B&Q makes home improvements to print communications with new StreamServe solution

B&Q, the UK’s most successful and innovative home improvements and garden centre retailer, has chosen StreamServe’s Business Communication Platform to improve internal communication between the UK head office and its 350 retail sites. The solution will initially enable B&Q to centrally manage the printing of barcoded sales advice forms for all its stores, saving costs and increasing efficiency in the long term without making a significant upgrade to the company’s IT infrastructure.

StreamServe was originally evaluated by B&Q in direct response to the company’s requirement for a barcode print solution. The alternative involved specialist programmers inputting hard code into the company’s SAP ERP system, followed by a hardware upgrade to up to eight printers located in each of the 350 retail sites.

The StreamServe solution interfaces with the SAP system to allow staff at the head office to generate printed barcoded sales advice documents and distribute them to thousands of printers around the country. Following this initial implementation, B&Q will be moving towards integrating StreamServe as a single layer that improves all internal and external communications from its ERP system.

Jason McKnespiey, systems co-ordinator at B&Q, explains: “We evaluated StreamServe against their competitors, and also against what we would have to do internally to manage our print needs. Not only did they demonstrate that they could make us significant cost savings, they also showed us that they have the unique vision and flexibility to support our current and future business communications needs.”

Nick Earle, chief executive officer of StreamServe, adds: “If you talk to someone about business communications software they assume you are talking electronic formats – or what we call ‘machine to machine’. They forgot that a huge part of how a business communicates is via print or fax; or ‘machine to people’. At StreamServe, we are pioneering solutions for all complex business communications through one single communications layer. It encompasses B&Q’s need for a print solution today, and any other future communications needs across the enterprise.”

About StreamServe:
StreamServe is a leader and innovator in the fast-growing Enterprise Business Communications market, with over 3,000 customers worldwide. StreamServe is the only company to provide an independent platform for the bi-directional exchange of critical business information in any channel or format. This pioneering approach helps companies reduce the cost of communicating with distributed customers, suppliers and employees, increase the ROI from enterprise applications like ERP, and make all of their printed and electronic output more personal and customer-focused.

StreamServe was founded in Sweden in 1995. Today, StreamServe solutions are distributed and supported in 130 countries. StreamServe alliances include major application vendors, systems integrators and e-business providers such as IBM, SAP, Oracle and Hewlett-Packard.

StreamServe and Business Communication Platform are trademarks of StreamServe Inc. More valuable information on construction and building materials, or to choose from a variety of related products, please select the link above.

Author Notes:

Daryl Marples contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.beautiful-home-101.com.  An online guide to home decorating, furniture and improvement decor.