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Integer and the Real-World Sales Process

Introduction

This scenario shows Integer's ability to deliver real-time networked collaboration through an Intranet. We will see how Integer enables active, aggressive, collaborative decision-making and problem solving that is simply not possible through current e-mail applications or document collaboration systems. Integer has even more capabilities than the following scenario, which demonstrates:

Real-time collaboration on a shared spreadsheet among geographically wide-spread users.
Real-time data feeds; in this case, company inventory and currency exchange rates.
Import and export of an Excel spreadsheet (also works with Lotus 1-2-3).
Full functionality of the Integer spreadsheet server (over 350 functions).
Access to a shared spreadsheet through either e-mail or a URL.
Cross-platform capabilities; all users need is a computer that can access their Intranet.

GlobalCorp Motors

This scenario involves a multinational car manufacturer (GlobalCorp Motors). A highly motivated sales manager is trying to close a major sale in Germany. The CFO, who has to approve the deal, is in New York, and the Manufacturing Manager, who has to deliver the goods, is in Milan. Our story begins when Deiter, the Sales Manager, calls Frank, the CFO, with a prospective order.

Deiter (Germany): Frank! I just got in on a bid for a huge deal. Europa Rent-a-Car wants 1,500 luxury SL town cars - best price, delivered over the next five months - with financing, of course. I've run the numbers on a spreadsheet. I figure if we can deliver for $10,000 per car, we've underbid the competition. And using our standard markup, we can make 22% net on this.

Frank (New York): Deiter! Usually I don't hear from you until the day of! That sounds great. Where are they going?

Deiter: 500 to France, 500 to Germany and 500 to Italy.

Frank: Well, I'm going to have to run a currency hedge to finance this. Why don't you get on the next flight and ...

Deiter: Well, actually, they need our bid today.

Frank: <Sigh> That's the Dieter I know. Okay, time to get to work. What's your spreadsheet in?

Deiter: Excel.

Frank: Well, export the Excel spreadsheet to the Intranet page we set up for it, and I'll pull up the page.

Deiter: Okay, just a second.... I'm exporting the Excel data to an Integer spreadsheet now.

[Frank goes to the URL that contains a live Integer spreadsheet. Frank's screen fills with the spreadsheet.]

Frank: Okay, I've got it. Let's see what currency exchange (futures) rates do to your 22% margin.

[Frank enters a few formulas and the live feed of the rates appear.]

Frank: If the lira is any lower than 986 to the deutschemark, we're in trouble.

[The lira reading is highlighted. It's too low?]

Deiter: Ouch.

Frank: There goes our margin.

Deiter: Actually, we can raise our price and still stay in the game

Frank: Well, let's see what we can live with. How about...

[Frank raises the margin; the sale price goes up to $13,500.]

Dieter: Too high. We'll lose the bid. Try splitting the difference.

[The sale price number changes; the margin is now too low.]

Frank: It's not worth it. Maybe...

[They collaborate on the numbers and finally reach a price that satisfies both of them.]

Frank: Can you sell them that?

Dieter: Yes, they'll buy that as long as we can deliver on schedule.

Frank: Let's query our manufacturing database on the Milan server and see what's in our pipeline.

[Frank and Dieter each go to an HTML page on the corporate Intranet that houses the manufacturing application. The page contains a live Integer spreadsheet with the current inventory and forecast production. The view changes to scheduling/manufacturing. It breaks out by month. It's clear that 1,200 cars will be ready within five months, but enough cars will be manufactured in months six and seven to complete the 1,500 car order.]

Frank: This looks good! 1,200 in five months -- That's the bulk of it right there. And we can deliver the remaining 300 over the next three months...

Deiter: Um, I forgot to tell you about the penalty clause. They want all 1,500 in five months or else.

Frank: Do you have any other little tidbits you'd like to share right now? Our only hope is if Aldo in manufacturing can produce some miracle.

Deiter: But he's at home today, and who knows what kind of equipment he has there!

Frank: It doesn't matter, because our new system is open standards based. Whatever computer Also has at home will be able to access our Intranet.

[Frank gets Aldo on the line.]

Frank: Aldo, we have an emergency.

Aldo (Italy): This wouldn't be Deiter-related, would it?

Deiter: Hey! Watch it.

Frank: Check your e-mail. The "Dieter Deal" message contains a live Integer spreadsheet that we're working on.

Aldo: Okay -- I'm with you.

Frank: We need to deliver 1,500 SLs to the European market, all within this five-month window.

Aldo: I hate to say it, but we're running overtime just to deliver what you're looking at. We're maxed out.

Frank: Deiter sorry, but just can't do this one. We're out.

Deiter: No, wait! I said there was a penalty clause. I didn't say it was a FATAL penalty clause?

Frank: (Exasperated - This happens every time) Well, what IS it, then?

Deiter: We just have to eat an extra 5% for every late delivery.

Frank: So let's figure it in.

[They do. The profit margin goes down but is still acceptable.]

Dieter: See? Don't be so pessimistic all the time.

Aldo: Frank? I've been checking other operations on a separate spreadsheet with real-time feeds from our inventory-- we have 300 cars going to Barcelona that are ahead of schedule. We can divert them to your dealerships in May. Let me just plug in those numbers.

[We see the holes in the schedule fill up perfectly.]

Frank: We owe you a big one, Aldo -- take the rest of the day off.

Aldo: That's what I've been trying to do. Goodbye.

Frank: (to Deiter) Well, Deiter, here's your bid, ready to go.

[The screen changes to a graphic bid sheet.]

Frank: Feeling confident?

Dieter: You kidding? Everybody else dropped out when they heard the bid was due today. I'm feeling great! Thanks Frank! Love to chat, but I have a deal to do...

Frank: You know, if you didn't deliver over 50% of our sales....

Summing Up

In this scenario, we saw people collaborating in three different countries to do a time-sensitive deal that could not have happened without Integer's real-time collaborative capabilities. Their locations and their computer equipment were not an issue, because Integer is cross-platform and can work in any standard-based network environment.

Deiter was able to import his data from an Excel spreadsheet (Lotus 1-2-3- would have worked just as well). Then, he and Frank were able to apply the formula functions they needed (out of over 350 available) and see each other's calculations in real-time. They were also able to query their inventory database to determine if the needed amount of cars would be available in the critical time period. When they were not, Aldo was able to check real-time feeds that showed the destination and timing of promised inventory and come up with a solution.

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