Fact Sheet: MicroAge Innovates Computer Sourcing and Acquisition with x-Source, a Robust, Web-based e-Business Solution
IBM Net.Commerce Provides Engine for Business-to-Business Operating Resource Management Service
N/A (December 01, 1998) – MicroAge, Inc., a $4.5 billion information technology and solutions company, provides billions of dollars worth of computer systems and related services to Fortune 500 clients around the world. When MicroAge decided to help its customers reduce soaring acquisition costs, the company developed x-Source, a Web-based, business-to-business operating resource management service.
Using IBM Net.Commerce, x-Source enables online procurement for corporate customers. This e-business solution provides a cost-effective, easy to use alternative to the manual purchase, paper-intensive process by providing an automated Web-based system. Customers reap immediate benefits in the form of cost savings, operating cost reductions, faster cycle times, and insightful analysis of both process and supplier performance. MicroAge developed this innovative, buyer-centric supply management solution with IBM Business Partner Web Emporium, which helped MicroAge integrate EDI catalogs from MicroAge’s many suppliers into a single on line source stored in a DB2 Universal Database.
“IBM tools such as IBM Net.Commerce have allowed us to develop the most value-added, globally-capable procurement solution for our Fortune 500 clients,” said Jim Scharpf, group vice president, Global Solutions, MicroAge,Inc. “MicroAge has already realized increased sales from this solution, but more importantly, we have realized increased customer satisfaction. It’s a win-win with our customers.”
The MicroAge e-business solution includes IBM Net.Commerce, IBM Net.Data, and DB2 Universal Database on the Windows NT platform. This base, combined with Lotus Domino Go Webserver, provides the ease of customization, speed of implementation, and highly reliable environment the system requires.
“IBM Net.Commerce and DB2 Universal Database are at the heart of our electronic procurement service. Their power and scalability give us the confidence to support large clients with tens of thousands of users, and their flexibility allows us to customize the operation and look and feel of every Web site we create. Thus, we can accommodate the diverse corporate cultures of our clients,” said Gerry Samchuck, vice president, global solutions architecture group, MicroAge, Inc.
Source: IBM