Case Study

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Press Launch Event

A press day held at Brands Hatch racing circuit. The full-scale press presentation to place in the morning, including integrated presentation with sound and vision, in the conference facilities. This was a followed by an afternoon of motor sport activities on and around the Brands Hatch circuit, allowing members of the press to mix with key Microlise personnel.

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Public Relations

The press launch day was followed up with an intensive campaign of press releases and media relations, before, during and after the IHSE event. This also included an early case study example of users for the new Generation 4 system in January 98, which itself gained significant trade and business press coverage.

[IKON CASE STUDY]
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Advertising

A new advertisement was created emphasising the technical advance which the Generation 4 system represented over the competition.

This was placed in a variety of trade magazines with the timing carefully chosen to co-ordinate with press publicity, promote maximum interest in the immediate run-up to the major exhibition, and provide a reminder and follow up afterwards.

[full size copy of advert]
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Literature

The main literature was revised to take on board the Generation 4 products and image, using design cues from the launch presentation, advertising and other activities in order to gain maximum synergy. Specific product literature was also prepared on the two main product areas in the range - vehicle mounted and hand held radio terminals.

[full size copy of brochure]
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Direct Mail

A mailer was specifically created to promote the launch of the new range, encourage sales enquiries and also encourage visits to the trade stand at IHSE.

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Newsletter

A special issue of the regular Microlise newsletter, The Thinker, was produced by The Marketing Management Office. Extra pages were included to cover the Generation 4 launch and design cues from other promotions were carefully woven into the newsletter format to obtain maximum synergy and impact.

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Exhibition Attendance

Special stand graphics were designed and produced to accompany the rest of the launch activities. Visual design cues matched other promotional activities in order to bolster the exhibition impact of other promotional activities. Floor advertising was also undertaken at the show, using a teaser format to direct visitors to the Microlise stand.

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Early Case Study - IKON

IKON LEADS THE WAY WITH INSTALLATION OF REVOLUTIONARY NEW RADIO TERMINAL SYSTEM One of the world's leading independent office technology companies IKON Office Solutions, are among the first to reap the benefits of the new Generation 4 radio terminal system from Microlise Engineering. At warehouse and remanufacturing sites in the UK and Europe a new Generation 4 MRnet radio system with TRACER 4 hand-held terminals from Martec Technologies is proving itself. With 700 engineers providing on site service to over 150,000 machines across the country, speed of response and effective distribution of parts is critical to IKON. Key to this success is the performance of the Service Logistics Centre in Enfield, London, which keeps engineers supplied with the right parts by overnight courier. Handling 26,000 line items for a wide range of manufacturers, the Logistics Centre despatches 1,000 parcels a day to destinations from the south coast to the Scottish isles. "To reduce delivery of incorrect parts to an absolute minimum we decided to evaluate bar coding for Enfield," explained Mike Sullivan, IKON's Logistics Director. "We were also looking for real time inventory control, to cater for the size of our operation and the need for no delays, especially at goods in. Accuracy is also vital as a delivery of the wrong spring worth only 50p could jeopardise a large account." The story at IKON's remanufacturing facility in Coulsdon was rather different. Bar coding, with batch terminals, was already in use for kits of parts for the 4-500 copiers remanufactured from UK, France, Germany and Denmark every month. "We wanted to streamline, give more accuracy," according to Kevin Elmore, Manager for parts at the remanufacturing site. "The batch system was seven years old and needed upgrading, a real time radio system gives us so much more control and flexibility. Also, we downloaded three or four times a day, so if there was a problem with a unit we lost a lot of information - a problem you don't have with real time." A number of suppliers were considered, but IKON chose a Microlise Generation 4 radio terminal system with TRACER 4 hand held units, supplied through St Albans based distribution partner Martec Technologies, as the ideal solution for each site. The Microlise Generation 4 radio terminal system, launched last year, is the first to use advanced 32 bit RISC processors to give advantages in performance. Future proof, modular design includes PCMCIA flexibility, leading to easy upgrades or changes in radio technology. Advanced capabilities include multi-host connectivity and emulations for rapid and seamless integration. Long term cost effectiveness was an important consideration commented Mike Sullivan, "We could see that we were future proofing our purchase. For example, we wanted to start with a narrow band system which we could easily upgrade to spread spectrum later if the throughputs increased. Microlise were the only ones able to do that." "The terminals are convenient, light and easy to use," adds Kevin Elmore. "They were also tough enough to withstand our own 'drop' test and, for the actual users, it was love at first sight. We also like the way you can recharge the battery without removing it from the unit, and Microlise's backup is first class." At Enfield, a single UNIX base station and aerial link terminals with a UNIX based service management and inventory control system, while at Coulsdon three aerials cover the four buildings, integrated with a VAX based manufacturing control system. Extra flexibility is provided as the 28 terminals can be used at either site. "We've already noticed the difference," concludes Mike Sullivan. "We now have effective management reports, performance measures, and accuracy levels have improved." £50,000 per year is being saved in rework and "the imponderables are almost limitless, accuracy in delivering customer service is the key and you just can't measure the consequences. The benefits are phenomenal and the possibilities for use of real time in the business almost endless." ENDS 640 words approx.

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