Explain how purchasing was improved.

Quantum Corporation (quantum.com) is a major U.S. manufacturer of hard-disk drives and other high-technology storage components. Quantum faced two key challenges in its manufacturing process.
The first challenge was streamlining its component supply process in order to reduce on-hand inventory. Quantum’s traditional ordering process was labor-intensive, involving numerous phone calls and manual inventory checks. To ensure that production would not be interrupted, the process required high levels of inventory. Quantum needed a solution that would automate the ordering process to increase accuracy and efficiency, reduce needed inventory to 3 days’ supply, and provide the company’s purchasing agents with more time for non-transactional tasks.