Informing an Organization
High-Tech Solutions for a Low-Tech Environment
Barbara Mulvenna
LIS 501
Fall 2001
Survey of Information Science and Information Services
Dr. Corinne Jörgensen
School of Informatics
Fundamental Data Structure



Needs to be structured in a manner that
is useful to the organization at every
level
Needs uniformity to enable accuracy
Need consensus and cooperation from all
levels of the organization
Goal and Objective




A uniform system of tracking discounts
Accurate tracking of customers
Eliminate confusion
Meaningful system to evaluate efforts


Advertising, Coupons, In-store Promotions
Better control over discounts
Situation Analysis



No uniform system for tracking coupons,
discounts, or repeat customers
Main office is unable to evaluate
effectiveness of advertising programs
Two main problems:


Discount codes vary from store to store
License plates in NYS are undergoing change
Background Analysis



POS system is somewhat intractable
Minimal training at store level regarding
input of good data
Low awareness of top level management
regarding information processes
Background Analysis



Communication to individual stores is
limited and cumbersome
Communication between stores is limited.
“This is how we’ve always done it”
corporate culture
Sample Data

Obvious Problems:

Customer Lists
(See Attached)
LastName
ABATO
PlateNo
X692UD
EDS760
DB389R
ABDALLAH FL164Z
FL1642Z
BAUER
APR2111
V466XD
98643AE
AEY8382
9XD135
H572SJ
LAN851
LE4105
Z25OEX
A676JR
CX371V
T854NM
AKS8213
EEJ135
FirstName
JOE
JOE
JOE
SHERMIN
SHERMAN
JOHN
ROBIN
DANIEL
MILDRED
MICHAEL
MANDY
DENNIS
THOMAS
L.R
DEREK
DENNIS
ANNE
DENNIS
RICHARD W.
Address
City
293 MCNAIR RD
BUFFALO
plate
293 MCNAIR RD Three different
BUFFALO
numbers
293 MCNAIR RD
BUFFALO
in entryBUFFALO
of plate
264 HEMPSTEADError
AVE
number and name
264 HEMPSTEADspelling
AVE
BUFFALO
51 LOWELL RD
BUFFALO
6 FLORENCE AVE
BUFFALO
167 AURORA ST
LANCASTER
189 BIGELOW PL
DEPEW
128 STRASMER RD
DEPEW
76 PINEHURST AVE
BUFFALO
110 NANETTE DR
ELMA
Plate # keyed
as "O"
374 INDIAN CHURCH
RD BUFFALO
instead of zero
81 IDLEWOOD AVE
HAMBURG
33 GRANT BLVD
BUFFALO
45 BURWELL AVE
LANCASTER
37 RAND AVE
BUFFALO
Same person,
110 NANETTE DR different plate
ELMA
#
144 HAWLEY ST
BUFFALO
LastService
2/5/2001
4/28/2001
8/18/2001
10/20/2000
2/8/2001
8/10/2001
1/12/2001
6/12/2001
5/3/2001
3/20/2001
3/1/2001
1/11/2001
8/30/2000
4/30/2001
3/8/2001
7/23/2001
8/31/2001
8/6/2001
7/2/2001
Sample Data

Obvious Problems:

Coupon Codes


POS system limits codes to 15
One employee from Corporate Office must travel to
each store to enter new coupon codes
Mistakes


“Reminders”
“Reminder Card”
Available Options

Customer Lists: 70,000 records

Sift through each record and make
corrections



Who will perform task?
How long will this take?
How much will this cost?
Available Options

Coupon Codes: Too Late to Fix?

Over 1 million telephone books distributed


Entertainment Books


12 coupons in 2 books- all have different codes
5 coupons
In Addition: Quarterly mailers, Discount
cards, Reminder notices, etc…
Recommendations

*The employees are required to submit a
print out of the service record with at least
two other incidences of the same cutomer
having had service in order to qualify for the
contest. Therefore, there is a potential that
up to 15,000 records have been updated.
Customer Lists:

Cost prohibitive to try and correct database

Solution:



Fix records individually as customers come in for
service
Use contest to facilitate employee participation
Result:

Since September more than 5,000 records have
been corrected, merged, or updated*
Recommendations

Coupon codes:

A uniform system that can be tracked and updated
easily
 Solution:




Update all coupon codes
Enter new codes into computers at all stores
Introduce new system to managers during one
meeting at corporate office
Provide stores with binder where copy of coupon
can be seen alongside its new code
Coupon Revision – August 2001
Indications:
Need a uniform system of coupon codes that can be tracked and updated easily.
Strategy:
Update all coupon codes.
Enter new codes into computers at all stores. (MOC staff)
Introduce new system to managers during one meeting at corporate office.
Provide stores with binder where copy of coupon can be seen alongside its new
code.
Rationale:
Eliminate confusion.
Better control of discounts.
Better result tracking.
Materials and cost:
15 - ½” ring binders (these are small enough to fit under the counter)
protective sleeves for page inserts (keeps pages clean and resist tearing)
tabs or dividers (speeds up look-up time)
2 reams of paper (let me know if you need this item purchased)
The binders, sleeves, and tabs will be purchased.
The pages will be printed at MOC office, using paper already at hand.
Copies of coupons will also be made in-house.
Total estimated cost:
$85.00 or less
A copy of
the
proposal.
The New System

Codes Never Change


Insert updated coupon instead
Visual Reference


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Lower incidence of error
Eliminates confusion
Better control over discounts
The New Look

Coupon Index


(See Attached)
Coupon Tracking

(See Attached)
COUPON CODES INDEX
DESCRIPTION
NEW CODE
SUPER COUPS COUPON
CURRENT SUPER COUPS
VERIZON PHONE BOOK OIL CHANGE
VERIZON OC
VERIZON PHONE BOOK EXTRA SERVICE
VERIZON ES
TALKING PHONE BOOK OIL CHANGE
WD OC
TALKING PHONE BOOK EXTRA SERVICE
WD ES
OIL CHANGE OR EXTRA SERVICE
REMINDER CARD
ENTERTAINMENT BOOK
OIL CHANGE OR EXTRA SERVICE
CASTROL WEB OR ATLAS
SCHOOL OR CHARITY
COMPETITOR COUPON
FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE ONLY
MANAGER’S ADJUSTMENT
ANY COUPON AFTER EXPIRATION
EXPIRED COUPON
OIL CHANGE
VIP SINGLE PUNCH
OIL CHANGE AND EXTRA SERVICE
VIP DOUBLE PUNCH
DISCOUNT OR FREE
VIP 3, 4, OR FREE
Please check expiration dates on each coupon.
This is the
index page of
each binder.
Pages are
updated and
sent to the
stores to be
inserted in
place of the
old coupon. If
a customer
brings in a
coupon that is
past the
expiration
date it is
keyed under
“expired
coupon.”
COUPON COUNT
CURRENT SUPER COUPS
VERIZON OC
VERIZON ES
WD OC
WD ES
REMINDER CARD
ENTERTAINMENT BOOK
CASTROL WEB OR ATLAS
SCHOOL OR CHARITY
COMPETITOR COUPON
MANAGER’S ADJUSTMENT
EXPIRED COUPON
VIP SINGLE PUNCH
VIP DOUBLE PUNCH
VIP 3, 4, OR FREE
Managers submit this,
attached to the physical
coupons that were
redeemed during the week.
Result



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Individual store coupon codes are uniform
No longer have to travel to each store to update
computer when a new coupon is released
Stores are mailed new inserts with instructions
for placement
Tracking at Corporate Office is accurate
Evaluation of discount programs is precise
Setbacks

Politics!

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Consensus is difficult to achieve
Negative attitudes
Going Forward

As the Communications Consultant
Get More Answers, Sooner
 Ask Specific Questions Repeatedly
 Watch for Developing Problems
 Build Consensus in Advance

Conclusion

Quality of Information is dependent on
many variables:

Accuracy/ Reliability

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All users and contributors must be considered
Relevance/ Pertinance

All participants must have an interest
Conclusion

Value Added Processes:

Value is in usage and usefulness



Know your user/ contributor
Learn the problems of the organization and
previous attempts at solving them
Keep it simple