Big Lots Providing More for Less with DTT1000 Voice Response UnitWritten by Kirk Smith & Terry Rogers
Big Lots is Largest broad-line close out retailer in country. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Big Lots is a Fortune 500 company with annual revenues exceeding $3.8 billion. Their stock is traded on New York Stock Exchange under symbol BLI. They currently operate nearly 1,400 stores in 45 states, which includes more than 45 freestanding Big Lots Furniture stores. In addition, over 680 of their closeout stores have furniture departments. Big Lots has a sophisticated distribution and transportation system with four major distribution centers and more than eight million square feet of space. A fifth distribution center near Durant, Oklahoma is under way and will be completed in 2004. Big Lots current distribution center locations include: Columbus, Ohio; Tremont, Pennsylvania; Montgomery, Alabama; and Rancho Cucamonga, California.Phase 1 The Big Lots Traffic Department had a number of logistics applications where freight companies as well as truck drivers themselves were calling in to live attendants. Items such as scheduling or inquiring on warehouse dock appointment times, canceling appointments, getting directions, and checking on status of dropped off trailers were just a few of questions that were posed to associates of department thousands of times a week. Big Lots knew that in order to maintain a high level of service coupled with an aggressive growth rate, something had to be done to automate this process. A demonstration was presented on July 31st, 2000 that showed one of applications to be included in this first phase. A brief demonstration of DDT1000 VRU system was given to management committee. Things such as low cost of ownership, ease of customization, seamless interfaces with AS/400, as well as complete audit trails for performance and usage analysis were just a few of strengths of VRU system. It was a unanimous decision from committee to pilot a project in Traffic Department to leverage strengths of system. Big Lots took delivery of their first unit on September 20th 2000. This unit was set up to answer incoming calls from truck drivers via their cellular phones and logistic personnel. The IT staff was able to design, code, and implement first part of project within days of receiving system. "We were extremely pleased at how quick code customizations were performed and how well it fit with our AS/400.", stated Kirk Smith, Manager, IT Data Center Services. "Being able to take a system from development to implementation in this short period of time is virtually unheard of in IT world." The Big Lots development team also built into script a complete audit trail via log files. These log files are uploaded daily to AS/400 where a variety of query reports are created. At any time, Big Lots could report number of calls that unit had answered, what part of system was used, and most importantly, number of callers that opted to transfer out of unit to live personnel.
| | COLLABORATIONS AND AFFILIATIONSWritten by Gail McMeekin
Selecting right colleagues and affiliates is a key success strategy for any career path. Whether you work for an organization or have created your own, people with whom you partner impact your results as well as your fulfillment and reputation. Creativity also thrives in relationships with complementary skills nurtured by mutual respect. Successful partnerships and alliances depend on complete honesty, self- assessment and awareness, open communication, and a dedication to resolve conflicts on part of all participants.Over course of my years as a career coach, I have cautioned many clients against taking ill-suited jobs or joining forces with partners where there may be a mismatch. I have seen a pattern with many female entrepreneurs where two insecure women team up together with same weaknesses and a shaky business plan. Disaster usually strikes and may even end in courtroom. If you are considering doing contract work or becoming an employee of an organization, do your research. If company jerks you around in hiring process or your intuition tells you that it's all too "perfect", beware. You want to be connected to best people, products, and services. Desperation and impulse "to just get it done" reap dangerous liaisons. As a business owner, there are huge differences between collaborations and official partnerships. You can fulfill your needs for collaboration with a variety of networks, team projects, success teams, and other modalities. You don't have to make an alliance official unless you have road-tested it and it makes sense legally and professionally. So if you have "urge to merge", ask yourself these key questions: 1) Are you an introvert or an extrovert? How much alone time versus group time suits you? 2) What is your relationship pattern? Do have a string of collisions in your past or a steady track record of positive connections? 3) Of collisions you have had, what part did you play in process? Pay attention to your vulnerable points.
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