Touch Networks, Technology Solutions For The New Mobile World
Touch Networks’ Experience with Tencia
A Journey from Start-Up to Global Player
Touch Networks began in May 2000 as a small Australian start-up with a dedicated team. Over the years, it has grown into an international service provider, thriving in the digital and mobile technology revolution. Today, Touch Networks serves an impressive list of clients, including prominent names such as Optus, 7-Eleven, Officeworks, MoneyGram, Medicare Australia, Telstra, Vodafone, CBA, ANZ, NAB, Westpac, and Suncorp.
Diversifying into Global Markets with Innovative Solutions
Touch Networks offers a comprehensive range of technology solutions tailored to the needs of major telecommunications companies and banks. Their product suite includes e-commerce platforms, mobile payment applications, Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems, self-service kiosks, and point-of-sale solutions. These innovations simplify everyday tasks, like recharging mobile phones or buying city link passes at Tullamarine Airport using their touch-screen kiosks.
Promoting a Culture of Continuous Innovation
Touch Networks prides itself on a culture that encourages innovation and the generation of new ideas. According to Lou Pancari, Company Accountant, “We’ve continually reinvented ourselves over the years, which is a key factor in our success.”
The company values internal innovation, ensuring that good ideas are developed and brought to market efficiently. Their software applications, for instance, can now be installed on various EFTPOS and POS systems worldwide, allowing merchants to sell a wide range of products and services electronically. This capability enhances sales opportunities for merchants and provides customers with convenient purchasing options.
The Challenge
As Touch Networks expanded, so did their need for a real-time accounting solution that would provide faster access to live data. The growth of their business required the ability to share crucial business information quickly and efficiently. Seeking greater business efficiency and automation, they turned to Arrow, a trusted partner, to help them meet these new demands.
The Solution
After years as an Arrow client, Touch Networks decided that upgrading from Arrow Financials to Tencia was the right move. Their decision was influenced by several factors, including minimal expected downtime, the seamless migration of existing financial data, and the user-friendly interface of Tencia, which was familiar to their staff.
A Smooth Transition
Touch Networks, known for its technical expertise, understands that implementing new systems can come with unexpected challenges. However, they were pleasantly surprised by how smoothly the migration to Tencia was managed. This success was largely due to thorough preparation, careful planning, and effective collaboration among all parties involved. Pancari noted how the entire system was migrated to Tencia in less than a day, even though they had no expectation that the process would be so simple and smooth.
Post-implementation, Touch Networks appreciated the ongoing support provided by their business partner. Training sessions offered an excellent introduction to Tencia, making the transition less daunting. Lou added, “The layout of Tencia is similar to Arrow Financials, so the product felt familiar right from the start.”
Improved Efficiency with Instant Reporting and Simplified Processes
One of the immediate benefits of Tencia for Touch Networks was the near-instantaneous process of closing financial periods, a task that previously took nearly an entire afternoon. Lou shared, “This has significantly boosted our productivity.”
Other features of Tencia that have been well-received include the ‘Reporting Inbox.’ This innovative tool stores all generated reports in one place, allowing easy access without the need to search or regenerate them. Reports can also be easily exported to Excel for further analysis or saved as PDFs. According to Lou, “The Reporting Inbox is a standout feature.”
The ‘Favourites’ feature in Tencia has also reduced the time needed for data entry. Lou explained, “With Tencia, you immediately gain access to functionalities associated with the Microsoft suite of products. Setting up ‘Favourites’ means you no longer need to navigate through a toolbar; for example, entering Creditor Invoices is now just one click away. This means we get the information we need faster.”
Future Potential and Addressing Current Challenges
As Touch Networks continues to grow and become more sophisticated, they are eager to further leverage Tencia to enhance productivity. One of the key expectations that influenced their decision to move to Tencia was its flexibility. Tencia’s ability to overcome challenges related to different operating systems, platforms, and programming languages was a significant factor in their decision.
Lou highlighted a current challenge: “We have several systems, each with its own database, so it’s crucial that we can extract this data and incorporate it into Tencia for our financial reporting. Currently, this process is manual.” To address this, Touch Networks is working closely with their Arrow Business Partner to automate this data integration, aiming to reduce workload and minimise the risk of human error. This integration will allow Touch Networks to build in further checks and balances, driving additional productivity gains.
By continuing to innovate and adapt, Touch Networks remains at the forefront of the digital and mobile revolution, offering cutting-edge solutions to their global clientele.
