INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AT GLM

Review of Technology Opportunities for GLM'S Information Systems Management 2012-2017



Executive Summary

In this paper, we are discussing the current practices and future prospects of information technology at Greens Lime Mouldings. Firstly, we have evaluated the need for technology and software in the organisation's success and then we have recommended some of the most successful software to be implemented throughout the organisation's system.

REVIEW OF TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES FOR GLM'S INFORMATION SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT 2012-2017

Introduction

Greens Lime Mouldings Ltd. (GLM) is a manufacturing company which produces a range of small plastic products. They produce both their own standard range of plastic products which they supply to retailers, and also limited production runs of plastic items designed to a customer's specification. Local transport connections are good and they have an excellent track record of delivering promptly and efficiently and thus keeping their mainly repeat customer base satisfied. They have also managed to maintain their loyal and hard working workforce over many years. At present communication channels at GLM are unstructured with much information being held in the team's heads and much communication taking place informally.

The majority of GLM's orders are repeat orders from a customer base that has ordered many times from GLM before and so knows who to contact to place or follow up an order with. GLM are well known for their efficient distribution of orders to these repeat customers however they realise that attracting and supporting new customers is a weakness. New customers often complain that it is difficult to know who to contact in the organisation of GLM to place an order and then to follow its progress and GLM are increasingly finding they cannot match their competition on this.

Scene setting

The current managing director and his wife are now at the age of retirement. Their son is also not interested in becoming the managing director of their firm as he is running his own logistics business. They have, therefore, recently appointed a new Managing Director to take over fully in the next 18 months. The new MD wants to review the IS policy which is currently non-existent and review the overall use of IT in the company. On retirement the family will have some money which they wish to invest in the business. Their hope is that their new MD will be able to co-ordinate both the growth of the business with expanding the markets and at the same time increase the importance given to customer service.

There is very limited use of IT at present. PCs scattered around the company but not linked in any way even when software packages could be linked quite easily. In particular, Order Processing does not link to Despatch. Stock Control system does not use in Factory Supplies. SageLine50 is not linked with OrderWise or QuarkXPress. There is also no use of online ordering, which means that external communication is poor. There is a non interactive web site i.e. just a ...