Consulting Opportunity 13.1 Hitch Your Cleaning Cart to a Star

The Marc Schnieder Janitorial Supply Company has asked for your assistance in cleaning up its data storage. As soon as you begin asking Marc Schnieder detailed questions about his database, his facegets flushed. We dont really have a database as you describe it, he says with some embarrassment. Ive always wanted to clean up our records, but I couldnt find a capable person to head the effort.

After talking with Mr. Schnieder, you walk down the hall to the closet-sized office of Stan Lessink, the chief programmer. Stan fills you in on the historical development of the current information system. The Marc Schnieder Janitorial Supply Company is a rags-to-riches story, Stan remarks. Mr. Schnieders first job was as a janitor in a bowling alley. He saved enough money to buy some products and started selling them to other alleys. Soon he decided to expand the janitorial supply business. He found out that as his business grew, he had more product lines and types of customers. Salespeople in the company are assigned to different major product lines (stores, offices, and so on); some are in-house sales, and some specialize in heavy equipment, such as floor strippers and waxers. Records were kept in separate files.

You recall Mr. Schnieder saying, The problem is that we have no way to compare the profits of each division. We would like to set up incentive programs for salespeople and provide better balance in allocating salespeople to each product line. When you talk with Stan, however, he adds, Each division has its own incentive system. Commissions vary. I dont see how we can have a common system. Besides, I can get our reports out quickly because our files are set up the way we want them. We have never issued a paycheck late.

IMPORTANT Describe how you would go about analyzing the data storage needs of the Marc Schnieder Janitorial Supply Company. Would you trash the old system or just polish it up a bit? Discuss the implications of your decision in two paragraphs.