Case Studies
Alcohol Detections Systems
Alcohol Detections Systems
Technologies Used: Apache, Custom Business Solutions, Linux, MySQL, PHP, SQL
Challenge: Alcohol Detection Systems (ADS) came to VMT as a startup company who engineered a breath alcohol ignition interlock device. This is a device that controls the ability to start a vehicle by analyzing a breath sample from the driver. There is a complex software component to the ignition interlock that captures events while starting the vehicle and tests the breath sample from the driver. States that convict people of driving under the influence (DUI) increasingly require the installation of an ignition interlock. Capturing information from the ignition interlock device is also a requirement. ADS needed to develop software to not only manage the event information from installed interlocks but also control inventory from its nationwide distribution network.
Solution: VMT developed a custom Internet application in PHP to manage the drivers and collect the event data from the interlock devices. A complex ActiveX control interacts with the ignition interlock device and the PHP web application to update the driver records in a SQL database. Customized reports for each state are automatically generated by the application and emailed to individuals who require them. The application also allows ADS to manage a serialized inventory by location including the manufacturer, ADS warehouse, distributors, dealers and drivers. Dealers and distributors use the Web site as well to maintain drivers, obtain inventory reports and purchase additional products online.
Results: VMT provided Alcohol Detection Systems with a solution that not only met its current needs but also could scale for future growth.
Alenia North America
Alenia North America
Technologies Used: Websites
Challenge: Alenia North America and its subsidiary in Canada had four corporate offices across the United States and Canada with over 730 employees. The company maintained five different public web sites and wanted a corporate intranet to improve communications among staff members. Different organizations within Alenia maintained the various sites and each had a different look and feel. The customer wanted consistency between sites and the ability to add and change content at will. Additionally, customized functionality was needed to support a media portal and other features.
Solution: VMT configured the open source content management system Drupal to build the public and private sites for Alenia. The content from the existing sites was migrated into the new Drupal Web site that Alenia employees could then change and customize. Additional Drupal modules were added and customized to handle news and events, photo and video galleries and media rooms with searchable content. VMT also provided a new company intranet with rich content and forms capture features.
Results: Alenia North America now has a branded intranet that serves as its primary employee communication and collaboration tool for its team. The customer also now has a consistent look and feel for each of its external facing Web sites. Non-technical users can easily update content for both the intranet and Web sites using the Drupal content management system.
Genealogical Publishing
Genealogical Publishing
URL: http://www.genealogical.com
Technologies Used: Apache, E-Commerce, E-Commerce, MySQL, PHP, Zen Cart
Challenge: Genealogical Publishing Company was an early adopter of e-commerce. Its e-commerce site had been re-written several times on different platforms, including Cold Fusion and Microsoft ASP. The site had been custom written with little documentation and was primarily supported by only one developer. The company recognized the need to add functionality and more sophisticated search engine optimization tools (SEO) to increase Internet sales.
Solution: VMT proposed that the new e-commerce site be built on an open source platform called Zen-Cart. Working in conjunction with a graphic design and SEO firm, Zen-Cart was configured by VMT with the new company branding, a user friendly navigation scheme and easy to understand content. Significant customizations were made that allow customers to perform sophisticated searches in genealogy to find their CD's and books of interest. Zen-Cart also offers a content management system (CMS) component that allows the company to customize their content at will.
Results: Genealogical Publishing has been able to minimize support and maintenance costs associated with its web presence as non-technical users can make changes to content without the assistance of a developer. Product sales are up and web traffic has increased-- two of the organization's major objectives.
Hair Cuttery
Hair Cuttery
URL: http://www.haircuttery.com
Technologies Used: Social Media Networking, Websites
Challenge: The marketing team for Hair Cuttery needed to rely extensively on its internal IT department to maintain and update the company Web site on a daily basis. The IT department was diverting its resources to this task and taking them away from more strategic activity. At the same time, the marketing department wanted to integrate social media into its branding campaigns as well as leverage its stylists to promote the brand. The existing Web site could not easily accomodate these needs without intensive technical effort.
Solution: VMT built a rich multi-media Web site for Hair Cuttery using DotCMS, an open source content management system. The new Web site also includes links to Hair Cuttery's presence on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and You Tube. Non-technical users across the company were trained on how to upload content and images to the system and now the Marketing department can perform simple routine updates to the Web site without intervention by the IT department.
Results: The new Web site met all of the critical business objectives set forth by the corporate marketing team. No longer do they need daily intervention by the IT department to update content and the company is now at the forefront of best practices with social media as a customer marketing tool. The new platform incorporated the company's gift card program, included the addition of two blogs (one for corporate messages and one for style tips). Visitors can also preview videos and the latest TV commercials and download coupons for promotional items. For customers searching for the closest Hair Cuttery salon a Google map provides directions. In addition, Hair Cuttery's Brand Ambassador program is planned to be integrated into the Web site to enable stylists to readily promote the company messages to their extended networks. All in all, Hair Cuttery is much better positioned in the digital world.
James Wolf Insurance
James Wolf Insurance
Technologies Used: Custom Business Solutions, PHP
Challenge: The James Wolf Insurance Agency provides insurance to Inns and Bed and Breakfasts throughout the country. The company had been tracking insurance policies and proposals using an assortment of spreadsheets.
Solution: VMT built a web-based application to automate the generation of policies and proposals and integrate with their off-the shelf proprietary accounting system. The applications was designed in PHP and runs on MySQL.
Results: James Wolf Insurance Agency now has an automated system to track insurance policies and proposals that is integrated into its accounting system thus saving both time and money when serving their client base.
Johns Hopkins Medicine's Brady Urological Institute
Johns Hopkins Medicine's Brady Urological Institute
URL: http://www.urology.jhu.edu
Technologies Used: Custom Business Solutions, Java
Challenge: The Johns Hopkins Medicine's Brady Urological Institute did not have an automated secure method to track tissue microarrays (tools used in pathology and cancer research). The Institute also needed to make sure the solution was HIPAA compliant and could track patient consent information and other related data.
Solution: VMT built a Java based application for the Johns Hopkins Medicine's Brady Urological Institute that runs on a Sybase database. The platform allows researchers the ability to view and score digital images from tissue microarray slides from virtually anywhere in the world.
Results: The client now has a HIPAA compliant mechanism for securely tracking tissue microarrays along with patient consent documents and other related information. The program has won awards from the APIII conference and the system has since been implemented at the Cleveland Clinic and Emory University.
LJS & Associates, Inc.
LJS & Associates, Inc.
Technologies Used: Custom Business Solutions, Java, SQL
Challenge: LJS has a 96% market-share in residential real-estate sign-post installation and removal in the Mid -Atlantic area. The client was using a DOS-based database system for order tracking. The system could not handle e-mail orders. LJS was also starting to expand nationally and needed an application that could scale and include dealers/franchisees.
Solution: VMT redesigned the SignTracker application from the ground up using Java and Sybase. The web-based component enables installers and agents to place orders for service and track status. A thin-client Java application provides a robust administrative interface as well as enabling remote branch locations to have limited administrative functionality.
Results: LJS can now status items and place orders on a much larger scale on this platform. VMT continues to work with LJS to add functionality to the system for its end-users.
Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS)
Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS)
Technologies Used: ASP.NET, Custom Business Solutions
Challenge: The Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Systems (MIEMSS) had implemented state of the art systems to monitor available resources throughout Maryland in the event of a major incident that might result in mass casualties. MIEMSS contracted with Network Business Solutions (NBS) and VMT to develop and test two applications aimed to improve the methods of monitoring and tracking the emergency resources available within the State. The agency did not have a quick way to determine the number of available hospital beds, ambulances and supplies during a crisis situation. Phone calls to individual hospitals, fire houses, ambulance dispatchers and other emergency medicine service providers were necessary to gather all the data.
Solution: NBS and VMT developed "FRED"- the Facilities Resources Emergency Database for MIEMSS. The new tool expedites the gathering and dissemination of critical information during major events or mass casualty situations.
Results: The customer now has a statewide system that can determine available emergency medical resources via a centralized and automated dispatch and retrieval method.
Shofer's Furniture
Shofer's Furniture
Technologies Used: Drupal, Social Media Networking, Websites
Challenge: Shofer's Furniture wanted to expand its digital presence with a dynamic Web site that would help drive sales to the store, promote its inventory and complement its television and print advertising efforts. Leads were not being captured online and there was no integration with social media channels such as Twitter and Facebook.
Solution: Working with Shofer's management team, VMT designed and developed a robust Web site using Drupal, an open source content management system that can be easily modified by in-house non-technical staff. The new Web site included a blog, an image gallery that features the company's products and incorporated an e-newsletter for customers. VMT's proprietary software application, VCOMP was also part of the deployment. This unique application supports Shofer Furniture's Brand Evangelist program whereby its team can automatically share content generated by Shofer's with their contacts on Facebook and Twitter.
Results: Shofer's Furniture is now able to capture and respond to lead information online and in real time. The company can also show its TV commercials online and can easily share its expertise in home furnishings and design with prospective customers via its blog. Shofer's also now has a presence on Twitter and Facebook and its customers and employees have become some of its best brand evangelists.
The Children's Guild
The Children's Guild
URL: http://www.childrensguild.org
Technologies Used: ASP.NET, Custom Business Solutions, DotNetNuke, E-Commerce, E-Commerce, Microsoft, Non-Profit, SQL, Websites
Challenge: The Children's Guild first came to VMT to build a custom reporting application that provided sophisticated statistics measuring the success of their programs which serve emotionally disturbed children. This reporting is an essential component to manage and improve their educational and support programs and is utilized in state and national reporting. After this critical need was fulfilled, The Children's Guild expanded the project to build an enterprise Student Information System, producing a central database for student records. In addition, The Children's Guild needed the ability to manage content through a .NET content management system for new ventures they were launching, The Upside Down Organization and The Monarch Academy. Their resource to implement DotNetNuke was naturally, VMT.
Solution: VMT has had an ongoing collaborative engagement with The Children's Guild that employs a hybrid approach to the software development life cycle incorporating the best of waterfall with agile development. We begin our process with requirements gathering resulting in functional specifications that all stakeholders review and accept. Then, an iterative development process is used to present functional elements of the application on a regular basis that are tested and reviewed. Once user acceptance testing is complete, the component is deployed to production. DotNetNuke was deployed for the first site, upsidedownorganization.org with the e-commerce component, calendar and basic web page creation. The next site to deploy was for the new Monarch Academy Charter School opened by The Children's Guild, monarchcharter.org. And, VMT is now in the process of upgrading childrensguild.org web site to DotNetNuke with many advanced modules.
Results: The software VMT developed to capture and report student information and activities is now deployed throughout the organization as ISIS (Integrated Student Information System). Information once kept on individual spreadsheets and Word documents is now maintained and disseminated through ISIS. The sites depolyed in DotNetNuke have been managed and expanded by internal staff saving substantially on the costs for external firms to perform the same tasks. Content is more dynamic and more fresh, reflecting the nature of the organization successfully.
Trigger Agency - Events & Promotions
Trigger Agency - Events & Promotions
URL: http://www.triggeragency.com
Technologies Used: Drupal, E-Commerce, E-Commerce, PHP, Websites, Zen Cart
Challenge: The Trigger Agency was facing real issues in managing its many websites for its various events. Each event has multiple locations and generally repeats on an annual basis. The client needed a way to manage its websites in a more cost-effective and productive manner.
Solution: VMT worked with Trigger to initially implement a Zen Cart-based e-commerce solution to cost-effectively facilitate ticket sales for events. Subsequent websites were converted on a show-by-show basis to the Drupal content management system, which allows each site to be modified with minimal technical intervention. VMT has worked with Trigger Agency and its freelance graphic designers to upgrade each site with new templates for the look-and-feel of each site.
Results: The Trigger Agency can now quickly and easily update its various event Web sites each year. As new events get promoted by the client, VMT can reliably deploy Drupal sites customized with the look and feel for the event that can be managed by the client.
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