Xerox is the leading provider of both printing products and printing services to corporate and individual customers around the world. The company is also recognized as one of the top employers in the U.S. and Canada. However, it has faced its fair share of challenges. Xerox must constantly make changes to keep up with technology that its customers demand. The company recently had to overcome a major overhaul to the Legacy mainframe system in its Canada division.
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Xerox’s Antiquated Legacy System
Xerox Canada wanted to mobilize its Legacy system with web services, but it kept encountering problems because the system was so antiquated. According to Dan Herrmann, Logistics Systems Manager at Xerox Canada, the company’s Legacy system relied on seriously outdated technology that frequently failed. Staff members had to devise solutions for each failure in order to continue moving the company forward, and it was clear that Xerox Canada needed a system upgrade.
The existing Legacy mainframe system that Xerox Canada used was very visible to customers, and it hurt the company’s ability to provide products and services without delays or problems to customers. Xerox Canada couldn’t simply replace the system with newer technology, however, because such an upgrade would have a significant impact on several aspects of the business, specifically warehouse technology. On top of an old Legacy system, the company had outdated handheld devices in its warehouses and an outdated wireless network. This would require a major and costly backend restructure.
The Solution: A Massive System Upgrade
Businesses never want to spend a significant amount of money or make major changes because it hurts profits, causes problems, and creates employee resistance. In the case of Xerox Canada, though, technology upgrades and other changes were necessary to strengthen the business and help it remain the leader in the market. Xerox Canada opted to go ahead with the major restructuring of its warehouse system.
Xerox Canada requested customized assistance from RFgen, an ERP solutions service provider. RFgen was able to provide web services that integrated with Xerox Canada’s Oracle Legacy system and provided some upgraded modifications. Xerox Canada received a new warehouse system built from the ground up. The new system could manage shipping, receiving, and inventory management with ease. Plus, Xerox could now create web applications on its own.
Impact and Advantage
Xerox Canada took a major risk with its warehouse system upgrade, but the company realized several benefits that would be long lasting. For instance, development was quick and Xerox became more productive, saving time and money. Additionally, the new system was more reliable and accurate than the old one. After additional training, employees could work with and accept the new technology. Xerox Canada’s open line of communication with its employees helped this process along.
Other companies could learn a lot from Xerox and its willingness to change old and outdated systems and processes. Though they can be arduous processes, these technology upgrades are necessary so that companies can continue to provide the advanced products and services that customers demand.
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