Ovations Technologies makes workflow soar at SA Eagle

Short-term insurance specialist SA Eagle scouted the market for a local company with the skills and resources to help fine-tune its business process automation solution brought in from overseas. As a specialist in the field of enterprise business process automation and business intelligence, Ovations Technologies was selected to customise the infrastructure and secure a better return on investment.

SA Eagle initiated a FileNET workflow system in October 2000, utilising the Acenza for Insurance application layer and a year later implemented a pilot of the new system. The intention was to run the pilot for three months and then start a countrywide roll-out.

Selecting the correct workflow product in 1999 was a big enough challenge for SA Eagle. The company had to implement this quality solution within the proposed timeframe set by international implementers. This was the second challenge - compounded by the fact that the company had to cater for the revised business processes through a business transformation programme in order to gain all the advantages housed within a solid workflow solution.

"The implementation of a stable workflow solution was critical to the success of the business transformation strategy," says Mark Neille, General Manager, Information Technology at SA Eagle, "all that remained was the selection of a reliable local partner to ensure ongoing support and maintenance of the environment in the most cost-effective manner."

In conjunction with this, SA Eagle had to make sure its business process automation solution ran at optimum levels. Since the solution was purchased from a UK-based company, technical backup and support was proving expensive, and so began the search for reliable - and more cost-effective - support closer to home.

Enterprise business process automation and business intelligence specialist Ovations Technologies was approached to assist in identifying and solving the challenges.

"FileNET workflow is a key part of the strategy for SA Eagle to optimise and enhance its productivity and customer service," explains Rainer Gaier, Managing Director at Ovations Technologies. "The company required FileNET application and systems support, as well as technical assistance for the further roll-out of the FileNET system to Cape Town and Durban. It also required some adjustments to get the system running to its full capacity."

Acenza for Insurance is a highly configurable and sophisticated Web-enabled suite of business process automation products for the insurance industry. It comprises Web-enabled business process templates designed for Web-enabling claims, new business submissions and customer service.

"The Acenza layer contains proprietary code, so the Ovations team couldn`t work directly on it," explains Billy Herholdt, IT Standards Manager at SA Eagle. "They had to find ways to work around it."

As Herholdt explains, the project was a beneficial experience for both companies. "We relied heavily on the technical skills of the Ovations team in the seven months leading up to the roll-out. I think the experience they gained in the process will stand them in good stead for any future FileNET-related and other business process automation projects."

"Ovations have already proved to be a skilled supplier in stabilising our environment and maintaining acceptable levels of ongoing stability," adds Neille, "we look forward to strengthening our partnership as we enhance our workflow strategy."

Making up the workflow solution at SA Eagle is:

• .         FileNET Imaging Services;

• .         FileNET Visual WorkFLO;

• .         FileNET Acenza for insurance;

• .         Microsoft SQL Server;

• .         Microsoft Windows NT Server 4;

• .         Microsoft Internet Information Server 4;

• .         Microsoft Transaction Server;

• .         Microsoft Visual Studio development environment;

• .         Microsoft Internet Explorer; and

• .         IBM Client Access for AS400.