Custom Client Application Examples
Apartment Maintenance Application
Customer: Property Management Company
Business Challenge: The customer had a need to track service orders for their apartment management business. They wanted to make sure they were meeting service level requirements, track unit history to reveal trends and trouble areas, track employee hours to examine efficiency, track expenditures and billing, and transition from a manual system to a paperless system.
Solution: ASK developed a custom web application utilizing built-in Domino security. Data is pulled from a DB2 database on their AS400 to eliminate the need to double-enter anything.
Results: The application is heavily utilized throughout the organization, increasing efficiency and availability of data. Tens of thousands of records are stored in live and archive databases and have proven invaluable in evaluating managers and employees. The easy access and search ability have improved the process of gathering information for court proceedings. A centrally-managed application is easier for them to maintain due to wide geographic distribution of their management offices. Detailed reports are generated on the fly when requested. This tool has greatly increased the efficiency of their office and maintenance staff.
User Request System
Customer: Manufacturing Company
Business Challenge:
Create a work-flow tool to manage the process of assigning system access to end users. The existing process was to route requests to an approver, then to an administrator. However, many applications deviated from this process and the organization had a lack of work flow consistency. The goal was to create a single package that could accommodate all these deviations and remain easily maintainable. This application needed run in the existing Lotus Domino infrastructure and be accessed through a web browser.
Solution:
ASK developed a custom intranet application. It relies on the Domino application security model to control access and implements AJAX and ODBC functionality to retrieve data from other data sources.
Results: This application now manages the access to over 20 unique resources, and has enabled a dramatic increase in the efficiency of the IT staff and management. Users, depending on their role in the organization can now request access to systems, approve certain requests, and/or implement those requests. The roles in the organization are maintainable by the customer. The work-flow process automatically routes and tracks multiple parallel requests to the proper people, ensuring that procedures are followed and documented throughout the process. User access to this application is limited to only what each user needs to perform his or her job. This makes the system look far less complex to each individual, while maintaining the power and report ability needed by management. This system has become a core enablement tool in their environment.
Project Quality Manual
Customer: Construction Company
Business Challenge: As an ISO certified company, this firm sought a way to improve their process by going paperless. They needed a way to track everything that happened on a particular construction project so that, if necessary, a new superintendent could take over a project and be up and running immediately without having to review drawers full of files. They needed a central repository for everything related to the job, and an interface that explained the current status at a glance.
Solution: ASK developed a custom Lotus Notes application which ties into multiple pre-existing Notes databases to fully integrate with their existing systems. Certain information and documents are also exported to their network file system to make these available through FTP access to external users.
Results: This application stores all the documentation of their system, and all data related to a project - pictures, reports, requests, inspections, materials, and other information. This information is stored in a database on the superintendent's laptop, and is replicated up to their main server on a regular basis. From there, file attachments are copied to a folder on their network so that they can be automatically shared via a secure website. Superintendents are able to perform their job duties more efficiently and with fewer errors, allowing them to supervise more projects than before resulting in a direct cost savings to the customer.
Web Submission Router
Customer: Office Products Company
Business Challenge: The customer wanted to manage the routing of information submitted via many forms from many websites using one tool with a single point of maintenance. They also wanted the ability to distribute web generated leads and questions to the appropriate people.
Solution: A light-weight custom application which accepts data from any web form in the world, formats it into a table, and emails it to the recipient specified in the database. If no one is specified, the data is sent to the central administrator who can route it on to the proper person and add the form to the database.
Results: This application has saved considerable time and money by having a single interface, and an application that outputs data in a consistent, readable format. It is easy to add new websites and to monitor or change the person responsible for a particular form.
CRM Database
Customer: ASK
Technology Firm
Business Challenge: This company needed a way to track customers, leads, contracts, and work performed for any individual customer. The goal was to provide a place to look up customer information- everything from street address to number of service hours. They also wanted to be able to identify the true costs of projects and contracts over a long term.
Solution: ASK built a custom application which implements many advanced features, such as bi-directional communication with a DB2 database via ODBC, many levels of security, customizable user preferences, and several reporting interfaces. It also ties in with their IP phone implementation to allow auto-dialing of customers.
Results: This application now serves as a customer list, time card database, sales tool, and collaboration tool. It routes relevant information to managers and customer reps so that they can stay on top of new developments pertaining to them. It tracks all work performed by employee, company, date, project, opportunity, or contract and provides great insight into the overall status of their business.
Mail Purge Agent
Customer: Plumbing Manufacturer
Business Challenge: The customer's email retention policy mandated that all emails older than 3 months be deleted. Typically users would ignore this policy and therefore the company wanted to enforce this through an agent rather than relying on users to do it manually.
Solution: ASK developed a small custom application using custom lotusscript which was added to their mail template.
Results: This agent runs on every mail file and specifically targets emails sent or received and removes everything older than 3 months, fully complying with their corporate policies.
Mass Mailer
Customer: Distributor
Business Challenge: The customer was looking for a simple way to send announcements to all of their customers. Their master customer list was stored in an application on their IBM System i.
Solution: ASK developed a custom application utilizing ODBC access to their customer master record and mail-merge functionality.
Results: This application imports data from their master customer list on a daily basis, updating only things that have changed. It allows the composition of a mail merge boilerplate and then allows the user to send out an announcement to all or a defined subset of customers, targeting different contacts depending on the nature of the announcement. It has provided a much improved method of communication with their end clients and led to a stronger brand image for the company.
On Time Manufacturing Manager
Customer: Automotive Manufacturer
Business Challenge: To meet their need for a lean manufacturing process, the company needed an application that would let them track orders received, stock and deliveries, the machines and personnel required for fulfillment, and the deadline by which the product needed to delivered, and use this information to plan their process for maximum efficiency.
Solution: ASK developed a custom Notes application utilizing standard Domino functionality.
Results: This application was able to provide a schedule of people, machines, and overtime that allowed them to lower their on-hand inventories and increase the efficient use of their personnel and equipment.
We would welcome the opportunity to formalize a proposal for your environment.
Interested in learning more? Contact ASK to schedule a no risk consultation by calling 877-ASK-4-ASK or contact us today. An experienced ASK representative will answer any of your questions.
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ASK is committed to taking the hassle out of technology in order to allow our customers to more effectively run their businesses. Our value is in our ability to combine superior
technology with outstanding service. The customer's best interest will guide every decision that we make.
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United Bank of Michigan has 11 locations throughout West Michigan. At United Bank, we pride ourselves on superior customer service. Technology is the backbone that enables us to deliver that service, and the people at ASK play a vital role.
In ASK, we found not only a commitment to great customer service, but a company with a deep knowledge of technology and an understanding of how it can be leveraged for success in an overall business plan.
The products and services that ASK has implemented have proven to be stable and are implemented with care. If issues come up, they are dispatched with great communication, excellent customer service, and first-rate expertise.
I would recommend ASK to any organization, but especially to the small business that needs technical support and expertise that they can rely on and believe in.
Norman Galang
Information Technology Officer
United Bank
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