Uphold high standards for innovation and customer service while leveraging existing technology investments and establishing a solid IT foundation for the future.
Done.
Unisys used the Microsoft® .NET Framework, BizTalk® Server, and the Unisys Enterprise Application Environment development toolset to create a robust, order-entry solution in partnership with Heal’s IT staff. The solution can be easily adapted to support whatever new technology emerges in the future.
Enhanced Customer Service and Business Agility
Operating in a reusable, adaptive infrastructure positions Heal’s to more readily expand its e-commerce initiatives, while taking advantage of new technologies that can bring further flexibility and responsiveness to its growing retail operations.
Metrics
- Performance: Average transaction time has been reduced by at least two-thirds, and smoother process flow results in faster customer service, fewer errors, and less employee training.
- Cost: By leveraging existing technology and custom applications developed using EAE, Heal’s reduced both the cost and risk associated with “ground up” systems development.
- Agility: Productivity gains from both the EAE environment and Microsoft .NET framework tools further reduced the time-to-solution.
Business Challenge: Modernising the Shopping Experience
Adopting new technology should not be taken lightly. To ensure success, many organisations look for outside help from those with industry and technology expertise. Heal and Son partnered with Unisys to create a strong and flexible foundation for future growth.
Heal and Son is a leading retailer of contemporary home furnishings, operating six locations within the United Kingdom. Heal's has been at the forefront of stylish, modern design since its first store opened nearly 200 years ago. The retailer stocks only the very best in furniture and home accessories—with many items exclusive to Heal's.
Always a leader when it comes to style, Heal’s wanted to apply the same innovation to its furniture sales and delivery process. The retailer previously used a “pen and paper” approach that could take as long as 15 minutes to complete and hindered efforts to provide high-quality customer service, especially during busy periods. Furthermore, the information was re-entered twice into Heal’s computer systems, delaying order processing, introducing errors, and complicating new employee training.
Andy Pearce, IT Director for Heal’s, recalls, “We wanted to give our customers a contemporary shopping experience consistent with a modern company employing efficient business practices.” Heal’s also sought to capitalise on emerging technologies while protecting its investment in highly customised, core back-office applications running on a Unisys ClearPath server and developed with Unisys Enterprise Application Environment (EAE). Pearce emphasises, “Our large, back-end EAE applications have been developed over many years and support the special needs of both sides of our business—furniture and accessories. We didn’t want to discard that investment to start again.” For help, he turned to Unisys.
Solution: More Flexible and Integrated Operations
Unisys worked with Heal’s on virtually every phase of the project—from initial scoping to post-implementation training and knowledge transfer. Drawing on Unisys expertise in deploying Microsoft technology and optimising Microsoft infrastructures, the two companies designed a solution that is a composite of existing, newly developed, and third-party packaged applications. Based on the tenet “reuse before buying, buy before building, and build for re-use,” it employs Microsoft .NET Framework tools and technology, and preserves and leverages the wealth of business-critical services in existing applications.
Unisys assisted with vendor, tool, and technology evaluation and selection, as well as development, documentation, and implementation. The new Retail Integrated Network Application (RetINA) solution is a truly collaborative effort. Heal’s IT staff developed the application using Visual Basic .NET, Anker Systems provided a Point-of-Sale package (Power Ultra), and Unisys consultants wrote the integration software. Pearce says, “Integrating EAE through .NET to the POS system was a unique challenge but we are all delighted with the outcome.”
The overall solution architecture is highly flexible, and is currently deployed using a three-tiered approach. The company’s Unisys ClearPath server runs the EAE applications. A Unisys ES3020 server supports the business processing components and all communication from RetINA and Power Ultra, which are running on customer-facing intelligent terminals on the retail floor.
We have every confidence in Unisys Consulting Services.
Andy Pearce
IT Director
Heal and Son Ltd.
Unisys applied its unique SystemFlow project management methodology, and used its experience in leading-edge technologies and complex system integration to ensure that the project was implemented on schedule and within budget. Unisys also worked with Heal’s IT personnel to make sure they had the necessary training to support and enhance the solution going forward.
Results: A Foundation for the Future
The customer experience at Heal’s has improved dramatically with the new RetINA solution. Pearce estimates that the average transaction time has been reduced by at least two-thirds. The order process flows smoothly—resulting in faster customer service, fewer errors, and less employee training.
By leveraging existing technology, Heal’s reduced both the cost and risk associated with “ground up” systems development. EAE integration features, such as the EAE Component Enabler product, make it simple to incorporate new services and technologies into an EAE-based solution. The ClearPath server offers advanced features that enable cross-platform transaction processing, data access, and Web application services.
This sensible approach of reusing existing application logic, buying packaged software, and leveraging new Microsoft .NET technology decreased development and deployment timeframes. Productivity gains from both the EAE environment and Microsoft .NET framework tools further reduced the time-to-solution. And, by tapping into the wealth of experience within Unisys , Heal’s jump-started development and formed a lasting partnership that benefits both the business and IT. Pearce says, “I was impressed by their thorough understanding of our business and their knowledge of optimising Microsoft technologies was faultless.”
Our Unisys ClearPath Libra server has the reliability and security Heal’s needs to meet the demands of a 24x7 customer base.
Andy Pearce
IT Director
Heal and Son Ltd.
In early 2007, Heal’s upgraded to a ClearPath Libra Model 300 server. The new platform offers a 40-per cent performance boost – a welcome addition given Heal’s recently forged partnership with Amazon.com UK that promises to drive even more traffic to its web site. “Heal’s is now open for business virtually around the clock,” Pearce explains. “Our Unisys ClearPath Libra server has the reliability and security Heal’s needs to meet the demands of a 24x7 customer base.”
The Relationship: Long-Term Value through Partnership
The solution has been successfully rolled out to all six Heal’s locations and is a solid foundation on which to further expand its e-commerce initiatives. This reusable, adaptive infrastructure supports the company’s modernisation efforts now and for years to come. Andy Pearce explains, “We are now ideally positioned for future systems deployment. We could not have done it without Unisys—their contribution was exemplary all the way through.”
Profile: Heal and Son Ltd.
- Leading retailer of contemporary home furnishings
- Operating six locations within the United Kingdom
- Visit Heal and Son Ltd. at: http://www.heals.co.uk
Solution at a Glance
- Unisys Consulting Services
- Microsoft .NET Framework
- Microsoft BizTalk Server
- Unisys Enterprise Application Environment (EAE)
- Unisys ES3020 server
- Unisys ClearPath Libra 300 server
