Albany College of Pharmacy Implementation of Jenzabar Solution a "Phenomenal" Success

"Excellent" Process and "Top-Notch" Project Management and Training Key to Successful Implementation

CAMBRIDGE, MA-September 26, 2002-The Jenzabar EX implementation at Albany College of Pharmacy (ACP) will go live in October, a little over a year after ACP signed a new partnership agreement with Jenzabar. According to Tom Weaver, ACP's Assistant Director of Information Technology, the process used to implement the Jenzabar software was key to its success at ACP. "I think the process in place is excellent, phenomenal," Weaver exclaimed, "and the trainers, the project manager, and sales executives are all top-notch."

"Indirect results of the implementation yielded an organized user group, written data entry standards and policies, with training now viewed as mandatory rather than optional," Weaver added.

In June 2001, ACP had chosen to upgrade from one of Jenzabar's legacy products to Jenzabar EX in lieu of following along with other member schools in the local University Heights Association (UHA) consortium. While ACP shares many other IT resources with the UHA consortium, ACP's users greatly preferred Jenzabar's software products. "The most difficult decision was choosing either Jenzabar EX or CX," Weaver recalls. "Ultimately, we decided that EX has the best fit for our institution."

Being comfortable with the Jenzabar legacy product that worked well for the school, Weaver admits that his first reaction to moving to a new system was a grudging one. "I was more concerned about keeping a system that worked…if the door doesn't squeak - I don't oil it," Weaver commented. But after going through the selection process and now a successful implementation process, ACP is seeing the benefits of an integrated portal and a Windows-based system. "With the old system, we were always having to use FTP to transfer data back and forth from our Windows work environment to the administrative mainframe. Now the school's data and the Jenzabar system all resides on the Windows environment, so data transfers are no longer necessary," Weaver explained.

Changing Jenzabar products did mean some changes in associated relationships with Jenzabar. Weaver stated that he will certainly miss the established relationships with the Jenzabar Knoxville personnel and other Jenzabar PX-product customers, but has seen the same Jenzabar quality of service continue with new acquaintances in both Harrisonburg and Hartford.

To be truly excellent, a software implementation must involve preparations by the customer. And certainly ACP did their due diligence as well. According to Weaver, in preparation for the arrival of EX, all users were required to take Word and Access classes at a New Horizons training center. Users were challenged to become part of the process, and they eventually accepted their roles. "Without user buy-in, you are going to the trenches alone, " Weaver pointed out. "My energy comes from them and the support of the Administration."

Weaver's role as Customer Project Manager presented many tests. The most demanding was acting as an interpreter between the trainers and users. "It's a language barrier that one must overcome," Weaver jokes about it now. "They had their buzzwords and we had ours…getting them both on the same page was sometimes a challenge."

Another factor that helped Weaver through the process was the remote hosting service offered by Jenzabar, where ACP purchased a bank of hours for scheduled visits from a Jenzabar Systems Consultant originating from Jenzabar's Hartford Office. "It has been a learning process and a big help," Weaver said. "The consultant commuted in, and we worked hand-in-hand to install the service packs (system updates). Without it, I wouldn't have been able to do it on my own."

According to Weaver, the atmosphere at ACP is filled with excitement and anticipation for the go-live date in October. Excerpts from the project page on ACP's Web site sum up the benefits of the project:

• "The decentralization of minute tasks will increase productivity by deflecting power to our customers...the students! Our expectation and anticipation of a portal (a single point of access to all critical information) will empower our community to complete any transaction, at any time, from any place. We need to give a positive web experience so that surfers have a good reason to return."
• "…to stay competitive we've decided to adapt to new software today so that we can change the way we deliver our services tomorrow."
• "Users own their data, system, and reports. Request forms will now be used for internal use only - the goal is for all users to become more self-sufficient. All staff should participate in the process and are encouraged to think out of the box. What they do in-between meetings is very important to their ultimate success! This conversion is the perfect excuse for us to change the way we conduct business by examining our core processes under the microscope."

About Albany College of Pharmacy

The Albany College of Pharmacy prepares students for licensure and rewarding careers in a number of fields. Everything is directed at providing one of the finest academic preparations available in pharmacy. Because the College is so focused and is small (only 852 students), faculty provide attentive, personal instruction and a rare opportunity for students to grow and discover their full potential. The rigorous scientific/humanistic curriculum fosters students' independence, responsibility, and self-awareness. Located in the medical/academic University Heights section of Albany, the College is at the center of a world of opportunity for learning. Albany, in New York's "Capital Region," is also the center of a world of recreation and fun - a world of professional sports, world-class entertainment, and internationally renowned venues for skiing, camping, fishing, hiking; whatever a student's interest, it is available.

About Jenzabar, Inc.

By improving the exchange of information through powerful business intelligence applications and services, Jenzabar's Internet enterprise software, e-learning solutions, and services deliver a competitive edge to higher education institutions. Dedicated to supporting and enhancing the educational community, Jenzabar's business units serve 700 higher education institutions worldwide, including students, professors, and administrators from private liberal arts, medical, law, state, and community colleges. Institutions employing Jenzabar solutions include The Claremont Colleges, Colby College, Daytona Beach Community College, William Mitchell College of Law, Governors State University, Bluffton College, Florida Southern College, Bay de Noc Community College, Berry College, and Harvard Medical School.

Jenzabar's offerings include Web-based enterprise software with student, institutional advancement, human resources, and financial applications; e-learning solutions; and a higher education enterprise information portal (EIP). Founded in 1998, Jenzabar is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and currently employs more than 300 people in regional offices across the United States.