Paige’s
Music of Indianapolis, IN, serves over 300 schools
weekly through the sale and rental of musical instruments.
Many rentals were being handled manually via phone with
each order taking up to 30 minutes. Staff members were
inundated with filling out forms, filing, and faxing.
Management needed to find a solution to simplify this
process to increase customer satisfaction, save time and
improve ROI.
Challenge
Paige’s Music of Indianapolis, IN, serves over 300 schools weekly through the sale and rental of musical instruments. Many rentals were being handled
manually via phone with each order taking up to 30 minutes. Staff members were inundated with filling out forms, filing, and faxing. Management
needed to find a solution to simplify this process to increase customer satisfaction, save time and improve ROI.
Solution
PlanetJ worked with Solution Serve, LLC and Paige’s managers to build a user-friendly
Web based application for students and parents to handle rental purchases. This was done quickly using WOW (Web
Object Wizard) and Paige’s backend IBM iSeries. The WOW rental application simply connects via URL.
Requirements Details
Paige’s Music, AKA “Indiana’s Premier Music Education Superstore” offers many online services to their customers including student info, delivery
status, director assistance, and job postings. They sell pretty much everything related to the support of Indiana
based bands and orchestras. The high volume of online rental applications was requiring Paige’s employees a
countless number of hours on the phone and filling out forms. Students and parents were also delayed in receiving
service and response.
Paige’s desired a rental site connecting to iSeries data to allow not only online rentals but also returns,
exchanges, repair, loaner tracking, and delivery of instruments, accessories, and instrument care packages.
How It Works
Access Paige’s Music Online and enter the rental application by the red circle in the center of the screen as shown.
This application allows users (parents, students, directors) the ability to electronically process and pay for their rental equipment.
After clicking the online
rental button above, the following screen will appear.
The “debut” page introduces the user and instructs how to proceed.
By pressing on the green “Go” button, a URL directs the user from the external ISP site into a WOW driven application within Paige’s.
School search can then be performed. User needs to only type in the first letter of the school. Once the school has been
determined, the data-driven application provides real-time information on delivery times, instrument availability at that location,
and further steps to rent. Some schools host band, others orchestra. The data returned is school specific.
Once selecting the type of instrument, the application steps the user through the rental/purchase.
The five step process above is all it takes for Paige’s customers to rent or purchase and deliver their band or orchestra instrument and accessories.
Hardware and Software Overview
WEB Server: Windows server connecting to iSeries
Processor: Integrated x-server running Windows 2000
RAM: 2 GB
Database Server: AS/400 DB2 400
Security: OS400 Object Security
Summary
WOW Enterprise 6.3.5 was used to power Paige’s Music online rental application by connecting to their iSeries data. Mark Goff of Paige's Music was
excited about the results ~ “I can't tell you how much easier the new online rental process has made our lives during this busy back-to-school season.
It enables us to cut a 20-30 minute telephone call down to less than 5 minutes. The customers are thrilled to learn of the option when they call at the
"last minute". So far we have over 150 online rentals & we're only a few days into the season. Thought you might appreciate a few words of congrats.
It gives us great hope for things to come as we implement the full system later this year.”
References
PLANETJ CORPORATION
