Microso Case Studies: Amway h p://www.microso .com/casestudies/Case_Study_Detail.aspx...

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Amway is one of the world’s largest multi-level marketing companies, with three million
independent business owners (IBOs) worldwide selling its products direct to customers.
Recognizing that its IBOs needed to conduct most of their business away from offices or homes,
Amway Taiwan wanted to make its online services available to IBOs via PDA phones and mobile
devices. The company partnered with G Mobile to develop a PDA platform it could deploy using
Windows Mobile® Version 5.0. This mobile application platform addresses the mobile business
needs of IBOs, providing greater business system efficiencies, improved access to information,
increased productivity, a reduction in errors, with minimal training required for IBOs to use the
new platform.

Founded in the United States in 1959, Amway is a multi-level marketing company specializing in
direct selling to customers. With its world headquarters in Ada, Michigan, United States, Amway
has more than three million Independent Business Owners (IBOs) selling its products in more than
80 countries and territories around the world. Established in 1982, Amway Taiwan is one of the
biggest direct selling companies in the country and offers more than 400 categories of product. The
company has more than 250,000 IBOs and members throughout Taiwan, and its revenues grew
27.8% to NT$6.579 billion (U.S.$ 197.58 M) in 2005.

The routine work of IBOs involves visiting customers and a ending

Our Microso mobile meetings outside of internet-enabled offices, buildings and homes. While
platform solution on the move IBOs need to manage tasks remotely such as checking sales

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provides exactly the performance and emails from associates, confirming product prices and
advantages we are placing orders. Amway found that while notebook computers were
looking for as well as useful for remote connectivity, they were inconvenient for IBOs to carry.
great value. To strengthen its system of direct selling, Amway had previously
Kevin Liu deployed e-business solutions and wanted to introduce mobile
CIO (m-business) capability via a PDA portal implementation.
Amway, and
President, Information The model of direct selling at Amway is equivalent to the model of
Management business to customer (B2C), which requires Amway to provide it’s IBOs
Association of the with a complete flow of information, business logistics, cash, and product
ROC distribution. Amway’s extensive experience of IT for B2C efficiency has
laid a comprehensive, solid foundation for its e-business. To ensure an
accurate and timely flow of information to its IBOs, Amway established
its website in 1997 and was now ready to migrate to a running an
m-business.

“Our m-business stems from our e-business,” explains Kevin Liu, CIO, Amway and President,
Information Management Association of the Republic of China. “Our Independent Business
Owners are always on the go, and PDA phones are the most convenient device for them to carry
with them to keep them well informed.”

Amway previously a empted to use WAP-enabled phones for online ordering four years ago, but
this proved unsuccessful due to the immaturity of WAP and the system was subsequently
abandoned. However, due to technological progress over the past year and the release of PDA
phones featuring rich functions and ease of use, Amway was willing to re-look at PDA platforms.

The company wanted an integrated mobile platform that would extend its e-services, allowing it to
successfully implement m-Business solutions that would actively support mobile direct selling,
while requiring minimal training for its IBOs.

To meet its mobile business needs, Amway partnered with G Mobile to develop a PDA platform to
extend the online services of the company. Amway chose to deploy Windows Mobile 5.0. This
mobile applications operating system effectively extends the company’s comprehensive website
services to a PDA platform.

When considering the operating platform for front-end users, Amway

Our Independent selected Windows Mobile due to user familiarity with the Windows
Business Owners are operating system, the convenient functions of the platform, and the rich
always on the go, and so ware resources provided by Microso .
PDA phones are the
most convenient ”More applications and functions will strengthen the effectiveness of our
device for them to m-business,” states Liu. “Therefore, in order to develop more killer
carry with them to applications for m-business, there must be an open operating system and
keep them well rich resources for so ware development. Our Microso mobile platform
informed. solution provides exactly the advantages we are looking for as well as
Kevin Liu great value.”
CIO
Amway selected the most important information from its website and
Amway, and
transferred this to its PDA portal, so that IBOs equipped with PDA

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President, Information phones can now easily access product and company information, and
Management complete important time-relevant tasks while they are on the move.
Association of the
ROC The Amway PDA portal, developed by G Mobile, has 10 major functions,
which enable users to view the latest company news, meetings, products
currently available, product catalogues, and terminated or temporarily
suspended product supplies. IBOs can complete rapid ordering and
order cancellations, update sales performance, and answer order queries and information requests
from subordinates.

Acknowledging that many IBOs have basic IT familiarity, Amway has assisted them in their use of
e-Business and m-Business tools to help achieve their sales goals. To further streamline the use of
m-Business processes by IBOs, Amway plans to move slow transmission information into functions
that can be viewed offline by PDA phones. This information includes product price listing,
e-books, commercials, product introduction videos, and customer information.

The PDA solution is available internally to senior executives, salespeople and IBOs, and is available
externally to logistics service partners. Amway also provided its partners with industrial PDA
phones with bar code scan functionality. These work with a mobile network-integrated shipment
tracking system developed by G Mobile. As a result, logistics service drivers are able to immediately
report shipment status, resolving the time lag experienced in the past when they could only report
the status a er returning to their companies. Now Amway IBO use this information to check the
real-time status of deliveries online.

Windows Mobile 5.0 allows Amway Taiwan to use a powerful, stable information platform, which
is based on a comprehensive, solid foundation of e-Business. The solution has enabled the
company to improve IBO productivity when at meetings or visiting customers, to minimize the
need for training, and has reduced information errors resulting from manual data processing.

Improved Business Efficiencies

Windows Mobile supports the direct selling model employed by Amway by giving its workforce
instant access to information at their point of need. Without the need for PCs or notebooks for
completing business transactions, IBOs can carry their mobile office with them, accessing the
company network at any time via the PDA platform. “The more applications and functions will
be er strengthen the effectiveness of our m-business,” says Liu. “Therefore, in order to develop
more killer applications for m-business, there must be an open operating system and rich resources
for so ware development, and our Microso mobile platform solution exactly provides the
advantages and great value in these aspects.”

Instant Uptake of New Technology

The solution has enabled Amway executives and IBOs to start using the PDA platform straight way
because operating system and so ware are familiar to PC users. “Microso operating systems
provide the most open environment and one which users are most familiar,” states Liu. For
example, Mobile Office-based PDA phones carry Microso Office Documents on the Go, and Push
Mail is the function most frequently used by senior executives at Amway to directly open and read
email a achments. The familiar interface has allowed even IBOs with minimal IT experience to use

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the so ware without incurring a steep learning curve. “Our ongoing use of the Windows
environment requires no new learning and achieves the best integration and interoperability for the
most effective information synchronization, because both PC and PDA are based on the Windows
environment,” states Liu.

Improved Access to Information

Amway has extended its real-time business information access to its mobile IBOs by developing
and deploying a stable PDA platform. With users being able to transfer documents between their
desktop PC and their Windows Mobile powered Pocket PC or PDA, as well as enable slow
transmission information to be viewed offline by PDA phones, the company has provided its IBOs
with multiple avenues for accessing, updating and viewing important company data.

Increased Productivity

In using a Windows Mobile powered device that accesses the PDA platform, IBOs have increased
their productivity when working away from their home or office, simply by using mobile versions of
the Microso Office programs they already use. They can also respond more effectively to
customer questions and be more efficient in placing and receiving orders, and keeping up to date
with the latest company announcements. This increased productivity improves their revenue
streams and boosts confidence.

Reduced Errors

In the past Amway relied on paper processes and verbal conversations for collecting and managing
data, especially from its highly mobile and less technically savvy IBOs. By moving to a mobile
platform using Windows Mobile Amway has reduced data collection times and improved accurate
data flow, resulting in faster business and be er revenue reporting.

When considering a mobile operating platform for front-end users, Amway Taiwan selected
Microso Mobile 5.0 Pocket primarily because of the convenient functions of this platform,
supported by rich so ware resources and open environment provided by Microso .

“Microso operating systems amount to the most open environment, with which users are the
most familiar,” said Liu. “Our ongoing use of the Windows environment requires no unnecessary
learning and, on the other hand, achieves the best integration and interoperability for the most
effective information synchronization, because both PC and PDA are based on the Windows
environment.”

For more information about Microso products and services, call the Microso Sales Information
Center at (800) 426-9400. In Canada, call the Microso Canada Information Centre at (877)
568-2495. Customers who are deaf or hard-of-hearing can reach Microso text telephone
(TTY/TDD) services at (800) 892-5234 in the United States or (905) 568-9641 in Canada. Outside the
50 United States and Canada, please contact your local Microso subsidiary. To access information
using the World Wide Web, go to:
www.microso .com

For more information about Amway products and services, visit the Web site at:

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www.amway.com.tw

Windows Mobile

Windows Mobile brings the power of the Windows® operating system to mobile devices, helping
businesses and their mobile employees stay connected while on the go. Windows Mobile runs mobile
versions of Microso programs, including Microso Office Outlook® Mobile, Internet Explorer
Mobile, Pocket MSN®, Windows Media® Player Mobile, and Microso Office Word Mobile,
PowerPoint® Mobile, and Excel® Mobile. With Windows Mobile, information workers get powerful
so ware combined with the familiarity of Windows. Combined with available service plans and
connectivity options, Windows Mobile–based devices, available from 42 device makers and 68
mobile operators in 48 countries, can be used to make calls, send e-mail and instant messages, surf
the Web, and access critical business information even when users are away from the office.

More information about Windows Mobile can be found at:

www.microso .com/windowsmobile

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.

Document published April 2007

Solution Overview

Email Link

Download

Organization Size: 250000 employees

Organization Profile

Established in Taiwan in 1982, Amway is an industry leader in both revenue and number of
Independent Business Owners (IBOs).

Business Situation

To strengthen the efficiency of its direct selling system, Amway wanted to develop an m-Business
capability using a PDA portal platform accessible to IBOs from PDA phones.

Solution

Amway chose to deploy Windows® Mobile Version 5.0 to extend the comprehensive e-commerce
services of the company to a PDA platform accessed by mobile IBOs.

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Benefits

Improved business efficiencies

Instant new technology uptake
Improved access to information
Increased productivity
Reduced errors

So ware and Services

Windows Mobile 5.0

Vertical Industries
Non-Store Retailers

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Taiwan

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