A.C.T database.
Once a login and password is assigned, any employee has the ability to access
this database. Although this database is
extremely efficient in respect to collecting and managing data, it can be
moderately slow at times. This is due to
the fact that the A.C.T is run on MS-DOS.
MS-DOS is a Windows Operating System made compatible for personal
computers. The various departments of Vantage use this A.C.T database to
perform different functions to ultimately fulfill a customers order.
* Screen
Shot Image of A.C.T Database
One of the
most essential parts to Vantage Apparels success is the factory that produces
the products. There are thousands of
orders inquired weekly at Vantage.
Factory managers must be assertive in making sure that the correct
orders are being processed.
In order to
do this Vantage uses an information system called Prodigi Embroidery
Machine. This machine is set up as an
assembly line. This may be efficient
because multiple orders can be processed at once, but there could be potential
room for error. The factory employees
retrieve the order details from the A.C.T database and then enter the
decoration details into the Prodigi software to fulfill the order. Potential problems could persist if the
employee entering the data enters the wrong information.
* Prodigi
Embroidery Machines
To get a
better and more in depth understanding about how the digital and screen
printing and embroidery is done, here is a video library of the various
processes taken to fulfill an order.
Another
problem that could occur with employees entering wrong information deals with
the Intradoc system. Intradoc deals with scanning fulfilled orders in to an
information system management system, then validating it so that it can be
referenced in the future if needed.
Intradoc is
run on a software called Ascent Capture.
The problem can occur when validating the data. Once scanned into the system, in order to
validate the order into the database, an employee must enter the 7-digit job
order number twice and the purchase order number once. The purchase order number can consist of
multiple numbers, alphabetical letters, or both. The process of doing this typical implies
inputting 30-50 orders in one day. The
person doing this can easily lose focus from the repetitiveness. Once the order is entered incorrectly, the
person trying to reference the order in the archive will fail to find it
because it was entered incorrectly the first time.
*Screen
Shot of Ascent Capture Validation System
Recommendations
Although
Vantage Apparel has become and maintained the ability to be one of the most
successful company’s in the industry, there is still room for improvement. The database that is used is efficient but
can be slow at times. Why change
something that is already efficient to perform daily functions? It may not be necessary for the company to
spend a remarkable amount of money on a new database management system, but it
wouldn’t hurt to look into upgrading the current MS-DOS system.
The
Intradoc system could use the most improvement.
Having a reliable and dependable archive is critical for customer
relations. If an error in the order
occurs, by checking the order from the archive could pinpoint what exactly went
wrong. The procedure of the employee inputting
the orders into the Ascent Capture could use improvement. If managers of that department could find a
different way and more efficient way of inputting the data, that would make the
archive that much more reliable.
After
conducting an interview with Max Trypolskyy from the Information Technology
department, he discussed some of the Networks that Vantage employees use to
communicate. Vantage has both LAN and
WAN networks in order to communicate faster through local and national
locations.
Based off
the networks, Vantage has already started making adjustments to improve the
customer relationship experience.
Vantage has set up a five person POD. Each POD has one sales
representative and four customer service employees. Each POD is specific to a certain
region. Vantage managers believe that
the POD will simplify the customer’s order process and will have a direct
personal to contact for any of their apparel needs. So far this adjustment has shown improvements
with the ordering process.
Conclusion
Even with
the knowledge of how successful Vantage Apparel is, managers are striving to
eliminate redundancies and improve their customer base. Vantage is consistently working on improving
information systems so that daily activities are performed at a faster pace
without having any complications. One of
the ways Vantage has tried to improve faster and simpler customer relationships
is their use of enterprise information systems.
All sales representatives are provided with Blackberry phones and laptops.
This allows employees to address e-mails and customers at any given time
no matter what the situation is. Vantage Apparel has also worked hard on
maintaining their information systems so that information silos are almost
non-existent. If the correct procedures
are incorporated Vantage Apparel will continue to be one of the most successful
and dependable company’s in the nation.
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