Organizations seeking to reduce costs in conducting scientific and market research can now efficiently attain that goal. OpenSurvey is a service provided through a collaborative technology development effort between Western Reserve Systems Group (WRSG) and the Center for Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance Medicine (CDHAM). Utilizing a simple form-based interface, which can be accessed globally through a secure Internet interface, OpenSurvey users are able to design custom surveys and easily distribute these surveys to a handheld format on the Pocket PC platform. The surveyor simply takes the handheld device into the field to gather respondents’ information. After all responses are collected, the surveyor can export the results and upload the data to a secure online database.  Once uploaded, summary data analysis is immediately available and globally accessible for authorized subject matter experts to review online. This streamlined process greatly reduces error, as information goes from the point of collection directly to the database without the need to re-key or run separate data analysis.

Leave the Paperwork Behind

WRSG was approached to create a prototype mobile application for the PocketPC platform that would allow service technicians in the automotive industry to generate vehicle details by VIN, estimate and track cosmetic damages, and report on the results via a management website.  This prototype was later completely rewritten as a fully robust commercial application supporting invoicing, return customers, custom pricing, Quickbooks^® integration, and more.

With DuPont mRECON, you can stay on the move – from dealership to dealership, job to job – with all the information you need at your fingertips. mRECON is custom made especially for the cosmetic automotive repair market.

You’re a top automotive reconditioner. Your business is mobile – now your data is mobile, too. DuPont mRECON mobile business management software keeps all your essential business information in one compact handheld device:

• - Estimate jobs
• - Schedule work
• - Invoice customers
• - Access work history
• - Create reports

Developed in Partnership with WRSG - DuPont Solutions’ mRECON is packed with productivity so you’ll get more done wherever business takes you.

WRSG was commissioned to take an outdated Palm^® based application, which allowed automotive paint technicians to retrieve paint formulas, into the updated Pocket PC platform and enhance its features and capabilities along the way.  The new PocketPC version supports the DuPont, Standox, and Spies Hecker paint brands.  It also integrates many datapoints only formerly accessible in a desktop version of a formula retrieval application. 

The DuPont Performance Coatings - Mobile Color Formula Retrieval Application represents another Application Service Provisioning partnership between DuPont and WRSG.  WRSG developed the Pocket PC based application to enable automotive repair specialists to retrieve paint formulas and extensive details using a portable mobile platform.  By providing a paint code or searching on a portion of the code with manufacturer, paint quality, and paint application the paint mix formula and details may be obtained.  The resulting formula information helps the technician mix an accurate color match based on a specified mix quantity.

SSP followed their marketing initiative with a request to modernize their vintage ASP website.  WRSG engaged SSP performing an extensive re-write of the custom product management interface upgrading all functionality to current C#.NET and SQL 2005 database specifications.  This upgrade enabled WRSG to provide much greater customization in the functionality of the interface.  At the same time, WRSG migrated the standard section content of the remainder of the site into our customized .NET Content Management System (CMS) Framework.  This port into a full CMS will enable SSP to greatly imrpove their current and potential new customers' experience by easily maintaining and updating content on a daily basis.  An entire suite of customized interfaces for announcements, events, news, document and standard content updates is available and fully customizable within the CMS interface. 

SSPFittings.com site now has a full e-commerce interface, enabling online sales for most of SSPs several hundred manufactured parts.  WRSG has also developed a custom Assembly Fabrication interface enabling customers to specify, design and order custom fabrications through the SSP online interface.

WRSG worked with SSP to develop interactive marketing sites for two new programs:

SSP FAB - a new service by SSP, serving as a Single Source Provider for Fabricated Assemblies.

SSP TCS - SSP Total Customer Solutions, a new service offered by SSP to become an extension of their customer's product delivery process with the goal of improvoing operational performance.

In each of these sites, WRSG blended an interactive FLASH graphical environment with a dynamic database and scripting back-end to process customer contact information. 

WRSG has supported the Center for Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance Medicine (CDHAM) in their technology initiatives over the past several years.  Most rescently, WRSG worked with CDHAM to performed an overhaul of their existing website and migrate it into the latest .NET Content Management Interface.  Like other customers of WRSG, this upgrade to a fully integrated CMS will enable CDHAM to more effectively communicate each program mission to the public, as well as enabling secure sharing of information within the secure portal interface. WRSG has been engaged to continue advancing the Internet interface for CDHAM to implement even more within thier day-to-day operations.

“Taking advantage of the most responsive marketing tool – word of mouth!” What better way to encourage someone to try something new than to get one of their friends to encourage it? OpenReferral is a management application developed to eliminate the hassle of tracking customer referrals. The process works like this, a current customer is asked if they would like to refer friends and receive a discount or free item (whichever the company would prefer). When x number of friends redeem their coupons the system automatically tracks the ‘referees’ back to the person that referred them. In doing so, the new customer is then asked if they’d like to refer x number of friends to receive a discount or free item. Each referee turns into a new referrer (promoter) and the cycle continues. All coupons are tracked via a bar code system, eliminating unnecessary paper trails and tabulations for employees. The cycle repeats endlessly and the company only gives the discount or free item if a coupon is redeemed – greatly reducing unnecessary spending on other, less responsive, advertising!

Shoutout is a web‐based automated referral marketing program that makes it easy for businesses to:

• Incentivize and prompt current customers to promote on their behalf.
• Incentivize new customers to trial.
• Manage referral campaigns automatically by regularly communicating with customers at key interaction points and providing statistics to allow businesses to:
  • Measure marketing ROI.
  • Identify best customers and estimate the value they create for the business through referrals.

ShoutOut fulfills the key criteria of an effective referral marketing system, providing an efficient means of communicating via Internet, E-mail and print (or coupon-based) channels, as well as accurately tracking and rewarding those who promote and utilize participating companies' services. Participating companies benefit from new and repeat business.

The Hudson Farmers Market is a collaborative volunteer effort designed to help retain the special character and fabric of Hudson. It is a project of Leadership Hudson, a program sponsored by The Rotary Club of Hudson Clock Tower, and a collaboration between community leaders and civic-minded residents.

Each year Leadership Hudson builds on the growth and success of the previous year to further improve our community. Over time, there will be a pool of savvy alumni who can be called upon to strengthen organization boards, provide energy for necessary levies, become candidates for office, serve on committees, and assume decision making roles that have positive results for Hudson. With the help of WRSG the Hudson Farmers Market website now provides a better way to come together on an organizational level, reaching out for support through volunteer and sponsor forms, updating members with information on candidates and committees, and displaying dates and times for their up and coming Famers Market!

Taken directly from the website; “Curtin and Associates’, LLP, focus is in the area of tort and business litigation with special emphasis dedicated to the area of Special Investigative Unit projects.” The law firm operates out of Akron, Ohio with substantial jury trial experience, exceptional client relations, and continuous community involvement on behalf of all practicing attorneys.

WRSG utilized technological expertise paired with the firm’s desire for a professional, yet personal website to construct CurtinLawFirm.com. The dynamic framework permits Curtin & Associates the option of independently managing content information, which is extremely important in the ever-changing world of law. Updates can be made to the site within minutes, including monthly e-newsletters, which are automatically released to the viewing population.

GreyColt.com showcases WRSG’s diversity in website development. The Grey Colt, located in downtown Hudson, Ohio, is a women's specialty store with head-to-toe dressing for every clothing need, a 50 year old tradition on the historic Main Street, and most importantly a friendly neighborhood shopping experience. The Grey Colt has a strong reputation for unique items, helpful staff, and charming gift-wrap contained within a homey atmosphere.  

The mission of the First Congregational Church of Hudson shall be to worship God; to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to celebrate the Sacraments; to educate and nurture our members in Christian faith and life; to provide congregational care; to promote Christian fellowship and unity within our Church and the Church Universal; to render loving service toward all God’s people through witness and mission; and to strive to righteousness, justice and peace.

WRSG felt it important for The First Congregational website to be a place where members of the church and the Hudson community can go to learn more about The First Congregational Church. They also wanted the site to be professional at the same time. WRSG worked with the Church on making it easily accessible for users in all departments to update information on a week to week basis for their members. From photo galleries, to calendars, the First Congregational Church's website is very inviting, welcoming all to become part of their journey!

Hudson Heritage Association (HHA) was founded in 1962 to preserve the Western Reserve Community of Hudson and its historic character. For the past four decades, HHA has promoted civic awareness of Hudson's rich history and fosters a responsible approach to preserving its unique architecture and Green.

The Hudson Heritage website is a place where members of the Hudson community can go to learn about the history of the town and apply for membership with the association. As an informative site, HHA members maintain content and are able to depend on WRSG personnel for additional support.

WRSG has teamed up with Kristina Roegner, and Liz Murphy of the Learned Owl to embark on a project to capture the beauty and charm of Hudson, Ohio. Their aim is to create a high quality, hardcover picture book of Hudson, through donated photographs. All of the profits from the book will be donated to Hudson charities and causes.

Citizens are encouraged to donate photographs, which may be of anything that captures the beauty and charm of our city. Topics may include but are not limited to: buildings, houses, structures, monuments, doors, people, events, gatherings, parks, nature, flora, and fauna. Photographs from all four seasons are encouraged. Once a photograph is submitted, it becomes the property of the hudsonbook.com project. The photographs will be selected by a jury consisting of: Debbie Currin, Tom Vince, Pete McDonald, Gretchen Bierbaum, Molly Logan, and Mike Coduto.. Photographs selected will be included in the book for publication. The individual who submitted the photograph and or photographer of the photograph will be recognized in the book under the photograph they submitted. Selection of photographs will be done on a rolling basis with the final deadline of August 31st 2009 for submission of photographs.

Photographs must be of high quality (min 300x300dpi recommended) and .jpg format.

WRSG partnered with a local entity to help establish an online interface for managing beer, pour efficiency.

Rice Environmental Services & Rice Oil, LLC - MyCrossChecks, customer Internet Portal - MyGeneration, recycled and reclaimed oil online processing interface...

The MyGeneration (MyGen) interface represents one of several custom portal interfaces which WRSG is developing in collaboration with RES.  The MyGeneration custom Internet Portal helps track the flow of recycled oil from generators (Oil Change Storefronts, Dealership Service Drives, Tooling & Manufacturing Facilities, as well as Other General Maintenance Facilities who use and recycle oil products) in transit with RES carriers, in storage at Rice Oil to its endpoint in a reclaiming, reuse or recycling facility.  The online interface provides a constant audit trail of the material collected while intransit - a requirement by law of the EPA.  Most providers continue to maintain the process manually, while RES is moving toward full automoation with the implementation of a handheld manifest system to be developed and integrated with the MyGen interface by WRSG over the next several months.  The secure interface relieves customers of the necessigy of maintaining their own audit trail as they can view all records online if a review is necessary. 

Other MyCrosschecks Portal Interfaces include:   

• - MySPCC - spill prevention and response program required by law for all hazardous material management. 
• - MyAccount - for tracking RES account information.
• - MyReferral - custom rebranded OpenReferral interface enabling customers to take advantage of an online referral marketing system. 
• - MyMSDS - for managing RES-related material MSDS information. 
• - MyReliability - integrated assett management interface for tracking equipment maintenance requirements and status both online and on a portable pocket pc platform. 
• - MyOilAnalysis - for tracking analysis results for oil storage tanks.
• - As well as MyGeneration - for tracking recycled oil processing.

When fully implemented, this entire suite of tools will provide RES customers with unparallelled online management capabilities in the Oil and Lubrication industries.

WRSG continues to work coordination with DuPont and CSC to implement a business portal for the DuPont Performance Coatings Division. Specifically, WRSG is migrating redeveloped business web implementations of customer marketing programs to the portal.  All applications being integrated with the portal provide dynamic data from live data sources via XML interfaces. We are interfacing with the portal through BowStreet and InterWoven portal and content management solutions.

The CDC Automated Disaster and Emergency Planning Tool - Knowledgebase is an online knowledgebase developed to help the CDC establish a clearinghouse for disaster management information and best practices.  The information is derived from a paper process which has been developed and refined by the CDC over several years of responding to humanitarian disasters.  All data is stored in a full-text indexed databases for easy searching on topics of pertinance to the end-user.  The knowledgebase provides a structured storage mechanism which is end-user managed providing users the ability enter constructive annotations and allowing subject matter experts editing capabilities where appropriate.  Thus, it is a growing and community-driven database of knowledge pertinant to disaster management and emergency planning.  The interface was developed by WRSG with sponsorship provided by the Center for Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance Medicine (CDHAM).

The eXtended Document Management Resource providing online storage, retrieval and sharing of electronic documents utilizing virtually any connected device. MyXDocs.com provides a new method of electronic document management to a wide array of electronic devices.

The Handheld Database and Survey Application Development involves providing a portable platform for medical research to perform patient histories (CDHAM.org). This platform must be flexible enough to maintain several survey criteria along with patient information in a database format. It is currently utilized in remote locations on the PocketPC platform and replicates data with a primary secure SQL server through satellite communications systems. This data is immediately accessible to home based supervisory and medical personnel via secure Internet interface for analysis, diagnosis and recommended treatment. It will be implemented along with several other telemedicine devices to provide full medical services to regions previously inaccessible to such medical technology expertise.

The concept behind Hudson Shops is to provide a central location where Hudson residents can go to access the web pages of all Hudson stores. It eliminates the hassle of trying to find each individual store’s page by providing each with a single page to display sales, products or any aspect of business they desire. For stores belonging to larger businesses, (i.e. The Gap, Cold Stone, etc.) they may also wish to provide a link to their company’s main page. This project is still in the very early development stages, so keep an eye out for it down the road!

WRSG has re-written the entire Bowtie Customer Bonus Program online interface.  The new Extranet-based application was redeveloped utilizing Microsoft .NET and ASP.NET technologies.  The security and database mechanisms have been redeveloped to support DuPonts technology standards.  The new interface combines both end-user and administrative functionality such that, based on login credentials, each user will view the customized interface intended for them.  WRSG will continue to enhance this interface with additional functionality over the next year as the program and online usage develop further.

WRSG has completed the redevelopment of Rykon's plating industry website to more professionally present itself on the Internet. As well as a redesign, Rykon is implementing new sections of its website to allow for on-line RFQ's and client fulfillment services. Furthermore, a section will be added allowing CAD drawings of parts to be uploaded through a secure interface and used for accurate pricing and job processing. The link above is to the newly redeveloped website at http://www.rykon.net/.  Additional functionality will continue to be added to Rykokn's newly implemented technology.

Teach Smart

OpenEducate.NET is a new teacher Internet gateway for managing classroom information. It provides a location for teachers to present classroom schedules, list homework requirements, allow students to submit assignments (via the Internet), and stay in touch with parents. Students are able to log-into their own individual ‘space’ where they can store notes, homework assignments and additional material to review for tests. In the instance of a student’s absence, he or she would simply have to check the teacher’s portal to view that day’s lessons and assignments. This is intended for use in middle and high schools in an attempt to modernize the school system’s processes for learning.

Rennsteig Werkzeuge, located in Viernau, Germany is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacturing of specialty tools utilized in all forms of cable processing. In January of 2006, the company stood up a US-based subsidiary, Rennsteig Tools Incorporated. Management of the new subsidiary approached WRSG to create a website that displayed Rennsteig’s renowned tools and cable processing information for their ‘new’ domestic market.

Rennsteig.US is an informative and fully searchable website. Content management and updates can be made by Rennsteig or WRSG [authorized] employees and are instantaneously viewable by site visitors, unlike many static sites on the web today. WRSG continually provides email and hosting services (guaranteed 24x7x365 support, back-up, monitoring and security) for the US division.