Managed Networks began working with United Distillers, one of the original businesses which now form part of Diageo, in 1992.

Diageo needed a tool to record and analyse their marketplace in emerging markets. This meant designing a system that would accommodate the very different information capture requirements of more than 100 countries worldwide, working in the local language, but retaining a common data-structure and reporting method so that results could be compared. The system needed to act as a straightforward database of outlets, as a visit management system for the local salespeople, and as a sophisticated analysis and reporting tool for comparing the performance of outlets according to different criteria. Data capture was to be driven by paper forms filled in by travelling sales representatives, then keyed back at base.

Solution

Managed Networks built a series of increasingly sophisticated systems to meet this need. Chrysalis, the final iteration and the one rolled out to more than 40 global markets, was built to the same standards as shrink-wrap software, so that it could be rolled out using purely local resources. It was designed as a questionnaire production, capture and reporting system; fully flexible, it allowed for both centrally-mandated questions and local additions. Answers to central questions could be extracted and returned for consolidated analysis across markets. Analysis of outlets included pivot-style reporting, criteria selection including complex queries, and scoring of outlets based on tallying individual scores per answer. Scores could be both centrally-defined and locally-defined, allowing separate classification exercises for central and local management. The system was multi-lingual, supporting up to ten languages in any installation, with language switching on the fly; translation could be done before the distribution CDs were sent out, or performed in-market.

Technology

Chrysalis was built in Visual Basic (originally version 4, with upgrades to v4-32bit and v5) with a flexible back-end: the system normally shipped with an Access database, but could also use SQLServer and Oracle for larger sites. All data was stored using a metabase format, meaning that database upgrades and consolidation were core functions of the distributed product. Originally reporting used Crystal Reports, but this was replaced with bespoke code in later versions, including a bespoke questionnaire printing module that produced optimised output for hand completion. Distribution used InstallShield.

Timeline

Managed Networks began working with United Distillers in 1992, building the first Outlet Information System using Paradox 4. This relationship continued through two further versions, culminating in the final version of Chrysalis in 1999. Chrysalis was largely superseded by a corporate roll-out of Siebel CRM in 2000, although some sites (such as Guinness Nigeria) are still using the system today.