gen-i Solution Transforms Telecom Directories

gen-i Solution Transforms Telecom Directories Ltd Online Production Process

AUCKLAND, 4 October, 2000 - An online production planning system to track approximately 4,000 interdependent production tasks for New Zealand's leading directory publisher, Telecom Directories Ltd, has been successfully implemented by Internet Integrator, gen-i limited.

Working closely with Telecom Directories, gen-i designed a production planning tool, developed in JADE, to enable the cost effective planning and production management of more than 5 million directories.

A customised application was designed that incorporated:

(a) a centralised, coherent, automated system to plan and optimise the marketing and printing cycles (b) relevant and timely information that could be disseminated to users of the system and was tailored to their individual needs

gen-i's responsibilities included application development, project management, hardware provision, scoping of requirements and implementation of the Internet interface to external clients.

"The new application facilitates the accurate planning of all production related tasks and provides a highly visible 'status check' for every task," says John Schroeder, Production Systems Manager for Telecom Directories Ltd. "This allows for the production timetable to be tightened, enabling us to reduce the time between updates to listings and distribution of directories to users."

gen-i's, Project Director, Brendon Williams says, "We designed the system to ensure transparent feedback measures for the production and planning process were readily available.

"Telecom Directories can now more effectively co-ordinate the interdependent tasks involved with the production of the directories and further it provides them with the additional capabilities to continue to develop new products and services. It is tangible, real and adds more efficiency to the overall process." The company's previous process of maintaining and updating information required directories to be compiled using a manual, spreadsheet-based system for keeping track of book production deadlines.

"The company has never missed a book distribution deadline in more than 10 years, but with more complex product offerings such as full colour bound inserts and white knockout (YELLOW PAGES® advertisements with a white background), a more sophisticated system was the logical next step," says Schroeder.

The application now increases the company's ability to measure actual results against target, thereby enhancing the quality improvement processes associated with directory production.

The deadline required the project to be completed within a timeframe of 12 months from start date to implementation.

END

About gen-i

gen-i limited is the first and largest New Zealand-based e-business Internet integrator, focussing on designing, building, implementing and supporting e-business solutions and systems for large corporate customers. With more than 400 people at offices in major centres in New Zealand, gen-i extends customer support worldwide - both online and through a network of service partners. gen-i has four major areas of focus and expertise: Infrastructure, Ventures, Field Force and Procurement. gen-i Infrastructure is geared to providing and supporting all the hardware, software and networks required for today's e-business - and to achieve that in a number of new ways. gen-i Ventures is an Internet innovation operation geared to providing knowledge and experience, including building e-commerce sites, Intranets, extranets and implementing and supporting a wide range of e-business and traditional applications. gen-i field Force is New Zealand's leading technology engineering onsite capability, expertly trained and ready to deploy or maintain the country's leading technology networks. gen-i Procurement provides a fast, easy and cost-effective way to select, purchase, install and maintain office technologies. Prior to its name change in 2000, gen-i traded successfully for more than 20 years as Wang New Zealand.

About Telecom Directories Part of the Telecom Group of Companies formed in 1988, Telecom Directories Ltd is responsible for the printing and distribution of more than 5 million directories nationwide. This total includes regional Telephone Books and YELLOW PAGES®, as well as a range of 20 Local Directories.

In addition to printed directories, the company also offers on-line services, including the Internet YELLOW PAGES® and Internet WHITE PAGES(tm). Both sites average more than 35,000 searches per day, from New Zealand and around the world.

The company has a strong quality focus, which has been recognised in this country with the New Zealand National Quality Award and internationally with a reputation as one of the world's most accurate directory publishers.

For further information please contact: Alan Clyne, Client Director, gen-i limited, tel: +64 4 4984654, email: alan.clyne@gen-i.co.nz Nimita Morarji, Botica Conroy & Associates, tel: + 64 9 3033862, email: nimitam@bca.co.nz

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