Office technology company deploys European extranet

System used to support sales network

Office technology specialist Pitney Bowes is using an extranet to provide its European dealers with detailed and timely product information.

The system, supplied by Intercea, has been rolled out as part of a project to improve satisfaction among dealers and customers, and ultimately to aid the company’s expansion plans.

Deirdra Singleton, director of dealer operations in Europe for Pitney Bowes, says the company wanted to provide dealers with automated access to information on areas such as products, marketing, pricing and technical support.

‘The extranet is part of our strategy to expand and get organic growth in the company through the expansion of dealer channels,’ she said.

The system, which first went live last June, is now operational in 10 European countries.

‘It has been fabulously successful,’ said Singleton.

‘The dealers are very satisfied with it; they say it is easy to navigate and they are finding all the information they need.’

A previous attempt to deploy an extranet proved so difficult to update that the entire project was abandoned.

‘The Intercea system provides a higher level of customer loyalty by giving customers the information they need, when they need it, and reducing costs for moving information into the dealer channel by automating the process of putting up content,’ said Singleton.

If the European extranet is successful, Pitney Bowes will expand the system to cover its operations in the US.

‘We have the extranet projected for use by 20 dealers in Europe, and if the US comes in that will easily add another 100,’ she said.