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Williams-Sonoma
Sometimes a data conversion is just a data conversion
Williams-Sonoma asked us to help convert data from their Personnel Plus system to their Lawson system. They wanted us to limit our role as much as we could. They had support in place for the new system, and system administration resources for the old one. We reviewed their mapping of the data elements, surveyed the legacy data for quality, built tools to help with data cleanup, and built tools for the export of the data from the legacy system. We provided test files to them, and when the test files were OK, we installed our export tools and layouts into their Personnel Plus system, and showed them how to use them. We didn't even have to be there when the actual conversion took place - we'd made the client completely independent of us.

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AirTouch Communications
Curriculum Design for an Acquisition
When AirTouch acquired a Washington based company, that company’s substantial Human Resources organization needed to be brought on board AirTouch's HR-1 system. AirTouch asked Zadek to coordinate the training effort. Early-adopters at the acquired company came to Zadek's regularly offered technical classes in San Francisco. For the remaining HR staff, Zadek developed application and corporate-policy specific curriculum to use for training. Zadek also set up a training system to provide HR system training using the company’s own employee data which was converted into a test environment. Zadek set up the classrooms and equipment and held the classes both in Washington and at the AirTouch San Francisco headquarters. As a result, when the acquisition was closed, the HR Staff could use and report out of AirTouch’s HR systems without impacting their ability to do their jobs and provide their customers with the same services they had received in the past.
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AirTouch Communications
Curriculum Design for a Discoverer Deployment
With the AirTouch conversion to the Oracle Human Resources system, one of the purposes was to empower regional HR support staff with a high degree of data access. And yet those staffers who were already accustomed to reporting HR data found that their skills had been obsoleted by the transition. AirTouch acquired the Noetix Views to simplify reporting for this population. Zadek identified gaps where the Views needed to be supplemented, to fit AirTouch's specific needs, and to capitalize on its managers' existing knowledge. We worked alongside AirTouch's IT group to fill these gaps, and concurrently designed a concentrated Discoverer/Noetix course for the managers. Then we delivered it at AirTouch locations around the country, alongside AirTouch systems staff whose job would be to take over the support of the users being trained.
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AirTouch Communications
Whatever it takes for Oracle implementation
AirTouch used a Big Five consulting firm and its own robust IT group to drive its conversion to Oracle Applications. Zadek came in to handle the HR data conversion. Our flexibility allowed us to handle that, as well as many more roles besides - process analysis, interface and report design, backfill for HR staff, SQL and PL/SQL coding, system administration, test design and testing, training, Noetix and Discoverer implementation design, system administration. We worked seamlessly with the various implementation teams to meet the needs of the project.

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AirTouch Communications
Helping to work out the kinks of a new system
Once AirTouch had implemented their new Oracle HR system, there was the question of supporting the new product and helping to work out the various system issues as they would arise. Not only did Zadek step in to learn the new system and assist AirTouch IT staff with support, but we soon became the experts on the functionality and numerous interfaces that were set in place. Due to our vast experience with the many different HR systems on the market, we offered AirTouch the ability to help their own IT staff better understand how the system worked and how to quickly and efficiently troubleshoot system problems as they came up. Ongoing, we still provide support and supplement the ERP HR team with one Zadek staff member full time.
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AirTouch Communications
Mergers and Acquisitions
Over the years, AirTouch has acquired many companies and needed to bring their employee data into the AirTouch HR system. For many of these acquisitions, AirTouch has come to Zadek to manage the data conversion process for both the HR and Payroll systems. Zadek stepped in and took on a Project Management role, as well as doing analysis and programming alongside other team members. The conversion process involved data mapping, interface analysis, reporting requirements and training, all of which Zadek either handled themselves or coordinated through internal AirTouch resources. Throughout, Zadek made sure that the newly acquired company’s HR staff felt a part of the process and knew that their needs would be considered and met as much as possible in merging them into AirTouch current processes. When necessary and feasible, Zadek instituted system changes to allow for functionality that the company currently had and needed to continue. In all cases, the acquisitions went seamlessly from one system to another without an impact on HR or Payroll’s ability to do their job and serve their customers.
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Amway
Quality on the Factory Floor
FutureFlo - now a unit of Amway - uses an Advanced Revelation system to track dozens of quality-control checks on each water filter that advances down its production lines. The company asked Zadek for a utilization review, and for assistance with the maintenance and modification of the quality control system. "Thanks for the GREAT work!" - Scott Bixler, Director of MIS
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Ceridian
Bringing a staff up to speed
When Ceridian introduced their Integrated HR/Payroll for Windows, it had been developed in Revelation Technologies' OpenInsight product in their New York and Atlanta labs. Ceridian, of course, provided training on the functionality of the new system to all field personnel. Eight key support and consulting staff also joined Zadek in Ceridian's San Francisco office for an intensive technical look at OpenInsight. We modified the standard Revelation Technologies OpenInsight curriculum to account for the student's prior experience with the related Advanced Revelation product, and to develop examples, which could be executed on copies of the Ceridian application.
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Charles Schwab
Three successive conversions
In 1990, Charles Schwab moved their Human Resources data into HR-1, but preserved their M&D payroll, with an interface between the two. In 1994, they converted both HR and Payroll functionality to the PowerPay product (Payroll / HR-1 hybrid application). And in 1997, they moved both functionalities to PeopleSoft. Many firms assisted them with this work. Only Zadek was part of all three projects, because our ongoing training and support of their HR staff kept us familiar with Schwab's data and Schwab's needs.
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Charles Schwab
Pulling us through
"Your ... effort, dedication, and professionalism made the team effort successful in pulling us through this difficult conversion." - Marina Miller, Vice President, Corporate Support Services.

Implementing a new Payroll/HR system, Charles Schwab brought us in to handle the export of data from their legacy system. Over the course of the conversion effort, our availability, flexibility and skills earned us roles in needs analysis, testing design, interface and report development, and project management. Always working as part of a broader team of employees and consultants, doing whatever needed to be done.
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Fujitsu Microelectronics
One Million Thanks
Fujitsu was losing the key HR Analyst who had managed their data interfaces with Benefits vendors. Other HR systems resources were focused on the selection and implementation of PeopleSoft HR, and did not want to pick up the management of their HR-1 system. Zadek stepped in to back-fill - taking on the maintenance of benefits data interfaces with a variety of vendors. We were then able to document the processes and eventually train an HR analyst to take the work back in-house once they were ready, offering continued support whenever requirements change. At the same time, we assisted with the data reporting requirements to help them get through a 401k discrimination testing audit. And we did almost all of it remotely, efficiently, doing just what really needed to be done. On top of all that, we wrote extract programs to generate data files, which included historical data, from the legacy system to assist in the conversion to PeopleSoft HR system.

"Your response time has been nothing short of outstanding…. Thanks a million for the EXTRA effort you put into this…. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your efforts and GREAT attitude…. You are an inspiration to us all!!! Also, thanks for your detective work on the missing pieces…. It helped us to move this project to conclusion. One Million Thanks" - Glenn Marfell, HRMS Manager
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Greyhound Lines
Teaching developers a proprietary report writer
Nearing the end of their conversion effort into the PowerPay system, Greyhound was ready for its development team to turn their attention to reportwriting, and needed a large group of people up to speed in a hurry in the proprietary report writer of that application. Where do you turn when you need this kind of training on the bleeding edge where no experienced trainers exist? Zadek, got up to speed, put together a course and took it to Greyhound in Dallas.

"Course was presented extremely well. It moved fast but instructor was always available to help or show where the error was…. Enjoyed!" - student reviews.
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MultiCare Health System
Replacing a key manager
When Multicare Health System of Tacoma, Washington lost their HR Systems Manager during their conversion to Lawson HR, they turned to Zadek for help. We were already working on data conversion. Now we needed to take over management of that effort, as well as bear support responsibility for the legacy system. The new manager, brought in from the outside, was able to focus on policy, implementation, and deployment questions in her first months, rather than putting out fires around a legacy system she would otherwise have no real reason to learn.
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MultiCare Health System
Saved our skins
When Multicare Health System of Tacoma, Washington lost their HR Systems Manager during their conversion to Lawson HR, they turned to Zadek for help. We were already assisting with the data conversion from HR-2000 to Lawson and now they needed us to take over the Project Management effort, as well as support responsibility for the legacy system. While Zadek focused on the conversion effort and legacy support, the newly hired replacement manager was able to focus on benefit open enrollment and training on the new HR system. The new manager was not forced to spend time gaining knowledge about a legacy system that would become obsolete in a few months. Due to Zadek’s involvement and working with a superb project team, the conversion pulled through successfully despite the loss of their key lead in the midst of the process.

"we benefited the most...from your patience and understanding, and not letting us off the hook.…I'm glad you were very insistent in making sure we understood what we were doing. The team approach and active listening skills you demonstrated…were also very critical in helping keep us focused. You were great in helping us...talk with the Lawson, Arthur Andersen and IS folks, and trying to keep us up on and/or interpret what they were saying, and how it would impact or not impact us. ... We couldn't have done it without you!" - Oneta Amdahl, Director of Human Resources
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MultiCare Health System
Custom Lawson Training Suite training
Multicare Health System needed to begin the implementation process of bringing up the Lawson Training product. Zadek was already in house working on their HR system conversion to Lawson and had worked with the Training department in respect to that effort. Impressed with Zadek’s knowledge of the system and proven successes, the Training group asked Zadek to put together a 4 hour training session to bring their group up to speed on using the Lawson Training product. Despite the fact that we did not know and had no experience previously using the package, we sat down and reviewed the product thoroughly and put together the training. When it came time to hold the session, a consultant from Lawson sat in on the class. Afterwards, the Training group raved that it had been the best training they had been through and they had walked away with a better understanding of the system from a 4 hour session than they had gained from a week long session of other training. In addition, the Lawson consultant commented that the course was well put together and was very impressed with the session.

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New Spirit Naturals, Inc.
A system built by our trainees
New Spirit Naturals has two sources of competitive advantage - its excellent natural health care products, and its well-developed marketing network. Recognizing the importance of managing that network, the company sent a principal and a staff person to Zadek's Advanced Revelation training. Since then, as developers themselves and as general contractors, the company has built and maintains its own in-house marketing system.

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New Spirit Naturals, Inc.
Ten years of just-enough support
New Spirit Naturals uses customized marketing software, which it maintains without an in-house development staff. For ten years, it's been maintained by New Spirit executive and support staff. They've called on Zadek as needed - sometimes to sound out a design idea, sometimes to find a program bug. By using our after-class support and support contracts, as well as occasional payment-by-the-project, New Spirit's been able to keep this relationship up with as much as four years between bills.

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Pacific Gas & Electric
Major-client Billing
A mainframe system sends you your gas bills at home, but PG&E's largest customers are billed on a separate, more flexible, system. Zadek's been training and supporting the PG&E development staff for twelve years, and has stepped in a number of times with design support, and with programming and analytical resources.
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Pacific Gas & Electric
The Confidential Gas Unit
When the Public Utilities Commission, in a two-year-experiment, asked Pacific Gas and Electric to track deliveries of third-party-provided gas through its system, without knowing the prices being charged for that gas, they turned to Zadek to automate the Confidential Gas Unit created to fulfill that mandate. Working in legally-enforced isolation from PG&E's own strong development team, we quickly built a system for them, modifying it as fast as interpretation of the law changed, and protecting the competitive firewall required by the PUC.
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Playboy Enterprises, Inc.
A call after four years
We expect our Payroll Interface clients to call off and on for advice and support. When Playboy didn't call us for months after their installation, we checked in with them, to hear that things were going well and that they simply needed no help. We got our first support call after four years, and it was a crisis. They had suddenly learned of a Y2K-related deadline for a change in the date format of their transmission file, with just one pay period to go. They called Friday at 4. We tried a quick fix over the phone, then saw we'd need a small code rewrite. We wrote the modification, tested and documented it, developed an installation method, e-mailed it to them, and they'd installed and tested it by the next Tuesday morning:

"THANK YOU!!!! It all appears to be just fine now." - Cindy Franke,
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San Francisco Symphony
The party must go on
The Symphony uses us for an hour or two a year to maintain the system it uses to track bills for guests at its parties. That system crashed the Wednesday afternoon before Thanksgiving, with a major event coming up. We were able to check their service history, make a good guess at the problem, and identify a person with the skills to fix it and the availability to do so, within minutes. We had someone there within an hour; they were up and running forty-five minutes after that, in plenty of time for the party.
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Warner Brothers
A system review
An Advanced Revelation system, developed halfway around the world, tracks Warner Brothers' licensing arrangements. But bugs and poor performance were shaking users' confidence. The studio called in Zadek to review the situation. We found an application that was fundamentally sound, but a communication process that had broken down. The developers were no longer really hearing the users' concerns, and the users were giving up on complaining. We investigated bug reports and interviewed users, to develop information that would help the developers satisfy the users' concerns. At the same time, we encouraged the users to maintain high expectations for the system, and to keep complaining - we could honestly tell them the development team was up to the challenge.

Zadek won no development work from this client. We believe they were better served by our willingness to tell them the truth and move on.
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Assurant Group
Referred by Ceridian Corporation
Referred to us by Ceridian, Assurant initially contacted us to create all the export files for a conversion of their HR-1 data to an Access-based system. Time passed and we didn't hear from Assurant regarding the scope of their project. We followed up with them and found that they received assistance from Ceridian; however, they were now having difficulties exporting multi-valued fields and wanted to know if we could help them. The scope of the project was greatly reduced (11 hours) but challenging because of the data structure in their HR-1 product. Nevertheless, we were able to extract the remaining fields thereby helping them complete their project.
"Have you put your invoice in the mail yet? This is one bill I am really looking forward to paying. You did a superb job! And I would be delighted to recommend your services in the future. Please don't hesitate to call on Arrigo or I if we can provide a reference for you down the road.
Everything is going very well! "According to the project management institute over 83% of DP projects do not fulfill the needs of the clients." This is one project that will actually have a VERY HAPPY ENDING THANKS TO YOU AND YOUR ASSOCIATES!" - Dan Singleton, Business Systems Developer

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