Suds, Spectrum & Savings: How J.J. Taylor Delivers Popular Beers with the Support of iVantage^®

What happens when a top five beer distributor gets together with a top five software developer* for its HRIS needs? For Jupiter, Florida–based J.J. Taylor Companies, Inc., it meant better efficiency, more streamlined processes, measurable cost savings, and an increased return on investment.

Founded in 1958 by John J. “Joe” Taylor, the company is still family–owned and operated. Some of the most popular beers on the market—names like Miller, Coors, Heineken USA, Guinness Import, and Yuengling—are distributed through J.J. Taylor’s staff of 780 employees. And with annual sales over $340 million, the company is among the top five beer distributors in the United States.

They cover Florida markets in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Ft. Myers, and Naples. The company also services the Minneapolis–St. Paul area of Minnesota. J.J. Taylor’s headquarters and training center is in Jupiter, Florida.

“Graduating” in 2001 from the era of paper files, J.J. Taylor initially implemented HRVantage^®, Spectrum’s LAN–based system—then upgraded two years later to iVantage^®, the leading web–based system. With each upgrade, J.J. Taylor enjoyed the ease of transition and increased efficiency in capturing and reporting employee data. “We took HRVantage down on a Tuesday afternoon, trained for three days, and were live with iVantage on Saturday,” according to Jodi Gooding, VP of Human Resources. A Spectrum Client Services representative was on–site during the implementation to ensure the process went according to plan. “All of our questions were answered and minor bugs resolved in the week that followed.”

With the hundreds of employees that make up their team, J.J. Taylor not only needed a system to capture, organize, and report on its greatest asset (its employees), but also one that integrated into its existing infrastructure. iVantage was the best choice since its technology uses a Microsoft^® SQL Server^™ database, which is compatible with many companies’ IT infrastructures and other specialized software. Gooding explains, “The SQL database has allowed greater flexibility in interfacing employee data from iVantage with our accounting and inventory software.” J.J. Taylor was able to eliminate dual data entry and consolidate payroll in their locations. Their ROI immediately grew by having a single person (rather than two) process approximately 550 of their employees every two weeks in Florida.

J.J. Taylor experienced additional efficiency and ROI with the time they saved by implementing interfaces that move data from iVantage to payroll, and from payroll to iVantage. A reverse interface utility created by Spectrum transmits current payroll accumulators, such as year–to–date earnings or year–to–date hours worked, from their payroll system (ADP) directly into iVantage. In turn, J.J. Taylor is able to view and report on the most accurate, up–to–date pay and compensation data.

Tasks and alerts, built–in features of iVantage, help maximize and organize J.J. Taylor’s HR time. Tasks define each person’s responsibility and corresponding workflow, while alerts serve as reminders that a task or due date is approaching. When these features were first implemented at J.J. Taylor, the result was a boost in data accuracy.

HR tracks simple things like employee birthdays, as well as more cost–sensitive items like expiration dates for drivers’ licenses, DOT medical certifications, forklift certifications, and auto insurance renewals for employees who have auto allowances. The company relies on alerts to ensure these business–critical recertifications are handled in a timely manner.

As J.J. Taylor looks forward to continued growth, iVantage will be there to support their workforce planning, tracking, and organization. Spectrum has tailored salary planning and position control tracking to meet the needs of J.J. Taylor’s current and future business models. The new hire workflow helps new employees through the hiring and training processes so they can quickly contribute at a high level.

J.J. Taylor has enjoyed the flexibility iVantage offers. “Spectrum gives us the ability to modify and maintain our own system with as little or as much help as needed,” Gooding concludes. “That is almost unheard of in the software industry. That is also what puts Spectrum and iVantage ahead of the game.”

Who knew that managing the delivery of the best brews, lagers, and ales on the market could work so smoothly? With successful client relationships like the one J.J. Taylor and Spectrum share, sometimes it’s time to crack open a cold one, kick back, and celebrate.

*Spectrum is ranked 5^th on The Denver Business Journal’s Denver–Area Software Developers list for 2007