Zoomix Accelerator™ Usage Scenarios

The following typical usage scenarios demonstrate how integrating Zoomix Accelerator inline with enterprise business workflows delivers substantial and tangible business benefits.

• Consolidation of Supplier Data
• Logistical Planning
• Routine Purchasing
• Invoice Reconciliation
• Telephone Sales
• Customer Matching

Consolidation of Supplier Data

Standard Scenario

1. Product data arrives from suppliers.
2. New product data is added to the database.
1. Numerous identical products are unintentionally duplicated in the database because of differences in product name/number/description.
2. New product descriptions and attributes are added as-is, resulting in empty attribute fields and inconsistent formats among products in the database.
3. Products are mis-classified or not classified at all.
3. Identified existing products are updated with new details.
1. Unidentified existing products are not updated with the new details; instead, new (duplicate) product records are created.

Zoomix Accelerator Scenario

1. Product data arrives from suppliers.
2. Zoomix automatically attempts to match each product record with similarly-named or described products in the current database.
1. No match is found – new product data is normalized to adhere to naming, format and attribute conventions; the data is automatically assigned to the proper category or categories in one or more hierarchies; and then it is added to the database.
2. A match is found for the product – the existing record is updated with the new details. Auto-classification (or re-classification) is performed.

Zoomix Accelerator Business Benefits

• More accurate product data
• Faster time to market for new products
• Fewer duplicate product entries
• More consistent and better formatted product data
• Increased sales when products appear in the correct catalog categories
• More accurate spend analysis

Logistical Planning

Standard Scenario

1. Planner reviews the requirement to purchase a particular item.
2. Planner checks if the exact item is in current inventory or in outstanding orders.
3. If purchase of the item is actually required, planner submits purchase request to the purchasing department.

Zoomix Accelerator Scenario

1. Planner reviews the requirement to purchase a particular item.
2. Planner checks if the exact item is in current inventory or in outstanding orders.
3. If the planner does not find an exact match, Zoomix automatically applies its advanced matching to attempt to match the requested product with current inventory and outstanding purchase orders.
1. No match is found – process continues to next step as before.
2. A match is found with the same or essentially identical item – the purchase process is halted and the planner secures the item from inventory instead of ordering more.
4. If purchase of the item is actually required, planner submits purchase request to the purchasing department.

Zoomix Accelerator Business Benefits

• Saves money
• Reduces stock levels
• Eliminates obsolete stock

Routine Purchasing

Standard Scenario

1. Buyer reviews the requirement to purchase a particular product.
2. Buyer searches purchase history for the identical product in order to find previous purchase terms (price, quantity, lead time, payment terms, etc.).
3. Buyer searches vendor data for current purchase terms and available volume discounts.
4. Buyer selects vendor.
5. Buyer opens a purchase order line item for the required product.

Zoomix Accelerator Scenario

1. Buyer reviews the requirement to purchase a particular product.
2. Buyer searches purchase history for the identical product in order to find previous purchase terms (price, quantity, lead time, payment terms, etc.).
3. Zoomix automatically attempts to match the requested product with line items in previous purchase orders. Even relevant, non-exact matches will provide useful information when a match is found with the same or essentially identical product.
4. Buyer searches vendor data for current purchase terms and available volume discounts.
5. Zoomix automatically attempts to match the requested product across all current vendor catalogs in the system. More vendor options are located when matches are found for the same or essentially identical product; more favorable purchase terms can be discovered.
6. Buyer selects vendor.
7. Buyer opens a purchase order line item for the required product.

Zoomix Accelerator Business Benefits

• Saves money
• Shortens delivery wait times
• Reduces stock levels
• Can eliminate obsolete stock

Invoice Reconciliation

Standard Scenario

1. Invoice is received from a supplier.
2. Accounts payable attempts to match each line item on the invoice with the original order, the bill of lading and with payments already issued.
1. Discrepancies in line item terminology, format, abbreviations, etc. makes this a very difficult, time-consuming and error-prone task.
2. The results include irreconcilable invoices, redundant payments on the same purchases, payments on items never ordered, payments on items never received and inaccurate accounts payable reporting.

Zoomix Accelerator Scenario

1. Invoice is received from a supplier.
2. Zoomix automatically attempts to match each line item in the invoice with similar line items in the original order, bills of lading of goods received and with payments already issued.
1. No match is found – line item is flagged for investigation before payment is issued.
2. A match is found in the order, but no match is found in bills of lading of received goods – line item is flagged for investigation before payment is issued.
3. A match is found in the order and in bills of lading of good received and no match is found in prior payments issued – the line item is approved for payment.

Zoomix Accelerator Business Benefits

• Prevention of duplicate payments
• Prevention of payments on goods not actually received
• More accurate accounts payable reporting

Telephone Sales

Standard Scenario

1. A customer reaches a CSR in the call center in order to purchase a particular product, identified by name, number or description.
2. The CSR checks stock level for the specified product and finds none in stock (even though the system has the product in stock under a slightly different name/number/description).
3. The sale is lost; the customer goes elsewhere to purchase the product.

Zoomix Accelerator Scenario

1. A customer reaches a CSR the call center in order to purchase a particular product, identified by name, number or description.
2. Zoomix automatically attempts to match the requested product with similarly-named or described products in current inventory.
1. No match is found – process continues to next step as before.
2. A match is found for the desired product – the CSR gets the purchaser's details and payment information and the sale is concluded.

Zoomix Accelerator Business Benefits

• Increased sales
• Improved customer experience

Customer Matching

Standard Scenario

1. Application is received from a customer
2. Key customer information is checked against databases of previously submitted applications and existing customers
1. If match is found, application is transferred to account representative
2. If no match is found, application is processed as new customer

Zoomix Accelerator Scenario

1. Application is received from a customer
2. Key customer information is checked against databases of previously submitted applications and existing customers
1. If match is found, application is transferred to account representative
2. If no match is found, Zoomix is invoked to perform advanced matching, where incomplete data, data with typos, data with particular discrepancies, data entered in wrong fields and other anomalies will not prevent a successful match. Only if no match is found will the application be processed as a new customer.

Zoomix Accelerator Business Benefits

• More efficient processing of applications
• Better customer service
• Elimination of duplicate records