In the factory and warehouse there are four computers all top of the range There Specifications are 512Mb of Ram 80GB Hard Drives and a Intel Pentium 4 2.0Ghz
Most of the day to day running of the company is done at the computers in the sales shop. Orders are put onto these computers and designs are made and sent to the factory, invoices and delivery dates are made on them as well.
The General Manager has a top of the range laptop computer that he takes with him when he needs to go visit a computer or one of the sales offices. With his laptop he can create or modify designs onsite instead of having to back to the office to create them.
The computing resources at the sales office that the first report was based on are adequate for the companies needs to evaluate the resources at the factory, warehouse and other sales office, they would have to be visited and examined.
Value of Accurate Information
Accurate information is highly valued because the survival of Millennium Conservatories and its reputation as a leading manufacturer of windows and conservatories relies on accurate information.
The lack of accurate information could have serious affects on the businesses customers and prospective customers. This is because if a customer did not like the service they received then by word of mouth they would tell their friends and family about the experience and they would not considere Millennium Conservatories in the future if they need new windows or a new conservatory. This could be the same if they where manufacturing windows for a larger company who built large buildings and offices. They would tell other businesses not to use Millennium Conservatories and Millennium Conservatories will loose customers and they would generate less profit and may have to make some cutbacks in staff and quality materials.
Some information that could be incorrect are the measurements for the windows. It would not be good for the company if they turned up at a customer’s house with windows that did not fit. Or if they had manufactured to wrong windows for example they made them with a diamond lead pattern and the customer just wanted plain windows. If the company manufactured too few windows for the job, this would be especially bad for a large company who wanted windows in a large office complex, they would have to wait for more windows to be made which could make the building project go overdue
The company could get information wrong on an invoice and under or over change the customer. If the customer was undercharged they would not be very angry but the company would be loosing money. If the customer was overcharged they would be extremely angry.
They could order the wrong amount of stock. This would be quite bad because if they ordered too little they would not have enough raw materials to produce the windows slowing down production time.
If they ordered too much stock they could waste money and might not have any space to put any of the stock
Measures Taken to keep Information Secure
Millennium Conservatories use various methods to keep their data and information secure from simple files with password protection to up to date anti virus and firewall protection software.
The computers that millennium window have are all password protected, so when the computer is booted up it will halt until the correct password is entered. This security option is not the best protection but it is adequate because if some one steals the compute in a burglary when they try to get onto the computer they will not be able to. This will stop them looking at private information
Millennium Conservatories use a firewall on their computers to stop hackers accessing their computer and looking at private information and even stealing it. A anti virus toll is also used with the firewall to detect any programs that will cause damage to any information stored on the computers.
Any document that is on paper is stored in filing cabinets that are locked when they are not in use to stop anybody stealing the information. The data that is backup up of floppy disks are locked in a small floppy disc case.
Any information that is passed over the phone can be done in privacy because there are two rooms in the sales office.
Current application Software
Millennium Conservatories use various types of application software to help with the day to day running of the company. One of the main types of software they use is a design program called Vector Sprint visualisation and sales software
The software includes superimposing on to a digital photograph of the customer’s house, realistic 3D drawings and base plans for conservatories and windows.
With this application Millennium Conservatories are able to show the customer what the windows or conservatory would look like on their house. With these designs the customer will be able to visualise what their house would look like with the product installed and this gives Millennium Conservatories a greater chance of making a sale.
Another software application Millennium Conservatories use is called Sage Line 50,
There are three main products within the Line 50 - Accountant, Accountant Plus and Financial Controller. Each includes the three basic ledgers, complete VAT management and credit control. Accountant Plus also offers management reports, stock control and invoicing, while Financial Controller gives you the further facilities of order processing and connects directly to spreadsheets, word processors and database packages such as Microsoft, word, excel and access
How the Company uses Methods of Telecommunications
Millennium Conservatories use many forms of telecommunications some computerised like e-mail, and some that are not computerised like the telephone and the postal service.
When Millennium Conservatories require more stock they use a fax machine to fax an order form to their supplier. Once the supplier received the order form they send a letter back saying they have received their order. On this form it tells Millennium Conservatories what they have ordered, if they have it in stock, how much it will be and how long it will take until it is delivered.
Millennium Conservatories use the post to send invoices and receipts to their customers and cheques for payment of raw materials from their suppliers. They also use the telephone to call their customers to make inquires and set installation dates. They also telephone their suppliers to find out information on any raw materials that they have purchased or thinking about purchasing.
Millennium Conservatories can also e-mail their suppliers about information on their products and can even ask questions via e-mail to new prospective suppliers. They send information from the sales office to the factory and warehouse via e-mail as well.
Common Applications Software
Millennium Windows use a small selection of common software applications. They use Microsoft Word and Microsoft Access
All of Millennium conservatories letters and documents are created in Microsoft Word 2000. It is compatible with other applications such as Microsoft Access and Sage Line 50. It is easy to use and is capable of creating a wide range of document templates.
With Microsoft Word they produce letters to their customers with information such as installation dates, changes with in installation dates, problems with supplying the customer with the product they desire.
With Microsoft Access they keep a database of all of their customers and suppliers. On the customer database there is information on what product they purchased, date of purchase, cost of purchase, name, address and contact details.
Security and Accuracy Criteria for Information
Millennium Conservatories Accuracy criteria is very strict because any information that is incorrect has the potential to loose the company some of its customers.
All of Millennium Conservatories customers details are stored onto a database, if any of this information is incorrect they could end up not being able to contact the customer or they could be sending letters to the wrong address
When they are ordering more stock from their supplier that must make sure the order form is accurate. If it was not accurate and Millennium Conservatories ended up purchasing much more stock than they required it could cost Millennium Conservatories a lot of money. Also they may not have enough storage space to put the stock. This scenario could work the opposite way as well because they could also end up not purchasing enough stock and then they would not have enough stock to manufacture the windows.
Millennium Conservatories security criteria is very high as well, this is because if any body stole any of the customer details such as credit card details Millennium Conservatories would be help responsible.
Telecommunications and Associated Development Tools
Some of the application software that Millennium Conservatories use utilises various methods of telecommunications to optimise their performance.
Once Millennium Conservatories have created the final designs with correct measurements for windows or a conservatory and the customers are happy with them they are sent via e-mail to the factory where they are produced.
Sending them via e-mail is a lot faster than sending them by the post or express courier. Some drawbacks could possibly be that when hey are sent over the Internet they become corrupt or the PCs at the factory not be working and there would be many delays in the production of windows and conservatories
They also fill in an order form on the computer using a template from the supplier they then print this out and then send it via fax. The order form is created in Microsoft Word.
Conclusion
After researching about Millennium Conservatories Information systems I have found out that they are using a good balance of computerised telecommunications and non-computerised telecommunications. Millennium Conservatories does not just rely on one or two forms of telecommunications but utilises many types, this will help the company in many ways. For example, if Millennium Conservatories decided to telephone a customer and they where not in and the information was not urgent, they would create a word document on their computer and then send it to the customer via post.
There are many types of software applications in the market and they are all designed to cut the costs of the company as well as time and manpower needed for certain tasks. Millennium Conservatories utilise a small but effective range of software application packages to aid them in the day to day running of the business.
Millennium Conservatories Utilise up to date security programs for their computers. With changing security issues and risks these types of applications are always worth updating because of new threats and viruses old packages can not detect. But with so many on the market which type of security application do you go for, which would be best for your business and provide the best security options. Their Current application can download new virus protection off the Internet but not upgrade to a new version one would have to be bought. It would be better for millennium Conservatories if they purchased new security programs off the Internet that comes with regular updates. Millennium Conservatories non-computerised security methods are quite basic, with them only using a filing cabinet that can be locked, this would not slow down any burglar that entered the premises.
Recommendations
After researching and analysing the various methods of security and accuracy criteria as well as the telecommunications and software packages Millennium Conservatories utilise, The following statements are recommendations that Millennium Conservatories could utilise to improve their business.
Because of the ever-changing Internet security issues, threats and viruses I would recommend that Millennium Conservatories update their firewall and anti virus software every time a new version comes out, this can be done by going to the manufacturers web site and update their software whenever and update is available.
I would also recommend that they purchase a small safe and an adequate file back up system like a external zip drive and then keep the back up disks in the safe in case they get burgled. Also important documents could be kept in the safe instead of the filing cabinet.
Instead of using a fax machine to order their supplies I would recommend that they find a supplier that they can order from online. This would save the company the hassle of filling in an order form printing it out and then sending it by fax.
I would also recommend they set up a wide area network that would connect the warehouse, factory and sales offices, this way people in the sales office could check up on the progress of a product. Also the factory could check the levels of stock but for this Millennium Conservatories would have to set up a small database with a list of products they have in stock and every time they remove some stock they update the database. They could also implement simple bar code system so that stock control could be automated.
