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How do your outsourcing and VAN services work?
John Williamson: We are a complete EDI provider, as we have all the resources available to handle any volume of EDI. We have a complete data center, with the most up-to-date EDI software and communications. We also have the personnel to handle any size account. In addition, we are a fully interconnected VAN, which means we have a direct connection to all the other major VAN’s, which helps cut costs for our clients. Our outsourcing service is designed to, in essence, BE our clients EDI department. We handle every aspect of their EDI, from mapping, to communications, to constant monitoring. We set up a private, secure communication link with our client, they send us their data, we map it and send it out to their trading partners. On the inbound side, we receive the data from their trading partners, translate it into the clients customized format, and send it over to them. If a client is using us only for our VAN services, we still set up the connection and process the data, there is just no actual EDI translation involved. So, in its simplest terms, that is how our services work.
What’s different about Promethean? What qualifications do the members of your staff have?
JW: We strongly believe that there are two things that make us different from our competitors. The first is our customer service. There is no other EDI outsourcer out there who can provide the level of one-on-one customer service that we can. We do not have a “help desk” mentality, like most of our competitors do. We have an assigned project leader and project team. No matter what size the client is, they have a direct contact as an EDI project leader. The second thing that sets us apart is our ability to customize a situation or system to fit a clients needs. We have an enormous amount of customization capabilities, from pre-processing to post-processing of data. And it doesn’t matter what kind of operating system a client is on, we can customize their processes to fit their needs.
Why should I outsource?
JW: Outsourcing, despite some common beliefs, actually gives a company more control, not less. Outsourcing EDI allows a company to avoid getting bogged down in the day-to-day processing of EDI. It allows them to concentrate more on their business processes, most of which are enhanced by doing EDI. And outsourcing should not be confused with what has become known as “offshoring”, which sends jobs overseas. Outsourcing to a domestic company can be a huge cost savings, without the stigma of sending jobs out of the U.S.
Won’t switching to managed EDI cut down on contact with vendors & customers, potentially harming those relationships?
JW: To the contrary, having your EDI systems streamlined and running more efficiently will improve relationships with vendors and customers. It will allow for more flexibility, the ability to do additional transaction types, better communication, and better overall service to your customers and vendors. Those are all things that IMPROVE a customer or vendor relationship.
Can Promethean meet all of my customers’ and vendors’ EDI requirements?
JW: I can’t think of any EDI requirement that we wouldn’t be able to handle, whether it be from an operating platform basis, or a standards basis, or whatever the situation may be. And again, our ability to customize to a clients needs pretty much enables us to meet any requirements a client may have.
I like the control that having a trained EDI person on staff to do in-house EDI gives me- won’t I lose some of that if I outsource?
JW: Again, we act as our clients EDI department, so from an operating standpoint, it’s really no different than having an EDI department “down the hall”. With today’s communications methods, such as teleconferencing, web-based communications, and other technologies, a client has as much control over what we do as they would if we were in the same building. There is really no loss of control on the clients part.
How do I know my EDI is working if I outsource?
JW: We have various tools that a client can use to monitor their EDI, and our clients have varying degrees of involvement. Some are much more hands-on than others. Our WebVan.NET interface provides an enormous amount of visibility to a clients EDI data. A client can sign on via the internet, and use this web-based application to view their data. We also have customized reports, alerts, or other tools that a client can request….we provide whatever level of information they feel most comfortable with.
If I outsource my EDI, how involved is the transition? Will it require a lot of involvement on my part?
JW: A lot of that depends on how large a clients EDI operation is. If there are existing maps that just need to be converted to our system, that is a very straightforward process. If a client can provide us with the specifications for their trading partners and their file layouts, then it’s a not a time consuming process at all to get that done. Obviously, from a testing standpoint, we need to work with someone at the client’s office to ensure that everything looks good and is working properly. Again, so much of that depends on how many trading partners and maps are being converted. We have literally turned around some customers within a day or two…other have very large operations and have taken maybe a few months to convert. But we pride ourselves on having an efficient conversion process. The expertise of our staff, and the one-on-one contact they have with our clients, contributes greatly to that success.
Can I access my EDI information any time?
JW: WebVan.NET, being an internet based application, is always available. It contains a wealth of information, from inbound and outbound data, to billing, to customized reporting. It is truly a full service interface.
Is managed/outsourced EDI secure? What kind of backup systems do you have to ensure continuous service?
JW: With today’s advanced communications methods, managed EDI is very secure. We can implement any level of security that a customer requires, such as SFTP, or setting up a VPN if necessary. We have varying levels and types of encryption as well. There are really no limitations on that sort of thing with us…it really depends on what the client desires.
As far as backup, we have both local backups, and complete disaster backup and recovery. All data is backed up constantly to our local servers, which alleviates any and all hardware failures or loss of data. On the Disaster Backup and Recovery side, we have an off-site secondary data center in Alpharetta, Georgia, which is managed by SunGard Availability Services. SunGard provides complete disaster recovery services for our data center, along with remote access from another office facility, should our main offices become unusable for any reason.
Our company does lots of EDI. Is there a limit to the number of transactions I can process each month?
JW: We can handle any amount of EDI data. We have some clients that do only one or two transactions a month, and many clients who do many thousands of transactions per month. Our data center expandability and staffing capabilities really puts no limitations on us as far as the amount of data we can process.
Does it matter what operating system platform I’m on?
JW: That’s one of the fundamental strengths of our service: we can customize a file to fit any operating system, whether its mainframe, SAP, or any other platform. And the other great thing is that even if a client changes their operating platform, we will change or update our processes to accommodate that need.
Will I have a single contact person with your company, or be routed to a new person every time I have a question? If I have a question, how difficult will it be to speak to someone about it?
JW: Customer service is our main focus, and our clients are always able to get in contact with their project leader, or someone on their project team. In addition, we provide 24x7 technical support in case of any emergency.
What is your document turnaround time like?
JW: Our WebVan.NET system not only provides a client interface, it enhances our entire EDI process, from the time a piece of data or transaction comes in, to the time it goes out the door. In that regard, we set a goal of 90 seconds for that turnaround time, and we have achieved that goal. Processing data through our systems gives about as close to real-time processing as you can get, and turnaround time is never an issue.
We’ve had some serious issues and fines in the past. How fast can you resolve those kinds of things?
JW: Our clients have certainly found that having Promethean manage their EDI has cut down on the serious issues and fines associated with missing or late documents. Because of our streamlined processes and constant monitoring, many of those issues are alleviated when we handle them. And that’s no disrespect to our clients’ ability to handle these things…it’s just the nature of the business that they sometimes do not have the time to handle all of the issues that are involved in day-to-day EDI processing. When we handle the details, they are free to concentrate on other things.
How long have you been with Promethean?
JW: I am going on 11 years with Promethean. I started out as a consultant working with our clients…spent some years as a project leader, and going on 3 years now in my current position as Vice-President of Operations.
Where did you work prior to joining Promethean?
JW: I have been in the IT industry for about 21 years. Prior to Promethean, I worked for an IT consulting company and helped many different clients in a variety of industries. I worked about 7 years at Rubbermaid, Inc. in Wooster, Ohio, and almost 3 years at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. in Akron, Ohio. I’ve also worked with Sherwin-Williams and American Greetings.
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