Solution Examples

Label Printer Issue RESOLVED!

A nagging problem that had baffled the technical resources previously utilized by Clark Cutler McDermott Company was finally resolved by the intervention of CENTREND.

Since the inception of its new Microsoft Access based bar code label printing program, bar code labels would frequently be run at one workstation and the associated label would print out at another workstation elsewhere in the plant. Despite the efforts of the outside I.T. service provider, the Access programmer, and the label printing software company, the issue remained a problem for years due to the complexity of the different software packages being utilized and the fact that these programs ran through a terminal server environment. In just one costly example, the issue resulted in the mislabeling of goods shipped to a major customer that resulted in fees and penalties in excess of $40,000.

Centrend was brought in to assist the outside I.T. service provider in resolving this problem. The new Assistant Controller at Clark Cutler was familiar with Centrend's skills and abilities and felt that they would be able to contribute to the resolution of this long standing issue. Working with the outside I.T. service provider and the label printing software company, Centrend's technician was brought up to speed on the issue and within hours he had identified potential causes for the problem. The Centrend technician then made the appropriate modifications to the software to correct the problem.

Bar code labels now consistently print at the correct printer. The issue that had lasted for years was finally RESOLVED by Centrend.

Fred Duda
Clark Cutler McDermott Company
Franklin, MA

Better results in half the time

Centrend recently helped a non-profit organization in Central Mass. For the past 6 months, they had outsourced their Information Technology department to a competing firm, which budgeted 20 hours per week of onsite consulting. In reality, they were on site an average of 32 hours per week.

Even with those extra hours, the same problems recurred. Their "band-aid approach" seemed to put out the day's "worst fires." Nothing improved, costs were out of control, with no sign of progress. Pressured by management, the IT outsourcing company created an Information System Upgrade proposal to make the organization more efficient and reduce costs. Estimates for ongoing costs rose significantly to maintain the system and support users.

The expenses were unsustainable. The organization's Chief Restructuring Officer (CRO) asked Centrend for a second opinion on the state of their existing systems, and what the most cost-effective outsourcing program would be. Working closely with top management, Centrend analyzed recurring problems, the new system's required tasks, and the organization's best long-term solution.

The result? Centrend's systems proposal was two-thirds less than the original upgrade proposal and delivered more functionality. Even more important to the CRO, the ongoing costs to support the system would be half of the other IT outsourcing company's proposal.

A printing company's dilemma

Earlier this year, the CEO of a large commercial printing company called. He was distraught. He had just spent a lot of capital on printing equipmen, but now his server was out of disk space. His outsourcing company told him to buy a new server for about $15,000, including set up. Another company said he should abandon the desktops on each desk (running Windows 98) and go to a client server model. Total cost with licensing? $22,000.

I asked if I could assign him a technical consultant to see what could be done. He agreed. The result? We reorganized the server's programs, files and operating system to give him ample space for another year or so while he prepared for a server upgrade.

We saved him at least $14,000, and he's been a loyal customer of our IT Outsourcing program ever since!

Check back soon for more examples of solutions we've implemented for customers.