ounded in 1980, Metrix Inc. was a pioneer in the enterprise service automation industry, and is today considered a leading provider of service automation and management software. Its flagship system, known in its current release as Metrix 4e, is an integrated support and services suite that covers customer support, field service, contract management, logistics, inventory, dispatch, and repair center operations.

our years ago, Tektronix’s three divisions—Measurement Business, Color Printing and Imaging, and Video Networking—joined together to search for a service solution that would enable each division to see its customers seamlessly in all interactions. According to Larry Bunyard, director of information technology in Tektronix’s Measurement Business Division, each of the three divisions had slightly different needs. “If we had been forced to implement a single solution in a common way, we would have ended up with only an average solution,” he says. “Rather, different divisions wanted to be common at the systems level but specific to their customers when it came to deployment.”

Furthermore, Tektronix required a solution that could scale for worldwide operations, provided a comprehensive suite that would cover all post-sales activity, and supported a full set of integrated functions such as inventory, call management, depot, and repair center. “Because our customers are increasingly global, it was critical that we find an integrated solution,” Bunyard recalls.

After a multi-month selection process, which included the use of industry analysts to help define operational requirements, Tektronix contracted with Metrix. According to Bunyard, Metrix clearly won because of its excellence in addressing critical features such as contract administration and customer entitlement. Bunyard was also impressed with Metrix’s understanding of repair centers and depots and its ability to run dispatch processes.

IMPLEMENTATION
A mission-critical board exchange service based in the Netherlands became the pilot project for the Measurement Business implementation of Metrix. Full implementation of Metrix in the U.S. began in late 1998 and within five months, seventeen locations were live with the system. By April 1999, thirteen European countries, Canada and Mexico were using the system and by the end of this summer, Singapore and Australia will be online, thus completing the Tektronix Measurement rollout.

“Underlying the full implementation of Metrix was our adoption of a consistent business practice worldwide,” Bunyard says. “Such a shift takes time because of the organizational issues involved.” Throughout the implementation, but most notably during the early months, Metrix worked very closely with Tektronix. “A close partnership is something that was very important in our selection of Metrix,” recalls Bunyard.

CURRENT USE
Tektronix uses Metrix for all of its customer service functions, including contract management, field dispatch, inventory and logistics. The Measurement Business division has integrated Metrix with the MapInfo mapping software so that the most appropriate field engineer will be sent to answer a call.

The benefits of the worldwide implementation of Metrix are already apparent, according to Bunyard. “Prior to implementation, we estimated that our fill rate was in the low 40th percentile. Now that the new system is almost fully up and visible, the fill rate is into the mid-80s. Tektronix is now moving toward achieving a fill rate of upwards of 95 percent,” he says.

WISH LIST
As the Tektronix representative on Metrix’s Design Committee, which comprises select Metrix customers, Bunyard is helping Metrix tackle the issue of conversion management costs. “I am interested in helping Metrix figure out how to set up conversions so that cost is minimal,” he says.

Overall Rating: 4.99

owerware Global Services, the hardware and field services division of Powerware, had been operating an aging, highly customized field service system that could no longer handle the company’s growth. “We needed a packaged solution that could run all facets of our field service organization and that we could rollout on a global basis,” says Scott Davison, IT manager for Powerware. After a formal RFP process, Powerware selected Metrix from a short list of three vendors.

“We selected Metrix because of the rich functionality of its product and because the company had a good track record for reworking the product as technology advanced,” Davison explains. He says that Metrix’s strong customer focus also played a significant part in the vendor’s selection.

IMPLEMENTATION
Powerware Global Services purchased Metrix product suite and Techlink option, and used a combination of Metrix and third-party consulting to help with project planning and implementation. During phase one, Powerware implemented field service, maintenance contracts, call centers, and financial functions. Spare parts logistics and depot repair functions were added during phase two. In addition to the Metrix functionality, Powerware plugs several in-house products, such as a shipping system, into Metrix.

“This was a difficult implementation in that we reworked basically everything in our entire service infrastructure,” Davison recalls. “But other than in-house written interfaces, we did not encounter integration issues with the new system.”

CURRENT USE
Powerware Global Services uses Metrix to run its call centers and support its field service force with dispatch, maintenance contract management, spare parts logistics and depot repair. “Metrix is letting us expand our business whereas before our infrastructure deadlocked us,” Davison says. “We also have more granularity or visibility into the details of our business.”

WISH LIST
“We are looking for more Web-based functionality for customer self-service as well as some integration with selected sales tools. [Editor’s note: Web-based functionality is available in the current release, Metrix 4e release.]

Overall Rating: 4

n 1993, Océ Printing, which at the time was a division of Siemens Nixdorf, changed its business model from solely product distribution to providing direct sales and support. Along with the change—and the acquisition of a company to gain field service personnel—came an immediate need to automate field service functions.

According to Océ’s John Wolfe, a key requirement in selecting a vendor was absolute adherence to a schedule that called for full implementation to take place between April 1 and October 1, 1994. Therefore, he says, “We therefore needed a solution that came closest to meeting our needs right out of the box. The printing division selected Metrix because of the product suite’s packaged functionality, the company’s commitment to the October 1st deadline, and the openness of Metrix’s architecture. “In 1994, Metrix was truly the only product that was open, giving us the opportunity to select our hardware platform and database management system,” Wolfe recalls.

IMPLEMENTATION
Because the printing division was new to field service, having inherited its field service operation through acquisition, Wolfe depended heavily on Metrix for programming and implementation assistance. This project also represented the division’s first venture into client/server computing. By the October 1st deadline the Metrix system was successfully implemented, supporting about 300 field technicians and 30 customer care staff for contract management and dispatch.

CURRENT USE
With the Metrix system in place, says Wolfe, field technician productivity has improved nearly 200%. Also, while Océ Printing’s customer base has tripled, it hasn’t found it necessary to increase customer care staff. Furthermore, Océ Printing has tightly integrated Metrix with its SAP R/3 software, making Metrix and SAP the company’s two core systems. “Metrix has contributed significantly to our margin maintenance,” Wolfe says.

WISH LIST
According to Wolfe, Metrix has been highly responsive to customer suggestions as reflected in the recent release of Metrix 4e. He looks forward to greater Web-based capabilities for such tasks as online contract renewal.

Overall Rating: 4

isco operates a highly leveraged service operation in which 500 employees service thousands of customers around the globe. The company does not employ field engineers; rather, it uses third-party organizations for field service delivery. However, for Cisco’s service delivery model to work effectively, the company needs to aggressively manage its inventory.

In 1994, Cisco issued two RFIs to first determine what parts inventory management systems were available in the marketplace and second, to select a vendor. According to Jim Cooke, Cisco’s Global Service Operations IT Manager, a key factor in selecting Metrix was the system’s open architecture and ability to keep pace with Cisco’s incredible growth.

IMPLEMENTATION
Cisco initially installed Metrix in a single facility in San Jose, but as operations grew, the installation spread to multiple facilities in the U.S. and Europe. Cooke and his team built a Web front-end interface that allows Cisco’s third-party repair depots to access Metrix. Cisco used consulting and training services from Metrix to complement its staff during the implementation.

Current Use
With a 40 percent annual growth rate, Cisco relies on its Metrix system to help it keep pace with rapidly expanding field inventory requirements.

“We are easily 25 times bigger from a service standpoint than we were when Metrix was first implemented,” Cooke explains. “The greatest benefit of this system is that it has allowed us to grow.” Furthermore, Cooke considers Metrix a major contributor to Cisco’s ability to set and meet its aggressive service-level agreements.

WISH LIST
With the Metrix 4e release, it’s obvious that the technology direction Metrix is heading in will allow them to be even more nimble in responding to customer needs, Cooke remarks. He says he advocates for applications vendors to make their products highly modular.

Overall Rating: 4