Client Success Story: Techna Glass

Web-Based Point-of-Sale and EDI Processing System

The Company

Techna Glass is a leader in automobile glass repair. The company is growing rapidly with several locations and ambitious expansion plans. This growth has been fueled by fast, convenient, and low cost service. Since many of the windshield repairs are covered through automobile insurance, fast and efficient EDI processing is a key to their business model.

The Challenge

Before utilizing Spring2’s services, Techna Glass used a point of sale application that was based on legacy database and programming technologies. Increasingly, this system limited business flexibility and innovation – both essential for better service to their customer base. Additionally, Techna Glass relied heavily on third parties for their point of sale strategies and EDI processing needs. This reliance tended to increase the cost of business and limit service. Techna Glass desired an effective solution that could be used internally and made commercially available to Techna Glass franchises and other domestic glass shops.

Techna Glass desired a solution, developed on a highly accelerated schedule, that would provide the following benefits:

• User friendly, web-based point-of-sale system accessed via the call center or at the service counter
• Flexible, yet robust architecture that could be provided on a commercial basis
• Reduce EDI costs and burden
• Improve cash flow
• Automated XML processing with technology partners to minimize EDI rejections
• Separate accounting and POS functionality to get for maximum flexibility and feature rich financials. 
• Provide tight integration for mission critical financial data flow through.
• Stable and efficient remote site usage
• Full compliance with industry insurance standards

The Solution

Spring2 Technologies partnered with Techna Glass to develop a .NET based point-of-sale solution that met the requirements listed above. A short development window was realized through use of the Spring2 SpringBoardTM .NET toolset that provided automated code generation and re-use of software code templates and classes.

The application is accessible from any location via the Internet or Intranet connection and stabilizes remote site usage. Spring2 Technologies also developed and implemented automated EDI hooks with multiple EDI partners for increased cash flow.

In order to aid financial analysis and flexibility, Spring2 Technologies implemented and integrated the Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains accounting system with the point-of-sale solution. All of this was tied together in a seamless enterprise wide solution that was fully designed, developed, tested, and deployed in less than 6 months.

The Technologies

• Microsoft .NET framework
• C#
• Microsoft SQL Server 2000
• Microsoft Business Systems Great Plains version 7.5
• Internet Explorer version 6.0
• XML, XML listeners
• Spring2 SpringBoard .NET components
• Spring2 SpringBoard Code generator
• Spring2 SpringBoard Integration components

The Results

• Solution deployed on time, Immediate Internal usage
• Faster order processing
• Daily EDI transmission through two EDI trading partners
• Increased cash flow through more accurate data entry and faster EDI processing
• Reduced EDI costs
• More flexible financials with tight integration between financial system and POS system
• Robust product with commercial viability
• Full compliance with all necessary insurance standards