|
Spring 1999
|
Advance Vision Systems uses jBASE to help Lighthouse International improve the sales, marketing and distribution of its products for the vision-impaired.
Lighthouse International is a leading resource worldwide on vision impairment and vision rehabilitation. Through its pioneering work in vision rehabilitation services, education, research and advocacy, Lighthouse enables people of all ages who are blind or partially sighted to lead independent and productive lives.
One important aspect of their mission is to provide products and tools which address the very specific needs of this community. Making the sales, marketing and distribution of these products efficient and effective is where Advance Vision’s software comes into play. Lighthouse’s biggest problem was that the unreliability of the data and reporting had led to a lack of management confidence and had limited the growth of the business.
Advance Vision attacked the primary problem in the sales and distribution area first, replacing a Unix-based FACTS system with jBASE running on NT. Today, because of jBASE and the work of Advance Vision, the Lighthouse is able to use this information for more effective marketing which has produced additional sales.
“In the seven months since the Lighthouse has been using the software, the number of orders taken per day has doubled,” relates Sal Tarantola, President of Advance Vision Systems. “Our next step will be to integrate their on-site retail store, local warehouses and e-commerce site.”
“The key is to reach people and reach them effectively,” states Geoff Taylor, Lighthouse’s CIO and Senior Vice President.
“With the installation of Advance Vision’s package running on jBASE, we can now analyze and track sales trends. This allows us to deliver more value to our consumers – whether they are non-sighted, visually impaired, or sighted and purchasing for the non-sighted.”
Four to six catalogs are published every year and are available in print, Braille and cassette and have a distribution to over 100,000 consumers.
The first thing you notice when you visit the world headquarters of Lighthouse International located in the heart of midtown Manhattan, is the building itself. At 15 floors, it is one of the few buildings in the United States specifically planned to integrate the needs of people of all ages who have a broad range of vision, hearing and mobility impairments. A model of universal design and accessibility, this building is a “working laboratory” where many design features are tested for the first time.
The philosophy of accessibility is pervasive and includes the technical side of the operation. “Our software had to adapt to people of differing abilities,” comments Tarantola. “Our users need flexibility in the interface including voice operation, Braille keyboard, and communication via ear piece.” The effort has paid off, sales productivity has soared and over 6000 orders are taken every month.
The Lighthouse is committed to the freedom that technology can provide but the cost is an excruciatingly fast pace. The next phase will concentrate on new fund raising software. “It is not just the data and technology we need to trust, it is also the people behind the technology. We could not have accomplished this much without dedicated partners like jBASE and Advance Vision Systems,” says Taylor, “they have come through with everything we’ve asked for.”
Advance Vision Systems is located in Jamaica, NY and specializes in financials, retail and wholesale, as well as the fashion industry. They can be contacted by e-mail at saltar@inch.com. Lighthouse International was founded in 1905 and is a not-for-profit organization that carries out its mission world-wide. Their web site is at http://www.lighthouse.org.
Last Updated: 05 August 1999