Information Builders Case Studies ReaderLink Turns a New Page With WebFOCUS

Edit This Case Study Record

	ReaderLink Turns a New Page With WebFOCUS Information Builders

ReaderLink Turns a New Page With WebFOCUS

Information Builders

Technology Category	Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration
Applicable Industries	Retail
Applicable Functions	Sales & Marketing Warehouse & Inventory Management
Use Cases	Inventory Management Supply Chain Visibility
Services	Software Design & Engineering Services System Integration
Challenge	ReaderLink, a premier distributor of paperback and hardcover books, was struggling with data accessibility and report generation due to its custom-built information systems. The company had disparate legacy systems that made it difficult to quickly access data and develop ad hoc reports. This led to inconsistencies in sales numbers and a lack of confidence in the data. The company sought to revolutionize the way it collects, reports, analyzes, and distributes information. However, the team feared that creating an enterprise BI environment would be time-consuming and cumbersome, partly due to previous experience with data warehouse projects. ReaderLink's applications were developed and deployed over many years, leading to poor integration and a tremendous amount of data redundancy. Read More
About Customer	ReaderLink, formerly known as Levy Home Entertainment, is the nation's premier distributor of both paperback and hardcover books. The company manages the middle of the literary supply chain, including warehousing, packing, shipping, and in-store merchandising. ReaderLink has more than $600 million in annual sales and serves national retailers like Target, Wal-Mart, and Toys “R” Us. The company relies heavily on sales and warehouse reports to determine which titles are selling well and which picking lines are performing efficiently. ReaderLink also shares information with its partners, providing them with valuable insights into sales and inventory data. Read More
Solution	ReaderLink chose to implement the WebFOCUS business intelligence (BI) platform to build a self-service reporting environment. The company worked with Information Builders Professional Services to fast-track the enterprise-wide business intelligence project. The consultants suggested extracting information from the operational databases and creating Microsoft SQL Server databases as staging places for generating reports for various domains, including sales and marketing, finance, inventory, and warehouse management. ReaderLink produced six BI dashboards in six months, three with help from Information Builders Professional Services and three internally. The company also created a Publisher Portal that provides valuable information to the companies that supply ReaderLink with books, such as which titles are selling, where, and in what quantities. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration

Applicable Industries

Retail

Applicable Functions

Sales & Marketing

Warehouse & Inventory Management

Use Cases

Inventory Management

Supply Chain Visibility

Services

Software Design & Engineering Services

System Integration

Challenge

ReaderLink, a premier distributor of paperback and hardcover books, was struggling with data accessibility and report generation due to its custom-built information systems. The company had disparate legacy systems that made it difficult to quickly access data and develop ad hoc reports. This led to inconsistencies in sales numbers and a lack of confidence in the data. The company sought to revolutionize the way it collects, reports, analyzes, and distributes information. However, the team feared that creating an enterprise BI environment would be time-consuming and cumbersome, partly due to previous experience with data warehouse projects. ReaderLink's applications were developed and deployed over many years, leading to poor integration and a tremendous amount of data redundancy.

About Customer

ReaderLink, formerly known as Levy Home Entertainment, is the nation's premier distributor of both paperback and hardcover books. The company manages the middle of the literary supply chain, including warehousing, packing, shipping, and in-store merchandising. ReaderLink has more than $600 million in annual sales and serves national retailers like Target, Wal-Mart, and Toys “R” Us. The company relies heavily on sales and warehouse reports to determine which titles are selling well and which picking lines are performing efficiently. ReaderLink also shares information with its partners, providing them with valuable insights into sales and inventory data.

Solution

ReaderLink chose to implement the WebFOCUS business intelligence (BI) platform to build a self-service reporting environment. The company worked with Information Builders Professional Services to fast-track the enterprise-wide business intelligence project. The consultants suggested extracting information from the operational databases and creating Microsoft SQL Server databases as staging places for generating reports for various domains, including sales and marketing, finance, inventory, and warehouse management. ReaderLink produced six BI dashboards in six months, three with help from Information Builders Professional Services and three internally. The company also created a Publisher Portal that provides valuable information to the companies that supply ReaderLink with books, such as which titles are selling, where, and in what quantities.

Impact #1	ReaderLink's new BI environment has increased transparency, efficiency, and cost-savings throughout the organization.
Impact #2	The company's key decision-makers are now able to cut supply-chain costs, tighten up inefficiencies, and provide enhanced services to national retailers.
Impact #3	The new Publisher Portal provides instant information about which titles are selling, along with the ability to track purchase orders and gauge inventory shortfalls - information that its partners can’t get anywhere else.

Impact #1

ReaderLink's new BI environment has increased transparency, efficiency, and cost-savings throughout the organization.

Impact #2

The company's key decision-makers are now able to cut supply-chain costs, tighten up inefficiencies, and provide enhanced services to national retailers.

Impact #3

The new Publisher Portal provides instant information about which titles are selling, along with the ability to track purchase orders and gauge inventory shortfalls - information that its partners can’t get anywhere else.

Benefit #1	ReaderLink's employees used to spend about 40 hours each week generating reports for publishers. Now that external users are helping themselves to the information, ReaderLink’s business analysts are more efficient.
Benefit #2	The company's new BI environment represents the efforts of two to three full-time employees.

Benefit #1

ReaderLink's employees used to spend about 40 hours each week generating reports for publishers. Now that external users are helping themselves to the information, ReaderLink’s business analysts are more efficient.

Benefit #2

The company's new BI environment represents the efforts of two to three full-time employees.

Download PDF Version

Overview

ReaderLink Turns a New Page With WebFOCUS

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit