Tool anticipated to provide a 25 percent or greater increase in productivity with fewer errors
ST. LOUIS, Jan. 28, 2005 — Graybar, a leading North American distributor of electrical and telecommunications service solutions and products and related supply chain management and logistics services, announced its release of the industry’s first multi-vendor Web-based design and budgeting tool for complex structured cabling projects – Graybar VIP Design Online.
Design Online’s simple point-and-click interface provides Graybar’s authorized consultants with the ability to save at least 25 percent, if not more, on the time it takes to design, configure and budget structured cabling projects while reducing errors. For the first time within a Web-based design and budgeting tool, consultants will have access to a centralized repository of more than 8,000 data communications products and their prices. Included in the database are 15 interoperable cabling and connectivity product lines proven to exceed industry standards by the Graybar Verified Independently for Performance testing program. Consultants have the ability to manage multiple projects through the interface.
Consultants estimate saving 25 percent or more on design time by:
1) Reducing the time-to-assemble material lists for a complex project by using ready-made templates and by eliminating the tedious clerical work of copying and pasting data into spreadsheets;
2) Avoiding configuration errors with built-in goof-proof configuration rules;
3) Eliminating tedious phone, e-mail and fax communication by automatically generating budgets; and
4) Generating a robust, fully configured product graphic “on the fly” to give customers early visibility of a design.
Design Online weaves together up-to-date and intelligent content on data communications products with their proper configurations – without overwhelming consultants. It was developed leveraging the eXalt Solutions software platform. Graybar selected eXalt Solutions because of its unique capabilities in building solution designs with technical products and dynamically creating complex bills of material, graphics, budgets and reports.
“The eXalt offering is truly unique – we have not seen any other software suited for the needs of our consultant partners. With Design Online, a consultant can assemble a VIP design in a fraction of the time with more accuracy than using conventional methods. We are excited to offer this leading-edge technology while extending VIP’s leadership position,” explained Graybar Commercial Market Manager Bob Weiland.
“Design Online was a perfect fit for our software platform,” stated eXalt Solutions President Leslie Swanson. Consultants can focus on what they do best – design – while removing the unnecessary clerical spreadsheet entry and phone work in the budgeting process to dramatically shorten project design times.”
Added consultant Mike Keeling, President of Data Site Consortium, Inc., “Having reviewed the Beta version of Design Online, I am looking forward to using its capabilities to respond better and quicker to my clients’ cabling and connectivity needs. The site is intuitive to use, and its ability to save all related project information makes it truly an effective tool.”
About Graybar [ www.graybar.com ]
Graybar, a Fortune 500 corporation and one of the largest employee-owned companies in North America, is a leader in the distribution of high quality electrical, telecommunications and networking products, and an expert provider of related supply chain management and logistics services. Through its network of 250 North American distribution facilities, it stocks and sells products from thousands of manufacturers, serving as the vital link to hundreds of thousands of customers.
About eXalt Solutions, Inc. [ www.exaltsolutions.com ]
eXalt Solutions, Inc., develops, manufactures and markets the “Next Generation” of Sales and Support Chain software to help manufacturers of complex products increase sales and profitability. The company offers a suite of software tools to help both suppliers and sales chain partners select, sell, configure, design in, collaborate and order products. eXalt Solutions is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass.
