Go with the Technological Flow
Fechter agreed with Stone that technology decisions are driven both by operational necessities and customer demands. For example, Product Link is a Web-based interface that allows customers to interact with The Shamrock Companies, and there was increasing feedback that Product Link's business-to-business-oriented look and feel could do with some sprucing up. "Customers still needed all of the B-to-B capabilities," explained Fechter, "but they wanted a sexier, retail-type front end. We also needed it to be a stable platform of information within the ERP system, rather than just pockets or silos of information." Now, Product Link is more of an e-commerce site than a warehousing release program, where customers can design and proof items online, as well as maintain an electronic library of products.