Avoid Headaches, Manage Your Shop Effectively

"Having a system allows the in-plant [managers] to know what's going on in the shop, without leaving their desks," explains Avanti Systems President/Software Designer Richard Wallin.

He compares a customer calling up to check on a job to him calling an airline to check a flight arrival.

"I don't expect the agent to go out to the runway and check when the flight is coming in," he says. "I expect the agent to be able to tell me, in seconds, the information. These days, in-plants are expected to respond with the same level of service for customers."