BUSINESS INTEGRaTION

Text Jim Larkin ~ Photography Zippo

Ignition
Founded in 1932, Zippo celebrates more than 75 years as the leading marketer of the refillable windproof lighter with an unparalleled lifetime guarantee.

ased in Bradford, Pennsylvania, the company also markets butane candle lighters; watches; fragrance and lifestyle accessories for men; and a robust line of heat and flame products for outdoor enthusiasts in more than 160 countries worldwide. ChallENgE Zippo was looking for an affordable EDI solution, allowing them to do business electronically, which would bring more rapid and efficient communication for their various customers, such as Wal-Mart. This direct link to their major supply chain transactions necessitated a new understanding of technology, services and in-house infrastructure for a successful rollout of this business-to-business integration to be supported. Zippo found their internal resources were spending an increasing amount of time on their EDI transactions, growing from 5% to 25%, as the orders and trading partner connections increased. Said Russel Safran Sr. Systems Analyst, We won big accounts, big multi-chain retailers, all running EDI with rollouts to thousands of stores. Were on the supply side so were at the beck and call of the retailers, who all have their own labor-intensive processes and methodologies. It became too much to focus 25% of my time on EDI. soluTioN Previously using Sterling Commerce, Zippo was in the process of overhauling their backend ERP system and had the opportunity to update their system to another EDI vendor.

the financial side with invoicing. Weve seen the residual benefits that come out of our good working relationship and the skills that TIE provides. TIEs solution scalability provides Zippo and all customers with the identical software tools if the business Since introducing TIEs EDI Managed need outgrows that of an outsourced Service On-Demand, Zippo has reallosolution. TIE uses its commercially cated staff and resources away from laboravailable and fully supported Busiintensive adjustment of their EDI system, ness Integration Platform to connect and added more value to the business by customers to their business partners focusing on other key duties. TIE Kinetix as a service. As trading partner or aphandles all EDI processes and integration plication maps, profiles, and workflows needs remotely, from Zippos Bradford, are created for your business-specific PA location. environment, they are Coming highly recommended from always availtheir new ERP supplier Epicor, Zippo able found the price point, implementation and to the resulting ease of transactions an immedicustomer ate benefit. Looking at to utilize internally. the numbers, it was a no Additionally, the top-level brainer to go with TIE. customer support Zippo receives Safran says from his comes from TIEs extensive Bradford, PA office, TIE experience in providing EDI made it easy for us to since 1987. This is backed implement EDI for some by a customer satisfacof the smaller players, and tion rate of 97.8% with all more orders are coming integration, support and through as a result. We development teams based havent seen that with in St. Paul Minnesota, USA. any other EDI company TIEs support team has a that weve dealt with in zero-voicemail policy. the past. Any support requests are addressed immediately. rEsulTs Zippos This fact is confirmed successful implementaby Safran, You have an edge over your tion of the TIE Kinetix competition, and its in having that outEDI Managed Service standing support team. With other seron Demand has had vice providers you dont receive the same a trickle-down effect level of support that TIE brings. When influencing much more I send an email or call, its responded to than Zippos IT departquickly, and well before anything sticky ment. Because we work comes up. It doesnt disappear into a so well together, weve hole like some other support calls. Thats leveraged EDI to free up a real value to Zippo. the time and resources for customer service, and on

Looking at the numbers, it was a no brainer to go with TIE

P8 ~ 2011 ~ TIE