NIBCO

Case Study

NIBCO Literature Fulfillment

JGSullivan has been working with NIBCO since 1997 to provide NIBCO's customers with web-based resources that save valuable time and money. JGSullivan created an intuitive website that is managed by NIBCO administrators using a robust content management toolset. This cost cutting measure has helped NIBCO meet their customers' needs for timely product specifications, price sheets and industry reference guides with a fully automated Literature Fulfillment program.

Goal of the project:

• Provide NIBCO customers, customer service staff and sales representatives an efficient way to obtain product literature, specifications and price sheets.
• Reduce costs associated with literature distribution by streamlining the process from placing literature orders to fulfillment.

Client Profile

• NIBCO manufactures flow-control products which are used in residential, commercial, industrial, fire protection and irrigation applications worldwide and include: metal and plastic fittings, valves and actuators, Chemtrol® industrial plastics, and TOLCO™ pipe hangers, fabricated supports, seismic bracing, TOL-Strut™ channel and accessories.

JGSullivan's Approach

• A user management system was devised allowing customers, customer service representatives, sales representatives and administrators to access the Literature Fulfillment system, each with their own profile and unique set of user permissions.
• A thorough review of NIBCO product offerings and interviews with employees helped JGSI determine the most intuitive method for listing products in categories for easy access. A navigational system was created based on category segmentation rather than just relying on large listings of individual product names.
• We added a search engine that not only searches the program's product database, but also the contents of the PDF and Excel files housed in the program.
• An instant download capability was added to accommodate the needs of busy employees and customers who do not have time to wait for literature to be shipped.
• Although NIBCO offers free standard ground shipping for literature, many customers expressed a desire and willingness to pay for overnight shipping. Credit card authorization through CyberSource facilitates this option.
• Each order placed through the NIBCO Literature Fulfillment system is electronically transferred to a print house for fulfillment. Automated reporting on items ordered helps both the printer and NIBCO administrators maintain adequate inventory and plan print runs to meet their customers' literature needs.
• Order fulfillment reports from the printer are fed through nightly XML data transfers back into the Literature Fulfillment program to facilitate fulfilled order reporting and trigger the credit card charging process through CyberSource.
• Administration tools allow NIBCO personnel to manage the contents of the Literature Fulfillment program including instantly adding, removing and editing downloadable literature and updating listings of those pieces available for ordering.

Results

• NIBCO has many different types of customers including: Builders/Remodelers, Contractors, Design/Build Contractors, Distributors/Wholesalers, General Interests, Hardlines Retailers, Maintenance/Installers, Manufacturer/OEMs, and Specifying Engineers. Through user registration and usage reporting, NIBCO sales representatives now have a clear view of which types of customers need which types of resources to help them make informed purchase decisions.
• Automation of the literature fulfillment process has helped lead to cost savings and better inventory management.
• Availability of instant downloads of critical product and pricing information helps the sales effort by ensuring NIBCO products are included when their customers make proposals to end users.