RadioShack Canada builds secure, customised portal with CA`s CleverPath solution

Computer Associates International Inc (CA) today announced that RadioShack Canada has deployed CA`s CleverPath Portal to provide employees and dealers with easy-to-use, browser-based access to the diverse applications and information resources they need to do their jobs. The new portal architecture significantly improves productivity, reduces costs and provides a common workplace platform for RadioShack employees and dealers across Canada.

By using CA`s CleverPath solution, RadioShack Canada`s IT team was able to deliver this high-value, information-in-action functionality to end-users across the organisation within two months and within its project budget - thereby ensuring healthy near- and long-term ROI.

"CA`s CleverPath Portal has enabled us to quickly roll-out secure, personalised desktop workplaces to hundreds of users without having to commit excessive development resources," said Margo Weeks, vice-president of information systems, RadioShack Canada. "In addition to substantially reducing our administrative costs by eliminating paper-based processes, we have also greatly enhanced communications across the enterprise in ways that will improve RadioShack Canada`s bottom line performance."

RadioShack Canada`s new portal automates many paper-based processes including the circulation of sales reports and the HR processing of new employee information. Previously, the vast distances between RadioShack Canada`s offices and stores made it difficult to communicate with employees and dealers in an instantaneous and consistent manner. With CA`s CleverPath Portal, RadioShack Canada can now deliver information in real time to all appropriate users via secure, customised desktop workplaces. The RadioShack Canada portal supports a full range of workflows - including employees completing vacation request forms, dealers viewing up-to-date product and pricing information, and district managers monitoring store performance. Field sales teams also use the portal to participate in discussion groups and share selling and promotion strategies.

RadioShack Canada selected CA`s CleverPath Portal after an extensive evaluation of competitive portal technologies. Key factors in the decision were the ease with which CleverPath enabled RadioShack Canada developers to define user workplaces and the seamless integration it offered across RadioShack`s diverse platforms and applications. RadioShack Canada`s previous successful implementations of other CA technologies and their positive experiences with CA Services were also deciding factors.

CA Services collaborated closely with RadioShack Canada to provide extensive planning, design and implementation services. Through dedicated knowledge transfer, CA Services also ensured that RadioShack Canada is self-sufficient in managing its new portal environment. Plans include the creation of additional employee self-service features and publication of French-language content for the company`s Quebec operations.

CA`s CleverPath Portal integrates information into a personalised and engaging environment that can be accessed from a web browser, mobile phone or wireless PDA. Virtually any information, regardless of source, can be intelligently delivered and secured through CleverPath Portal and combined with other critical information and applications to provide effective collaboration and decision-making.

"We are delighted at RadioShack Canada`s success in applying CA`s CleverPath technology to such a broad set of core business challenges that range from administrative cost-cutting to sales force empowerment," said Joanne Moretti, general manager, Computer Associates Canada. "The fact that they have been able to move forward so quickly and effectively is a testimony to the power and simplicity of CA`s CleverPath solutions."