Northern Cables sought to update its sales and customer-service procedures and substantially reduce staff’s manual-entry tasks. This meant giving its customers more options and more control over the process. It was seeking a tailored solution that would improve customers’ experience and automate their ability to reserve a supply of power cable. The initial idea was to create a new web portal for customers to check inventory levels in real time and to reserve a product online.
Northern Cables
Manufacturing
The Background
Northern Cables is a large power-cable manufacturer for commercial and industrial use with a distribution network with a North American reach. Based in Ontario, the company operates three plants that produce over 60 million meter of product yearly. The quality of its products and services has brought it recognition and made its reputation since its founding in 1994.
The Solution
The project launched with an in-depth discovery phase, which involved stakeholders from the management, sales, IT, and customer service teams. The group effort reached beyond the company’s walls. A key client was called upon to share its opinion in a focus group, to make sure that the solution exactly matched the need.
During the web application’s development, weekly meetings kept Northern Cables up-to-date on the specifics of the progress, the budget and the risks. These meetings were also an opportunity to jointly address issues that cropped up. A strong emphasis was placed on securing the platform, particularly in its exchanges with the integrated management software package (ERP) via an API. Finally, the solution went live after several cycles of quality assurance. Spiria’s support and maintenance team was in charge of ensuring the platform’s seamless operation.
The Services
- Discovery phase
- User experience design (UX)
- Interface design (UI)
- Custom web application development
- Quality assurance
The Results
Immediately upon its release, the new system was already helping customers put a hold on reels. The procedure is now simpler, more intuitive, faster and more reliable. Furthermore, Northern Cables’ sales team is spared labour-intensive administrative tasks, freeing it to spend more time advising and helping customers. The online portal has given the company a boost to once again shine with the quality of its service. This first win led to launching an enhancement phase with Spiria that includes functionalities related to billing and shipment tracking.
After four months of hard work, Spiria delivered on their promises of timelines and budget. The end product exceeded our expectations, and most importantly our customers love the solutions provided in this new web-based platform. I would highly recommend Spiria for your next project.
Dan Emond
Vice President Sales and Marketing
Northern Cables